Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Can you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise without a passport? Travel FAQ 2024 Edition

royal caribbean cruise without passport

Don't dismiss registering for a passport, even as you consider where you can cruise without one. Apart from a few isolated cruises stopping in Bermuda as they come or go from other destinations, there are no one-way Bermuda cruises to confuse the situation. If you plan to sail without a passport, be wary of any Bermuda cruise longer than 10 nights.

Alaska-Canada

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Not having a passport means you will need to travel to a U.S. embassy or consulate in a foreign country to apply for a temporary visa to re-enter the country. Not all embassies/consulates are located near the cruise ports and moreover, the time it takes for the entire process to occur is not quick. The exact travel documentation required depends on what citizenship you hold, as well as where your cruise is sailing from and to.

Travel document requirements for sailings from Japanese homeports

Virgin Islands, and other Caribbean islands, provided you’re on closed-loop cruises, meaning your journey starts and ends at the same U.S. port. Despite the allure of no-passport-required adventures, we’d be remiss not to highlight the security and peace of mind a passport provides. Imagine needing to fly home unexpectedly from a foreign port because of an emergency, or getting the chance for an impromptu jaunt to a fascinating nearby country. While your cruise must start and end in the U.S., some Alaskan cruises make pit stops in dreamy British Columbian spots like Victoria, renowned for its lush Butchart Gardens. However, it’s essential to carry specific documents, like your birth certificate and government ID, for these little side adventures.

Can I use my driver’s license as proof of ID?

Accepted forms of identification vary based on nationality, departure port and disembarkation port. I forget the details of what I put in, but I was able to enter partial data, get my boarding time and then over the next few days gathered the rest of the information that I needed and put it in as I got it. Maybe they have since closed this loophole, because that was February. Take a look at the cruise companies that offer closed-loop sailings and where you can go without a passport.

Or Carnival passengers can go on adventures in Cozumel and Baja, Mexico.

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Embarking on a no-passport cruise is like finding a golden ticket inside your chocolate bar — it’s all about serendipity and convenience. These cruises eliminate the hassle of passport renewal and are perfect for last-minute travel plans, when time is tight, and governmental red tape is a no-go. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

royal caribbean cruise without passport

FAQs about boarding Royal Caribbean without a passport:

However, having a passport is the best way to ensure a hassle-free travel experience. It also allows you to explore more destinations on your cruise, as some countries may require a passport for entry, even if you are just stopping for a few hours. Quick three- to five-day hops to the Bahamas bring you to white-sand beaches and cruise lines’ private islands at an affordable price, with no passport required. If you are on a longer cruise that visits other Caribbean islands, you’ll want to check with your cruise line about any passport requirements. Closed-loop Hawaii cruises that don't require passports come in two varieties.

royal caribbean cruise without passport

You can cruise to quite a few destinations without a passport, as long as you have proof of citizenship and a government-issued photo ID. A variety of documents are accepted as proof of citizenship, including a state-certified U.S. birth certificate. Customs and Border Protection, and their recent publication also explains the requirements for taking a cruise without a passport. Note that enhanced driver’s licenses are issued in very few states at this time, so it’s important not to assume that yours qualifies as identification and proof of citizenship.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a seven-day Hawaii inter-island cruise that boards in Honolulu and visits Maui, Hilo and Kona on the Big Island, and Kauai before returning to Honolulu. The Hawaiian islands are about 3,700 miles from the West Coast, so cruises from the mainland to Hawaii and back involve four or five days at sea in each direction. Closed-loop cruises depart from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and San Diego. There are also cruises that originate in Honolulu and tour the other islands. You might be wondering if you should get the passport card vs book. The passport card is an option the United States government provides that is a lower cost alternative to the passport book.

Like most tropical cruise destinations, the top draws are the beaches and the ocean; however, cruise ports in Mexico also give you access to ancient Mayan ruins, delicious cuisine and an abundance of land activities. No, an expired passport is not considered a valid form of identification. You must have a current and valid passport to board a Royal Caribbean cruise. If you miss your ship or encounter an emergency that requires you to disembark in a foreign port, you will need a passport to re-enter the United States. All passengers, regardless of age, must have a valid form of identification. This means that even infants and children need to have appropriate identification documents, such as a birth certificate.

Beware of 20-plus-night cruises that are round-trip sailings from the West Coast and would seem to fit the bill for closed-loop cruises that don't require passports. Most of these cruises don't work because they also include stops in French Polynesia, which is outside of the WHTI agreement. Passports are required for the islands in the South Pacific, which means they're required for the entire cruise. It’s important to note that even if a passport is not required, you will still need to bring proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID.

Florida’s ports of Miami, Port Everglades (in Fort Lauderdale), and Port Canaveral (about an hour east of Orlando) offer the majority of closed-loop cruises to the Bahamas. 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. Passport cards cannot be used on cruises from international homeports.

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. Regardless of what the minimum requirements are for travel, we highly recommend everyone get a passport. Passports do have an additional cost to them (especially for children), but we feel the advantages of having a passport far outweigh the cost and work required to get one. If you live in the U.S., you will also need the original copy of your Alien Registration Card (ARC or "Green Card") and any other documentation the countries on your itinerary require due to your alien status.

Many cruises design itineraries encompassing islands like Grand Cayman, where you can mingle with stingrays, or St. Maarten, with its split Dutch and French personality. While some stops may require passports, many don’t, expanding your horizon beyond the typical. Passport cards are an affordable and unquestionable alternative to carrying an ID and birth certificate.

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