Does my 9 year old need a passport to go on a cruise?
Children under the age of 16 who are citizens of the U.S. or Canada are exempt from the passport requirement for land and sea border crossings.
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Times Your Child Does Not Need a Passport to CruiseChildren 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: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, notarized or certified copy of their birth certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS AND a valid Government Issued ID.
The good news is that you can cruise to quite a few popular destinations without a passport, including Alaska, the Bahamas, Mexico, Bermuda, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Canada, and New England.
No Guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing.
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.
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...
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)
A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 only needs to present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by DOS, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Birth Certificate InformationThe following are acceptable: An original or copy of a birth certificate issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics.
Royal Caribbean InternationalThe line's current Kids Sail Free” deal lets children 12 or younger cruise free, provided they are the third guests (or beyond) in the same cabin as at least two paying adults. When it comes to kids sail free bookings with Royal Caribbean, you should note that blackout dates can apply.
Yes, many ships offer family-friendly cruise activities. Programming might include parades, deck parties, fireworks displays, water shows and breakfasts or meet-and-greets with favorite characters. Some lines have video game systems and host tournaments, and most have arcades.
Minor children 16 years of age and older may debark the ship in port without a parent or guardian. If the parent or guardian wishes to raise this age limit, they must contact the onboard Security department.
Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that both originate and terminate at the same U.S. port, we, again, strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel).