Do we need a passport for Southern Caribbean cruise, starts/ends in FL or PR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the PPs who responded, are you speaking as someone who has actually been on a Southern Caribbean cruise out of FL or San Juan? Because it sounds like you're speculating.

I need facts from people who actually KNOW. Thanks

I left and returned from Miami. I had to show my passport for me and the kids before they would let us onto the ship.

Let me correct that for you, you CHOSE to show passports. You could have just used DL and BCs.

Or the itinerary included an island that requires passports.

Which specific islands on the most common S. Carib cruise routes REQUIRE a passport if you're on a closed loop cruise from a US port?

[Anonymous]

All San Juan cruises have been canceled/changed for the at least 6 months by the PR government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the PPs who responded, are you speaking as someone who has actually been on a Southern Caribbean cruise out of FL or San Juan? Because it sounds like you're speculating.

I need facts from people who actually KNOW. Thanks

I left and returned from Miami. I had to show my passport for me and the kids before they would let us onto the ship.

Let me correct that for you, you CHOSE to show passports. You could have just used DL and BCs.

Or the itinerary included an island that requires passports.

Which specific islands on the most common S. Carib cruise routes REQUIRE a passport if you're on a closed loop cruise from a US port?

No idea-I don’t cruise. Just citing the US government. Further, cruise ship company policy can require it, even if it is not mandated by the US.

[Anonymous]

Cruised last August and passport was mandatory!
Be careful, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All San Juan cruises have been canceled/changed for the at least 6 months by the PR government.

What? That's not true. Cruise ships have been departing from San Juan for the last few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All San Juan cruises have been canceled/changed for the at least 6 months by the PR government.

What? That's not true. Cruise ships have been departing from San Juan for the last few weeks.

And cruise ships just started returning to St. Thomas.

[Anonymous]

Op: Just call the actual cruise line and ask if you need a passport for the specific itinerary. Or simply bite the bullet and renew your kid's passport.

[Anonymous]

yes
We needed one for the Bahamas.

[Anonymous]

NO NO NO!!!

Anyone who says you need a passport for cruising in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, to/from San Juan is just plain wrong.

I cruised from San Juan in July/August to Caribbean ports. You can board in San Juan with either a passport or a birth certificate. Getting on and off the ship at various Caribbean ports, you are instructed to have a photo ID and your ship card, but in our experience, we were only asked to show the ship card when returning boarding, not our ID's. Most passengers just carried their drivers licenses, not any other documents, when off the ship.

[Anonymous]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/passportGuidelines.do

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government issued picture ID, denoting photo, name and date of birth. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notarized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS, or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

[Anonymous]

This is from my experience. I've been on 4 Caribbean cruises and have checked into this.

You are not required to have a passport for a closed loop cruise (one that originates and returns to a US port). Neither the US state department, nor the cruise line require this. That said, you would be well advised to bring your passport. Although most destinations in the Caribbean will allow you to deboard and reboard your ship with your cruise pass and photo ID, they are not required to do so and the security conditions can and have changed on a daily basis. Just like the US state department, various foreign island nations have security statuses that can change. If there is a heightened security situation, they can change the requirements. At virtually all of the cruise ports, when you debark there is a security checkpoint somewhere on the pier. The local security rarely stops you from leaving the port or "international" area. But if the security status is higher on that particular island and that particular day, you might need your passport to return to the secure International area. In 4 cruises, and about 14 ports of call, I've seen this happen twice. In both cases, we had an announcement from the captain the morning of our arrival that passports would be needed to return to the ship for any on-shore excursions.

Additionally, if you or your family has a medical emergency and need to deboard the ship and discontinue your cruise, you will need your passport. I've seen two incidents (one an accident and one a severe illness) where the families had to leave the ship mid-cruise in order to catch a flight home for medical attention. If you deboard the cruise outside the US, you will need your passport to return to the US even for medical attention. While most of the time our passports stay in the cabin safe, I would never travel outside the US, including on a closed-loop cruise, without my passport.

[Anonymous]

Anonycruiseus wrote:NO NO NO!!!

Anyone who says you need a passport for cruising in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, to/from San Juan is just plain wrong.

I cruised from San Juan in July/August to Caribbean ports. You can board in San Juan with either a passport or a birth certificate. Getting on and off the ship at various Caribbean ports, you are instructed to have a photo ID and your ship card, but in our experience, we were only asked to show the ship card when returning boarding, not our ID's. Most passengers just carried their drivers licenses, not any other documents, when off the ship.

I got off a cruise ship 3 hours ago. Many, many people were using birth certificates to get back in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonycruiseus wrote:NO NO NO!!!

Anyone who says you need a passport for cruising in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, to/from San Juan is just plain wrong.

I cruised from San Juan in July/August to Caribbean ports. You can board in San Juan with either a passport or a birth certificate. Getting on and off the ship at various Caribbean ports, you are instructed to have a photo ID and your ship card, but in our experience, we were only asked to show the ship card when returning boarding, not our ID's. Most passengers just carried their drivers licenses, not any other documents, when off the ship.

I got off a cruise ship 3 hours ago. Many, many people were using birth certificates to get back in the country.

I meant that passengers just carried their ship card and drivers licenses at the ports of call. Yes, you will need your birth certificate or passport to reenter the United States at the end of the cruise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is from my experience. I've been on 4 Caribbean cruises and have checked into this.

You are not required to have a passport for a closed loop cruise (one that originates and returns to a US port). Neither the US state department, nor the cruise line require this. That said, you would be well advised to bring your passport. Although most destinations in the Caribbean will allow you to deboard and reboard your ship with your cruise pass and photo ID, they are not required to do so and the security conditions can and have changed on a daily basis. Just like the US state department, various foreign island nations have security statuses that can change. If there is a heightened security situation, they can change the requirements. At virtually all of the cruise ports, when you debark there is a security checkpoint somewhere on the pier. The local security rarely stops you from leaving the port or "international" area. But if the security status is higher on that particular island and that particular day, you might need your passport to return to the secure International area. In 4 cruises, and about 14 ports of call, I've seen this happen twice. In both cases, we had an announcement from the captain the morning of our arrival that passports would be needed to return to the ship for any on-shore excursions.

Additionally, if you or your family has a medical emergency and need to deboard the ship and discontinue your cruise, you will need your passport. I've seen two incidents (one an accident and one a severe illness) where the families had to leave the ship mid-cruise in order to catch a flight home for medical attention. If you deboard the cruise outside the US, you will need your passport to return to the US even for medical attention. While most of the time our passports stay in the cabin safe, I would never travel outside the US, including on a closed-loop cruise, without my passport.

We went last year and were told this. It wasn't mandatory but they said if we had a health emergency it would be a huge issue without a passport. We had to do an expedited as our child's expired but it was no big deal. I forgot my id and room card on the ship and did not have an ID but they still allowed me on board. My husband was going to run up and get it but they said it was ok as they had my picture.

[Anonymous]

My daughter just returned from a similar cruise. You don't need one. But it's recommended. If you have an emergency, you could get stuck. For example. You get sick on the boat and need to receive care on the island. You are going to have a difficult time reentering the US. Or, you need to fly back to the US for an emergency. Not going to happen without a passport. So you can cruise with just your birth certificate, but it's risky.