Cruise Ship Passengers

Table Of Content

• Accepted Identification for Other Nationalities
• Travel document requirements for sailings from Seward, Alaska
• Royal Caribbean Blog is your ultimate source for Royal Caribbean coverage.
• Accepted Identification for U.K. Citizens
• What Do You Need to Remember About International Cruise Trips?
• REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

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. Whether you need a passport depends on numerous factors, including where you embark and disembark the ship, where you're sailing to and which line you're cruising with. Certainly many guests will cruise without a passport and likely not run into any issues. The concern without having a passport is if an emergency occurs, only an official passport will allow you to easily and quickly fly from a foreign port to another port and/or back home.

Accepted Identification for Other Nationalities

In all cases, traveling with a valid passport book is highly recommended, as unexpected situations may arise requiring you to leave the ship. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of your travel and contain blank pages for endorsements and visas. Princess Cruises also recommends carrying a second government-issued photo ID while in port.

Travel document requirements for sailings from Seward, Alaska

It's accepted as legal identification, negates the need to bring multiple forms of ID and provides peace of mind if the worst should happen — such as flying home unexpectedly or docking elsewhere during your trip. Our comprehensive guide shares the steps to take if you find yourself in this situation. Taking a cruise abroad is an unforgettable experience and an amazing way to see the world.

Royal Caribbean Blog is your ultimate source for Royal Caribbean coverage.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to check individual ports’ entry requirements, as you might need a visa as well. Known for their leaf-peeping opportunities, maritime history and ultra-friendly locals, these voyages don't necessitate passports. From Nova Scotia's famed Peggy's Cove to lobster in Bar Harbor, there's plenty to enjoy about these sailings. Likewise, check to see if any of the destinations you're visiting requires specific inoculations for entry; if they do, carry proof that you've received them.

Closed-Loop Cruises: The One Passport-Required Exception

In this guide, we will explore all these detailed elements of cruise travel to make sure you understand exactly what you need to know for your upcoming vacation on the seas. Celebrity Cruises’ 12-night New Orleans & the Caribbean cruise departs from and returns to Tampa after stops in New Orleans, Key West, and Honduras as well as Costa Maya and Cozumel. Princess Cruises offers a seven-day Mexican Riviera with La Paz voyage that includes Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and La Paz. If you had an emergency and were forced to disembark due to illness or other reason in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, the Bahamas, Bermuda or Canada you would need a passport to return home by plane. On the rare occasion of a ship evacuation or a diversion to another country to disembark, a passport would also be essential for getting home. 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.

What documents do you need for a cruise? From passports to printouts, here's what to take

Furthermore, even if your cruise doesn’t require a passport, the international destinations you visit might. Some countries mandate a passport for entry, regardless of how you arrive—land, air, or sea. For U.S. citizens, there are specific passport and travel document policies tied to both the cruise line and destination that must be adhered to for a smooth vacation.

Where Can I Travel Without a U.S. Passport? - AFAR Media

Where Can I Travel Without a U.S. Passport?.

Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

U.S. and Canadian citizens under 16 (or under 19 if traveling with a school, religious group or other youth groups) only need to present a birth certificate or another proof of citizenship. For closed-loop cruises (starting and ending at the same U.S. port), a passport isn’t required to re-enter the U.S. However, a passport might still be needed depending on the cruise’s other stops and the cruise line’s requirements. While traveling abroad with a group can create lasting memories, organizing such trips can be challenging—especially when everyone needs passports. In our experience, the easiest and most convenient solution is to hire a passport expediting service.

If you take a closed-loop cruise to Bermuda, you can leave your passport at home and travel instead with a state-issued ID and an original birth certificate. Even though Alaska is part of the United States, most cruise itineraries will require you to travel with a U.S. passport. Basically, having a passport on you while you travel by cruise ship can be a worthwhile precaution, even if it is not needed. Any international movement, whether planned or unexpected, will always be smoother if you have a passport on you. If you have changed your name for whatever reason, you must also bring proof of name change.

REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

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. In a nutshell, a passport card is a plastic card that can fit into a wallet and are accepted for land and sea border crossings between  the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

Aside from remembering to bring a passport or passport card for yourself and any children in your care, you also need to make sure that those pieces of identification have a valid expiration date. That said, passport requirements can differ depending on where your cruise departs from and its itinerary. This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about passport regulations for cruises. Embarking on a cruise is an increasingly popular way to enjoy a luxury vacation and visit different destinations. Before you board your ship and set out on a new adventure, find out what forms of identification are necessary. TSA prohibited itemsWhen it comes to packing for a flight, we are often well-versed in the restrictions placed on carry-on items, particularly the infamous liquid rule.

As travelers, we are accustomed to meticulously planning what we can and cannot bring in our carry-on luggage, ensuring compliance with airline regulations and security protocols. However, amidst the focus on carry-on restrictions, it’s easy to overlook the limitations imposed on checked baggage. Surprisingly, there is a long list of TSA prohibited items that are strictly banned from being stowed away in the checked compartment of a plane. So, before you zip up your suitcase and bid farewell to your checked bag, let’s explore what items must remain out of sight during your journey. Home to beaches, water sports, casinos and the famed Atlantis resort, cruising to the Bahamas is great for traveling without a passport. If you're pregnant, most cruise lines require you to disclose that and provide a note from your doctor verifying your due date and that you're fit to travel.

Cruise documents provide the verification you'll need to board your vessel on embarkation day. They include identification, boarding passes, health forms and any required visas, which you should always keep handy in your carry-on bag or personal item. However, other Caribbean countries may require a valid passport for closed-loop cruises if you plan to disembark, so verify this before your trip and ensure you travel with all necessary documentation.

If you start and finish in the same US port and you are traveling only to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean, you do not need to bring a passport. Instead you can choose to bring your government issued ID like your driver's license and some sort of proof of citizenship like your birth certificate in order to get back into the US. Just make sure that you double check the entry requirements for all of the ports that you want to visit. Just because you don't need your passport to get back into the US on your way home from your cruise does not mean that you won't need it to enter a foreign country listed on your cruise itinerary. That being said, we always recommend bringing a valid passport book on your cruise.