Panama Canal Passport Question

[fast43]

MY DW AND I BOTH HAVE APPLIED FOR OUR PASSPORTS ($85 EACH) . HOW DOES EVERYONE FEEL REGARDING PASSPORTS FOR THE CHILDREN. I HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD AND AN 11 YEAR OLD. DO YOU FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE CHILDREN TO OBTAIN. THE PASSPORTS ARE $70 for the kids and last only for 5 years!

 

[3DAN]

We just sent off for our passports from Indy. We mailed on Dec 22 and got the docs back on Jan 8. We didn't use the express processing and it still only took about two weeks to get them for my dd age 9 and ds age 12. We think it would be better to have the passports in case of emergency and would need to leave the ship. I just sent in my application today. I am waiting for the birth cert for my wife to mail off her application. We are also on the east to west relocation cruise.
Bill

 

[ivanova]

depends on whether you think you'll get your money's worth out of them

our DD (currently 14) travels more than me and it's come in very handy to use her passport as photo id at the airport

since getting our passports we've cruised twice with #3 coming up in 7 months, and #4 probably in 2007. So when I look at the $70 we spent and divide it by 4 cruises it doesn't seem as expensive.

 

[my3kids]

I've used my children's as identification for SATs and other times.

 

[DisCrazzy]

I'm not quite sure on this, but from what I gathered, EVERYONE on the repo cruises MUST have a passport. Personally, I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I got both of my children passports 2 years ago when we went on our first Disney cruise. I know that they didn't NEED them, but ever since 9/11, I thought it better that they do have them. You never know what other countries policies are.
Just my honest opinion.

Jennifer

 

[kpgclark]

I'm pretty sure children can travel on their parent's passports. You just need their birth certificates. That being said I did get both of mine passports last week for the repo cruise. After paying for photos it will set you back close to $100 per child. I just didn't want to carry their original birth certs with me because obviously it is the only one I have but additionally because they are both adopted and I thought it might be a real hassle if we ever had to replace them. If you really want to know if you need them you can call immigration or some such thing and find out. You may be able to find the info online too if you look up each specific country.

 

[chasbos]

It is so much easier when the kids have there own passports. They go through customs on there own and speeds up the process. My kids need to have there's renewed next year and I am going to do all 4 again. JMO.

 

[TheWog]

We have a passport for our DS7. We got it in 2003 when he was 6. He loves to use it to show ID even though he didn't need to. I felt more comfortable having that with us. You just never know. DCL will have to advise if passports are required for the repo cruise, because of ports they are stopping at. I have not looked into that.

The cost can be viewed as $14.00 per year and photos shouldn't be very expensive.... like $8 or less per person.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

I started a post about this subject within the last week.

I've called and gotten two different answers from DCL on this subject.

The first time I called, I was told that everyone would need a passport. But that anwer didn't sit well with me because I couldn't find anything in my reservation that indicated one was needed. If this cruise REQUIRED the unusual step (for a Disney Cruise) of a passport, I would have thought that Disney would be doing a lot more to make sure everyone gets passports.

I decided to call and ask again. This time I was told that a passport is NOT REQUIRED, but that Disney RECOMENDS them sighting that getting through customs in LA will be faster and easier with passports.

 

[jrabbit]

Early on when the repo cruises were announced, it appeared that passports were required because of the stop at Curacao. Now that info may have been incorrect or has changed (the passport requirement in Curacao).

Regardless - a passport for you and your children is really a good thing. For those over 16yo it's good for 10 years so the cost of having one is about $10/year - pretty cheep for the best form of identification there is. They are only good for 5 years for those under 16. When taking your kids in and out of the country it sure does make that process easier!!!

Finally, passports are designed with the rigors of travel in mind. Whereas the birth certificate is just a piece of paper waiting to get destroyed or tossed out with the junk paper.

 

[ivanova]

I'm not quite sure on this, but from what I gathered, EVERYONE on the repo cruises MUST have a passport. Personally, I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I got both of my children passports 2 years ago when we went on our first Disney cruise. I know that they didn't NEED them, but ever since 9/11, I thought it better that they do have them. You never know what other countries policies are.
Just my honest opinion.

Jennifer

None of our stops on the repo cruises requires a passport, so I don't think we'll NEED a passport but I agree with you that it'll make going through customs a ton easier if you have one (or if at least one adult per family has one).

 

[webray]

Our children are now grown...but hubby and I both feel..it would be better to have passports these days, as you just never know about the world today.

 

[anlashokna]

From the foreign Clearance Guide:

Netherland Antilles: ID and Birth Certificate.
Mexico: Passport or Tourist Card and proof of citizenship. If you obtain a tourist card, it and the proof of citizenship (IE Birth certificate) must be carried with you at all times while in country.

If parents need a passport to enter a country its guaranteed the child will also. Children do not travel on parents passports. I issued them to newborns before.

Central American countries have been changing there requirements to strictor ones of late.

 

[videogal1]

We just sent off for our passports from Indy. We are also on the east to west relocation cruise.
Bill

Just sent mine off from TX....OLD one expires just before May repo cruise and that would have been 6 months too late!

Cash and I'll be on westward trip, too.......