We DO NOT require passports for The Bahamas if flying from Canada. For U.S. citizens, passports are not required for all cruises. It does not say required. Remember that travel plans change and you may need to fly out of the United States to meet your ship at the next available port if you miss the scheduled embarkation. A photocopy will not be permitted. But, if you are using other than a BC and DL, you must use a Passport and it must meet RCCL's minimum requirements, by policy (note, I didn't say what you can get away with). However, ifyou board a cruise ship in San Diego, California, sail through the Panama Canal (stopping at a foreign port during the cruise), and end the cruise in Miami, Florida, you have not taken a closed loop cruise. Check passport expiration dates carefully for all travelers! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. Display as a link instead, The passport card is an option the United States government provides that is a lower cost alternative to the passport book. If you aren't on a close loop cruise, you have to have a passport and RCCL requires, by policy, that it must expire at least 6 months after you return to the U.S. WebApply early for your passport, or make sure your current one will be valid at least six months beyond your travel dates and has two or more blank pages. Note: Onboard activities, shore excursions, and dining options may vary byshipand destination. While LPRs are not required to have passports, other destinations may contain different rules. Additionally, if travels need to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, you will need a passport. Want to take a short cruise to an exotic island without the hassle? For U.S. citizens, you can enjoy traveling without a passport requirement. The birth certificate must be the original or a certified copy with the raised seal. Have the right foreign visas for all stops on your cruise, if required, even if you do not plan to disembark in those locations. Voter registration cards or Social Security cards are not considered proof of citizenship. Again, the passport card opens up the one-way possibilities assuming you arent flying and your cruise only includes Canada and the U.S. A supervisor might accept a photo work ID, a picture of an old DL, even a Costco card with the passengers photo has been accepted. I don't think so. Closed-loop cruises make financial sense for cruise lines as well as passengers. That does not mean it is required on every cruise. You May Like: Dolphin Cruises Orange Beach Al. I always advise people to call the cruise line and confirm documentation with them. Most closed loop cruises from the US do not visit any countries that require a passport, much less 6 month post travel validity, or is waived for cruise passengers. Ive read several posts on different sites stating the call centers for cruise lines are not very educated and give wrong information, so in all honesty I would trust someone who has actually traveled to these ports vs. calling and talking to a rep. You won't need your passport at these ports. These types of cruises are becoming more common with cruise lines. I don't know. Travelers who do not have a passport can apply for a NEXUS cardbut will be able to use it at land or marine crossings only, not airports. For additional passport information, visit www.travel.state.gov. ALL PERSONS traveling by land and sea outside of the United States are required to present a passport book/card, or other valid travel documents to enter or re-enter the United States. Things You Need To Know About Passport Expiration For Minors, required to carry the following 2 pieces of identification, Key West Sunset Dinner Cruise With Tropical Buffet, Royal Caribbean Cruises Southern Caribbean. "In those instances, the cruise lines would require passengers to have a valid passport to board even if it is not a U.S. requirement,"the agency's website reads. I totally and completely disagree. The passport is good for 10 years. BTW, if you look hard enough, you'll find which countries require 6-month expiration. So, just answer me this, does RCCL, by policy, require that U.S. Citizens using a Passport as a cruise document, have at least 6 months validity beyond return to the U.S? Staff at the cruise terminal will check your travel documents before they assign you a key card and send you up the gangway to the ship. Dont take chances that might ruin the vacation of a lifetime. Do I want to be limited to places that will accept the birth certificate/ID combination? The way I figure it, if you follow the written (the black and white written) policy, you can't go wrong. No. Non-U.S. Citizens will need a valid passport and, in some cases, a visa. An example would be one that starts in Florida and ends in the Bahamas. If you look at Roysls site it says recommends and not requires. Pink-sand beaches, beautiful blue waters and colorful coral reefs deliver the perfect recipe for sunning, swimming, sailing and snorkeling. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. So, why list them.? In these cases, you might need to go ashore in a country which requires a passport and/or you would need a U.S passport book to fly home. "Otherwise, you must be prepared to show evidence of citizenship when departing the islands, such as a raised-seal birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This was before the pandemic, so they were able to go to the regional passport office and get a same day replacement passport. Needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends, because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ships departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons. This includes payment for hotels, restaurants, taxis, souvenir shops, etc. But it doesn't say that a passport with less than 6 months remaining will also be accepted does it? 27 days ago. My license has the gold star on it. I will likely want to cruise again. If they did not have the appropriate paperwork with them it would have been more of a pain than if they did. Certain destinations, such as China and Russia, may require visas for arrival into the country by air or independent exploration ashore. As Britains oldest colony, Bermuda offers wonderful historic attractions and plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun. Not having a passport means you will need to travel to a U.S. embassy or consulate in a foreign country to apply for a temporary visa to re-enter the country. If you are a U.S. citizen and cruising out of the United States (meaning your cruise begins and ends in the United States), then you do notneeda passport. What about an Canadian? As a former crew member for Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise Line I can continue my passion by sharing my experiences with readers. We've already, Have you ever thought you wish you knew then what you know now? In the Eastern Caribbean, find dream destinations like Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos archipelago. These depart from the ports of Bayonne, Baltimore, Boston, Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City, and occasionally Norfolk. This includes countries in Europe, Asia, Central and South America. In Ensenada, the Cinderella of the Pacific, you can ride horses along mountain trails, tour the wine country, shop for souvenirs and taste the local tequila. The Department has been working with states to enhance their drivers licenses and identification documents to comply with travel rules under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), effective June 1, 2009. At the south end of the island of Eleuthera, Princess Cays offers island resort living at its finest. Okay, so be it. 2. Waited too long to get a passport? Ensure shore excursions and purchases comply withU.S. regulations. Come to find out once we got to the end someone in the group behind us slipped on the trail and went over the side of the trail and fell about 30 feet. Though someclosed-loop cruisesmay not require a U.S. passport, we recommend bringing yours in case of an emergency, such as an unexpected medical air evacuation or the ship docking at an alternate port. