Passports

[bumbershoot]

True as of now but always be safe rather than sorry I say. My friends were in Mexico when they could no longer continue on with their trip so I say if your cruise includes Cozumel make sure.

If the cruise is a closed loop like a western Caribbean cruise, passports aren't even needed so this still isn't a concern.


As for your friends, that's just bizarre. For air or ground travel (not closed loop cruises) they shouldn't have been let INTO Mexico.

"PASSPORT VALIDITY:

• Six months minimum validity required for entry"
  
  
  

 

[bumbershoot]

I am also a dice roller....I am just getting my kids the passport cards for our upcoming cruise. If they would expire in 10 years and not 5 I probably would get the passport books. I just think the costs are a bit much for the full passports since we don't really have anything else international on the table and would like to do Hawaii in the next couple of years which will be a big trip for us. If they were able to get 10 year passports I would definitely do those instead though.

If you're spending the money, get the books.

There is absolutely nothing the cards do for you that isn't done by birth certificate (plus ID for adults). It's a total waste of money to get the cards.

 

[canyoncam]

If the cruise is a closed loop like a western Caribbean cruise, passports aren't even needed so this still isn't a concern.


As for your friends, that's just bizarre. For air or ground travel (not closed loop cruises) they shouldn't have been let INTO Mexico.

"PASSPORT VALIDITY:

• Six months minimum validity required for entry"

My point being from my previous post is that if you are getting passports for IF an emergency requires you to fly home you would want a passport book as these are the only ones allowing you to FLY back into the United States IF that was what it came to.

Also not sure why my friends were let into Mexico as his passport was only valid for another four months at that time. Blame our own country here for letting him board the plane. However once in Mexico they would not let him out of the airport and he had to come home. His trip was actually just a layover in Mexico on his way to Ecuador but they made him return to the USA.

Passport Validity
The maximum period of time that a visitor may stay in Mexico without a formal visa is six months. Therefore your passport, regardless of country of origin, should be valid for a minimum period of six months, however long you intend to stay to avoid any potential problems at the port of entry.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I am also a dice roller....I am just getting my kids the passport cards for our upcoming cruise. If they would expire in 10 years and not 5 I probably would get the passport books. I just think the costs are a bit much for the full passports since we don't really have anything else international on the table and would like to do Hawaii in the next couple of years which will be a big trip for us. If they were able to get 10 year passports I would definitely do those instead though.

If you are interested in saving money, then just have your kids travel with their birth certificates. The passport cards won't do anything more for you than the birth certificates will. The main reason for getting passports for a cruise when they aren't required (i.e. closed loop cruise leaving from a US port) is in case you need to leave the cruise early and fly home from a foreign port. In that case, the cards will do you no good. You need the full passport books to fly. By getting the cards, you are essentially wasting the money you are spending on the passport cards.

 

[hnthomps]

If you already have all the information/forms gathered it's a quick photo and one trip to the post office. Not the most fun thing to do on a Saturday morning, but not the end of the world. I know $80 isn't nothing, but compared to the hassle and fees were there to be any problems, it's relatively cheap. Renewal is even easier. It also means you won't need copies of birth certificates for other things that would require them (enrolling your kid in little league, etcetc -- not a reason to get a passport, but a convenience once you have it).

 

[seashellmama]

I have wondered if getting an expedited passport in a foreign country, to fly home, might go more smoothly, or be faster, if you have a passport card rather than just ID+B/C, since the vetting of your identification has already been done.

