Now we have to have passports?!

[Liz]

I just read where passports are $97 per person (over 16). Wow! That's adding $400 to the price of our cruise!!!!

 

[goofymama]

Beginning in January - yes. But the passports are good for 10 years, so hopefully you will be able to use them a few more times and spread that cost out over several trips

 

[Cass]

Everyone on earth should have a passport to travel! with all this terrorism going on, it is really a small price to pay.

 

[mrsfuzzmo]

Yes, you will need them and yes, everyone should have one to travel with. We use them even flying domestically. Makes getting throught the airport a breeze.

Kind of a cool thing some of the larger Caribbean Resort companies are doing as an incentive to go there next year, is covering the cost of your passport if you need one. Sounds like a great perk and wouldn't you all love if DCL did this? Oh wait, then there would be less to complain about.

 

[lbgraves]

That is quite an expense to add on, especially for large families. I'm not looking forward to having to get them at all. Only adult passports are good for 10 years. Kids are only good for 5 and you can't just renew a child's passport. You need to get a new one. Yes they are slightly cheaper than the adult ones but when you double it for the equivilent time of 10 years it is quite a lot. I figured that for the total cost of 6 passports for the 4 of us for the next 10 years it will cost us around $50 a cruise. I can see where the total cost could really affect someone's budget for an already expensive vacation.

 

[jodifla]

I don't mind so much having them for adults, but having them for kids seems ridiculous to me! And so expensive....not to mention really hard to get. BOTH PARENTS have to go to sign up for them, you have to get your toddler to sit still for pictures, and by the time youve saved up enouth to go out of the country again, you have to DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN since kids passports are only good for five years!

Very few 3 month old will be able to travel ..you won't be able to turn the passports around in time to accommodate them.

Lots of people will give you the terrorits arguement or the kidnapping argument, but I don't buy either one. Terrorists get fake passports, and few people kidnap kids and take them overseas, unless they are the parents and already have access to their passports.

"'[

 

[Honu]

Actually, only one parent needs to appear if the other parent does this form DS-3053 and get's it notarized.

 

[tcmata]

Just curious... is there a minimum age that will require a passport- or will it be all children birth and up?

Thanks!!!

 

[crisi]

Very few 3 month old will be able to travel ..you won't be able to turn the passports around in time to accommodate them.

"'[

Since DCL (and other lines) don't let you on the ship until you are three months old, at least for cruising that won't be a problem. And I'm not sure who wants to do international travel with a newborn! (Well, our son travelled cross the ocean as an infant, but he's internationally adopted). But if you did, there are ways to get passports quicker. We had ours in hand in less than two weeks, and all we did was pay to have them rushed. Fly into New York or San Francisco 48 hours before you fly out, and you can get a passport in two days.

 

[Mmketeer]

Hi,

I agree I am not looking forward to paying that kind of money and going through all that hassel of getting a passport myself. Cruising to the Caribbean is really the only travel hubby and I do. I wonder what they mean by "other accepted documentation." See below.

Here is an excerpt from the goverment's website for the proposed Timeline for Implementation for Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Requirements


The travel initiative requirements will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed implementation timeline is as follows:

December 31, 2005 – Passport or other accepted document required for all travel (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.
December 31, 2006 – Passport or other accepted document required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.
December 31, 2007 – Passport or other accepted document required for all air, sea and land border crossings.


Mmketeer.....next cruise DCL-Wonder Feb.2, 2006

 

[cruisin'Mike]

I'm really not too happy about getting passports for DW, three kids, and myself, but at least I'm pretty sure we'll make good use of them. However, my parents are going on our next 3 day cruise. This will probably be the one and only time that they go out of the country, and it does add a lot to the cost of the trip if they only use it once. Then again, maybe they'll get bit by the cruise bug and will get to use them a few more times.

Mike

PS And since the kids passports are only good for five years, you'd think they'd cost a little less.

 

[AnnaS]

It is an expensive expense - we spent over $500 for the five of us and definitely a hassle, fill out papers, get birth certificates, must apply in person certain time and certain days, both parents present or a notarized form from absent parent, I always gave up before going through process. We have always talked about getting them and never got around to it. My son will be going to Italy next year and he will definitely need it by then. I am sure my 20 yr. old will soon need it too. Definitely worth it for us and glad we got them and it's over. I think everyone should try to get them when they have nothing (vacation) "officially" planned. You definitely feel it.

 

[Kez250]

My son was 6 weeks old when he got his 1st passport and my daughter was the ripe old age of 6 months - travelling with their passports is so much easier and causes less questions than using birth certs etc - I'm originally from the UK so my passport costs gbp 97 about $150 so once again the US is much cheaper and the UK is so small that just about everyone I know there has a passport - it never crossed my mind for any of us not to have a passport.

Just a little thing - when we travel with them - i take a photocopy of the information page of each passport and keep them seperately from the passports so that if they get lost/stolen then at least I can contact the embassy with the details and get a new one issued.

K.

 

[jilljill]

Our DD was 18 months old when she got her first passport, we needed it for travelling to England. I asked about her travelling on mine and they said if something happened to me on vacation she wouldn't be let back into the country. The expense was more than worth the worry.
It is a big expense, but worth the money and hassle. I have always used my passport when having to show ID at a new job and the airport.

We also keep a copy of our passports with someone at home, as well as a copy with us, in case we need the information while abroad.

 

[Jsme]

We have yet to get passports. I know if we cruise next year we will need them. How long does it normally take to get one? I was thinking about purchasing one a month starting in November for the four of us. Should be finishing with them by February. I know this sounds silly but for some reason I do not mind the $100 amonth for four months verses the $400 for one month. I am thinking about booking our next family cruise November 5, 2006. Would I have enough time to get them if I get one a month? Or should I start earlier or purchast two a month?

 

[daipp]

Here in the UK passports have been essential for many years so I was surprised to read elsewhere that only 17% of Americans have one!

The price for an adult passport is £42.00 ($87.00) and a child passport is £25.00 ($52.00). The child pasport is also valid for 5 years but after this the further 5 year extension is free.

Further to the previous posts, it is a nightmare getting a passport photo of a baby which must not include the adult's hand and the colour of the babies eyes must be visable.

David

 

[jilljill]

We have yet to get passports. I know if we cruise next year we will need them. How long does it normally take to get one? I was thinking about purchasing one a month starting in November for the four of us. Should be finishing with them by February. I know this sounds silly but for some reason I do not mind the $100 amonth for four months verses the $400 for one month. I am thinking about booking our next family cruise November 5, 2006. Would I have enough time to get them if I get one a month? Or should I start earlier or purchast two a month?

They say to allow 6-8 weeks to receive your passport. If you aren't travelling until November I would wait and start getting them either March or April. The expiration date is 5 (children) or 10 (ages 16+) years from when they are issued.
All of our passports expire in different years.

 

[Jsme]

Thanks JillJill.