Holiday

Re: no passcard

sibelius — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:26:51 GMT

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.

Carnival needs to be proactive...

jagrskmu — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:26:50 GMT

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.

If cruise lines were smart...

jagrskmu — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:07:14 GMT

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.

Re: no passcard

tigerlilly — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:55:51 GMT

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!!

Re: no passcard

sibelius — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:33:59 GMT

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.

Re: no passcard

AngieC.T. — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:42:50 GMT

Thanks, this makes me feel a lot better. Will definitely got ours for the next one.

Re: no passcard

sewcute — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:09:54 GMT

We just came back from closed loop cruise on the Holiday 6/6. There were 5 of us and the passport issue was the biggest worry for me. I kept hearing different things. We did not get passports just because we waited too long and would have had to pay about 250.00 per person ( to get them expedited). We had no trouble at all. Just showed our birth certificate (an official copy with a seal) and your drivers license. We all went right through. They give you a fun pass that you scan each time you get on and off the ship. We put our birth certificates in the safe for the remainder of the cruise. You will need them again when you get off the ship. We also paid for our excursions with carnival just to be safe. We again had no problems. If though it will make you worry the whole trip go ahead an get you passport, it's just not worth the worry. We will get ours for the next trip. Will only be my husband and I. Hope this helped.

Re: no passcard

tekel8 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:51:30 GMT

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

Re: no passcard

Debbie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:11:22 GMT

If your going to get a passport at all I would just get the book, you don't save that much money and then your set to go anywhere. I am sure the day will come that we will have to have them even if we are going in a loop!

Re: no passcard

Luv2cruise — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:54:27 GMT

tekel8:

Wait Wait so i heard that you need a passport/card to travel. Im going to Key West,Cayman,Jamaica. My 15 yr old is going to. Now your telling me that i dont need it? Im so confused. I was about to go buy them..

If it is closed loop, starting and returning to the same port, you do not need them. A BC will work. Again, if something happens and you need to return from one of your ports of call, you will have some problems, how severe I do not know. My rec. go get a passport and be done with it. I got our two children theirs just to have it out of the way and so we don't have to play what seems to be the year after year "you need it...you don't need it" game.

Happy cruising.

Re: no passcard

VA_Cruiser — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:53:29 GMT

wendy, you do not need a passport to go on a closed loop cruise, but if you happen to need to get back to the states by air, you will need to have it. if you do not get one just make sure that you get back on the ship in time so you are not left in port.

tekel8:

Wait Wait so i heard that you need a passport/card to travel. Im going to Key West,Cayman,Jamaica. My 15 yr old is going to. Now your telling me that i dont need it? Im so confused. I was about to go buy them..

Re: no passcard

cruzingal — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:52:36 GMT

From what I was told, if it's a closed loop cruise.....leaves and comes back to the same port, Birth Certifiates are ok. I am going to get my other 3 passports, but this cruise came up too quickly to get them before we sail. Go ahead and get your passports. I will have them for all of us when we sail next March.

Re: no passcard

AngieC.T. — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:47:44 GMT

Thanks for all the replies. We just wanted to know if things will go smoothly when we sail. We're in the process of getting passport cards but they won't be back in time.

Re: no passcard

tekel8 — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:46:01 GMT

Wait Wait so i heard that you need a passport/card to travel. Im going to Key West,Cayman,Jamaica. My 15 yr old is going to. Now your telling me that i dont need it? Im so confused. I was about to go buy them..

Re: no passcard

joan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:43:26 GMT

You can still travel a closed loop cruise with a BC but if you plan on any cruises, why not get one? The last for ten years and you never know when a deal 2good2btrue comes along. It does happen. We went on one two weeks ago.