tekel8:

Ok i guess im going to get the passports. I cant take the chance of anything happening and being stuck. Thanks

That's a smart move.  Even though you CAN do the cruise without them, what if something happened on an excursion and you missed the ship?  What if someone in your traveling party becomes ill while you're out of the country and you have to fly home?  The passport will make your life easier in an emergency.  If nothing happens, you'll have them for your trips for the next 10(!) years.  And if something does happen, you'll be grateful.

I'll second the earlier comment about getting the passport book rather than the card, for the same reason.

the passport thing confused me , then the passport or passport card? i opted for the passports because of the security if you had to fly back or ect...plus its good for 10 years who knows where we will go by then!!

They would have 2x2 pictures taken of you and passport forms there on the ship.  That way they help themselves by helping you get a passport, which means that you will do more adventuresome cruises where you might actually be required to have a passport.

on taking individuals 2x2 pics and providing the forms and collecting them for people.  Closed loop gets you started, but unless you have a passport you will be limited, and this is where the cruise ship lines can make a big difference.

My understanding is that the passport card would be sufficient for the cruise and that passport books are only required for flights back into the US. And, of course, closed-loop cruises don't required any passport at all at the moment. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. However, anytime you leave the country by ship, you run the risk of possibly having to return by air. Best to have the passport book. Naturally, there will be things you can do to get home if you're stuck in another country without a passport, but you will undoubtedly have to jump through a million hoops in the process. Who wants to do that when you're already stressed about missing the ship, and possibly a sick family member and maybe dealing with people with strong accents whose first language isn't English? This is one less potential headache.