Cruising The Canal May 1, 2015 (Roll Call in Post 1)

[MommaluvsDis]

I got my passport Thursday and birth certificate yesterday. They must have had a mass mailing! My passport was a replacement as I lost mine after my last cruise. It took 4 weeks almost to the day to get it.

 

[GooniesAndy]

I got my passport Thursday and birth certificate yesterday. They must have had a mass mailing! My passport was a replacement as I lost mine after my last cruise. It took 4 weeks almost to the day to get it.

I hope ours come that fast! We are taking a cheapie Carnival cruise out of Long Beach in a few weeks to tide us over til the big trip next year, so I decided to get the passports done now to use on that. But it also meant I had to give them our birth certificates, which would be my backup if the passports don't come in time. I hope I won't be making a last minute trip to the county offices to get new ones!

 

[racingfandj]

Hate to even open this discussion, but can anyone point me to a well documented official answer rather than an opinionated answer to this question? Does the passport card suffice for the Panama Canal cruise or do you have to have a passport? I've seen where it covers travel under WHTI, so unsure if it's covered or not and everything else seems to be opinion. TIA!

 

[GooniesAndy]

Hate to even open this discussion, but can anyone point me to a well documented official answer rather than an opinionated answer to this question? Does the passport card suffice for the Panama Canal cruise or do you have to have a passport? I've seen where it covers travel under WHTI, so unsure if it's covered or not and everything else seems to be opinion. TIA!

To find an official answer you may need to call the customs department. The closest I can find is https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise where they say you need a passport on a Panama Canal cruise, but don't mention a card. I'd say you really do need the passport, though, because the cruise stops in South America, and that's not covered on the passport card.

 

[racingfandj]

To find an official answer you may need to call the customs department. The closest I can find is https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise where they say you need a passport on a Panama Canal cruise, but don't mention a card. I'd say you really do need the passport, though, because the cruise stops in South America, and that's not covered on the passport card.

Thank you for a quick response. I've seen that before, but it says if you are not doing a closed loop (I.e. Panama Canal), the following does not apply. That did get me looking for more on the WHTI and I just came across these two for the first time. Short of calling the US Gov or Disney, this is the closest, clearest answer I've seen.

"WHTI was successfully implemented on June 1, 2009 for entry into the U.S. by land and sea. U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to present a WHTI-compliant document such as a valid passport, U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST), or an Enhanced Driver’s License." - http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/whti-program-background

"Traveling by Sea?

All adult U.S. citizens arriving by sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean must have a passport.*

Either a passport book or passport card may be used." -http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/do-i-need.html

Is Mexico, our last port, considered "arrival from"?

 

[GooniesAndy]

It's a tricky one... unfortunately, I think the answer is going to be that the passport card does not work. To decide if a passport card will work, you need to ask the question, "Will a birth certificate plus photo ID work?" If the answer is no, then the passport card doesn't either. The card is really meant for people who travel frequently from Canada or Mexico. Check the requirements for entering Colombia, as well. Some countries have their own requirements regarding what you need to enter, which will in turn be what the cruise line requires.

 

[ravensilverlight]

When we cruised the canal in 2013, our TA told us Disney required an actual passport book, and the card would not be acceptable. They are, of course, free to make more stringent rules than the state department, so idk if the card COULD be used, but the book was what DCL wanted.

Also, don't forget that, should anything happen and you need to head home mid-cruise (unlikely, but possible - it is, after all, TWO weeks and anything can happen), the book is the only option that will get you in the country by air.

 

[minkelberry]

To all the pros in this group.. is there a packing list.. With this being my first i have done a ton of reading on what we should bring, leave etc.. one of the sites had said that there was a great packing list on here :O) Thanks in advance for all your help.. If there are things that you feel are a total necessity or things that you can 100% live without, all tips and tricks welcomed. I have cruised before but not for this long..

 

[Brixton]

Welcome to all who joined the cruise! We had SO much fun on this one in 2013! Congrats to those who've already paid in full - that's quite impressive

Doubletree - thank you for all the PMs. Rooms are held with my CC until a later date. Because we're nearly eleven months out, we have some flexibility. I will email individual confirmation numbers as soon I have them!

