Should I go on a cruise without a passport?

DOS recommends that everyone taking a cruise from the United States have a passport book in case of emergency, such as an unexpected medical air evacuation or the ship docking at an alternate port. Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are not acceptable.



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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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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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Carnival offers many Caribbean cruise options including sailings that depart and return to U.S. ports like Baltimore, Norfolk and New Orleans. These don't require a passport as they are closed-loop sailings.

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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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All travelers are advised to carry a valid passport with them when taking a cruise to Mexico, regardless of their nationality and port of departure. US citizens on closed-loop cruises, meaning they begin and end at the same US port, can travel to Mexico with proof of citizenship other than a passport.

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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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Any guest without proper documents will not be allowed to board the vessel and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued.

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All travelers are advised to carry a valid passport with them when taking a cruise to Mexico, regardless of their nationality and port of departure. US citizens on closed-loop cruises, meaning they begin and end at the same US port, can travel to Mexico with proof of citizenship other than a passport.

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Mexico's most popular tourist destinations like Cancun, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, and Cabo San Lucas all remain safe so do not allow the current Mexico travel warning to scare you into not visiting Mexico.

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For the purpose of flying into as well as out of Mexico, a Passport is always required for cancun as well. Technically, It must be a legitimate passport book and not just an ordinary passport card, as the card isn't valid to travel internationally. The passport book should have validity for the period of your stay.

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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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