passport ?

[mickeyluv]

After a lot of research and reading these boards, From what I understand, a passport is not necessary to cruise the Eastern Caribbean (tortola, st. thomas, castaway cay). My daughter's "child" passport expired in 2013. We are looking at taking a last minute cruise (May 7th). She is now 18 years old & to get a passport through "Rush My Passport" service it will cost right at $500. (Yes, I am ready for the flaming). We can either pay for that & she have a passport, use her birth certificate & valid driver's license, or not go at all. We'll I am not particularly find of the last option. So, has anyone reading this cruised using a birth certificate & valid ID recently? I am correct in thinking that we can cruise using her birth certificate & valid ID correct? TIA!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

After a lot of research and reading these boards, From what I understand, a passport is not necessary to cruise the Eastern Caribbean (tortola, st. thomas, castaway cay). My daughter's "child" passport expired in 2013. We are looking at taking a last minute cruise (May 7th). She is now 18 years old & to get a passport through "Rush My Passport" service it will cost right at $500. (Yes, I am ready for the flaming). We can either pay for that & she have a passport, use her birth certificate & valid driver's license, or not go at all. We'll I am not particularly find of the last option. So, has anyone reading this cruised using a birth certificate & valid ID recently? I am correct in thinking that we can cruise using her birth certificate & valid ID correct? TIA!!

US citizens on a closed loop cruise (starts and ends in the same US port) may travel with only a birth certificate plus (for those 16 and over) a government-issued photo ID.

My daughters boyfriend just used his BC and DL when we cruised with him. We all had passports.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Yu will hear or read lots of opinions. Personally I would never leave the country or have anyone in my family leave the country without one. But you can certainly do a birth certificate instead. My grand daughter lost her passport last year and didn't realize it until five days before we were getting on a cruise in Jan. She went to Chicsgo passport agency and got it the same day for about 200 I think. For me the cost was well worth it.

 

[bumbershoot]

She is now 18 years old & to get a passport through "Rush My Passport" service it will cost right at $500. (Yes, I am ready for the flaming).

What flaming are you expecting?

If you did want to go the rush route, it's the cost of the passport, the rush fee, and overnight delivery each way. We had to do that for DH's passport for work, and it wasn't $500. Are you looking at the State Department rush fee info, or some other website where they do it for you?

Passport book 110 + application 25 + rush fee 60 + overnight back to you 20.66 = not 500. Plus overnighting the application etc.

If you have an appropriate type of facility nearby you can sometimes just show up that day for same day service.




Anyway, as you already know, closed loop passports from the US, for US citizens, do not require a passport to take.

If you have to get back from Tortola you would need a passport.

Castaway Cay doesn't have the possibility for a flight home.

St Thomas is part of the US.

The only other way you could possibly have to get a passport to get home (other than from Tortola) is if there were an emergency, she was airlifted to Nassau etc, and she would have to fly home from there.

You can probably work out the risks on your own.

 

[mickeyluv]

What flaming are you expecting?

If you did want to go the rush route, it's the cost of the passport, the rush fee, and overnight delivery each way. We had to do that for DH's passport for work, and it wasn't $500. Are you looking at the State Department rush fee info, or some other website where they do it for you?

Passport book 110 + application 25 + rush fee 60 + overnight back to you 20.66 = not 500. Plus overnighting the application etc.

If you have an appropriate type of facility nearby you can sometimes just show up that day for same day service.




Anyway, as you already know, closed loop passports from the US, for US citizens, do not require a passport to take.

If you have to get back from Tortola you would need a passport.

Castaway Cay doesn't have the possibility for a flight home.

St Thomas is part of the US.

The only other way you could possibly have to get a passport to get home (other than from Tortola) is if there were an emergency, she was airlifted to Nassau etc, and she would have to fly home from there.

You can probably work out the risks on your own.

I went to "Rush My Passport" & on a live chat the lady said for 3-5 business day delivery it would be $493. Do you know a different site than that one?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I went to "Rush My Passport" & on a live chat the lady said for 3-5 business day delivery it would be $493. Do you know a different site than that one?

Rush My Passport is an independent organization that will help run your application through. You are paying for the service (a lot).

You can apply for an expedited passport directly on the passport website. Probably quicker - you can apply in person at a passport office for same day processing. That's the prices bumbershoot was talking about.

You can look here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/where-to-apply/agencies.html to find a passport agency. Generally, you should have an appointment, for quicker processing. But, if you show up when they open (without an appointment), you could get it by the next day.

Read this also: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/where-to-apply.html

 

[mickeyluv]

What flaming are you expecting?

If you did want to go the rush route, it's the cost of the passport, the rush fee, and overnight delivery each way. We had to do that for DH's passport for work, and it wasn't $500. Are you looking at the State Department rush fee info, or some other website where they do it for you?

Passport book 110 + application 25 + rush fee 60 + overnight back to you 20.66 = not 500. Plus overnighting the application etc.

If you have an appropriate type of facility nearby you can sometimes just show up that day for same day service.




