Can I get off a closed loop cruise without a passport?

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born) or passport, and if 16 or older, a government ...



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If you are on a closed-loop cruise that begins and ends at the same port in the United States and visits Canada, Mexico, or much of the Caribbean, you do not need a valid passport. According to CBP, all you need is documentation proving you are a U.S. citizen.

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Should you take your passport with you on shore excursions? No, you shouldn't bring your passport, unless your tour requires it. We recommend bringing your driver's license as a form of ID instead. You don't want to risk losing your passport ashore.

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You won't be able to leave the ship without your cruise card, nor will you be able to return to the ship without it, so keep it close to you at all times. In most ports, you won't need your passport, so leave it locked up in your room's safe.

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Immigration officials will often come onboard cruise ships to check documentation and the process of keeping the passports centrally makes it much easier and faster for the cruise line and passengers.

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Birth Certificate Information A clear, legible copy (photocopy) of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified. Birth Certificate Card. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

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Ships that terminate in U.S. ports may require passengers to fill out Customs forms and show their passports to border control in the cruise terminal. Some passengers might be required to meet with immigration officials on board prior to getting off the ship.

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Getting off a cruise ship is not the same as checking out of a hotel. You can't just leave the ship when you feel like it. Small and luxury ships may have flexible, even leisurely, disembarkation plans. However, the final day on most big ships is a madhouse.

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It takes several hours to clear a ship of thousands of passengers. You might also have to clear customs. Then you have to get to the airport, which might involve navigating through heavy traffic, and waiting in security lines along with hundreds of other cruise travelers, fresh off their ships.

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The Head of Household must declare all merchandise purchased or acquired abroad and which he/she is bringing back into the United States. That includes items purchased in duty-free shops (on board) and in port as well as items received as gifts. It also includes items the guests have begun to use or are wearing.

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No-Passport-Required Destinations
  • U.S. Virgin Islands. A Caribbean vacation isn't out of reach without a passport if you stick to the U.S. Virgin Islands: St. ...
  • Vieques, Puerto Rico. ...
  • Culebra, Puerto Rico. ...
  • San Juan, Puerto Rico. ...
  • Whistler, British Columbia. ...
  • Quebec City, Canada. ...
  • Toronto, Canada. ...
  • Cape Breton Island, Canada.


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