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Everyone will need to present an accepted form of identification to board the ship. We strongly recommend that all guests present a passport as their form of ID on boarding day, and for some guests a passport is required. 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 (in some cases a passport card will suffice). You'll also need a passport for a cruise that begins and ends in different U.S. ports.
THE RIGHT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Though you can cruise without a passport and still get home if you get stranded in port, the hassle of obtaining a temporary passport on top of making arrangements for last-minute travel is rarely worth it. In our minds, investing around a dollar per month for 10 years of security is a steal. You’ll 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 you’re on a cruise, this means making sure your passport is still valid for another six months following the last day of the cruise. There are some advantages to traveling with a passport card rather than a passport book, mainly cost and portability.
Closed-Loop Cruises: The One Passport-Required Exception
If you lose your passport on the ship, you should fill out a lost property report with the guest relations department on board. Traveling with a passport cover is also wise since it helps to keep your passport in pristine condition. Figuring out if you need a passport to go on a cruise isn’t quite as straightforward as you might think. The answer largely depends on the destination of your cruise, which port you’re embarking and disembarking from, and which forms of ID you already have. If you're a U.S. citizen and don't have a passport, you actually have quite a few cruise options. For more information, check out the links to visitor-submitted questions below.
A Passport Can Make the Situation Easier in an Emergency
If you’re 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. Spend a day soaking up history in Boston, Massachusetts, and tour the Charles River aboard an amphibious duck vehicle. Experience lighthouses, lobster bakes and craggy sea cliffs in Portland, Maine, and enjoy a trip to Saint John, a beautiful city on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada. A stop in the charming fishing village of Halifax, Nova Scotia offers beautiful gardens, more delicious seafood and double-decker bus tours. After you pull into port in the Big Apple, make sure to see a Broadway show, visit the Empire State Building and take a stroll through Central Park.
It's the best way to prove your identification and citizenship and is an essential item if you unexpectedly get stranded abroad. It's also less cumbersome than carrying the required documents and papers with you wherever you go. As luck would have it, you’ve suddenly got a few open days in your schedule and a yearning to travel somewhere exotic. If you take closed loop cruises (meaning your trip begins and ends at a U.S. port), you can sail to a variety of dreamy destinations as a U.S. citizen without a passport. One major advantage of traveling on a cruise is that international customs are mostly handled for you.
Travel document requirements for sailings from Southampton, England
Everywhere You Can Travel Without a Passport Right Now - Thrillist
Everywhere You Can Travel Without a Passport Right Now.
Posted: Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You won’t be able to board an international flight without a passport book. If you are traveling to the Bahamas on a closed-loop cruise, which is a cruise that starts and ends at the same U.S. port, you may travel with a state-issued ID (such as a driver’s license) and an original U.S. birth certificate. A U.S. passport book is a government-issued document that allows U.S. citizens to travel internationally by air, land, and sea.
Accepted Identification for Chinese Citizens
If you’re looking for cruises that don’t require a passport, take a round trip sail to Bermuda from New York City, Baltimore, Charleston or one of two Florida ports of call. As Britain’s oldest colony, Bermuda offers wonderful historic attractions and plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun. Pink-sand beaches, beautiful blue waters and colorful coral reefs deliver the perfect recipe for sunning, swimming, sailing and snorkeling.
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; you'll need a passport for the longer trips. Any cruises where you need to fly to or from a foreign country, including Canada, will necessitate a passport. For instance, you won't need a passport to fly to and cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, or St. Thomas in the U.S. You may be surprised to learn that U.S. citizens don't need a passport to sail on "closed-loop" cruises with lines like Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and others.
Passports for Cruises FAQ
Because international cruises in Europe and Asia require air travel, these vacations also demand a passport. When embarking on adventures by sea that don’t require a passport, make sure you have the proper cruise documentation. So while you don't need a passport of passport card to cruise to Alaska from Seatlle or other U.S. ports, you will need this idenfitication as the cruise must stop in Canada on its way. Without these required documents, you will not be able to board your cruise or get back into the United States. Be aware that requirements on closed-loop cruises can still change in certain countries, so be sure to check the entry requirements of the specific cruise ports on your itinerary. Some Caribbean nations still require passports or passport cards, like Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Before boarding, you’ll 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 you’ll visit. Once this is arranged, you’ll 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 you’re visiting. Additionally, visas or travel permits may be required to enter some countries.
The good news is that an adult passport is valid for 10 years – and you can travel to most places in the world with just a passport and no visa. You will also need to have a passport size photo taken and pay the required fees. While this type of passport can be issued within as little as a day, it could take up to a week to receive it. If you are cruising with kids under age 16 on a closed-loop cruise, you'll need to bring a certified copy of their original birth certificate for identification. A passport necklace is similar, but is worn around your neck and inside your shirt instead.
We always recommend you bring a U.S. passport onboard, regardless of your cruise itinerary. Princess Cruises and Holland America require that at least one parent carry a passport, even if you're 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. Even if you're on a closed-loop sailing, certain islands in the Caribbean – Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barts, Barbados and others -- require a passport for entry. It's your responsibility (not your cruise line's) to learn the requirements of each of the destinations you're visiting before you go. Even if you plan to stick to a closed-loop cruise, we still recommend you invest in a passport or passport card before your cruise.
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