Do You Need A Passport For Your Cruise
Ahhh, the cruise. Its the ultimate hands-off, let-someone-else-plan-your-trip getaway.
Sometimes its nice to leave the itinerary, the menu and the ports of call to someone else. Of course, kicking back comes a whole lot easier if you do some planning before you embark. This means determining whether you need to pack a passport for your cruise.
You may have heard mixed input, with some folks saying that cruises are great because you dont need to pack a passport. Others may recall their own cruise disaster where a passport was a must and they didnt have one. So, whats the deal? How do you know when you need to pack your passport for a cruise and when you can leave it at home?
If youre short on time, heres the quick answer: You should bring your passport whenever youre leaving the country, just to be safe. You also should protect yourself with travel insurance, which can help you if you lose your passport or other travel documents.
But, if youre looking for specifics , read on.
What If You Lose Your Passport During A Cruise
If you lose your passport while on a cruise, the first thing you need to do is notify the nearest U.S. consulate in order to get a replacement passport issued. Also, contact the guest relations department on your cruise ship so they can provide guidance on how to handle the rest of your cruise before you get your replacement passport.
If you lose your passport on the ship, you should fill out a lost property report with the guest relations department on board.
To help eliminate any chance of losing your passport while on the ship, we recommend keeping it in your stateroom or suite. The in-room safes are easy to use and will keep your passport in a secure place at all times. When youre on your cruise, there is no need to carry a passport on you since youll use your Sea Pass card for all transactions.
Are There Exceptions For Needing A Passport On A Closed
Yes. Even if youre on a closed-loop sailing, certain islands in the Caribbean Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barts, Barbados and others require a passport for entry. Its your responsibility to learn the requirements of each of the destinations youre visiting before you go.
If you dont have a passport and your ship stops at one of these islands, youll have to stay on board. If you want to cruise without a passport, choose itineraries where you know you can get off the ship and enjoy your day in port.
To make things even more confusing, you can get off the ship in port in Vancouver, British Columbia during an Alaska cruise without a passport, but to cross over into the Canadian province by rail, youll need one. You can visit Alaska on a round-trip Seattle cruise without a passport. But if you wish to book a rail journey excursion on the White Pass & Yukon Route, which takes you from Alaska into Canada, choose the shorter White Pass Summit tour youll need a passport for the longer trips.
There are also exceptions when youre traveling with children. Princess Cruises and Holland America require that at least one parent carry a passport, even if youre on a closed-loop sailing. Some lines always require a passport for all travelers, no matter the itinerary, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Azamara, Windstar Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Seabourn.
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Can You Go On A Cruise Without A Passport
First time cruisers often ask if they need a passport to go on a cruise. The answer is that you generally need a passport to travel to a foreign country, but select itineraries sailing roundtrip from U.S. homeports do not require passports as travel documents.
Here, we answer the most common questions about passports for cruises. Remember: Its always the travelers responsibility to make sure they have the correct identification and documentation for your cruise. Otherwise, you could get turned away at the cruise port.
Can I Go On A Cruise With Just A Driver’s License
It depends on the cruise and the drivers license.
If youre sailing on an entirely U.S.-based cruise, such as in Alaska or Hawaii, a drivers license would be sufficient identification.If youre sailing on a closed-loop cruise out of a U.S. homeport, you would need to pair your drivers license with a proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. However, if you possess an enhanced drivers license, that I.D. would function like a passport and you would not need additional documentation.
For any other cruise, a drivers license would not be sufficient documentation, and you would run into trouble at the airport or cruise port.
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Where Can I Cruise Without A Passport
If youre a U.S. citizen and dont have a passport, you actually have quite a few cruise options.
You may be surprised to learn that U.S. citizens dont need a passport to sail on closed-loop cruises with lines like Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and others.
These voyages sail round trip from U.S. ports to destinations in North America such as the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico, Central America, Alaska and Hawaii. They depart from such home ports as Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles, Galveston, Texas and New York City.
Related: Eastern vs. Western Caribbean cruises: Which itinerary will I like more?
The rules also apply to Caribbean islands that are U.S. territories. For instance, you wont need a passport to fly to and cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, or St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
However, if you embark in one U.S. port and disembark in another, its not the same as a closed-loop sailing. For example, a Panama Canal cruise that begins in Miami and ends in San Diego will require a passport. Longer cruises, like grand voyages, that sail round trip from the U.S. but visit countries outside North and Central America, will also require a passport.
Any cruises where you need to fly to or from a foreign country, including Canada, will necessitate a passport.
Do You Need A Passport To Go On A Cruise To Alaska
Even though Alaska is part of the United States, most cruise itineraries will require you to travel with a U.S. passport.
If youre on a cruise to Alaska that begins or ends in Canada, you are required to carry a passport book or passport card.
If youre traveling on a closed-loop cruise to Alaska that starts and ends in the same U.S. port, you can travel with a passport card or a state-issued ID and an original birth certificate.
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What Else Should You Know About Cruising With A Passport
Having a passport doesnt mean your vacation is a go yet. Youll also want to double check when your passport expires, as many countries require a passport to be valid for six months after the date of your planned departure. If youre on a cruise, this means making sure your passport is still valid for another six months following the last day of the cruise.
Another thing youll want to check is the amount of blank pages in your passport. You should have at least one blank page for each country youre visiting. If you dont have enough pages left for stamps, youll need to renew your passport before your trip.
One major advantage of traveling on a cruise is that international customs are mostly handled for you. Before boarding, youll provide your passport number and other applicable information to the cruise line, which then provides this information to customs authorities in the international ports of call youll visit. Once this is arranged, youll simply get off the ship and enjoy your destination without having to go through customs each time. However, you should always double check what the passport protocol is for the cruise ports youre visiting.
It is also your responsibility to obtain any necessary visas you may need during your cruise. Be sure to research the visa requirements for each country youll be visiting during your itinerary. Youll also be in charge of any fees relating to the visa.
Which Cruise Ports Require A Passport
You need a passport for any cruise that departs out of a foreign port that you need to fly to. Cruises departing from Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia require passports. If youre flying to Caribbean islands like Barbados or the Bahamas, or Canadian homeports, such as Vancouver and Montreal, you will need to carry a passport.
Remember that cruise ports such as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, are actually part of the U.S. Treat those flights as domestic travel.
If you are sailing out of one U.S. homeport and disembarking at the end of your voyage in a different one, you also need a passport for your cruise. For example, a Panama Canal cruise that leaves from Miami and ends in Los Angeles will require a passport.
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Passport Card Vs Passport Book
When you apply for your passport, you will have the option of purchasing a passport card . Its important to know that you can only use the passport card to reenter the United States at cruise ports of entry from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. The passport card will not work if youre trying to take an international cruise or flight.
While the passport cards are cheaper, if you miss the cruise ship departure in a foreign port, youll still need a passport book to fly back to the United States.
We compare the differences of each here: Passport Card vs Passport Book
Superbikes & Scenic Hikes
Fred Olsen do themed cruises better than any other cruise line and the Superbikes & Scenic Hikes holiday is perfect for petrol heads. On 31 May 2015, you will board Balmoral at Southampton and set sail for 9 nights around the British Isles, stopping to experience the Isle of Man TT as you go.
The varied itinerary takes you to some of the most amazing landscapes the UK has to offer, including St Peter Port Tobermory Kirkwall Douglas and Dublin . Shore excursions take you sea life spotting on the shoreline, with hosted trips to Balfour Castle, Beaulieu House, Highland Park Distillery and more. With an opportunity to see the worlds greatest motorcycle race first hand, the Superbikes & Scenic Hikes cruise combines the two perfectly.
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You Need A Passport For Cruises To And From Foreign Ports
If you are a U.S. citizen and your cruise embarks or disembarks in a foreign country, including Canada, you will always need your passport for the cruise . You’ll also need a passport for a cruise that begins and ends in different U.S. ports.
Related:Cruise Rules and Regulations, Plus Travel Documents and Information
Keep in mind that cruise passport requirements can change based on shore excursions, too. For example, any time you cross a land or sea border into a foreign country, youll need a passport, whether it’s riding Alaska’s White Pass and Yukon Railway or taking day trips to smaller Caribbean islands. Additionally, it’s a good idea to check entry requirements of all individual ports in your itinerary, as you might need a visa as well.
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Do You Always Need A Passport Card Or Passport Booklet To Cruise
We always recommend carrying a passport book or a passport card while vacationing on a cruise. That being said, there are certain types of cruises where youll be able to board with other types of documentation if you do not have either a passport book or passport card.