 

[tommysb1]

My wife and I are cruising on a 4 night Bahamian cruise in Sept. We also have a 10 and 6yo children. We ALL are passport less. I have an expired PP but my wife and kids don't have anything. I was thinking of getting PP for everyone for a, "Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it" type of thing. But, the cost for all of us will be about $400+. Any suggestions?
TIA

 

[Maggie'sMom]

My wife and I are cruising on a 4 night Bahamian cruise in Sept. We also have a 10 and 6yo children. We ALL are passport less. I have an expired PP but my wife and kids don't have anything. I was thinking of getting PP for everyone for a, "Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it" type of thing. But, the cost for all of us will be about $400+. Any suggestions?
TIA

It's your choice. You seem to be aware of the fact that passports would be needed in an emergency where you have to leave the cruise early and fly back from a foreign port. I'm always in the "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" camp.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My wife and I are cruising on a 4 night Bahamian cruise in Sept. We also have a 10 and 6yo children. We ALL are passport less. I have an expired PP but my wife and kids don't have anything. I was thinking of getting PP for everyone for a, "Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it" type of thing. But, the cost for all of us will be about $400+. Any suggestions?
TIA

You could stagger the passport applications, to spread out the cost, but I think it's a good idea to get them.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you already have all the information/forms gathered it's a quick photo and one trip to the post office. Not the most fun thing to do on a Saturday morning, but not the end of the world.

FWIW not all states/counties/cities have easy passport facilities like that. Not all POs accept passports on weekends, and not every PO accepts passports. There are some areas that require you to go to the county's registrar's office, have an appointment, etc. There are some POs that require appointments, too. It's not simple or fast for many people, depending on their area. I feel so lucky that my area has extreme ease in getting passports, especially because I know it's not so easy for others.

I have wondered if getting an expedited passport in a foreign country, to fly home, might go more smoothly, or be faster, if you have a passport card rather than just ID+B/C, since the vetting of your identification has already been done.

Don't know. But you'll have spent *even more money* if that happens, than you would have done if you didn't waste that money on the card and just bought the book. It's always cost that is brought up as a reason to get the card vs book, but IF something happened, it'll be way more total.

My wife and I are cruising on a 4 night Bahamian cruise in Sept. We also have a 10 and 6yo children. We ALL are passport less. I have an expired PP but my wife and kids don't have anything. I was thinking of getting PP for everyone for a, "Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it" type of thing. But, the cost for all of us will be about $400+. Any suggestions?
TIA

Suggestions? Get them. Not for this cruise, but to have the world at your fingertips. Maybe one of you will suddenly get a job that involves travel and you'll have umpteen air miles allowing you to travel. My husband NEVER expected such a job and then he was laid off and got a job that involved traveling half of the year. Summer of 2014 when he was suddenly being sent to Ireland and England and I found a terrific deal on flights for me and DS, we were SO happy that we already had passports.

 

[seashellmama]

Don't know. But you'll have spent *even more money* if that happens, than you would have done if you didn't waste that money on the card and just bought the book. It's always cost that is brought up as a reason to get the card vs book, but IF something happened, it'll be way more total.

Not *way* more, just the cost of a passport card more. What I don't know is what the process is for getting an emergency passport while you're out of the country... if it's the same amount of time and effort if you show up with your birth certificates and driver licenses as with passport cards, then the expense of the passport card would not be justified, but if it means it takes 4 hours instead of 24 hours (for example), then I think one might be glad to have the cards.

That said, *I* love our passports very much, and do not intend to ever not have a current one, and will encourage my kids to always have them, too (including paying for them if the kids balk at the cost after they are adults).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not *way* more, just the cost of a passport card more. What I don't know is what the process is for getting an emergency passport while you're out of the country... if it's the same amount of time and effort if you show up with your birth certificates and driver licenses as with passport cards, then the expense of the passport card would not be justified, but if it means it takes 4 hours instead of 24 hours (for example), then I think one might be glad to have the cards.

That said, *I* love our passports very much, and do not intend to ever not have a current one, and will encourage my kids to always have them, too (including paying for them if the kids balk at the cost after they are adults).

Using a passport card is no different (time-wise, effort-wise) than using the birth certificate/driver's license. The difference - it costs to have the passport card, but it gives you no benefit over just using the BC/DL combo.

The process (and cost) for an emergency passport is the same as a same day issuance in a stateside passport facility. Or it could take a couple of days. The cost is the full cost of a passport book, and it's only valid for a limited time (like a year, I think). IF you apply for a passport renewal within that year (once home) there's no additional cost (they just convert the limited time one to a standard one).

