Passports

[Shawn73]

I just resevered my cruise and have not gotten all of my info. Is a passport really needed or can you use an official copy of your birth certficate along with a picture id (drivers license). I really don't want to have to purchase a passport if I don't need one!

 

[dtuleya]

We went back and forth on this issue. Since we don't travel out of the country a lot and the fact that the kids passports were only valid for 5 years, we felt the $310 it would cost was not worth it. We even went so far as to get our passport photos taken. When we went to our local passport office to get them done, they told us they would guarantee them by November 10th. We're leaving on the 25th. Not an issue until they told me that they have to send your original birth certificate with the passport application.....that made me really nervous. DH and I were worried if something happened with our paperwork, we'd be without passports and/or birth certificates. Not a chance we were willing to take.

I was a little disappointed since I had heard that passports sometimes make a little easier when traveling, but I'm sure we'll be fine with photo ID and birth certificates.

 

[tvguy]

We always travel with passports, and most of those trips are domestic. Just a lot easier since they are harder to counterfeit, unlike drivers licenses. And birth certificates are easily damaged, god forbid if that raised seal get damaged if you have the older original birth certificats. . Passports are durable.
Also find passports are easier to use for other times during the year when you have to prove your kids date of birth, little league, soccer, school registration, etc.

 

[jodifla]

I think you're fine without passports. My husband and I have ours, but I didn't want to get one for my toddler. We used his birth certificate a few weeks ago on the Sept. 23 cruise, and it was no problem.

Some people make a HUGE deal out of having a passport on these boards but you don't need one. Save the bucks, and get them when you'll be traveling out of the country and truly need one.

Do make sure you have certified birth certificates, though. Not hospital ones.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I have two copies of the certified birth certificate. That way if something happens to one, I have a backup.

 

[dcandmc]

"Some people make a HUGE deal out of having a passport on these boards but you don't need one. Save the bucks, and get them when you'll be traveling out of the country and truly need one."

Don't both the Magic and the Wonder regularly make port visits "out of the country"? I.e. the Bahamas, Mexico, etc.? I think it's easy to forget that you are in fact visiting a foreign country (or countries) when you go on a Disney cruise. I wouldn't classify the posts I've read as people making a "HUGE deal" out of having a passport, just strongly recommending having them as the most prudent course of action.

 

[ivanova]

Most of the ports DCL goes to do not REQUIRE passports ... they are just very convenient, and on the outside chance you ever get left behind in a foreign country by the ship you'll need that passport in order to fly home.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I wonder how many cruisers take their passports and/or birth certificates with them when they get off the ship in port? I know we didn't. We left ours in the room safe, as I would guess, the majority did.