Bermuda...Passport needed for kids?

[karensi]

Hi, we are going on a cruise to Bermuda in July. I know the adults need passports (right?) but how about my Dgrandchildren?
They are 9, 7 and 5 years old. Do they also need passports?


TIA,
Karen

 

[sam_gordon]

Hi, we are going on a cruise to Bermuda in July. I know the adults need passports (right?) but how about my Dgrandchildren?
They are 9, 7 and 5 years old. Do they also need passports?


TIA,
Karen

If you are US Citizens and going on a "closed loop" cruise (departing & arriving from the same US Port), it is not REQUIRED that anyone have passports. You will need government issued ID and government (not hospital) issued Birth Certificates for everyone though.

Now, a passport could be used if you miss the ship for any reason (illness, accident, delay). You would need passports to fly back into the US.

 

[PlutoPony]

http://http://www.gotobermuda.com/get-here/travel-tips/passports-and-immigration/ Here you go

Yes everyone needs a passport for entry into Bermuda, even infants.

EDIT: My bad, PP is correct about closed loop cruises

 

[Handbag Lady]

Hi, we are going on a cruise to Bermuda in July. I know the adults need passports (right?) but how about my Dgrandchildren?
They are 9, 7 and 5 years old. Do they also need passports?


TIA,
Karen

Everyone just "needs" a birth certificate and photo ID if you are on a cruise and just getting off at the port. However, I am a nervous nelly and I prefer that everyone have a passport.

The reason is this: if you or anyone in your party gets sick, you will need a passport if you are let off the ship and left behind in a foreign country.

I also buy trip insurance for such things, too.

At least I know there is a reason to my madness. When we were on our second Disney cruise, a gentleman had a heart issue and was let off the ship into Cabo (not a regular stop that day). He was in a hospital in Cabo and when the ship returned to Cabo from Puerto Vallarta, we were able to collect him again. He needed his passport there, and then he needed insurance coverage.

I can tell you that many, many people cruise with just a b/c and they've never had any trouble.

 

[DipsyDoodles]

If you are US Citizens and going on a "closed loop" cruise (departing & arriving from the same US Port), it is not REQUIRED that anyone have passports. You will need government issued ID and government (not hospital) issued Birth Certificates for everyone though.

Now, a passport could be used if you miss the ship for any reason (illness, accident, delay). You would need passports to fly back into the US.

Deleted since question was already answered

 

[karensi]

If you are US Citizens and going on a "closed loop" cruise (departing & arriving from the same US Port), it is not REQUIRED that anyone have passports. You will need government issued ID and government (not hospital) issued Birth Certificates for everyone though.

Now, a passport could be used if you miss the ship for any reason (illness, accident, delay). You would need passports to fly back into the US.

Thanks so much for this info. I really thought that now a days everyone needed a passport to go anywhere out of the US. I was just bugging my DD today to go to the post office to get the applications for her family. So this is news to me that they aren't really required to have passports. I think I will forward this info to DD and let her decide what she and her DH want to do about getting passports for their family.

http://http://www.gotobermuda.com/get-here/travel-tips/passports-and-immigration/ Here you go

Yes everyone needs a passport for entry into Bermuda, even infants.

EDIT: My bad, PP is correct about closed loop cruises

PlutoPony, I did click on the website you referenced above and it does say that everyone is required to have a passport. Did you find the info about not needing a passport on that same site in another section?
Just confused now, although I guess all the Dissers can't be wrong

Thanks,

Karen

 

[Chelley00]

PlutoPony, I did click on the website you referenced above and it does say that everyone is required to have a passport.

Passports are required if you fly in. If you are cruising a closed loop cruise (leaving a port and returning to the SAME port) you don't need a passport. DS19 doesn't have a passport (because he *forgot* to get it in time) but he was able to go on our cruise with the rest of us who have passports. He just took his license and birth certificate.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

You could always call your cruise line to double check if you don't believe us

 

[karensi]

Passports are required if you fly in. If you are cruising a closed loop cruise (leaving a port and returning to the SAME port) you don't need a passport. DS19 doesn't have a passport (because he *forgot* to get it in time) but he was able to go on our cruise with the rest of us who have passports. He just took his license and birth certificate.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

You could always call your cruise line to double check if you don't believe us

I have faith in my Dis friends. They are the ones I turn to if I need a question answered correctly!!
Chelley, thanks also for the link.That answered the question just as all of you have.

Dissers are the best!!

Karen

 

[shortbun]

If you do not have exactly what the cruise line requires, you will not get on the cruise. Ask them what they require. They are who's checking you on the ship. They don't mess around. No matter what anyone here says, the cruise line has the final say. They won't care what someone on the DIS says. Also, if the parents of these children are not going along, tell the cruise line and ask what kind of documentation is required for the children to travel without their parents.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Hi, we are going on a cruise to Bermuda in July. I know the adults need passports (right?) but how about my Dgrandchildren?
They are 9, 7 and 5 years old. Do they also need passports?


TIA,
Karen

For me it is not worth the risk in case of emergency but that is jmo. I tend to err on the side of caution due to medical issues.

 

[snykymom]

I'm on Cruise Critic as well as the DIS; there are a lot of people who don't get passports for closed loop cruises. However, there are also a lot of threads about people denied boarding because they did not have the right form of birth certificate. That would apply to kids, too.

