Passport questions

[DisneyMom2000000]

hey everyone!
We have done Disney many, many times and have been on a couple of cruises - although it’s been years since a cruise. We are seriously considering a 7 night cruise which goes to the US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and Castaway Cay.
One of us (out of four) has a valid passport. I know Disney won’t require a passport, but is getting one the best thing to do? I’ve been told you need one in the case of an emergency (having to fly back) but I’m not sure?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Marc D]

I would never go outside the country without one. I’ve witnessed too many medical evacuations to do so.

As you said, you do not need one to sail in a closed-loop cruise and plenty of DCL guests take that chance, but if you need to fly back home, it will be very problematic to do so. You might be detained at both ends of the trip.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

I would never go outside the country without one. I’ve witnessed too many medical evacuations to do so.

As you said, you do not need one to sail in a closed-loop cruise and plenty of DCL guests take that chance, but if you need to fly back home, it will be very problematic to do so. You might be detained at both ends of the trip.

Right. I’ve got to make up my mind! I hate being cheap but after spending thousands on a cruise, over $400 on passports is painful... but probably smart.

 

[Karin1984]

A passport is valid for 10 years, is it not? See it as $40 a year. You don't know what's gonna happen and where you travel in the coming 10 years, it will come in handy. A passport is not a one-time-use plastic bag.

 

[Capt_BJ]

our first 20 years of cruising was done without passports. Is getting back to the states in an emergency complicated by not having one? ... yes, it could be BUT there ARE procedures for this situation ... it is not impossible, rather it happens fairly routinely. Frankly we tell family if there is an emergency at home, we'll deal with it when we get home at the end of the trip. B4 internet and cell phones at sea just finding a way to TELL us something had happened was difficult! For a MEDIVAC lack of a passport is not an issue (I was On Scene Commander for MANY in my CG years)

If you plan to continue or expand your out of country travels it is wise to get ... if this is one time, or you plan only closed loop cruises, BC is OK. A prudent traveller would not be without their passport, but I'd imagine that well over half the folks on an average cruise are on BC's.

 

[starvenger]

I would suggest looking at this from a different perspective. Don’t think of the passport as giving you some peace of mind on a closed loop cruise. Instead, consider that it makes more options available to you. Want to do that Mediterranean cruise? Travel europe? A resort in Jamaica? Hong Kong Disney? You have the papers to do that now.

 

[hcox31]

Right. I’ve got to make up my mind! I hate being cheap but after spending thousands on a cruise, over $400 on passports is painful... but probably smart.

I look at it differently.... you've spent thousands of dollars, what's another $400 for peace of mind and like someone else said, the ability to travel anywhere? I view it like travel insurance, you buy it "just in case" and hope you never need it.

 

[apathetic]

You'll get probably 50/50 opinions. Weigh the cost of a passport against the possibility of an emergency. We always go with a passport, but we do other travel as well so it's a no brainer. I would say I'd be very nervous sailing without a passport during one of these government shutdowns. And since they seem to happen about once a year, I'd go with a passport.

 

[BadPinkTink]

another vote for getting a passport. Its an official government document which is valid for 10 years. Ive used my passport for so much more than just travel. Its one of the most universal respected forms of ID, and is often used instead of drivers ID for example.

Here in Europe , its now even more valuable for citizens of The European Union, as it gives us the legal right to travel as a tourist, live and work in other European Union countries without a visa or work permit.

My niece got her first passport at age 18 months.

 

[starvenger]

Here in Europe , its now even more valuable for citizens of The European Union, as it gives us the legal right to travel as a tourist, live and work in other European Union countries without a visa or work permit.

And that kind of illustrates the amount of freedom there is in the US that you can travel a lot even without a passport.

Being a Canadian living in Toronto, I take for granted that getting a passport is something we Must Do if we’re travelling - because many of us love to travel abroad.

 

[ScooterScott44]

Ok, although it is possible to travel without a passport, what is the level of risk you are willing to take and what level of hassle are you willing to deal with if you have to change plans while out of the country. This is a frequent topic on lots of cruise boards.