Passports - We chose passports for the 2013 WBPC. The cards COULD have been used at that time, but we were strongly advised to get passports! It was right after the Carnival ship was stranded for days, so we went with passports for medical reasons as well as weird cruise ship reasons

Enjoy your week, fellow DISers

 

[aan1701]

I would get a passport. No choice in my book. Remember this is a 14 night cruise. While you are gone, and trust me on this I have seen it happen and it almost happened to me on this years cruise, something may happen at home that will require you to cut the trip short and fly home. You can not fly home with a passport card. Don't think twice about it, get the passport.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I totally agree with Alan. I have been on quite a few cruises where someone has had to be air vac'd, or taken ashore in the rescue pod. Having a passport gets you stateside a lot sooner and it supersedes a drivers license as a form of identity.

By the way, hi Alan! Looking forward to saying hello again!

 

[4worlds1family]

Doubletree - thank you for all the PMs. Rooms are held with my CC until a later date. Because we're nearly eleven months out, we have some flexibility. I will email individual confirmation numbers as soon I have them!

I am new to the boards and don't know how to PM yet, but I would like to be added to the list for a room at the Doubletree, please. Thank you! Kim

 

[wilma-bride]

Doubletree - thank you for all the PMs. Rooms are held with my CC until a later date. Because we're nearly eleven months out, we have some flexibility. I will email individual confirmation numbers as soon I have them!

I am new to the boards and don't know how to PM yet, but I would like to be added to the list for a room at the Doubletree, please. Thank you! Kim

Hi Kim, Jo here

I'm sure Brixton will see this but, for future reference, if you hover over the user name at the side, you will see various options including 'send Private Message'.

 

[mimmi]

Welcome to all who joined the cruise! We had SO much fun on this one in 2013! Congrats to those who've already paid in full - that's quite impressive

Doubletree - thank you for all the PMs. Rooms are held with my CC until a later date. Because we're nearly eleven months out, we have some flexibility. I will email individual confirmation numbers as soon I have them!

Passports - We chose passports for the 2013 WBPC. The cards COULD have been used at that time, but we were strongly advised to get passports! It was right after the Carnival ship was stranded for days, so we went with passports for medical reasons as well as weird cruise ship reasons

Enjoy your week, fellow DISers

Thank you so much for organizing!

 

[NancyJfromHolland]

Hello everybody,

My boyfriend (Bradley, 36) and I (39) booked this cruise as well. We are from the Netherlands.
We are really looking forward to it already!

It will his 1st cruise and my 2nd one. I sailed the Fantasy in 2013.

I also requested to participate in the Facebook group, but FE is not my thing, but it's great initiative!

 

[aan1701]

I totally agree with Alan. I have been on quite a few cruises where someone has had to be air vac'd, or taken ashore in the rescue pod. Having a passport gets you stateside a lot sooner and it supersedes a drivers license as a form of identity. By the way, hi Alan! Looking forward to saying hello again!

Hi. It will be great to see you again as well. Any trips to WDW planed?

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Vicky2jeff]

We are so struggling financially right now.. But there is absolutely no way I'm missing this cruise...lol. It's going to be over the $15000 again... But I, going to fight like tooth and nail for this to happen...please send me lots of money windfall vibes...hehehe

 

[MommaluvsDis]

Hi. It will be great to see you again as well. Any trips to WDW planed?

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

No, we did the
PC this past September and visited Disneyland. Just the cruise this time. You? Are you still a premiere pass holder?

 

[KalamityJane]

We are getting passports because I would rather have that insurance. I'm getting the books and not the cards, we don't live near the border, so I don't feel like the cards would benefit us.

 

[KalamityJane]

Hello everybody, My boyfriend (Bradley, 36) and I (39) booked this cruise as well. We are from the Netherlands. We are really looking forward to it already! It will his 1st cruise and my 2nd one. I sailed the Fantasy in 2013. I also requested to participate in the Facebook group, but FE is not my thing, but it's great initiative!

Where in the Netherlands? I spent a good amount of time in Utrecht beautiful country and love the people there!