Cruising with a birth certificate is permitted for U.S. citizens, but only in specific cases. The only time U.S. citizens can cruise with a birth certificate (and ID) as their official identification is on sailings departing from U.S. homeports. These must be roundtrip sailings starting and ending in the U.S.
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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)
A clear, legible copy (photocopy) of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified. Birth Certificate Card.
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.
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.
Voter registration cards or Social Security are not considered proof of citizenship. If the child is a newborn and the actual birth certificate has not arrived from the Vital Records Department, we will accept a hospital issued birth certificate.
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).
Acceptable proof of citizenship includes a U.S. state-issued original or certified copy of their birth certificate (hospital certificates are not acceptable) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization and a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license).
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.
Guests should check with their travel agent and/or government authority to determine the travel documents necessary for each port of call. Any guest without proper documents will not be allowed to board the vessel and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued.
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...
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.
You can use a Real ID to fly domestically, but NEVER internationally. Real ID proves your identity but not your U.S. citizenship. Therefore if you use it as photo identification to take a closed-loop cruise, you will still need a birth certificate to prove your citizenship.
If you travel to the Bahamas by sea (like a cruise), you can use your passport or substitute one of the following documents: A passport card. A Trusted Traveler card. An enhanced driver's license (sometimes called Real ID) with security features.
Important: if you want to board domestic flights or visit federal facilities beginning May 7, 2025 you must have a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.
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.