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Cruise lines with Canada and New England closed-loop sailings include Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, Princess, Holland America and small-ship operator American Cruise Lines. Card if traveling while on official orders, Traveler Program cards (SENTRI, NEXUS, and FAST). 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Boarding closed loop tomorrow with ID+birth certificate, but lost ID today! Pasted as rich text. These and other cruise lines also offer one-way cruises in both directions between Canada and New England. You can use the passport card to reenter the United States at sea ports of entry from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. You will enjoy it. What is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)? That's not the purpose of my post. Having a passport on a cruise means not just an easier embarkation and disembarkation process, but it protects you against an unexpected situation that may occur during the course of a cruise, such as: Certainly many guests will cruise without a passport and likely not run into any issues. It's a CYA blanket statement so they don't need to go through every potential variation and continuously update their website as other countries policies change. It's one reason I had the various links of information available. Be aware you can not fly internationally without a passport so if something happened mid-cruise and you needed to fly home, you couldn't. While the passport card may protect you against certain scenarios and is superior to not having a passport at all, getting a passport book not only provides more coverage (such as flying internationally), but it allows you to travel beyond simply cruises. An official website of the United States government. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via air? In neither state was I able to walk out with it. And the ability to use a Birth Certificate and DL is an authorization given by the: https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-74?language=en_US. And for the last time, I am not going to discuss/debate what Joe or Mary got away with. If the supervisor is confident that everything about what is being presented in this situation, then they will accept it. In Freeport, you can shop till you drop at the Port Lucaya Marketplace or kayak through the mangroves at Lucayan National Park. I can't think of any Close Loop sailings that RCCL goes to that has a 6-month requirement, other than possibly Columbia. Passport Not Required. Routine wait times for a passport are anywhere from 10 to 13 weeks, according to the State Department. Medications that are legally prescribed in the United States are not always legal abroad. To qualify, the ship must return to the exact same port they left from. TheWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiative(WHTI) requires you to travel with a valid passport (including infants). Cruises that dont begin and end in the same port are not considered closed-loop cruises. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! So, just answer me this, does RCCL, by policy, require that U.S. Citizens using a Passport as a cruise document, have at least 6 months validity beyond return to the U.S. You should check the passport requirements for any port you are visiting, as sometimes there can be a port that requires a passport to visit even if you do not need a passport to return to the United States. Dont Miss: Royal Caribbean New Years Cruise. If youre looking for a different kind of cruise, explore parts of New England and Canada with New York City as an exciting starting and ending point. We all learned a lesson from that! I called the "Invoice" a "Contract" a few times. They can end one voyage and begin boarding the next a few hours later. But, if you aren't using a Birth Certificate and DL, your Passport must meet their minimum requirements. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. The EDL isonly accepted at land and sea border crossings, not for air travel. For U.S. citizens, these are the top cruise destinations you can visit without one. So, for instance, all of those round-trip cruises out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale are closed-loop cruises. If not, just leave blank, How to make the most of your time on a Royal Caribbean cruise, First time cruisers: comparing Royal Caribbean's Oasis class to Voyager class. Learn more about U.S. citizens passport validation cruise requirements. Official websites use .gov Paste as plain text instead, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. The U.S. Customs & Border Protection indicates that citizens can enter the U.S. using a government-issued photo ID and a birth certificate. U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end Simply put, having a passport makes traveling significantly easier and simpler. WebYou are showing your passport at embarkation and the requirement according to Royal Caribbean is "U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise.". Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. I stated clearly a couple of times that I will not discuss/debate what some people have gotten away with because of politics/lazy or untrained personnel/being good at hiding things/bad management/looking the other way/whatever. Not all cruises have the same passport requirements. In an emergency, someone may need to know who you are. U.S. citizens can present a valid: U.S. Passport; Passport Card; Enhanced Drivers License; U.S. and Canadian citizen children under the age of 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious group, or other youth group) need only present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship. This is often the case for Mediterranean cruises that visit, but dont embark or debark in, Egypt. What if I dont have the required documents when I travel to or return to the United States? U.S. citizens can enter the country with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. As long as you book a closed loop cruise, you can travel to certain destinations without a passport. It almost comes to a "what if" scenario at times but lets just say that "what if" is what the wife and I specialize in at our jobs so we always try to prepare for the worst case scenario. Dont Miss: Princess Cruise And Flight Packages. The majority of these New England and Canada cruises are weeklong, fall sailings, but a handful depart at other times of year or are a touch longer, at eight to 10 nights.
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