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With Princess Cruises, you can travel to Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or the Bahamas from the United States. They operate many cruises from Fort Lauderdale or off the West Coast, where you can sail from Los Angeles to Mexico or Hawaii. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Canada, Mexico or other international travel. While U.S. Customs recommend an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) as a passport alternative, very few states offer this form of government-issued ID.
Can You Leave the Ship on a Closed-Loop Cruise Without a Passport?
It’s important to check the itinerary for your trip because there are a few places, even on a closed-loop cruise, that do require a passport to disembark. This is particularly common in the Caribbean in nations including Guadeloupe, the island of Martinique, St. Barts, Barbados, and others. MSC offers popular cruises in the Mediterranean with return trips from Marseille, France. On these journeys, you will stop in places such as Genoa, Palermo, Ibiza, Valencia, Barcelona, and Naples. An incredibly popular cruise line, Royal Caribbean departs from 14 ports across the US. The most popular closed-loop itineraries leave from Port Canaveral and Miami, where they sail to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
Places You Can Go on a Closed Loop Cruise (Without a Passport)
In addition, if you reside in Florida, you may get significant discounts or benefit from other promotional packages. With its all-year-round sunny tropical climate, friendly locals, and fantastic beaches, the Bahamas are the perfect destination for scuba diving adventures and brightly colored cocktails. So, if Hawaii sounds like the perfect destination, you can choose between two closed-loop cruising options that vary in length. Carnival cruises are ideal as they cater to families with budget-friendly rates. Although, should you be willing to spend a little bit more for better amenities and fun activities, consider booking a cruise on the Royal Caribbean or a Disney cruise.
What are some of the best closed-loop cruise itineraries?
New ships, creative amenities, engaging shore excursions, a wide range of itineraries, and meticulous health protocols are now attracting first-time cruisers as well as long-time cruise fans. From mega-ships to smaller expedition vessels, there’s a voyage for every type of traveler. If you are planning on using any WHTI-approved forms of identification like a birth certificate and driver’s license. Please ensure that the full name on your cruise reservation is the same as your forms of identification.
It's a fairly small island, and since several itineraries offer overnights (some that span more than one night), you'll have time to learn your way around, have dinner in town and check out the nightlife. One option is to take a closed-loop cruise -- a round-trip sailing that leaves from and returns to the same U.S. port. For that, you need only a birth certificate and a driver's license (or other acceptable, government-issued photo ID). The Bahamas is another popular cruise destination that you can visit without a passport. Normally, these cruises depart from the East Coast of the United States, primarily from Florida homeports. If you are looking for a shorter duration cruise or just a quick getaway, then a Bahamas cruise is definitely for you.
This point should be top-of-mind especially because of COVID-19 and any other medical emergency that would require the trip to be altered or a medical evacuation. You’ll also be glad you have a passport if you encounter other unforeseen circumstances such as a family emergency or a sailing cut short due to bad weather or technical issues. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provides a detailed description of the requirements. If you have any questions, check with your travel agent or cruise line.
After showing her birth certificate and photo ID during the initial boarding process, she kept them in a suitcase. Regent Seven Seas Cruises, for example, requires passports for all voyages no matter the ports of call or countries visited, and destinations may call for them as well. Mexican Riviera voyages are a great choice for passport-less would-be cruisers who live on (or cruise from) the West Coast.
Carnival Cruise Line Addresses Issue of Handing Over Passports - Cruise Hive
Carnival Cruise Line Addresses Issue of Handing Over Passports.
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
They depart from ports in Manhattan, Bayonne, Charleston, Baltimore, Galveston, New Orleans, and Tampa. Due to the Bahamas’ proximity to the US East Coast and its popularity, several cruise liners travel from Florida’s eastern ports in Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Fort Lauderdale. With its spectacular tropical beaches, delicious food, and abundance of cultural excursions to ancient Mayan ruins, our southern neighbor, Mexico, is an ideal family cruise destination. Sail to the sun on Celebrity Apex, departing Fort Lauderdale, Florida for vibrant Puerto Rico, where an afternoon and evening in port mean you’ll see two faces of charismatic San Juan. Explore the chunky fortress, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, and the brightly colored streets of Old San Juan, or visit the Bacardi distillery to learn about and sample the famous rum.
Why It’s Best to Travel With a Passport
The second acceptable piece of identification must be a government-issued ID with your photo, full name, and date of birth. If you’re not a U.S. citizen, you will need a passport to take any cruise, regardless of the destination. Yes, you can cruise to the Bahamas without a passport, as long as your voyage starts and ends at the same U.S. port with a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document. However, it's advisable to check the specific policies of your cruise line, as some might require a passport, regardless. Remember that if an emergency arises that requires you to fly back to the U.S., not having a passport will cause complications.
Along with this, depending on your taste and travel preferences, your experience diving into different cultures and historical sites is lessened if you can only explore closed-loop cruise options. Rather, you’ll see terms like “return trip cruise” or “two-way cruises.” Check each itinerary very closely. Some of these itineraries even stop in Bermuda if you take a closed loop cruise from Boston, Manhattan, Baltimore, or Cape Liberty. Even though the US Government doesn’t mandate that you need a passport, it is always advisable to double-check as some locations along your cruise journey may have various requirements, including having a visa.
While you are probably familiar with Nassau, Bahamas, this region is also home to many cruise line private destinations. These private islands offer exclusive access for passengers sailing with the cruise line. These islands usually offer included food, beach access with loungers, and other amenities. While Mexico is one of our closest neighbors, it offers incredible cultural experiences that are vastly different from anything you’ll find stateside.
Or, maybe you have children nearing age 16 and can't justify paying for passports that will only be good for five years. While you will need the WHTI-approved identity documents, reviewing your itinerary’s port entry requirements before departure is essential. In stark contrast, should you not have a passport, you may be stuck in a foreign port and need to apply for a temporary passport to fly back home.
U.S. citizens younger than 16 may use an original, notarized or certified copy of their birth certificate to go on a closed loop cruise. Discover the rocky coasts of New England and eastern Canada on a closed loop cruise from Boston or New York City. Indulge in world-class seafood, see beautiful lighthouses, visit seaside villages and explore important historic sites. These documents will permit you to receive a temporary passport to be used for reentry into the United States. Temporary passports are only valid for a short period of time and are given out to travelers who need to travel quickly but don't have time to wait for a standard passport.
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