Do we *really* need passports?

[Tara619]

We're planning on a 3 day Bahamas cruise in June. My husband and I have been on 2 Disney cruises before DS7 was born and didn't use passports. I read on mousesavers that we should all have passports. Is that really necessary for this cruise?

 

[Favorite Auntie]

Nope, you don't "need" them.

 

[Euphscott]

We're planning on a 3 day Bahamas cruise in June. My husband and I have been on 2 Disney cruises before DS7 was born and didn't use passports. I read on mousesavers that we should all have passports. Is that really necessary for this cruise?

Oh you are asking for trouble asking that!!

If all goes well - no you don't need passports. But if something goes wrong and somehow you can't get home on the ship - you will not have an easy method to get home.

 

[jilljill]

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/p...rary/travel-documentation-bahamian-caribbean/

Do you 'need' one...no? But it is a good idea to have one in case you need to fly home. A gov't issued photo ID and certified copy of your birth certificate is what you need at a minimum to cruise on a closed loop cruise in/out of the same US port.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

As others have written, no you don't. But I'm in the camp that says I wouldn't go without passports, with one exception. If you think you will only go once or twice and won't leave the country again for any other vacation. If that's the case than save your money, and take your chances JMHO. Hope all goes well for you on your trip. With or without passports.

 

[calker]

While on our last Christmas cruise we were informed of a death in the family. We had to leave the ship in Falmouth, Jamaica. My husband and I had passports and sailed through the security process of RCCL and Jamaica.

Those that traveled with just birth certificates and photo ID's did NOT make it to the airport in time for our flights home.

With the help of the staff at RCCL and the insurance company, they did make it on the next flight to the states but it was extremely stressful for them.

RCCL staff stated that 99% of the time birth certificates and photo ID work, but if you need to fly home from another country it causes long delays if a passport is not available.

 

[TXDCLfan]

You will be just fine.

 

[sissy_ib]

While on our last Christmas cruise we were informed of a death in the family. We had to leave the ship in Falmouth, Jamaica. My husband and I had passports and sailed through the security process of RCCL and Jamaica.

Those that traveled with just birth certificates and photo ID's did NOT make it to the airport in time for our flights home.

With the help of the staff at RCCL and the insurance company, they did make it on the next flight to the states but it was extremely stressful for them.

RCCL staff stated that 99% of the time birth certificates and photo ID work, but if you need to fly home from another country it causes long delays if a passport is not available.

This may sound cruel but, the OPs cruise is only 3 nights. That is really 2 1/2 days. Chances are even if anything did happen back at home, the cost of airfare would be too much to justify getting back 24 hours or so earlier. The only stops they will have are Nassau and CC, so really, after they leave Nassau on the first day, they wont have much of a choice but to stay on-board for this kind of situation.


Now the other situation that might come up is if someone in your party has an emergency. This is the one that I worry about. OP, are you willing to take the bet that nothing will happen to any of you in those 2 1/2 days?

 

[kcashner]

Provided that you return to Port Canaveral on the ship, you don't NEED passports. But if anything happens (like a medical emergency) such that you don't return on the ship, you will be required to have them. There are laws in place for you to obtain an emergency passport from a US Embassy or consulate, but that adds a whole new layer of stress to an already difficult time.

That said....25+ DCL cruises and we've been lucky. We have them but have never had an emergency situation where they would have been essential; the vast majority of guests don't.

 

[texasgirl73]

Paying almost $700 for my family to have passports for a short cruise wouldn't be worth it for me. If I had a trip planned within 5 years that requires passports I would get them but otherwise I am willing to take my chances. I know many others would rather not deal with getting emergency passports when facing an emergency, but I figure that I wouldn't be in relax mode anyways and will already be stressed. I know it's a gamble but I want to know that when I get the passports that I will actually be using them in 5 years (mine will be good for 10 but the kids will only be good for 5.) I don't want to spend $700 just to insure that I will have less stress in an emergency. Others feel differently, but I like to get something for my money. I do purchase trip insurance (costs me about $200, I probably wouldn't get it if it was $700 though...I have my limits for "just in case" costs.)

I know there are plenty others like me but they rarely speak up because they don't want to be lectured about how foolish they are for taking their chances.

 

[kcashner]

I know there are plenty others like me but they rarely speak up because they don't want to be lectured about how foolish they are for taking their chances.

Not foolish at all--we all make our choices for lots of different reasons. I've always had a passport (because I had one for other trips), but for a lot of cruises, my DD was on a birth certificate. Some of us by travel insurance, some don't. There isn't a right or wrong; it is what works for each individual or family.

And you are right--there are lots of people who cruise on birth certificates. Honestly, if I viewed the cruise as my only trip out of the country in the next 5-10 years, I might be one of them.

 

[eyesing4u]

My DH does not have a passport and we don't plan on getting him one. I figured with our stops in St. Thomas and San Juan they are US Territories anyway. I wasn't too concerned.

 

[lorenni]

DH and I already had passports, but we did go get one for DS. We did so for a couple of reasons:

First - we fly pretty frequently, and having photo ID for DS will be useful for those trips.

