Passports, but is THIS considered the Caribbean??

[Jillpie]

I have read the whole thread on the passports. But I am still puzzled. We are going on the Western Caribbean, CC twice cruise next June, 2006. They are stopping at Costa Maya, Cozumel (both Mexico) and CC. The requirement of a passport for the Caribbean is Dec. 2005. Bu CC is in the Bahamas, this is not considered the Caribbean, right?? That is what I was told by the DCL rep. And the requirement for Mexico for passports isn't till the end of 2006.

So, for this particular cruise, June 2006, it doesn't sound like I need one, correct?

I brought this up on the cruise meets board, but wanted to get the gen'l consensus here as well. Thanks.

 

[Rence]

I'd wait and see what DCL's official policy on this is.

I have heard that several other cruise lines are going to require passports for ALL cruises starting 1/1/06 regardless of destination to avoid all the confusion of which cruises require it and which ones don't.

And technically I believe that the state department would consider the Bahamas a Caribbean port, even though it can be argued that the Bahamas aren't technically in the Caribbean.

 

[CM_Mom]

It's not an OFFICIAL site but http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/ shows the Bahamas as part fo the Caribbean. I wouldn't count on the Bahamas not being included inthe Dec 2005 rules.

 

[CarolAnnC]

It is my understanding that they are considering both Bermuda and the Bahamas as part of the Caribbean for the new passport laws. In any case, I would definitely obtain passports if planning to leave the country at all. A passport is the only absolute proof of U.S. citizenship and in these troubled times, I would err on the safe side. Remember, getting out is not the problem, but getting back in is where you definitely need the passport! Here is a link to some good information:

click here

 

[tvguy]

I've been cruising since 1980, ALWAYS with a passport. Just easier. My kids have had passports since age 2, again just easier, even if just going to Canada or Mexico. And it always seems I have to have some proof of my kids age for school, soccer, or little league, passport comes in handy again.
I keep the birth certificates locked up at the bank.

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks guys. My concern is cost, it will be about 500.00 to get our whole family done. If a BC will suffice, I want to go with that.

So, when WILL this become official? Does anyone know?

 

[ivanova]

another issue to contemplate ... so your itinerary isn't "true" Caribbean, but what happens if the cruise line has to change the itinerary mid-cruise (i.e. to avoid a hurricane) and you end up stopping at a "true" Caribbean island, all of a sudden you are out of compliance by not having a passport .. I think that's why the cruise lines are going to err on the side of caution and simply require passports for ALL cruises starting 1/1/06.

 

[DrCavin]

I looked on the Bahamas web-site:

http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/about/general.aspx?sectionid=85691&level=2

& it has the following concerning passports in 2006

The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced that effective January 1, 2006, all U.S. citizens and foreign nationals traveling to the United States from The Bahamas will be required to present a valid passport or another secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States.

 

[crisi]

The Bahamas are the country. The Carribean is the region. Sort of like the United States is part of North America. CC is in the Bahamas. And the Bahamas ARE part of the Carribean. Its a private island though, so I don't know if Disney will be required to check your passports for you to get off the ship at CC.

 

[Jillpie]

I looked on the Bahamas web-site:

http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/about/general.aspx?sectionid=85691&level=2

& it has the following concerning passports in 2006

The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced that effective January 1, 2006, all U.S. citizens and foreign nationals traveling to the United States from The Bahamas will be required to present a valid passport or another secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States.

But this still has me baffled, because it then gives the link to the rolling out dates. And the official dates does not state the Bahamas? What am I missing here?

 

[TheWog]

You can break the cost down over the course of several months and apply for the passports every other month or so and hopefully the financial hit won't be too bad that way. I would definitely go with the mindset that passports will be required and how you would need to accomodate that. You don't want to be stuck.

 

[Thunderrd]

Check this out... http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_989.html

It says "The Bahamas is an English-speaking Caribbean nation composed of hundreds of islands covering a territory approximately the size of California."

 

[Memaw2Wm]

But this still has me baffled, because it then gives the link to the rolling out dates. And the official dates does not state the Bahamas? What am I missing here?

Seems to me that rather than worry about whether or not you're going to need a passport for the Bahamas I'd just get them. Better safe than sorry.

And I'd start apply for them one at a time starting now to spread the cost out.

I cruised with my family on the Wonder during Hurricane Frances last September ... instead of going to the Bahamas we sailed to Cozumel, Mexico. And I found traveling with passports was much easier than dealing with 5 birth certificates of different sizes.

 

[Jillpie]

I sure wish DCL would just come out with it. Either we do or we don't. I hate this guessing thing.

 

[DrCavin]

I sure wish DCL would just come out with it. Either we do or we don't. I hate this guessing thing.

IMO, DCL is in a no-win situation. If they wait for it to be *official*, then it may be too late for people to get passports. If they start telling passengers now that passports will be required & then have the dates pushed back, they will have peope complaining they spent money on them for no reason.

The State Department needs to come out & say that it is *offical* or will be delayed.

Again, IMO the date for the 12/31/05 will not be changed, but the 12/31/06 crossing into Canada/Mexico may be changed. That is the one that seems to be causing the most debate.

 

[Rence]

But this still has me baffled, because it then gives the link to the rolling out dates. And the official dates does not state the Bahamas? What am I missing here?

I think you are reading too much into this. If one gets real technical, the Bahamas are in the Atlantic, but they get lumped in with the Carribean for travel purposes. The state department does not list individual countries, it is listing regions.

No place on this list does it specifically state the Bahamas, but it also states that passports will be required when returning from any foreign country in the western hemisphere. So passports will be required for the Bahamas.

Look the regions listed:

Canada
Mexico
Central America
South America
Carribean and Bermuda

We know that the Bahamas is required and that the State Department would thus consider it to be in one of these groupings. The only grouping that they could be in is the Carribean.

If passports are required for other Carribean nations, they will be required for the Bahamas. It is best to budget accordingly.

 

[Thunderrd]

From http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2005/44228.htm it says. "Additional documents are also being examined to determine their acceptability for travel. The public will be notified of additional travel document options as those determinations are made. The government would expect that acceptable documents must establish the citizenship and identity of the bearer, enable electronic data verification and checking, and include significant security features. Ultimately, all documents used for travel to the U.S. are expected to include biometrics that can be used to authenticate the document and verify identity."

The way this reads, it says that acceptable documents must enable electronic data verification and checking...

Unfortunately birth certificates probably will not meet those requirements.

 

[mrsfuzzmo]

I am a TA and have been notified by almost every travel company that I work with (including most major cruise lines.....DCL hasn't notified yet) that as they are reading it, it is going into effect and that all of my clients should get passports immediately(which I've highly recommended for travel anyway).

I believe that if the cruise lines and large travel companies are notifying the agents, then it should be done.

The cost...well, it will be something that has to be done, like paying for your cruise, airfare, taxes etc. It can't be helped and will in all acutality be so much easier for everyone involved.

Bite the bullet and get it done. If you don't, you could look at forfeiting your cruise.

Maureen