Passport debate, please help

[bumbershoot]

I don't mean to hijack the post but I understand the motivation for having passports if one were to get "stuck" by either a medical emergency or by missing the boat. We plan to get passports for our first cruise. What do we do with them while in port? Is it recommended to carry them off the ship with you or to keep them secured in your stateroom?

The cruise line will tell you at each port what they recommend. I've so far only been to ports where they recommend leaving them on the ship.

But except for the private islands (Coco Cay for Royal and Castaway Cay for Disney) we take them with us. It's our choice. Most people I think do what the cruise line tells you to do.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I don't mean to hijack the post but I understand the motivation for having passports if one were to get "stuck" by either a medical emergency or by missing the boat. We plan to get passports for our first cruise. What do we do with them while in port? Is it recommended to carry them off the ship with you or to keep them secured in your stateroom?

For all the ports we did (and most ports in the Caribbean) DCL will tell you at each port that you need your Key To The World Card for each passenger, and for people 16 and older, some sort of other ID. (Drivers license, etc.) Never were we asked to take our passports off the ship, so ours stayed in the safe in the room where they could be retrieved by DCL if needed. Of course, you are free to take the passports off the ship if you'd like, but to us that was an unnecessary risk.

 

[BLTOH]

First time Disney cruise, although frequent DIS board lurker, and my husband and I are currently having a debate. We are doing a 7 night eastern carribean cruise in December 2018, he insists that our kids will need passports, however I disagree since we are closed loop out of Port Canaveral.....so who is right?

PS. Thanks for all the trip planning help so far

While it is not needed it is very handy to have passports for everyone. I have always gotten passports for everyone regardless if it was closed loop or not. reason being if you have something happen and you all need to fly those without passport will have issues flying. plus i found not having to carry birth certificates for the kids and only carrying passports better then carrying ids and certificates. Also wanted to add if you loose your key to the world card at a port and you have the passports on you it will act as your pass back on the ship. I have personal experience on that one as one of the kids lost their card in port and i happen to have all our passports. I had to show the adults and the kids and our ids and they let us back on no problem. then we had to go to guest services for replacement card.

 

[Dug720]

OP - see the thread about "What happened to the Dream" for a real-life example of why getting them is important...

 

[kiford]

Never were we asked to take our passports off the ship, so ours stayed in the safe in the room where they could be retrieved by DCL if needed.

This is typically true on Caribbean and Bahamian cruises but different in Europe. In some cases, we were told we had to take them off the ship and once we had to hand them in and pick them up a day later.

 

[carolynsanta]

I agree with everyone here. There is NO reason not to get a passport. You have plenty of time for 2018 and wouldn't even have to pay the expedited fee. Better safe than sorry. Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mhconley]

Legally you don't have to get them but you NEED a passport... https://www.disboards.com/threads/what-happen-with-the-dream.3615293/

Martin

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I have already commented on this thread in favor of getting passports for every family member. I just returned from the salon and my stylist relayed what happened to them two weeks ago in Nassau while off their RC ship.

Their family of five rented mopeds on their own from a place in the port. They went all over the island and had a great time. As they were on their way back to the moped rental place, their teen daughter turned her head to look back at the Dad and she ran right into the back of a car. Thank God she wasn't badly hurt but the moped was ruined and the car she ran into was on the security detail for a diplomat.

They had to go the police station and sort it all out. Copies of their passports were taken and my stylist needed to meet with the ship's Captain when they were back onboard.

Bottom line, my stylist's daughter could have been severely injured on their excursion and may have needed to be hospitalized. Then what?

This all just rolls up into in the "ya just never know what might happen". I firmly believe everyone needs a passport while cruising and they need to be on your person. Because ya just never know!

 

[Alicatt]

We chose not to and we noticed that a lot of people at check in didn't have them. We knew that we would not need the again for the kids in the 5 year period. I totally understand why people do, especially if they travel a lot, but we didn't think it was necessary. If something did happen, there was a US consulate in walking distance from the ship in nassau. They can issue an emergency passport. It is probably very expensive though.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

They can issue an emergency passport. It is probably very expensive though.

Yes, they can issue an emergency (temporary) passport. Just be aware they aren't open on weekends. And it can take days to get one, or it could be only one day. It's not expensive, the cost is the same as if you purchase a
"regular" passport (5 year for kids, 10 years for adults), but it's only good for one year.

 

[over50visits]

The US consulate in Nassau can issue emergency passports that are of limited validity (basically to get you home), and although they do have normal operating hours, they have the ability to issue one at any time. Processing time is usually about 30 minutes.

Fees vary (and may be waived depending on several circumstances), but in an emergency just go see them and worry about the details which they will explain after they determine your circumstances.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

This is good info for those who may need passport help in Nassau.

 

[When I Grow Up]

Agree with all the previous posters. Just finished our 22nd DLC cruise with our Grandson and we (and he) have had Passports and Tavel insurance for every one. We watched an Ambulance take some poor unfortunate off the last cruise in Tortola and one cruise we had an unscheduled stop in Nassau to drop off someone who needed hospitalization fast. Its more common than one would think. Also don't waste money on the Passport Cards as I think they cannot be used for International air travel. Perhaps they may now but at one time they were not. I do not carry passports ashore but do carry color copies so at least we have the passport numbers and our pictures. And it's not just your family on board. Friends had to cut short their cruise in Nassau and fly back since one of their parents had suddenly died. Besides passports for kids are great to look back on for memories. Florida has had the Real ID DLs for a while now but again while they are okay for domestic air travel they are not accepted for international.

 

[RedStars]

Just get the passports. After the cost of the cruise, passports are short money.

 

[MUN]

First time Disney cruise, although frequent DIS board lurker, and my husband and I are currently having a debate. We are doing a 7 night eastern carribean cruise in December 2018, he insists that our kids will need passports, however I disagree since we are closed loop out of Port Canaveral.....so who is right?

PS. Thanks for all the trip planning help so far

I'll answer your question. I assume you are all US citizens. If that's the case, no one needs passports. Unless you plan on international travel in the new future, I would skip the passports for your children. Don't listen to the people on here who will try to scare you with far-fetched scenarios on why you should spring for kid's passports. I haven't bothered to read the 3 pages of posts, but I suspect there are many "debbie downers" that have already posted.

MUN