Passports?

[Beth06015]

My husband and I have expired passports and our kids don't have any. The cruise we are going on in May is the Eastern Carribean on the Fantasy, which stops in the US Virgin Islands, Tortola and Castaway Cay. I read that on a closed-loop cruise like this passports are not required. Has anyone done this? What documents do you bring for the kids?

 

[Cackyschmackers]

You have plenty of time to renew yours and get passports for the kids. Technically you do not need them but heaven forbid anything happens where anyone in your party gets sick or something happens with the ship, you don't want to be stuck in a foreign country without a passport. Just look at it as you would travel insurance, hopefully you don't need it, but...

 

[MUN]

My husband and I have expired passports and our kids don't have any. The cruise we are going on in May is the Eastern Carribean on the Fantasy, which stops in the US Virgin Islands, Tortola and Castaway Cay. I read that on a closed-loop cruise like this passports are not required. Has anyone done this? What documents do you bring for the kids?

I think all you need are birth certificates. You don't need passports for this cruise.

MUN

 

[clten]

Passports are not required. For anyone not traveling with a valid passport, you would bring a government issued birth certificate. If the kids are under 16, that's all you would need for them. Adults would also need government issued photo id (Driver's license would do).

What Cackyschmackers was saying was that if something should happen and you need to leave the cruise (someone gets hurt and needs medical attention on one of the islands), you'd need a passport to fly home from. You would have to work with a US Embassy to get an emergency passport. So if you don't want to take that risk, it might be worth it to get passports and you have time enough to do it. But legally, you can travel with just Birth Certificates/Photo Id, just now you know the risks.

 

[Beth06015]

You have plenty of time to renew yours and get passports for the kids. Technically you do not need them but heaven forbid anything happens where anyone in your party gets sick or something happens with the ship, you don't want to be stuck in a foreign country without a passport. Just look at it as you would travel insurance, hopefully you don't need it, but...

Passports are not required. For anyone not traveling with a valid passport, you would bring a government issued birth certificate. If the kids are under 16, that's all you would need for them. Adults would also need government issued photo id (Driver's license would do).

What Cackyschmackers was saying was that if something should happen and you need to leave the cruise (someone gets hurt and needs medical attention on one of the islands), you'd need a passport to fly home from. You would have to work with a US Embassy to get an emergency passport. So if you don't want to take that risk, it might be worth it to get passports and you have time enough to do it. But legally, you can travel with just Birth Certificates/Photo Id, just now you know the risks.

I would prefer to get the passports and be on the safe side, but my husband does not share my concern and thinks it's not worth the money considering that "nothing will happen" and we will only be on one non-US island. I'd rather have the passports and have nothing happen, but, it would be a big investment.

Probably a silly question, but this is my first cruise -- do you leave the kids' birth certificates on the ship while you're out?

 

[RedSox68]

I would prefer to get the passports and be on the safe side, but my husband does not share my concern and thinks it's not worth the money considering that "nothing will happen" and we will only be on one non-US island. I'd rather have the passports and have nothing happen, but, it would be a big investment.

Probably a silly question, but this is my first cruise -- do you leave the kids' birth certificates on the ship while you're out?

If you have passports, you don't need to bring birth certificates. Unless advised by the ship for excursion purposes, we leave our passports in the safe. And I agree -- I'd prefer to have passports to play it safe. Plus they are easier to work with then carrying around photo ID and birth certificates.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

I would prefer to get the passports and be on the safe side, but my husband does not share my concern and thinks it's not worth the money considering that "nothing will happen" and we will only be on one non-US island. I'd rather have the passports and have nothing happen, but, it would be a big investment.

Probably a silly question, but this is my first cruise -- do you leave the kids' birth certificates on the ship while you're out?

Yes, you leave them in the safe. The kids only require their ship card to get back on. Adults require card and gov't issued photo ID.

We have cruised 3 times with our BC's..well my son has a passport because he needed picture ID and DMV wouldn't give him one with a social security card..and SS wouldn't give him a SS card without a picture ID...lol. No issues.....yet I know this will turn into a long thread debating passports lol. I don't know why people care what other people do

 

[Quellman]

I would prefer to get the passports and be on the safe side, but my husband does not share my concern and thinks it's not worth the money considering that "nothing will happen" and we will only be on one non-US island. I'd rather have the passports and have nothing happen, but, it would be a big investment.

Probably a silly question, but this is my first cruise -- do you leave the kids' birth certificates on the ship while you're out?