 

[seashellmama]

The process (and cost) for an emergency passport is the same as a same day issuance in a stateside passport facility. Or it could take a couple of days.

Right, OK, so you're saying there would be no difference in time *at all* in getting an emergency passport if you already have a passport card? If that's so, then I have exhausted all of the possible reasons I could come with for getting a passport card solely to cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Right, OK, so you're saying there would be no difference in time *at all* in getting an emergency passport if you already have a passport card? If that's so, then I have exhausted all of the possible reasons I could come with for getting a passport card solely to cruise.

As far as I know, there's no difference in process time if you already have the passport card. Of course, I've never been in that position.

 

[lanejudy]

Not *way* more, just the cost of a passport card more.

The cost of the passport card PLUS the expedited fee. Multiplied by however many people in the traveling party. It's my understanding that the expedite fee applies when needing an emergency passport overseas. I have heard that having a passport card could help in the event an emergency passport book is needed to fly. Conceivably, it would be similar to the situation of a lost passport -- because the information has all been vetted and approved, it's already in the system. But I have no proof of whether it would actually shorten the process or not.

 

[MrPTato]

Just my two cents...if you are spending thousands on a cruise, then what is a couple hundred more for a couple passports. Going in May and we will be getting my wife and daughter one.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Conceivably, it would be similar to the situation of a lost passport -- because the information has all been vetted and approved, it's already in the system. But I have no proof of whether it would actually shorten the process or not.

My guess - probably not. I lost my passport overseas, and the process was explained to me that they had to get in contact with someone "back home" to confirm that I was a real person, and that I was currently traveling overseas before they would process it, even though I had a current passport on file. I was able to avoid that extra time because I was traveling with my mother, who still had her passport. She could vouch for me. But it still took 3 days to get my replacement.

Same thing when, on a later trip, my mother was pick-pocketed and lost her passport. I was still had mine, so could vouch for her, but it still took 3 days to get the replacement.

 

[seashellmama]

The cost of the passport card PLUS the expedited fee. Multiplied by however many people in the traveling party.

I am comparing no-passport or passport-card to having the passport card, for which cases the cost of the expedite fee for needing an emergency passport is the same, so the only difference is the cost of having gotten the passport cards, with the only potential benefit of the cards* being the possibility of an easier time in case an emergency passport is needed (for which the jury appears to still be out, but I'm feeling doubtful at this point).

--
*Speaking specifically to the cards' benefit for cruising. People who cross borders regularly by land or short-distance boat are likely to find a lot more use for the passport card. Also, people whose state doesn't have RealID state identification/driver license may find the passport card to be an easier and cheaper solution than a passport book for domestic air travel, if and when the RealID requirement for domestic flights is implemented.

 

[Monykalyn]

I am comparing no-passport or passport-card to having the passport card, for which cases the cost of the expedite fee for needing an emergency passport is the same, so the only difference is the cost of having gotten the passport cards, with the only potential benefit of the cards* being the possibility of an easier time in case an emergency passport is needed (for which the jury appears to still be out, but I'm feeling doubtful at this point).

--
*Speaking specifically to the cards' benefit for cruising. People who cross borders regularly by land or short-distance boat are likely to find a lot more use for the passport card. Also, people whose state doesn't have RealID state identification/driver license may find the passport card to be an easier and cheaper solution than a passport book for domestic air travel, if and when the RealID requirement for domestic flights is implemented.

We are in one of those states that are in limbo as to using our DL for ID when flying. We went ahead and applied for passports a few weeks back (me, DH, and oldest DD) to be safe-we do plan international travel in next few years, also planning a cruise late 2017 so will likely get the younger 2 PP as well before then.

 

[lanejudy]

I am comparing no-passport or passport-card to having the passport card

Sorry, I thought you were comparing getting a card plus needing an emergency book versus just getting a passport book from the start. Correct, the expedite fee is the same.

BTW...we have passport cards to travel across the Canadian border.