Do cruise ships go through immigration?

When your cruise ship arrives at its disembarkation port, local immigration officials need to clear the ship before anyone can disembark. 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.



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Most cruise ports require you to carry a photo ID to verify the name on the ship card matches. Even if your cruise is closed-loop, meaning it starts and ends at the same U.S. port, bring your passport. In an emergency, the ship may need to dock at a foreign port, requiring clearance through immigration.

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Domestic Cruises Non-U.S. Citizens are required to carry a valid, unexpired passport and a Multiple Entry Visa, if applicable. In addition, guests must contact the appropriate embassy or consulate of the countries they will be visiting for specific travel documentation requirements.

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Do I need a passport? We recommend that everyone taking a cruise from the United States have a passport book. Though some “closed-loop” cruises may not require a U.S. passport, we recommend bringing yours in case of an emergency, such as an unexpected medical air evacuation or the ship docking at an alternate port.

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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. It's worth noting though that on the majority of cruises the cruise line will not keep your passport.

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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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Most mariners will not hesitate to “do the right thing” and conduct a rescue. Indeed, the law of the sea requires them to do so. However, it is once the rescue is conducted and migrants are onboard that issues might arise.

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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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The ship will tell you if you need your passport ashore. But, you should always carry a form of government issued id. I also carry a photocopy of my passport page. If you miss the ship, I read that security will go in your safe and leave your passport with local authorities before it leaves, if you left it there.

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Celebrity Millennium Cruise Rescue The Celebrity Millennium cruise ship rescued 35 refugees from an adrift small boat that needed urgent help. Two of those refugees were reported to be children.

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If you lose your passport, report it immediately to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and make arrangements to get a replacement passport, for a fee.

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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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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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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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Alaska is part of the United States, but some cruises either depart from a Canadian port like Vancouver or make a stop in a Canadian port like Victoria. In these cases, it is necessary to have a passport or passport card with you as identification.

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