Is a cruise to the Caribbean considered international travel?
There are several destinations you can cruise to without a passport on a closed-loop sailing. Alaska, the Bahamas, Mexico, Bermuda, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Canada and New England are all closed-loop cruise destinations that may not require a passport for entry.
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Visiting the Bahamas by Air or Cruise ShipEven though the 700 islands in the Bahamas are so close to the U.S., it's still an international destination. Whether you arrive by plane to board a ship or stay for a week at a resort or just spend a day in Nassau or Freeport, all require specific documentation.
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...
When you arrive in The Bahamas by boat, you will be asked to fill out an Immigration Arrival/Departure Card, which you will keep until you leave. You must go through Customs and Immigration at the nearest designated Port of Entry, show the yellow quarantine flag, and inform Customs about your arrival.
The Western Caribbean consists of destinations due south of Florida, as well as ports in Mexico and Central America. You can visit Mexico (Cozumel, Costa Maya, Progreso), Belize, Honduras, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Cuba.
A Bahamas cruise itinerary usually only visits Nassau, the island's capital city, while a Caribbean cruise generally visits multiple islands across the region. Of course, this all depends on which itinerary you ultimately choose for your getaway.
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.
Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean cruise ships aren't all-inclusive – at least not in the true sense. While they may not be fully all-inclusive, they do offer guests exceptional value. The pricing model allows cruisers to receive a base experience and pay for any add-ons they may want to enjoy.
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).
The cheapest month for a Carnival cruise depends on your destination. Most ships are based around the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico, especially in winter, and the cheapest cruises are in low-demand February or late April as the shoulder season.
Carnival requires guests to provide proper travel documentation in order to travel. The documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise and is the responsibility of the guest.
If you are a US citizen, you can take a “closed-loop cruise” (one that begins and ends at the same port) to The Bahamas without a passport. Instead, you'll need to present another proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID.