Who's not getting a passport for this summer?

[encmerk]

I just wanted to know who is not getting a passport for the West Coast Cruises this summer? I was going to get them for my family, however I didn't really have it in my budget for a family of five. I traveled out of San Pedro last February with our BC's and didn't have a problem what so ever. I just wanted to see if my family would be the only one's without a passport.

P.S. I know I will need them next time I travel next year!!

Thanks for anyone who answers!!!

Courtney

 

[Babs417]

Their are 11 of us going. Guess who isnt getting passports unless we have to! Its hard enough just getting a drivers licence in New Jersey.

 

[becobscot]

I would wait until you have to get it and then plan ahead as it will probably take longer to get one as the year wears on.

 

[pppiglet]

All year long I said I wasn't going to, but then at the last minute I decided to because of the long lines others said we would have if we just had BC. I don't want to spend my vacation in long lines. (plus my DH now wants to go to Thailand with our church so figured we might as well get them.) I'm just hoping they show up before we cruise, because now they have our BC too and I have nothing!

 

[LiserAnn]

DH and I have passports from before but we're not getting them for our two boys unless we have to. So, since we don't have to we're not. It's just an added expense we don't need on top of an overpriced (but worth it) cruise. Since we're driving to the port, we plan to be early and we're not going to be in a rush to disembark. BCs for the boys it is!

 

[lotsofboys]

DH and I already had passports and I was not going to get them for 3 DSs until I read a post here that asked the question "what if you had a medical emergency and had to be flown to a foreign country?" It would make it much easier to leave that country with a passport than without one so I decided to get the passports.

 

[tvguy]

My kids have had their passports since age 2. We use them throughout the year for all those times you need your kids ID.....school, little league, soccer, and of course travel. Just a better form of ID than the birth certificate, and physically more durable.

 

[newfamilyman]

My wife and I have one, but I'm only using birth certificates for my two kids (one and four). It just doesn't seem worth the hassle or unnecessary expense.

 

[Hollyster2]

We are not getting passports. I have one from a few years ago, because I have a birth certificate without a raised seal. Two of the other families I am traveling with are not getting them. We went over and over this, and basically decided that we live in CA, and never had a problem going to Mexico before and figure the passports are not necessary this trip. We all agree however that if we were to travel practically anywhere else we would get them. This will be my very last cruise traveling without all of us having passports, even to Mexico. I have 7 in my family and just can't swing the expense if they are not mandatory. If we buy them we would give up our excursions. We have cruised to Ensenada before, and twice to the Western Caribbean and the birth certificates were just fine. I think it becomes trickier when their are out of the country American citizen births, and with adoptions etc. However, we are going to get passports if we take another trip anywhere.

 

[KKB]

You do not need them this summer, and the proposed regulations do not affect anyone until Dec. 31 this year--ironically the day we disembark!
We are not going to worry about them unless the regulations are official. Cannot justify nearly $500, especially since it is highly unlikely the children will ever use them again(MIL is springing for this trip!)
For now, we don't even know if you will need them next year at this time.
BC/DL were fine for our Oct. cruise--we had ZERO problems. If they become necessary, of course we will buy them. But cannot justify such an expense because they are nice to have! (I'd rather spend that $500 on the trip!)
Happy cruising!
Kristin

 

[tarheel_girl]

I'm sailing on June 4th. I was reluctant to get one, until Disney actually sent me an application saying 'passports were reccommended'. I've cruised with Disney since 2000. They have never sent a letter like that. I must say now that I have my passport, I feel better about traveling. I was always so nervous that something would happen to my BC and I would have no way of proving who I was. I re-booked this cruise while on board last year. The person that rebooked it for me told me that port authorities are much more strict in LA than in FL. That and the letter were my selling points for getting one.

 

[rsjj]

well...i have one, and DH is getting one...but we're not getting one for our DSs (3 & 5). i read somewhere on another thread, that if both parents have passports, you can go to the passport line (which is faster), as opposed to the birthcertificate line (slow line?). and that's why DH is getting one. figure he'd need it, anyways...but can't see the need for our DSs (yet). so that's our "justification".

of course, we don't sail till august, so if others (those early west coast cruisers) post and get info, i'll still have time to get them for our DSs, if necessary.

 

[LiserAnn]

I read the same thing about if the adults have the passport and the kids have BCs you can still go in the passport line BUT I haven't been able to confirm if that's true or not. If it's not true, we might get them boys passports...we don't do well standing in lines for too long .

 

[KKB]

Lines were based on cabins, and losely so. So passport or BC made NO difference.
Upon disembarkation, having a porter was the key to speed! Barely looked at our IDs! Go figure!
Happy cruising!
Kristin
In 8 months we will be on that Disney Magic.....

 

[encmerk]

Just to let everyone know that when disembarking in LA last year I think they were very attentive. For example, when going thru customs my son was asleep in the umbrella stroller after having a great time in the clubs, and was just plain wore out. The customs agent had us wake him up so he could ask him if he was sick. I thought it was kind of strange, but I thought to myself atleast they are being safe. I don't have Florida to compare it to, so hopefully one day I will. Also thanks to everyone who respond to the post!!!

Courtney

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

My DH and I have our passports. My MIL that is traveling with us refuses to get one unless it is mandatory. She is on a tight budget (we're paying for her cruise) and she said that her bc was good enough to get her Social Security last year than it should be good enough for customs. I'm not fighting her on it. We live locally so when we cruise out of San Pedro, we don't have to worry about getting off quickly to catch plane. I'm also not going to get passports for our kids (4).It would be a big expense for our family right now. I don't think we will have any problems(maybe a longer wait) on this cruise but if we decide to cruise again it will be mandatory. Amy

 

[encmerk]

Amy, what cruise is your family going on. We are taking my MIL also (paying her way). I thought it might be nice if we might be on the same cruise????

Take Care,
Courtney

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

We're on the July 2 cruise. Looks like you're on a later sailing. It should be great. My MIL needs a break from FIL and we made sure she understood that she wasn't going as a babysitter. Our kids ( littlest ones especially) love there Grandma and will be so excited to have her with us. I even got her a reservation to go horseback riding with Randi in Maz. As long as they say that passporst aren't mandatory I think we'll do fine. We went on a Princess cruise about 3 years ago and there was no distinction getting off the ship according to what type of ID you had. This might have changed since then and DCL is REALLY encouraging everyone to get one for West Coast sailings. I guess we'll see. Amy

 

[LiserAnn]

I do find it interesting that DCL is making a point to encourage passports for this summer when the requirement to absolutely have passports for Mexico isn't until Jan 1, 2007. It makes me wonder if they're expecting long lines because it's a full ship? Just trying to figure out why they would SO strongly encourage passports for this summer. I really don't want to get passports for the boys if I don't have to.

 

[encmerk]

Amy - We are going on the August 6th cruise. It's a day before my sons 7th birthday. Ever since my DS has gotten off RCL last year he said "Are we going back next weekend?" I knew he had a good time. Also last year in January we moved from Virginia to CA, and we saw numerous times the Magic and Wonder in dry dock being worked on. On the way to WDW once we told him it would be on the road for a LONG time, and 30 mins later he saw the DCL ship and said "WOW mom you didn't tell me we would be going on a cruise". I felt so bad when I had to tell him no. In regards to my MIL she has never been on a cruise. She is excited about spending time with the kids since she lives in Texas. She only gets to see the kids maybe once or twice a year. Sorry if I started to ramble.

Hope everyone has a great trip.
Courtney