Passport Card for Panama canal cruise?

[jenhelgren]

I am looking into sailing on the Wonder this October for the Panama Canal cruise from San Diego to Galveston. Is a passport card sufficient for this cruise or would we need books? I know that our card does not allow air travel and as a safety net the book is a better option but does a passport card meet the requirements for this particular cruise since it is not a closed loop cruise?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I'm 99% certain that the card is not sufficient for this cruise since it is not a closed loop cruise. Even if it was sufficient documentation to board the cruise, I would still recommend you get the passport books since, as you mention, the card does not allow air travel. If something should happen and you would have to fly home before the end of the cruise, you would be delayed until books could be issued for you.

 

[bumbershoot]

No, you need the passport book.

 

[Bree]

I don't believe a card will work, but I couldn't find an accurate answer on cbp.gov nor Google searching. The reason I'm assuming no is because the passport card is only good for land or sea entry from Canada, Mexico, the Carribean and Bermuda. You go to Panama and South America on the DCL Panama Canal sailing.

 

[MouseMomx2]

As others have said, passport books are required for the Panama Canal cruises.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

You are starting at one port and finishing at another, even though they are both in the US. It is not a closed loop cruise. You will need a passport book.

 

[firepuppy]

We were on the Panama cruise last year and you have to have the your book.

 

[lbgraves]

We had to get passports for the PC cruise because it was not a closed loop. Cartagena requires a passport itself.

 

[lanejudy]

There is no requirement about closed-loop cruises for Passport Cards, that's for cruising with a birth certificate and ID. But the Passport Card is only valid within the Western Hemisphere Initiative -- which includes the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda for land or sea crossings. As others have indicated, the Panama Canal cruises go outside the boundaries of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. You will need the Passport Book for a Panama Canal cruise.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[jenhelgren]

Thank you to everyone for clearing that up for me. A passport book being necessary was what I was leaning toward but I couldn't find any solid information on the passport site. That's why I LOVE the Disboards!!!

 

[CM Dad]

I don't believe a card will work, but I couldn't find an accurate answer on cbp.gov nor Google searching. The reason I'm assuming no is because the passport card is only good for land or sea entry from Canada, Mexico, the Carribean and Bermuda. You go to Panama and South America on the DCL Panama Canal sailing.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

 

[Lobofan5]

Passport card horror story: Last year we did a multi generation Alaska cruise out of Vancouver. We all had tickets to fly out of Columbus Ohio to Vancouver. My family of four all had passports. My mother in law, who was flying with us, pulled out a passport CARD. We had no idea she didn't have a normal passport book. My 75 year old MIL had to buy tickets to Seattle...then get friends to drive her to Vancouver to get to the port.

She had bought the passport card because it was "cheaper".... didn't work out that well for her.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Passport card horror story: Last year we did a multi generation Alaska cruise out of Vancouver. We all had tickets to fly out of Columbus Ohio to Vancouver. My family of four all had passports. My mother in law, who was flying with us, pulled out a passport CARD. We had no idea she didn't have a normal passport book. My 75 year old MIL had to buy tickets to Seattle...then get friends to drive her to Vancouver to get to the port.

She had bought the passport card because it was "cheaper".... didn't work out that well for her.

This is the main reason I never considered the passport card vs. the book. The book gets you everywhere, no question. The card has limitations. Get the book and be done. No further concern as to whether it's sufficient or not.

 

[MunFam]

Also, on Panama Canal day, you can take your passport down to guest services during certain hours to get a "souvenir" stamp in your passport for the Panama Canal. An official from Panama will be there on board to stamp it. It was really cool to have it. We went right at the beginning, while we were still in the lock and there was no line. Later there was a line. One person can get the stamp for everyone's passports in your party.

AND...I tried and tried to find a place to get our passports stamped in Columbia with no luck. I even contacted the Colombian Port Authority in Spanish, so I know nothing was lost in translation...and nope. No passport stamps.