You stop at Castaway Cay, which is in the Bahamas, so that is a second foreign port of call.

I'll take a more extreme measure. What if someone tumbles down the stairs, or has cardiac arrest on your steam from the US Virgin islands to Castaway Cay and you must be med flighted or dropped off at closest shore? The Dominican Republic, and Haiti are along that route and you can be sure you'll need an emergency passport to be issued before you fly home. For most travelers this is not a statistically probable outcome, so they may consider not using a passport. Personally, I am in the camp of be prepared with a passport. It also doubles as ID even when you are at home, so for instance, if you have your license stolen, you can use your passport to prove who you are.

 

[chik1987]

Get passports. There is no reason to worry about "what ifs". You have plenty of time spread them out if you need to because of costs. My fiance applied for his passport on December 27th and it arrived January 9th so they are coming very quickly.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Personally, I know three people who have been medically evacuated while on vacation, so there's no doubt in my mind that we will always have trip insurance that covers medical assist and also passports for everyone in our party.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

The safe is easy to use. Set the combination to any set of numbers you want. We felt comfortable storing our documents, and some extra money here during our trip.

 

[Beth06015]

You stop at Castaway Cay, which is in the Bahamas, so that is a second foreign port of call.

I'll take a more extreme measure. What if someone tumbles down the stairs, or has cardiac arrest on your steam from the US Virgin islands to Castaway Cay and you must be med flighted or dropped off at closest shore? The Dominican Republic, and Haiti are along that route and you can be sure you'll need an emergency passport to be issued before you fly home. For most travelers this is not a statistically probable outcome, so they may consider not using a passport. Personally, I am in the camp of be prepared with a passport. It also doubles as ID even when you are at home, so for instance, if you have your license stolen, you can use your passport to prove who you are.

Get passports. There is no reason to worry about "what ifs". You have plenty of time spread them out if you need to because of costs. My fiance applied for his passport on December 27th and it arrived January 9th so they are coming very quickly.

Personally, I know three people who have been medically evacuated while on vacation, so there's no doubt in my mind that we will always have trip insurance that covers medical assist and also passports for everyone in our party.

I am with you all on this. I forgot CC was a non-US island!! I feel like if anything were to ever happen it would happen at the worst time...being sick and stuck in Haiti sounds like the worst kind of nightmare!! I also feel like they last 10 years so what is the big deal. HOWEVER he is so convinced that because its not required its a waste of money...(GRR)...and I'm worried about the kids, not us, and need him to go to get them!!

 

[Beth06015]

Yes, you leave them in the safe. The kids only require their ship card to get back on. Adults require card and gov't issued photo ID.

We have cruised 3 times with our BC's..well my son has a passport because he needed picture ID and DMV wouldn't give him one with a social security card..and SS wouldn't give him a SS card without a picture ID...lol. No issues.....yet I know this will turn into a long thread debating passports lol. I don't know why people care what other people do

I am mostly worried about the kids....we have licenses at least.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

@Beth06015 Our travel agent STRONGLY suggests them, makes them seem almost a requirement. If you read their policy, you would think DCL requires them, that's how strong the language is. If you're using a TA, maybe you can have them convince your husband? (But don't tell him the kids' expire in 5 years, then he'll really have a problem). ;-)

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I am mostly worried about the kids....we have licenses at least.

You have the state-issued birth certificates for the kids, right? Not the ones just from the hospital. And you know where they are? I thought I knew where my sons' BCs were until about 4 months before our cruise when I went to look for them... and only found the one! I had to go on the website of the state where the second boy was born and order a replacement. That took 4 weeks to arrive.

Just something to check on.

Don't stress over it too much. We are mostly planners and worriers here (I got passports for my sons when we went, that is what I needed the BCs for in advance), but many people go on these cruises with just Drivers License and Birth Certificates and they are fine. And if there is an issue, it will be more of a hassle, but they have procedures in place for that too.

 

[bumbershoot]

SS wouldn't give him a SS card without a picture ID...lol. No issues

That makes no sense. They just send a SS card. We got DS's in the mail. Got it when he was an infant because insurance tends to require that now.

this will turn into a long thread debating passports lol. I don't know why people care what other people do

Only debate I ever see is people putting words into passport fans' mouths. Passport fans tend to lay out the facts and leave it at that.

I'm worried about the kids, not us, and need him to go to get them!!

He either needs to be there or take a form to be notarized (many us banks do this for free for their customers) that says he knows you're getting them passports and you have his permission as the other parent.