Anyway, as you already know, closed loop passports from the US, for US citizens, do not require a passport to take.

If you have to get back from Tortola you would need a passport.

Castaway Cay doesn't have the possibility for a flight home.

St Thomas is part of the US.

The only other way you could possibly have to get a passport to get home (other than from Tortola) is if there were an emergency, she was airlifted to Nassau etc, and she would have to fly home from there.

You can probably work out the risks on your own.

Thanks so much for your explanation!! I really appreciate the help!

 

[mickeyluv]

Rush My Passport is an independent organization that will help run your application through. You are paying for the service (a lot).

You can apply for an expedited passport directly on the passport website. Probably quicker - you can apply in person at a passport office for same day processing. That's the prices bumbershoot was talking about.

You can look here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/where-to-apply/agencies.html to find a passport agency. Generally, you should have an appointment, for quicker processing. But, if you show up when they open (without an appointment), you could get it by the next day.

Read this also: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/where-to-apply.html

Thanks so much for all the information!!! I greatly appreciate it!!

 

[Quellman]

It is always nice to have a passport for everyone. I see others have pointed out ways to get yours maybe without having to pay $$$. I would personally take the gamble on the cruise. We cruised with a 14 month old using Birth Certificate only. And we did so again this year. Though we will be getting him a passport soon. For us it is another form of identification, and as others will point out a tyoe of safety insurance on cruises in case of medical emergency, you can easily get back to the states.

With the eastern cruises, St Thomas is considered the US, so travel back from there isn't much of an issue. Though if you have a problem at one of the sea days, you could be put off the ship at any weird little island, and good luck! It's all about the risk you want to take. For most people in good health, there is little reason to expect needing the use of a passport.

 

[mmouse37]

I love to travel and have had a passport for years....got them for our kids very early on as well. We have had the opportunity to take a few last minute trips that we would not have been able to do if we did not have passports. Our girls were offered a trip to Scotland at the last minute and were thrilled they could go since they had passports.

We have two new baby granddaughters who will be cruising with us this August and I told their moms I wanted to buy their first passports for them. I know they don't
"need" them for this cruise but I wanted the girls to have them. One passport just came in the mail and the other was just applied for. I want them to have a love a travel like their grandma!! I was so excited to get their passports!!!

MJ

 

[bumbershoot]

IF by chance she decides to send for a passport, please first get a second certified copy of her birth certificate just in case the passport isn't back on time.

(Official sites say "copy" for boarding with BC and DL, and words have meanings, and if they meant "certified copy" they would say it, AND there are plenty of people who board just fine with copies, but who wants to worry?)

 

[MUN]

I wouldn't pay $500 for a passport when you don't need one. I would have her renew her passport when she gets back from the cruise.

MUN

 

[mickeyluv]

I really appreciate everyone's input and advice. She actually did have a passport but we haven't traveled (where passports were needed) in quite a few years and I had just realized that her passport from when she was younger had expired. We live in NC and there is not an agency that we can walk right in and apply for and receive the passport in time as we leave home May 6th for a May 7th cruise. I hope and pray that everything will be fine with her BC and DL for ID. Should I still bring her old passport just in case?

 

[JMHDisney]

I never cruise without passports, but in your situation I totally would. The chances of needing a passport are always low and not worth the rush fees (although as others have pointed out, there's no reason to use those companies that apply for you - total waste of money). I would bring the old one, not because it will be of any use itself but because if you missed the ship somewhere it might somewhat help with the processing of an emergency passport at the embassy (I've always had to send in the expired passport when I get a new one). Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mickeyluv]

Thanks JMHDisney for the advice!

 

[longboard55]

I would make sure your BC is in order with all the proper stamps and seals, and not bring a copy, I know when applying for a passport a lot of people get sent back to the county

 

[lvnjden4ever]

This was something I thought a lot about before our first cruise. In the end, we did not end up getting passports. We did just fine with birth certificates and ID's. I did a lot of research on medical services available on board. I felt safe going on the cruise without our passports.

 

[M<3'sMickey]

I cruised this past summer August 2015 with the passport card. My passport had expired and I'm getting married this summer August 2016 and didn't want to spend the money to renew my passport and then spend the new passport fee again after a year to get a new one with my new name. Everything went smoothly and the passport card was only $30. I don't know what rush fees are for that, but I liked that I at least had that. However, if she has a medical emergency and has to go to another country, it won't help any there, just like the BC and DL.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I cruised this past summer August 2015 with the passport card. My passport had expired and I'm getting married this summer August 2016 and didn't want to spend the money to renew my passport and then spend the new passport fee again after a year to get a new one with my new name. Everything went smoothly and the passport card was only $30. I don't know what rush fees are for that, but I liked that I at least had that. However, if she has a medical emergency and has to go to another country, it won't help any there, just like the BC and DL.

Won't help you now, but for other's who may be in the same situation - a name change on a passport within a year of issuance has no additional cost.

 

[The Sasquatch]

I wouldnt worry at all. If its cruise or no cruise, go! I just got off the Dream on the 18th and we are Gold CC without passports...