Passport question

I just checked with our consultant - they said they strongly suggest a passport, but if it starts in the US and ends in the US then a birth certificate is okay. Truthfully, I'd just ask the cruise line, they're all super picky.

In February i scheduled a cruise with Carnival and asked them about the passport. One of our party doesn't have one. Unless I received bad information, they informed me that as long as your leaving and returning to same US port that you don't have to have a passport. I would check with the cruiseline. I thought a passport was required but she told me no a couple of times.

Just to play devil's advocate, what about postponing the cruise until your FH can catch up on child support? A record of nonsupport can cause all sorts of job and financial headaches.

Hey guys! Not to sound like I'm trying to stir up anything...I've worked with cruise lines for six years, I am certified with all of the major cruise lines. Passports are required for all of these trips that go into international waters unless you don't plan to ever get off the ship.

Also - for your own safety...think about what would happen if you somehow were allowed to get off in one of the foreign ports and you miss the boat? It can take up to six months to get a temporary passport in a foreign country. To me, that is NOT worth the risk. Please call your consulate and ask them what your options are.

I've had clients who've had to reschedule their cruises because their passports did not come in time.

How long ago did you book your cruise? As a travel agent, I'm required to give passports to the cruise lines when I book a cruise. If I don't have their information I have to advise the cruise line and call back prior to final payment.

@Stephanie...if you have time for your family/friend to get that passport, do it! Pay for expedited shipping if you need to. I can't believe someone would tell you that you don't need a passport - is the cruise to the Caribbean? Unless it's to Hawaii from California (all ports of departure, return and visits are within the US), you need a passport!

Take the money you were going to spend on the cruise and put it toward his daughter. Forgive me if I'm not being helpful here, but I have strong opinions about guys who don't take care of their responsibilities toward their kids.

I'm with Heather, who phrased it a little more directly than I did.

If your fiance owes child support, THAT is his priority, and if you intend to marry him, it's your priority as well.

Thank you Heather and Shannon for speaking up. There is a reason he can't get his passport....he is breaking the law by not paying his child support. Pay off his debt and then go on a cruise with a passport.

So, pick a cruise that Doesn't go in international waters....

but I also agree that putting money towards his daughter sounds like a good idea... it would be nice to have that paid off so that you don't have it collecting more interest... and nice to start your life together on a good note.

If you decide to travel with anything less than a passport I highly suggest travel insurance, AND....verify that the insurance covers "proper documentation".

From a travel agents perspective what you want to remember is if something happens on the cruise, and you need to fly home, you won't be able to fly without proper documentation, i.e. a passport.

There are so many things that could come in to play, we recommend only traveling out of the US with a valid passport.

Hope this helps...

Bonnie

We have been actively paying down his child support. It was at 10k and it's right about 7k now. It's not something either of us takes lightly. It's his obligation. Actually it's the interest that got out of hand and that doesn't go to the child. He had a right to modify the amount while he was in school and never did. He couldn't afford the payments as a stident.

In any case, it sounds like it'll be Puerto Rico for us. As much as I loathe the thought, the other way is too risky.

I went on a cruise last May and people that boarded and check in the same time we did only have their drivers license and birth certificate. Be my frinds and I all had our passport books. I didn't want us to get to the port and we couldn't board the ship because we didn't have our passport. For flying internationally it's a different story you will need your passport book.

I understand that you are working down the child support payments but seriously if "he had the right to modify he amount while he was in school and never did" that sounds to me like his problem not the child and mothers. Not trying to pass judgement but if you can afford a wedding and a honeymoon why not forgo the honeymoon and do a mini vacation and pay a chunck of what he owes to his child. I can't image complaining about have to go to Puerto Rico because he can't get a passport when he owes his child money!

You DO NOT need a passport for a closed loop cruise to certain destinations. This site defines a closed loop cruise and the destinations you can travel to. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/closed_loop_faq.xml

From http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/eng_sa.html ""Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents."

He'll be able to get on the ship if he has government issues photo identification cont

And a birth certificate. Depending on the port he many not be able to get off, but I did not have to use my passport to get off in the Bahamas.

Some cruiselines and their employees honestly don't know the laws and give conflicting answers on a regular basis. Also cruisecritic.com is one of the best places to go for answers to cruise related questions.

I have been on two cruises, one in 2009 and another in 2010, I went to the Bahamas first and than a western caribbean cruise both with carnival. I did not have a passport for either cruise and used my birth certificate and drivers license as did the other people in our group. This is from carnival cruise site.

CRUISE TRAVEL

Carnival Cruise Lines strongly recommends all of our guests travel with a valid passport. However, as of June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens embarking on a cruise that both originates and terminates at the same U.S. port are not required to have a passport, but will need proof of citizenship such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) as well as a government-issued photo ID. Children are also required to bring proof of citizenship, and if 16 and over, a photo ID is also required.

Hey, everyone who wants to travel without a passport, be my guest. But, when you go out on your tour, an emergency happens and you cannot get back to your ship on time...remember, you are stuck there. You cannot fly out of the country without a passport and it takes up to SIX months to get a temporary issued. It is far too risky to travel without one and not work the headache or the cost if anything happens to you. Going without a passport is just rediculous...you pay the $95 and it lasts for 10 years! Just do it and be safe!

I'm a travel agent (on the side), I've seen it happen. Everyone who has traveled without one, you've been lucky but don't put it off.

It sounds like the original poster has the info that she needs. But, Sonja, for someone who is supposedly a travel agent (even just "on the side") you are giving out some seriously incorrect information. It may be well intentioned (and I do urge all clients to have a passport), but it's incorrect none the less. Closed loop cruises are an exception to the passport rule. And passports do NOT take six months to process. Also, it makes no difference whether you plan to get off the ship or not.

I think you should probably stick to photography.

Wow.... I wish you luck. We are in the same boat. We got the modification done and now we have to work down the rears. But we still going to have a wedding and a honeymoon whether its in Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico

Goodness gracious. I put the information about fh owing child support because I figured if I was forthcoming with info, it would make it easier for people to give me advice I can use. I didn't want to just say he won't have it and then have people give me info about expediting it since the time is not the real issue.

However, it does seem that people are interested in the whole child support issue, so I will humor y'all. I am not foregoing my wedding nor my honeymoon to facilitate the payback of the child support. It will get paid, but we have to live in the interim. We have 5 children between the two of us and fh has always been active in each child's life- including my daughter who is not biologically his. He made some dumb decisions in his youth that have had lasting effects- namely not having a lawyer and not refuting unfair child support- his ex would trump up expenses to increase support. When he was out of work for two years, instead of getting a modification, he paid