No chance of the prospect of other foreign travel being a hook to interest him? For us passports are the key that unlocks the world. Cruises are one thing. Seeing an amazing airfare for Ireland and being able to book it without worrying about passports...that's freedom.

I am mostly worried about the kids....we have licenses at least.

You don't take the bc off the ship. Kids have their key cards. You have keycard and photo ID.

Take the cruise Navigator with you, or at least the page that gives the port agent contact info. Should something happen, contact them and they'll be in touch with the ship and get what you need ID-wise from your safe.

 

[Owl X]

It may be a good idea to get a Passport as there may be additional travel restrictions passed under the new administration.

Phase 4 of the Real ID Act goes into effect in Jan 2018 which requires specific ID for air travel.
Some state driver's licenses are NOT compliant with the REAL ID Act including Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington.

Passports are compliant with the Real ID Act.

 

[lanejudy]

So my experience... my family's first cruise was with Passport CARDS -- which, for the record, I do NOT recommend getting simply for the purposes of a cruise, we just happened to have them anyway. This is essentially the same as cruising with birth certificates, because we would not have been able to fly home. We have people with medical needs and we fly from a wintery weather area; we accepted the risks and all was fine. Hundreds of people do this on cruises with no problems.

You say you are "worried about the kids" but I'm not understanding that. The birth certificates get them onto the ship at initial embarkation, put in the safe for the duration, and shown again at Customs and Immigration at final debarkation. The kids only need their KTTW card and will (presumably) be with you when off the ship. Kids younger than 16 need no other ID; kids age 16+ need a government issued photo ID to get on/off the ship just like adults.

Now, some "pros" for the Passports (Books!) if you want to push for that... you don't mention how old the kids are, but Passports are great for LOTS of things once the kids get to school-age and then high school. It's a very simple form of ID, no need to dig out BCs to additionally prove citizenship -- school registrations, camp registration, some sports registrations, part-time jobs for teens, ID for field trips, etc. You'll be on 2 non-US islands, and at-sea -- NO guarantee that any injury/illness at sea will have a guest airlifted to the US, it would be the nearest location. As PP mentions, your DH does not have to be present to apply for their passports, he only needs to sign a notarized form.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Beth06015]

You have the state-issued birth certificates for the kids, right? Not the ones just from the hospital. And you know where they are? I thought I knew where my sons' BCs were until about 4 months before our cruise when I went to look for them... and only found the one! I had to go on the website of the state where the second boy was born and order a replacement. That took 4 weeks to arrive.

Just something to check on.

Don't stress over it too much. We are mostly planners and worriers here (I got passports for my sons when we went, that is what I needed the BCs for in advance), but many people go on these cruises with just Drivers License and Birth Certificates and they are fine. And if there is an issue, it will be more of a hassle, but they have procedures in place for that too.

I have the certificates the state mailed us. I made copies recently (we had some trouble with the kids trying to make a quick trip to the duty-free in Canada, probably 1.5 hours from our house while we were on a weekend trip and didn't expect to go there. they let us go but we had to pull over and get questioned). Strangely enough, my son's doctor's signature on the certificate pre-dates his birth (must have been a typo!!!). It was notarized after that so who am I to question. I don't like the idea of bringing them out of the house, but I guess this is what they're for.

Yeah I'm a worrier and I hate any unnecessary risk! He is quite the opposite. I'd rather prepare for the worst. He doesn't want to bother with something he sees as a non-issue. GRRR

 

[Beth06015]

That makes no sense. They just send a SS card. We got DS's in the mail. Got it when he was an infant because insurance tends to require that now.



Only debate I ever see is people putting words into passport fans' mouths. Passport fans tend to lay out the facts and leave it at that.



He either needs to be there or take a form to be notarized (many us banks do this for free for their customers) that says he knows you're getting them passports and you have his permission as the other parent.

No chance of the prospect of other foreign travel being a hook to interest him? For us passports are the key that unlocks the world. Cruises are one thing. Seeing an amazing airfare for Ireland and being able to book it without worrying about passports...that's freedom.



You don't take the bc off the ship. Kids have their key cards. You have keycard and photo ID.

Take the cruise Navigator with you, or at least the page that gives the port agent contact info. Should something happen, contact them and they'll be in touch with the ship and get what you need ID-wise from your safe.

Thanks for the info! I don't want to be moving around the BC's, that makes it easy!
Yeah I tried future travel....he said get them then we don't need them now. GRRRRR.