What are the chances of something going amiss. A non cruise tour can run long or family member might have to seek medical attention. Simply being late or treated long enough to miss the ship departure triggers the whole scenario. Are you planning to only use only tours booked with the cruise lines? Does anyone have health issues that might put them at a greater risk for a hospital visit? Those items are just a few factors to consider.

PP mentioned you can get the paperwork completed to get back into the country easy enough but it is much easier just to have that passport in hand and go get on a flight. And I like the thought that if you have one now, you can still use it for future travel.

 

[mmouse37]

And that kind of illustrates the amount of freedom there is in the US that you can travel a lot even without a passport.

Being a Canadian living in Toronto, I take for granted that getting a passport is something we Must Do if we’re travelling - because many of us love to travel abroad.

Passports are going to be needed in the future for domestic travel in the US. I use my passport as ID even when I fly NY to FL. It is not required yet but it is my go to form of ID when I travel anywhere. Nine US States require a passport for domestic travel now and the rest will follow eventually.

MJ

 

[Quellman]

Passports are going to be needed in the future for domestic travel in the US. I use my passport as ID even when I fly NY to FL. It is not required yet but it is my go to form of ID when I travel anywhere. Nine US States require a passport for domestic travel now and the rest will follow eventually.

MJ

That's because those 9 states haven't implemented the new federal checks on drivers licenses. So anyone from those places need to have federal ID, of which the passport is one. The rest of the states will not follow, because they are already meet the federal standard as part of their state ID. For anyone reading this, be sure to check what your state requires, because it may not be as simple as renewing your license. You will need to provide other forms of identification, etc in order to get the enhanced identification card that meets federal standards.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I agree with PP. If your state has implemented the Real ID Act requirements, a passport is one piece of required proof of citizenship for a driver's license. If you live in a state that suddenly wants to give illegal/undocumented personnel a driver's licence (same as a legal citizen) then that state goes on the list with the other 9 non-compliant. DH and I have "invested" in passports for decades and the reassurance we can get home (from anywhere in the world) is worth the price.

 

[CamColt]

Passports are going to be needed in the future for domestic travel in the US. I use my passport as ID even when I fly NY to FL. It is not required yet but it is my go to form of ID when I travel anywhere. Nine US States require a passport for domestic travel now and the rest will follow eventually.

MJ

Like mmouse37, I always bring our passports with us when we travel, even just within the US. While I usually just show a license at security, I do have the passports as back up. Once after running a Run Disney race DH left his wallet on the bus. While he went to try to chase down the bus, it hit me that his license was in the wallet and he would not be able to fly home the next day (this was Sunday and we had an early Monday flight so I assume no agency that could help us would have been open). Thankfully he found the wallet but since that scare I always travel with back up.

 

[TestingH2O]

If you live in a state that suddenly wants to give illegal/undocumented personnel a driver's licence (same as a legal citizen) then that state goes on the list with the other 9 non-compliant.

More like if your state hasn't bothered to fund infrastructure upgrades including updating the technology to create IDs. My state is plenty red and afraid of immigrants but still not Real ID compliant.

We always travel with passports and I bring a notarized letter when DD and I travel without DH. Better safe than sorry and, extrapolated over the life of a passport, it's worth it.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Is a passport card enough to get back into the states in case of emergency?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is a passport card enough to get back into the states in case of emergency?

Not by plane. The passport card is only good for land and sea entry to the US.

 

[dclpluto]

Passports are very cheap if you divide up the years it’s good for. Adults 140 I think the last time I did mine which comes out to only 14 dollars a year. Of course you have to pay it all at once but still cheap for what you get.

 

[Kaleidodad]

That's because those 9 states haven't implemented the new federal checks on drivers licenses. So anyone from those places need to have federal ID, of which the passport is one. The rest of the states will not follow, because they are already meet the federal standard as part of their state ID. For anyone reading this, be sure to check what your state requires, because it may not be as simple as renewing your license. You will need to provide other forms of identification, etc in order to get the enhanced identification card that meets federal standards.

And that bit about "9 states" is currently outdated anyway, as all US states are at least in "extension" as of now (which can be renewed indefinitely by DHS). TSA's site confirms that Federal REAL ID requirements are not going to be enforced for domestic flights until 2020 at least.