Second - I am in the "be prepared" camp and want to be able to act in any situation without unnecessary delays. (My sister and I had passports as babies because my dad was military and we were overseas. In fact, we had duplicates because the country we were stationed in was infamous for confiscating passports).

Third - we love to travel and you just never know when you're going to find a great deal on tickets to [fill in the blank]. We don't want to skip something because we can't take the baby.

Adult passports are valid for 10 years, and minor passport for 5. As long as you plan ahead, passports are an investment but dont have to be prohibitively expensive. Fees for expediting certainly add to the cost.

 

[lilouisianagal]

Paying almost $700 for my family to have passports for a short cruise wouldn't be worth it for me. If I had a trip planned within 5 years that requires passports I would get them but otherwise I am willing to take my chances. I know many others would rather not deal with getting emergency passports when facing an emergency, but I figure that I wouldn't be in relax mode anyways and will already be stressed. I know it's a gamble but I want to know that when I get the passports that I will actually be using them in 5 years (mine will be good for 10 but the kids will only be good for 5.) I don't want to spend $700 just to insure that I will have less stress in an emergency. Others feel differently, but I like to get something for my money. I do purchase trip insurance (costs me about $200, I probably wouldn't get it if it was $700 though...I have my limits for "just in case" costs.)

TexasGirl73 (& Tara 619) --Have you ever considered getting passports for just the adults (and having the kids cruise with ID/BC)? That way you would be flexible in case of emergency and it seems like getting kids across with just ids and BC would be easier than a whole family if need be.

I always keep an up to date passport for DH and myself, but that's because we like traveling. I didn't even realize that you could travel on DCL out of the US without a passport--learned something new!

 

[Kbrush]

If you do not have passports you should consider bringing a copy of your daughter's birth certificate I'd think. You want to have something that clearly identifies her as yours. You should probably both be sure to travel off ship together with her as immigration/customs is more likely to question if a single parent has custody. That said, I am the single mom of an adopted daughter who looks very different from me and I encountered no problems in Nassau. Disney however did look at our passports at least once, either leaving or arriving in Canaveral.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you do not have passports you should consider bringing a copy of your daughter's birth certificate I'd think. You want to have something that clearly identifies her as yours. You should probably both be sure to travel off ship together with her as immigration/customs is more likely to question if a single parent has custody. That said, I am the single mom of an adopted daughter who looks very different from me and I encountered no problems in Nassau. Disney however did look at our passports at least once, either leaving or arriving in Canaveral.

For those who don't have a passport, they must have (at least) a CERTIFIED birth certificate, and (for those 16 and over) a government issued photo ID in order to cruise.

 

[believinthemagic]

TexasGirl73 (& Tara 619) --Have you ever considered getting passports for just the adults (and having the kids cruise with ID/BC)? That way you would be flexible in case of emergency and it seems like getting kids across with just ids and BC would be easier than a whole family if need be.

I always keep an up to date passport for DH and myself, but that's because we like traveling. I didn't even realize that you could travel on DCL out of the US without a passport--learned something new!

I am not an expert by ANY means, but after a lot of deliberation we are doing something similar to this. passports for a family of 5 are a lot of money! So we actually decided my husband would get a passport & the rest of us won't. In case of a medical emegergency with one of the kids at least one of us has one to make it easier.

We have only cruised once before 9 years ago, and odds are our cruising will be spaced out. Normally do WDW every year. The first time we cruised I didn't even debate getting passports. They didn't push the passport issue as hard before so I never worried about it.

 

[Happy100]

If you have enough time before your cruise then IMHO I would get one. It is better to be safe then sorry. However with that said you technically don't have to have one.

 

[kcashner]

If you do not have passports you should consider bringing a copy of your daughter's birth certificate I'd think. You want to have something that clearly identifies her as yours. You should probably both be sure to travel off ship together with her as immigration/customs is more likely to question if a single parent has custody. That said, I am the single mom of an adopted daughter who looks very different from me and I encountered no problems in Nassau. Disney however did look at our passports at least once, either leaving or arriving in Canaveral.

If you choose to travel without a passport, you MUST have a CERTIFIED birth certificate. Thus, the about comment becomes irrelevant.

DCL does check your passport or birth certificate at check in and the Customs official gives it at least a cursory glance at your arrival.

There is no issue at all in ports of call--everyone needs their KTTW card which has their security photo embedded on it (read by the ship's computers). Adults need an additional government issued photo ID.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kbrush

If you do not have passports you should consider bringing a copy of your daughter's birth certificate I'd think. You want to have something that clearly identifies her as yours. You should probably both be sure to travel off ship together with her as immigration/customs is more likely to question if a single parent has custody. That said, I am the single mom of an adopted daughter who looks very different from me and I encountered no problems in Nassau. Disney however did look at our passports at least once, either leaving or arriving in Canaveral.

For those who don't have a passport, they must have (at least) a CERTIFIED birth certificate, and (for those 16 and over) a government issued photo ID in order to cruise.

PrincessSchmoo, every time you give this advice you are giving inaccurate information. You need photo ID for those age 18 and older. For some reason you keep posting that you need it at age 16 and this is clearly not correct. I am not trying to be snarky in any way when saying this but just telling you that the correct age is 18 not 16 so that people will get the correct information.


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