How will this work? birth cert vs. passport

[lwilliam]

We are sailing on the July 30th cruise.....what do you think about
only investing in three passports (one for me, DH and 13 yr. old DS) but
taking a birth certificate for the 19 yr. old. Truly, we never invested in
passports before, even though we've been on 6 DCL cruises, but I
realize now we need them. BUT, my question: MUST we get the
19 yr. old a passport when he probably won't be travelling with us
after this year (hopefully?)....but we will continue to cruise and we know
we need to get them for us.
Advice, please?????

 

[Rence]

Passports are not yet required (always a good idea, but not required).

The current proposal is that they will be required starting 1/1/06. It looks for certain that passports will be required at some point, but the date could change.

For a July cruise this year, the Birth Certificate would still be accepted.

 

[TheWog]

Sounds like it would work fine. Make sure he brings his photo id with him.

 

[lwilliam]

brings a photo ID with him?

you are talking about a 19 yr. old that one day has black hair, one day
brown hair, one day long hair, the next week longer hair......

I'm also wondering if he will need to stand in a different line than we
do when we are asked to show proof of citizenship?

 

[disneybride96]

BUT, my question: MUST we get the
19 yr. old a passport when he probably won't be travelling with us
after this year (hopefully?)....but we will continue to cruise and we know
we need to get them for us.
Advice, please?????

Hey.... I'm 30 something and cruising with my parents in November (and my sis & Family and SIL & Family) Don't count anything out!

 

[NeedsNEscape]

I was in the Post Office last week getting a passport for my 14 year old. A largish family in front of me ended up paying almost $800 for passports for
everyone. My son's (only good for 5 years) cost $52 (payable to Dept of State)
and $30 (payable to Post Office). Adult passports were $82 and good for 10 years. So for 2 adults the cost would be $164 +$60 and a child's would be $52 + $30 for a total of $306. That doesn't include the cost of the photos and any additional id.

I think I saw a thread a month ago pointing out that the cost for getting passports for the family would equal the cost of a person's cruise ticket! However, you won't be able to go anywhere without one next year... It's hard to believe that your 19 year old won't want to go to Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean or Canada sometime in the next 10 years. I notice that the kids I work with these days think nothing of jumping on a plane and traveling someplace for a weekend. Somehow, I didn't have the same opportunity when I was in my 20s!!!

 

[lwilliam]

You really cheered me up this morning

 

[tvguy]

We use our passports more for other things than for travel. My employer just got sold and I had to prove citizenship, boom, passport. Signed my son up for Little League, I keep the Passport at home at the B/C's in the safe deposit box, so I used it there. Used it to sign up my daughter for soccer and for high school signups.
And they really do speed up air travel, even if you're just traveling domestically.

Is your 19 year old in college? My 18 year old heads off in August to college and is already eyeing the study abroad classes. Between Junior and Senior year in high school he went with the French class to France and Spain.....glad he had the passport.

 

[jrabbit]

I agree - get the passports for everyone. Call it a late graduation present for you 19yo. Even if he doesn't travel with you in the future, he'll still be traveling (even within the US - Passports do make it easier to get through security at airports ) Having the passport will give him lots of flexibility in travel opertunities over the next 10 years.