Passport for Western Caribbean Cruise?- Disney Cruise Line

ConnorMichelleClay

New Member
Original Poster
I am a regular cruiser, cruising with both Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean over 12 times. I am currently booking a 2019, 7-day Disney Fantasy Cruise to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica, and Castaway Cay. In the past, we have cruised to destinations including Cozumel, Mexico; Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico; Nassau; St. John; St. Maarten; St. Thomas; Grand Cayman; Coco Cay; Castaway Cay, etc., and have never needed a passport for any of those cruises. Usually, we have been required to carry 2 forms of identification, and we have always used a government issued driver's license, and birth certificate.

I was told today that each of our guests will need a valid passport for this cruise. My fiancé and I are getting married on Castaway Cay on this cruise, and no one in my party has ever had a passport, or ever needed one in the past. It ordinarily would be no deal, except for on this cruise, we will have dozens of family members and friends hassled with the chore of getting passports for our wedding, if this is now a requirement. I have been told previously that you do not need a passport cruising, as long as your cruise is departing from and arriving back to the same, original port. Has anyone cruised recently with Disney and needed a passport for a Western-Caribbean cruise? Do my wedding guests need to get passports before our cruise? Thanks in advance!
 

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
The requirement may have been added to protect guests from being stranded in a foreign country. If you miss the boat and have to make your own way home, or Heaven forbid, get ill and have to be flown home (or stay behind) you would have a hard time getting back to the US without a passport. Their website states it is because rules are subject to change at any time, so IF the US were to start requiring them for reentry passengers would have to cancel cruises if they don't have them. Or be denied reentry at the port.

The bottom line is, if Disney says each guest must have a passport, each guest must have a passport. They won't let your, or your guests, board.
 

ChuckElias

Well-Known Member
Talk to another agent at DCL. I have not heard that ID requirements have changed. It's certainly possible, but I haven't heard it and it sounds like The Mom hasn't heard it, either. So i would call back and double-check to be sure.
 

DisneyFreak

Well-Known Member
From DCL FAQ on their website...

Passport & Travel Documentation Guidelines

  • Under My Reservations you'll find important travel guidelines and regulations relevant to your individual itinerary. However, it is your responsibility to check with your travel agent, government agency, embassy or consulate to ensure that you have all the proper documentation to board the ship and enter each of the countries on your cruise. U.S. travelers can visit the U.S. State Department's travel website or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center at (877) 4USA-PPT [877-487-2778] for more information.
If you miss the ship and have to fly back to the US, then YOU MUST have a valid passport to re-enter the US.
 

MaryJaneP

Well-Known Member
We always bring our passports with us on cruises, even if presumably not needed. Better safe than sorry, especially for a wedding cruise. Even if you and your guests plan on staying on ship, murphy's law seems to find a way to mess up good plans. Maybe attendance (with a valid passport) could be viewed as an early wedding gift. We would be reluctant to travel without a valid passport. We definitely needed them for Mediterranean cruise and also brought them on Eastern Caribbean cruise. Our opinion is you and guests should bite the bullet and get passports.
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Short answer - get a passport. Especially with the amount of cruising you do.

If this is DCL's new policy, then it is a does of CYA on their part. Aside from needing a passport if you get sick, miss the ship, or if the ship has mechanical problems, there has been a lot of chatter lately about the US possibly requiring a passport for all cruises to foreign ports, even closed loop ones It really is not that hard to get a passport, they are not that expensive (if a cruise is something that you can afford), the last for 10 years for adults, and they come in handy - I use my for ID whenever I fly, even domestic. I have also used it as ID at the DMV, Social Security, and elsewhere.

-dave
 

Erica schaefer

New Member
Did you ever get your answer? We are doing the closed loop cruise and the boys don’t have passports. Says they don’t need for entry back to US but I’m concerned we won’t be able to do our tour in the Grand Cayman.
 

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
Did you ever get your answer? We are doing the closed loop cruise and the boys don’t have passports. Says they don’t need for entry back to US but I’m concerned we won’t be able to do our tour in the Grand Cayman.

@Phonedave @MaryJaneP and @DisneyFreak gave the best answers. If you plan on doing any future traveling, especially to foreign countries, it's well worth your while to get a passport. Once you've gotten the initial one, renewals are very easy. It's a very small charge compared to tours, etc. especially since your children will have them for 5 years, and you for 10. It is also a good official government issued photo ID for non-driving minors.
 

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
Here's what the DCL website currently says:

"The Bahamas, Caribbean, Pacific Coast, Bermuda or Canada – Round Trip Cruises


Sailing from/to: Port Canaveral, Miami, Galveston, San Diego, San Juan and New York
The following guidelines are based on government regulations, which are subject to change at any time. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the proper documentation to board the ship and enter each of the countries on the ship's itinerary.

Travelers can visit the U.S. State Department's website for more information. All documents must be valid for the entire length of the voyage, unless otherwise noted. Guests without proper documentation will be denied boarding.

