4-Night Bahamian Cruise From Port Canaveral - No Passport & No Birth Certificate

[hayesdvc]

We have our first cruise coming up in May. Wife and I have never had a passport. We have recently applied with standard service (we did not know how long it might take).

Since part of the passport application requires our original birth certificates to be sent, too, I am very worried now that neither the passport will be back in time neither our two birth certificate documents be returned (I understand the birth certificates come separately AFTER the passports are sent).

What if I have neither on the cruise?

What do I need to do at this point?

TIA

 

[sab53085]

If you have copies of your birth certificates, you can use those. Someone in my party had to do this in November.

 

[hayesdvc]

If you have copies of your birth certificates, you can use those. Someone in my party had to do this in November.

Does it need to be a certified copy?

 

[happycamper47]

If you have copies of your birth certificates, you can use those. Someone in my party had to do this in November.

Same for my daughter & sil in May.

 

[soniam]

Does it need to be a certified copy?

I think it needs to be a copy or original of a certified birth certificate.

 

[justafigment27]

Have you seen any recent reports on current passport processing time? I’m just curious myself.

I had one of my college kids renew her passport when she was home for Christmas break. She was 13 when she got her last one and had to renew in person. Her appointment at the post office was 12/14/22 and her passport arrived 1/23/23, so just under 6 weeks.

DH and I sent our renewals at the begging of February. I didn’t even check processing times and ordered regular service because I figured we had plenty of time. I just checked the passport status portal and it says current processing time could be 8-11 weeks from the date the application arrived in the passport office. If it takes 11 weeks, then our flight to Orlando will leave before our passports arrive.

 

[Mommb]

As implied above, you could request another certified copy of your birth certificates, which would be sufficient for a closed-loop cruise if your passports don’t arrive in time. Even if you no longer live in the area where you were born, if you order by mail now you should be able to get copies well before May.

 

[sab53085]

Does it need to be a certified copy?

I just used a printout from a photocopy that I emailed myself

 

[AgentMama]

As someone else suggested, order an additional copy of your birth certificate, it can easily be done online and you'll have peace of mind having a backup. It does look like the processing time has recently increased again for passports.

 

[hayesdvc]

My Drivers Licence has the "STAR" on it which means I had to present my birth certificate to be verified in order to get this signification. I assume this will not matter for the purpose on the cruise. Worse case scenario if I am unable to also get a copy of the BC in time, can we at least get off on Castaway Cay and get back on the ship?

 

[AgentMama]

My Drivers Licence has the "STAR" on it which means I had to present my birth certificate to be verified in order to get this signification. I assume this will not matter for the purpose on the cruise. Worse case scenario if I am unable to also get a copy of the BC in time, can we at least get off on Castaway Cay and get back on the ship?

You will not be able to board at all without proper documentation.

 

[lpereira]

No original or certified copy of a birth certificate and no passport means you don't get on the ship. Order another certified birth certificate and be done.

 

[squirk]

We have our first cruise coming up in May. Wife and I have never had a passport. We have recently applied with standard service (we did not know how long it might take).

Since part of the passport application requires our original birth certificates to be sent, too, I am very worried now that neither the passport will be back in time neither our two birth certificate documents be returned (I understand the birth certificates come separately AFTER the passports are sent).

What if I have neither on the cruise?

What do I need to do at this point?

TIA

What does Disney Cruise Line tell you?

Lots of friendly, helpful people on this board, but I would not rely on any of them (and none of them should rely on me) as final word on what documents I must have in order to get on the ship.

The folks at the port are not going to be very sympathetic if you show up with insufficient documentation and say, “But ‘Squirk’ from the DISboards told me…..”.

 

[Clarkson U]

We have our first cruise coming up in May. Wife and I have never had a passport. We have recently applied with standard service (we did not know how long it might take).

Since part of the passport application requires our original birth certificates to be sent, too, I am very worried now that neither the passport will be back in time neither our two birth certificate documents be returned (I understand the birth certificates come separately AFTER the passports are sent).

What if I have neither on the cruise?

What do I need to do at this point?

TIA

To be safe - I would immediately request a certified copy of both birth certificates from the relevant authorities based on where you were born.

I would do it now so that if there is a delay in getting you a certified copy of birth certificate you have time.

Probably passport should be back in time (says 8-12 weeks) but it can’t hurt to have an extra certified copy of birth certificate ar
Home.

Good lukc

 

[JM_97]

I'd get a certified copy of the birth certificate as a Plan B. You might end up not needing it, but you will have a safety net. Round trip cruises from the US also allow you to sail/disembark if you provide a photo ID + a certified copy of your birth certificate instead of a passport. On our last cruise, some of our group had to go that route and there were no issues.

 

[lanejudy]

My Drivers Licence has the "STAR" on it which means I had to present my birth certificate to be verified in order to get this signification

No, that star simply means your license is "REAL ID" compliant. It doesn't work as a passport or for proof of citizenship. An Enhanced Driver's License can be used to cruise, these are only available in some states.

Does it need to be a certified copy?

Some people report using a photo copy. Since you would need to order one anyway, I'd get the full certified version. It doesn't hurt to have an extra on hand anyway.

Worse case scenario if I am unable to also get a copy of the BC in time, can we at least get off on Castaway Cay and get back on the ship?

No. Worst case scenario (and likely scenario) is that you will be turned away from boarding in Port Canaveral. No cruise. Your best option at this point is to get another copy of your birth certificates.

 

[shoegal9]

You can call the State Department and upgrade your passport application to expedited. I filed for my passport renewal (standard processing) at the end of January for what was going to be a May cruise. We decided to switch to a March cruise so I called to expedite. I had my passport 2 weeks later for an extra $60. It was worth it.

 

[mmouse37]

We just reapplied to get the grandkids' passports yesterday. I say reapply as kids can't renew, they have to get new ones every 5 years.

We put down that we were traveling on May 1 and the post office guy asked if we wanted expedited service but we said no. Its no big deal if they don't come by May 1st and the post office man didn't seem to think it was a necessity to get them expedited for travel by that date. I'll let you know when they come in.

MJ

 

[hayesdvc]

You can call the State Department and upgrade your passport application to expedited. I filed for my passport renewal (standard processing) at the end of January for what was going to be a May cruise. We decided to switch to a March cruise so I called to expedite. I had my passport 2 weeks later for an extra $60. It was worth it.

What phone number did you call ?

Thanks

 

[sab53085]

If you already have a copy of your birth certificate, that will be fine. We did this in November. The website states “Original or copy of a state-issued birth certificate AND Government-issued photo ID.” Nothing about certified copy is mentioned. If you want peace of mind, call or chat with DCL.