Personally, I'd just get the passports. It's easier.

 

[Lorelei Lee]

I'm on Cruise Critic as well as the DIS; there are a lot of people who don't get passports for closed loop cruises. However, there are also a lot of threads about people denied boarding because they did not have the right form of birth certificate. That would apply to kids, too.

Personally, I'd just get the passports. It's easier.

Exactly.

 

[sandramaac]

My thoughts----ANYWHERE off United States of Amercia soil--that includes Mexico and Canada, closed loop cruises---get a passport. There is no where I would travel without one,even if it was questionable if I needed it or not. There are tons of youtube videos, where US citizens are now being stopped a 100 miles from the official border crossing stops into mexican and canadian borders, at new citizenship stops, checking to see of you are a citizen. Let alone even walkig off a closed loop cruise--imagine if there was any question to identity or citizenship. Just get the passport and be safe.

 

[mdsoccermom]

I think it's absolutely stupid and irresponsible to leave the United States without a passport. I don't care if the State Dept. says it's ok for cruise. Yes, it's costly, but you should build it into your budget. If you can't, then don't leave the country.

 

[Janepod]

I think it's absolutely stupid and irresponsible to leave the United States without a passport. I don't care if the State Dept. says it's ok for cruise. Yes, it's costly, but you should build it into your budget. If you can't, then don't leave the oj try.

I agree. I know it's an unpopular opinion here. I don't know what the aversion to getting passports is.

 

[phillmolly]

We are leaving on a cruise in three weeks, we are travleing with enhanced drivers licenses. We just booked the cruise three weeks ago and so we didn't have the time or $$$ to get all three of us passports. It would have cost us almost $600! I am taking my DS to get his enhanced state ID even though he is only four.

Once we get back from the cruise we are going to get us each a passport but one at a time.

I did tons of research to make sure we would be okay to travel without passports. We wouldn't be able to fly in or out, but we can travel by land or sea with enhanced ID's. Also in the DCL paperwork we rec'd it states that we can travel with enhanced ID's.

 

[jodifla]

I agree. I know it's an unpopular opinion here. I don't know what the aversion to getting passports is.

1 It's expensive -- I have lots of FLa. friends who have cruised for 30 years on a BC....their cruises are only $300, so adding another 100 for a cruise is a huge upcharge.
2. Children's passports are only good for 5 years, so many people only use them once.
3. The whole family has to travel to the passport office or Post Office during hours they are open to apply for a child's passport. This can mean taking a day off of work or school, depending on the area you are in.
4. People who have joint custody of their kids run into the issue that the other parent refuses to allow for a passport, leaving the birth certificate the only way to go.

That's just a few reasons off the top of my head.

 

[Janepod]

1 It's expensive -- I have lots of FLa. friends who have cruised for 30 years on a BC....their cruises are only $300, so adding another 100 for a cruise is a huge upcharge.
2. Children's passports are only good for 5 years, so many people only use them once.
3. The whole family has to travel to the passport office or Post Office during hours they are open to apply for a child's passport. This can mean taking a day off of work or school, depending on the area you are in.
4. People who have joint custody of their kids run into the issue that the other parent refuses to allow for a passport, leaving the birth certificate the only way to go.

That's just a few reasons off the top of my head.

1. Never heard of a $300 cruise but I'll take your word for it. Still, in the grand scheme of things, $100 is not a huge upcharge. Relative to $300, yes, but not in and of itself (esp not on a Disney board!)
2. So use them more - make it worthwhile.
3. No; only one parent - other can be notarized. Our Post Office has passport hours on Saturdays, as does the next-closest one. Not a hassle.
4. Not my area of expertise but presumably a parent who would not allow a passport would also not allow the kid to leave the country for a cruise, right?

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

1. Never heard of a $300 cruise but I'll take your word for it. Still, in the grand scheme of things, $100 is not a huge upcharge. Relative to $300, yes, but not in and of itself (esp not on a Disney board!)
2. So use them more - make it worthwhile.
3. No; only one parent - other can be notarized. Our Post Office has passport hours on Saturdays, as does the next-closest one. Not a hassle.
4. Not my area of expertise but presumably a parent who would not allow a passport would also not allow the kid to leave the country for a cruise, right?

There are a lot of cruises out of FL for $300 or even less.

 

[jodifla]

1. Never heard of a $300 cruise but I'll take your word for it. Still, in the grand scheme of things, $100 is not a huge upcharge. Relative to $300, yes, but not in and of itself (esp not on a Disney board!)
2. So use them more - make it worthwhile.
3. No; only one parent - other can be notarized. Our Post Office has passport hours on Saturdays, as does the next-closest one. Not a hassle.
4. Not my area of expertise but presumably a parent who would not allow a passport would also not allow the kid to leave the country for a cruise, right?

1. Lots of weekend cruises are in the $300 dollar range per person. I'm going on a 4 night one in Oct. that's $331.

2. Lots of people don't travel much and can't decide to just "go more often."

3. No Saturday hours near us for the Post office where they will take passport applications. It's M-F only for the applications.

4. Even though they say they want a letter from the other parent, 90 percent of the time they don't ask for it. You'll see this issue come up alot on cruise critic.