Required Documents for U.S Citizens
  • Original valid U.S. Passport
  • Original valid U.S. Passport Card
  • Original valid Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
OR

  • Original or copy of their state-issued birth certificate AND Government-issued photo ID
    1. Puerto Rico birth certificates issued prior to 7/1/10 are not acceptable
    2. Hospital-issued birth certificates are not acceptable
  • Original Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State AND Government-issued photo ID
  • Original Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services AND Government-issued photo ID
Guests 15 years of age and younger are required to travel with one of the documents listed above but do not require a Government-issued photo ID.
Social Security Cards and Global Entry are not acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship for purposes of traveling outside of the U.S.
U.S. Legal Permanent Residents
Guests who are legal permanent residents of the U.S. must provide a valid original Legal Permanent Resident Card, also known as a "Green Card," or "Alien Resident Card (ARC)." "

When I cruised to Bermuda in October, we had to show a Passport and our Cruise ID/room key to disembark and board the ship. The Disney site just tells you the U.S. requirements, for other countries, the individual countries have their own rules. There are Bahamian Customs officers at Castaway Cay, but I honestly don't remember what they required.

As has been suggested multiple times, having individual passports is highly advisable. Even if DCL says you don't require it, you will if something goes wrong and either members of your party miss the ship departure or worse, someone falls ill and needs to be evacuated. In those instances, having a passport is essential.
 

MaryJaneP

Well-Known Member
Given recent horror story of couple stuck in Bahamas after medical emergency because ship left and they didn't have passports to re-enter US via plane, we would ALWAYS recommend travelling with a valid passport for each traveler. We always do. Even if DCL let you board (not clear they would) without a passport, it seems a risk not worth taking.
 

LSLS

Well-Known Member
My understanding is you don't have to have a passport, you can use a passport card or even 2 forms of id. However, as others have stated, I cannot stress enough the importance of having a passport. You are on a ship with 4,000 friends. Who knows what someone might bring that puts them down for a half day, but gives you a 104 fever. Our last cruise, we had to turn around and rush back to Nassau because someone became horribly sick. That person and their family went straight to a hospital in Nassau, and if they had no passport, they are stuck. Passports are good for 10 years, so definitely get it (you are going to want to go on a cruise again).
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
@Phonedave @MaryJaneP and @DisneyFreak gave the best answers. If you plan on doing any future traveling, especially to foreign countries, it's well worth your while to get a passport. Once you've gotten the initial one, renewals are very easy. It's a very small charge compared to tours, etc. especially since your children will have them for 5 years, and you for 10. It is also a good official government issued photo ID for non-driving minors.

As an example. I renewed my daughters expired passport over this winter break. I made an appointment on-line at my local post office. I showed up 30 minutes early (that's how I am) and there were people in line in front of me with earlier appointments. They took me 3 minutes before my appointment time. We had her picture taken there and had filled out the forms on line at home and printed them.

Total time once we started the process - 15 minutes

Total cost - $160 ($110 for the passport, $35 for the processing at the post office, $15 for the picture)

-dave
\
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I have both a passport card AND a passport book, which is needed if you fly out & return to US. Use my card for DCL cruises originating from/returning to a US port. But any other foreign travel, I would use my passport book.
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
I have both a passport card AND a passport book, which is needed if you fly out & return to US. Use my card for DCL cruises originating from/returning to a US port. But any other foreign travel, I would use my passport book.

that sort of defeats the purpose. IF you use your card for a cruise, and something happens (miss the ship, have a medical emergency, etc) you are in almost as bad of a situation as if you did not have a passport at all. You still cannot fly back to the US with just a passport card.

The passport card is useful as ID for domestic travel, or if you are going somewhere where it is possible to return to the US by land (Canada / Mexico)
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
that sort of defeats the purpose. IF you use your card for a cruise, and something happens (miss the ship, have a medical emergency, etc) you are in almost as bad of a situation as if you did not have a passport at all. You still cannot fly back to the US with just a passport card.

The passport card is useful as ID for domestic travel, or if you are going somewhere where it is possible to return to the US by land (Canada / Mexico)

True. But my card is always with me.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
Bring a full-blown passport. I just returned from the same 7-night cruise you're taking. I didn't need my passport anywhere except getting on at Port Canaveral and getting off the ship on Day 8 (and we got off the ship at all four ports and brought it with for all but Castaway Cay), but you don't want to cruise without one.
 

Surfin' Tuna

Well-Known Member
Bring a full-blown passport. I just returned from the same 7-night cruise you're taking.
On this same cruise someone had to be removed and taken to the hospital. His significant other and another member of their traveling party decided to leave them ship with him. Without passports their dire situation would have been made even worse. Just get the passport and take it with you. It is not that expensive, and I am always confused why people would not want a second form or ID in their house anyway. If you lose your driver's license it sure is nice to have the passport.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
On this same cruise someone had to be removed and taken to the hospital. His significant other and another member of their traveling party decided to leave them ship with him. Without passports their dire situation would have been made even worse. Just get the passport and take it with you. It is not that expensive, and I am always confused why people would not want a second form or ID in their house anyway. If you lose your driver's license it sure is nice to have the passport.

Where did they get off the ship? Wondering what happened, particularly since that first day at sea was so rough. :( Maybe we should just take this private...
 

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