Passport News

[wdwstar]

just bumping for anymore news on passports aw:

 

[Jillpie]

I saw my TA last Fri and she said that many of the cruise lines are making passports mandatory for 2006. She said it is just easier for the cruise lines since there is so much confussion about if you need one or not.

But can the cruise lines make them mandatory if the government is not requiring them? Doesn't make sense to me. I'd like to know from your TA which cruise lines exactly are requiring this.

 

[Mainestreetpixie]

But can the cruise lines make them mandatory if the government is not requiring them? Doesn't make sense to me. I'd like to know from your TA which cruise lines exactly are requiring this.

No, it doesn't make sense for individual lines to require them when the State department doesn't. I can imagine it raised quite a stink, and with the tourism industry enjoying a nice rebound, it just wouldn't make sense. The added cost of passports for travel so quickly put alot of pressure on tourists, and I'd bet that the threat of many cancellations did persuade them to alter the timeline. Then again, when has the govt done anything exactly as scheduled?

 

[bridegirl]

I will add that when we got off the magic on saturday, the birth certificate line was about 100 people and the passport line had no wait at all.

just fyi

 

[txaggie94gigem]

ii think most of us would love to get passports for both convenience and security but it is my hope that when passports become mandatory they will also decrease in price. We are a family of 6 and the current cost of almost $600 for all our passports is high. There are many people in this country who do not travel abroad or cruise but simply cross the border to canada/mexico for short trips, many of whom do not have the $$$ for expensive passports. I think the price will have to come down when they become mandatory.

 

[CPM]

But can the cruise lines make them mandatory if the government is not requiring them? Doesn't make sense to me. I'd like to know from your TA which cruise lines exactly are requiring this.

That's exactly what I was thinking. How could they?
My guess is that DCL is just behind in updating their web site.
I really don't want to update my passports because I won't need them for another three years after this upcoming trip.

 

[Downrivermama]

My TA is with AAA and she wasn't specific on which lines were requiring it. What I read in the newspaper last week was that the Caribbean Tourist Assoc was the one that didn't want the new passport policy implemented so soon. I guess that a private company can require customers to comply with thier policies as long as they don't conflict with federal law.

Hey, the feds are going to do what they are going to do. Oh well, I already bit the bullet and got passports, so it's a done deal with me. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

This topic always gets a little heated... The individual lines CAN require anything, including passports. It doesn't sound like DCL has decided what their passport policy is going to be at this point. I have one, and I always bring it. We are cruising in Nov 2006, and until I hear otherwise right from DCL, I think everyone in my party will have a passport.

 

[jodifla]

This topic always gets a little heated... The individual lines CAN require anything, including passports. It doesn't sound like DCL has decided what their passport policy is going to be at this point. I have one, and I always bring it. We are cruising in Nov 2006, and until I hear otherwise right from DCL, I think everyone in my party will have a passport.

It is nonsensical for a cruise line to require more documentation than is required by the government. If the US and Caribbean doesn't require the passports, it is hard to believe that DCL will try to enforce it next year.

By the way, I have a cruise booked for 2006, and have heard nothing about such requirements from DCL.

 

[Henlady]

DH & I went ahead and got passports, even though we won't need them for our Oct 23 sailing, but he is planning on booking another cruise while onboard. We thought we'd just get them and not worry about carrying around our original birth certificates. But then there are only 2 of us getting them, I can understand that there would be a hardship for a family.
By the way I sent for mine on Aug 4 05 and it came today, so it only took 3 weeks to get here. A co-worker needed to get a passport in a hurry in March of this year and paid an extra $70 to get it faster and it actually took hers a few days longer than 3 weeks to arrive than mine did - go figure.


Kris

57 days till we leave for our 30th Anniversary Tour on the Wonder and a few days at PO-R

 

[musicgirl]

I have to ask exactly where on the March 06 documents does it say that passports are required???

Since I pay some on my cruise every month, I get an updated confirmation everytime. It says NOTHING about a passport. The section on the back about documentation required says All Guests must have a valid gorvernment issued proof of citizenship in order to sail.

This does not mean it has to be a passport. It says NON-citizens may also be required to have valid passports and necessary visas.

Mjasp-PLEASE be careful with the 2008 date. The 2008 date is the date that they want to have whatever timeline is put into place. They may decide on the original timeline or they may come up with a new timeline.

It sounds like most likely they will push it back 1 year. This is not for sure!!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/08/17/caribbean.travel.ap/index.html


http://www.uniglobetraveldesigners....d=13535&sit=38&vty=ARTICLE&tid=110&sessionid=

Homeland Security officials have said the new rules were not final and the United States would consider complaints. U.S. President George W. Bush has said he was surprised by the proposal and has ordered a review.

This last statement was from the 2nd site at the very end.

 

[tvguy]

It is nonsensical for a cruise line to require more documentation than is required by the government. If the US and Caribbean doesn't require the passports, it is hard to believe that DCL will try to enforce it next year.

By the way, I have a cruise booked for 2006, and have heard nothing about such requirements from DCL.

Each line has it's own rules and regulations on everything, so requiring passports is at the discretion of each line. I cruised with Paquet in 1980 in the Caribbean and they required Passports back then. None of my 6 following cruises (thru 2004, NCL, RCCL, HAL OR DCL) has required a Passport.

Drinking age varies from line to line. When I cruised Paquet, there was no drinking age, but they are a French Cruise Line.

Minimum age requirements in cabins vary, some lines say at least one passenger must be 18, others 21, and still others 25.

My wife was 7 months pregnant in 1986 when we cruised on RCCL, I don't think she would be able to cruise on a lot of lines these days at that stage.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

It is nonsensical for a cruise line to require more documentation than is required by the government. If the US and Caribbean doesn't require the passports, it is hard to believe that DCL will try to enforce it next year.

By the way, I have a cruise booked for 2006, and have heard nothing about such requirements from DCL.

OK, so maybe you think it is "nonsensical" that doesn't mean they can't do it. I also have a cruise booked for 2006, and I DID get a letter from my TA saying that we all need passports....I have yet to get the letter saying that we don't.

 

[musicgirl]

Favorite Auntie, just remember the letter is from your TA, not DCL. I have specifically asked DCL if they are required for my cruise and they said no, but it is recommended. If the timeline goes through for some reason, they said that they would notify the cruisers.

DCL has not sent anything to me.

If you do any kind of search on passport requirements, you'll see that the TA and telling all customers they need them. They are CTB, also known as Covering Their Butts!!!! Can you imagine if they told people no you don't need them and then they did. Can you say big problems for the TA.

 

[Donnica]

I think having passports required for cruisers is overkill. I have cruise on Carnival and RCCL many times. They all have your picture associated with your, as Carnival calls it "sail and sign card". You can't get off the ship without putting it through to know who has left the ship and can't get back on without it. Since you have show all documantation before even getting on the ship, I think this is more then enough. You have certainly proven yourself to get back into the country.