Times Your Child Does Not Need a Passport to Cruise Children younger than 16 need only to carry their birth certificates (original or copy); children 16 and older, as well as adults, each need to show both a birth certificate and a government-issued photo I.D.

For U.S. citizens, a child can often go on a cruise without a passport, but only if it is a "Closed-Loop" cruise (one that begins and ends at the same U.S. port). Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), children under the age of 16 can present an original or certified copy of their birth certificate as proof of citizenship for entry by sea. However, while the U.S. government allows this, many cruise lines and destination countries (like Martinique or Guadeloupe) strongly recommend or even require a passport for all guests. The biggest risk of traveling without one is an emergency: if your child is injured or the ship has a mechanical failure and you must fly home from a foreign port, you cannot board an international flight without a valid passport book. For 2026 travel, most experts suggest that the peace of mind provided by a passport far outweighs the convenience of using a birth certificate.