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Can you stay on the cruise ship if you don t have a passport?

You can cruise to quite a few destinations without a passport, as long as you have proof of citizenship and a government-issued photo ID. A variety of documents are accepted as proof of citizenship, including a state-certified U.S. birth certificate.



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First and foremost, if a United States citizen chooses to do a closed-loop cruise without a passport, they'll still be required to show a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license) and proof of citizenship (a certified copy of your birth certificate).

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For U.S. citizens: Royal Caribbean strongly recommends that all guests travel with a valid passport. For Round Trip cruises from the U.S. that DO NOT include Panama or Colombia, U.S. citizens 17 and under will be able to present either an original, n...

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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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In the United States, anyone on a cruise ship whose last port of call was outside the US is required to pass through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), unless if the last port of call was equipped with US preclearance facilities (in which case the ship will be treated as a domestic arrival).

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If you're a United States citizen going on a “closed loop” cruise, you'll only need to present: Government issued photo identification. Proof of citizenship (an original or copy of your U.S. birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization)

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The vast majority of passengers simply sail their normal cruise itinerary. But can you just get off the ship and return home on your own terms? The answer is yes, but there are some major complications (and laws) that should be considered.

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Beyond needing a valid passport to travel, cruise ship passengers might also require a cruise visa. This happens when the countries they are exploring along the way have specialized entry requirements in place. A cruise visa provides the same credentials for a traveler as a traditional visa.

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U.S. citizens are generally required to present a valid U.S. passport when traveling to The Bahamas, as well as proof of anticipated departure from The Bahamas. Those traveling to The Bahamas on a cruise may use another Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document.

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In other words, you don't want to just make a photocopy of your actual birth certificate and use that to board the cruise (although some lines do allow that). If you no longer have your birth certificate, you can get in touch with the city or county you were born to get a certified official copy to use on your cruise.

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For U.S. Sailings only, U.S. Citizens may cruise using an official US state-issued Birth Certificate and a supporting Government Issued Photo ID, like a driver's license or an identity card.

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If you apply in person (or by mail if renewing a passport) and select Expedited Service you will receive your passport in the mail in about 2 (two) weeks. Expedited Service requires an additional rush fee plus the cost of overnight delivery services.

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For Americans, some popular cruise destinations, such as Russia and Australia, require visas. Check with your cruise line because individual country policies can vary.

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It's not uncommon for cruise ships to spot refugees or assist in rescue operations while at sea.

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According to a study, one in five people admitted to cheating on a cruise. I asked five people if they considered it cheating if you're in a different country. Four were adamant that cheating is cheating. One person said it doesn't count if you're in a different time zone.

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More often than not, the answer is no. U.S. citizens don't need a passport if the cruise starts and ends in the same U.S. city. This is known as a closed-loop cruise. That said, some may require a passport if you want to disembark at ports in any Caribbean destination.

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