PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

We are planning another cruise hopefully in May again this year, we are leaving from either NY or NJ. what is the deal with passports? My boys ages 13 and 8 and enchanced IDs for DMV that we used last May to cruise out of NY. Just wondering if we all need to get passports or not??
TIA

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

The cruiseline should have this info on thier website - check out the FAQ's.

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

I also planning a cruise in may i was told that as of now you only need a birth certificate and government issued photo id

However she did advise me to get a passport because she said they are suppose to change that in 2010 requiring passports for cruise ships too.

I'm going to wait till March thats when i have to make final payment to see what they say then

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

We are cruising out of NJ in June and we are getting passports for our kids to be on the safe side.

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

Even if you leave from NY or NJ you will need a US passport. I would have one to avoid any hassle - but I should have asked where the cruise was going to - b.c it has less to do where it leaves from than where it is traveling to.

Message edited 1/3/2010 11:38:21 AM.

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

Where are you going to? That makes a huge difference -- are you traveling to non U.S. territories?

If you are using a cruise ship and traveling from the U.S. to any other nations such as the Bahamas, DR, St. Kitts, etc. you MUST present a Passport or passport card. This initiative began on June 1, 2009 for most nations in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in the Caribbean for sea ferrying passengers.

Just visit the travel.state.gov website for information on entry requirements for any countries you are visiting on your cruise.

It has nothing to do with where you are leaving your cruise from, it has to do with where you are traveling to, that determines if you need a passport.

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

My inlaws are leaving from NY on a cruise to the Caribeen and they didn't need passports.

Iy may depend on the ports though so I would check before booking.

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

thanks everyone.. we are most likely taking the carnival mirical from NY to grand turk and nassau..... then again nothing is set in stone yet.. trying to figure out price wise (who wants the added expensive of 4 passports)

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

I was told that even infants need passports if you are leaving the country. I visited a travel agent recently to explore both cruises and resorts in the caribbean.

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

Each port has different requirements, that's why you need it.
Even though I had to rush to get mine renewed because some ports required it...I never used it once...

Re: PASSPORTS AND CRUISING???

I was looking at the passport site and it seems you can get a passport card for like $20.00 and it seems to be just for places that you might take a cruise to (canda, burmuda, bahamas and caribean). . Any have experience with this?