Passport Needed?

[pidge9101]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if I would need a passport for cruising to the Bahamas? We are looking into a cruise from NY to Bahamas on the Disney Magic. This would be our first cruise and I'm completely lost. Any info would be much appreciated! Thank you! :mickey:

[Claudielou]

You definitely need passports

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Technically you don't need a passport, as the cruise starts and ends at the same port in the US.

But, many believe (including me) that it is a good idea, in case of emergency and you have to fly home, as a passport is required to enter the US by air.

[pidge9101]

Thank you both!

[Scar]

Yea, a passport is just a good thing to have. I never know when I might be called away on a secret mission in a foreign country. :cool:

[thrillme]

Short answer...NO you do not.

Closed loop cruises (begin and end at the same port in the US) do NOT require passports if you're an American citizen BUT you MUST MUST MUST provide a CERTIFIED birth certificate (not the one with the cute little baby feet). A birth certificate from the health department of the state you were born in. If you already have one of these you will have to take the original certificate complete with the "raised" seal. This includes "infants". Just a side note...I did hear of one unfortunate fellow who's birth certificate came to him with a rather "flat" seal at first they weren't going to accept it because it was below "x" of an imprint. They finally bent and let him go.

Possible issue with just a birth certificate... The birth certificate name doesn't match drivers license...I'm pretty sure you need to consider taking a marriage certificate or other proof of "name change". My girlfriend for the longest time always brought her framed copy of her marriage certificate...LOL.

No you do NOT need a passport for "closed loop" cruises but passports are "nice" because...they reflect your current name, if you become sick or injured during the cruise it's MUCH easier to fly home, if you miss the ship at port...you can fly to the next port. Do illnesses, injurys, missed ships happen often. Nah...could they??...of course.:( Most people never expect the "unexpected"). One example was just recently when several people flying into Purerto Rico...They didn't NEED a passport because Purto Rico is considered and American territory. Due to a hurricane the ships left "early". MANY people missed the boat. Many of those WITH passports were flown to the next port to catch up with the ship...Many of those without...were out of luck.

There are a couple of other issues that may not apply such as if you're taking children and they have a different last name you have to provide a letter of avidavit from the "other" parent. They've never asked "me" but my son's 16 now and it is encoded in his passport information (though I don't think they scan it). I'm a widow and I'm remarried so my name is different from my son's so technically they "should" require an afidavit or death certificate. But I've seen it where they CAN get pretty sticky about this.

When cruising "I" recommend flying/driving in at LEAST one day before. So many little issues such as canceled flights, traffic etc...could cause you to miss the boat.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Don't you have to be careful though, based on your ports of call? I seem to recall that when we did a RC cruise out of Puerto Rico a couple years back there were issues because we did Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, St. Thomas then back to Puerto Rico. The problem came up because St. Thomas is US Territory so technically you are reentering the US, even though your final port was Puerto Rico, so I think they were requiring passports to disembark, but I could be wrong. We had passports so we were fine. Regardless, I would definitely have them.

[DizneyRox]

Regardless, I would definitely have them.
+1

I wouldn't take chances. They are easy enough to get, just takes time and a little (well a lot) money.

Makes travelling a lot more carefree.

And, you never know... a while back, my employer needed someone to go to Ireland on short notice. Guess who was ready to go!?! Fantastic country! Hard to turn down an all expenses paid trip to the home of Guinness.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

+1


And, you never know... a while back, my employer needed someone to go to Ireland on short notice. Guess who was ready to go!?! Fantastic country! Hard to turn down an all expenses paid trip to the home of Guinness.


That's always how I remember when we went to Ireland, passport expires 2012 and I got it when went to Ireland, so I know it was 10 years ago. Had a friend teaching in Galway so we got to spend a week staying for free with him in the offseason. Beautiful country.

Now I need to renew and we now have 3 kids to get for as well, not looking forward to that bill.