U.S. citizens traveling on closed-loop cruises to either Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, or the Caribbean can travel with the following documentation:
- U.S. passport book or card
- Trusted Traveler card
- Enhanced Drivers License
- An original copy of your government-issued birth certificate or naturalization certificate and a government-issued photo ID
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Where Else Can I Cruise Without A Passport
There are a few U.S. territories and other destinations that allow passport-free entry for U.S. citizens.
- Puerto Rico is a United States Commonwealth, and all U.S. citizens can travel there and to its surrounding islands, Vieques and Culebra, without a passport.
- Also in the Caribbean, the U.S. Virgin Islands are a U.S. territory thats fair game for passport-less American citizens. You can visit St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John just not the neighboring British Virgin Islands.
- In the Pacific, some cruises visit Guam, where, although U.S. citizens are required to possess a U.S. passport, on a case-by-case basis, photo I.D. and proof of citizenship may be accepted.3
- Cruises to Alaska and Hawaii dont require passports, because both are U.S. states. However, if your Alaskan cruise begins or ends in Canada, youd need your passport.
Take note: Just because you dont need a passport to visit these destinations doesnt mean you wont need any official documentation. Make sure you have a government-issued photo ID, naturalization paperwork, and/or birth certificate.
Can I Go On A Cruise With A Real Id
A Real ID is an upgraded, more secure drivers license thats required for domestic flights as of October 1, 2021. .
A Real ID is not equivalent to a passport, however. Nor is it the same thing as an Enhanced Drivers License , which is a special license, available to residents of a few states, that proves citizenship. Even if you have a Real ID, youll still need to bring a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship for a closed-loop cruise.
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Please Note: No Passport Cruises Are No Longer Available All Cruises Require Passengers To Have A Valid Passport
Owning a passport is a dear job and its easy to see why 17% of the UK population dont bother! If youve always fancied giving a cruise holiday a go but didnt want the added expense and hassle of getting a passport, Fred Olsen have just the thing: No Passport? No Problem!
The British Isles are teaming with spectacular scenery, wildlife and history, and a British Isles cruise takes you to the most beautiful destinations we are lucky enough to have on our shores, before allowing you to kick back in comfort aboard a Fred Olsen ship. The small matter of a passport neednt stand between you and an adventure around the UK thanks to Fred Olsens No Passport? No Problem campaign, you can hop aboard a Fred Olsen ship and set sail around the British Isles with any of these forms of photographic ID:
» EU National ID card
» Council-issued bus pass or travel card
» Firearms licence
» VALIDATE UK card
A tour of the UK is the perfect taster to ease you into cruising gently, with Fred Olsens smaller ships and personalised service guaranteed to have you hooked. Heres our pick of Fred Olsens British Isles cruises whether you choose a mini cruise or themed holiday, youll certainly see the best of Britain with our pick of Fred Olsens great cruise deals.
Visiting The Caribbean Without A Passport
J Aaron Farr / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
U.S. travelers to the Caribbean really should get a passport as soon as possible it’s the best way to avoid hassles when reentering the U.S. But if you want to travel soon and don’t have a passport, don’t worry: It’s still possible to have a fabulous Caribbean vacation even if you don’t yet have a valid passport. Here are your options for traveling to the Caribbean with just a birth certificate and driver’s license or another form of primary ID.
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Do Kids Need A Passport To Go On A Cruise
Planning a family vacation can be tricky. There are so many components to keep track of, things to remember, and tickets to purchase. As you explore your options for where to take your family, you may encounter things you hadnt thought of before.
You may want to take a cruise with your kids, but where will you go? Are you leaving the country for international waters? Will you stop at foreign ports? While you may choose a destination within the United States, you may find yourself needing passports anyway.
Several factors determine whether you need a passport, so be sure to check directly with the cruise line you intend to purchase tickets from for the most up-to-date information and guidelines.
No Passport: Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands are a collection of 14 mostly uninhabited islands that U.S. citizens can travel to without their passport. If you are looking to get away somewhere more remote these islands are your best bet with gorgeous beaches, scenic golf ranges and jaw-dropping natural wonders like the famous Grotto cave. The Grotto cave, located in Saipan, the most populated island, is a stunning limestone cavern thatâs home to turtles and reef sharks and perfect for exploring. Saipan is also home to a number of museums and war memorials. The islands have been governed first by Spanish colonists in the 16th century, then the Japanese in World War II, and finally the U.S. since the Battle of Saipan in 1944, so there is a lot of history here, besides its natural beauty.
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