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When it comes time to renew, cards cost $30 as opposed to $130 for passport books. Department of State for the most recent passport book and card costs. Even on a closed-loop sailing out of the U.S., if you're forced to disembark unexpectedly, need to fly home from a foreign port and only have a U.S. passport card, you can expect delays getting home. To protect yourself against emergency situations, go with a passport book, which covers all international travel -- by air, sea or land. MSC Cruises provides a relatively straightforward breakdown of travel documents and visa requirements for travelers of all nationalities. It’s worth noting that although you can take a closed loop cruise with proper ID and your birth certificate, we recommend getting a passport.
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Any government-issued photo ID card will do, like a driver's license. So while you don't need a passport of passport card to cruise to Alaska from Seatlle or other U.S. ports, you will need this idenfitication as the cruise must stop in Canada on its way. Without these required documents, you will not be able to board your cruise or get back into the United States. While cruising with a passport is always recommended, it's not required by law in certain circumstances.
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Check our travelers page to learn more about specific issues you might face abroad. These include special considerations for older travelers, those with disabilities, women, and LGBTQI+ travelers. For more information, check out the links to visitor-submitted questions below.
While most cruise lines will accept a copy of your birth certificate, it has to be an official copy issued by a local health and vital statistics department. To help you understand your passport requirements, we will cover different types of cruises and whether you need a passport to board them. No matter which documents you bring, it's a smart idea to take copies of them (either paper ones or photos on your phone) when you leave the ship, in case something happens while you're ashore. Always carry some type of photo identification, like a driver's license, when you head into port. Any cruises where you need to fly to or from a foreign country, including Canada, will necessitate a passport. If you live in the U.S., you will also need the original copy of your Alien Registration Card (ARC or "Green Card") and any other documentation the countries on your itinerary require due to your alien status.
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Some will also choose to fly into Whitehorse, Canada, then drive the 110-mile journey along the Alaska Highway. Due to this strategic location and its proximity to some of Alaska’s most alluring attractions, there is a good chance you will stop in Skagway if you have booked an Alaskan cruise. To help you get the most out of your time there, this comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know. Western Mexico, often referred to as the Mexican Riviera, includes the ports of Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Ensenada, among others. Cruises with several major lines depart San Diego, San Pedro port in LA and Long Beach for voyages lasting anywhere from three to 10 nights. A few longer, seven- to 15-night itineraries stop in the Bahamas on their way into the Caribbean.
On Board Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas for its First Cruise - The New York Times
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The shuttle operates year-round and only costs five dollars for an all-day pass. If your cruise ship is departing from Skagway, rather than stopping there as part of its itinerary, there is a good chance that you will need to catch a commuter flight from one of Alaska’s larger cities. From water sports to American history and Hawaiian culture, there's a lot to experience on a Hawaii cruise.
For starters, you need to determine if your cruise is departing from and returning to your home country. You also need to know if the cruise itinerary will involve making stops in other countries along the voyage. If you’re ready to stop the stress and uncertainty of knowing whether or not you need a passport to go on a cruise, it’s time to get started.
Cruises are a popular way to travel and there are many options to choose from. Order all the Alaskan classics, like Alaskan crab legs, fish and chips, wild-caught salmon, and more. Plus, it’s located just outside the cruise port, so it couldn’t be easier to get to. Visiting Skagway offers cruise passengers a wide range of outdoor adventure and exploration opportunities. Beyond Skagway’s small-town charm and famed ties to the Gold Rush Era, the surrounding area offers breathtaking views of the rugged Alaskan wilderness. Many popular attractions are just a short walk from the town’s cruise port.
If you have changed your name for whatever reason, you must also bring proof of name change. Also, remember that children (even infants) will need a birth certificate to leave and enter the United States, but kids under 16 do not need to show a second form of identification. A stop in Victoria, British Columbia offers a whole new set of adventures.
And if you're starting and ending your cruise at different ports within the U.S. — or flying in to or out of a Caribbean country — you will need a passport. These experiences are incredibly memorable and offer plenty of opportunities to take photographs of eagles, bears, glaciers, and other Alaskan icons. Each terminal and pier is also wheelchair accessible, so passengers with mobility needs will not encounter any issues navigating the port. Those needing assistance reaching the Skagway downtown area can take a round-trip shuttle service from the port’s drop-off and pick-up zone.
Certainly many guests will cruise without a passport and likely not run into any issues. The concern without having a passport is if an emergency occurs, only an official passport will allow you to easily and quickly fly from a foreign port to another port and/or back home. Events can occur during your cruise that prevent you from returning to the U.S. on your cruise ship. You may also present an Enhanced Driver’s License (allows you to re-enter the U.S. only by land or sea and only from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean) or a Passport Card.
Passport cards are an affordable and unquestionable alternative to carrying an ID and birth certificate. For travelers on tight budgets, who cruise roundtrip from the U.S. and don't plan to leave the country by air, it can be cost efficient and convenient to carry a U.S. passport card. A passport card also could be useful for Alaska cruises, as long as all border crossings into Canada are done by land or sea.
If this is the case, without a passport booklet you will not be allowed to cruise or go ashore on those islands. Many of North America’s top cruise lines include a port of call stop in Skagway as part of their Alaskan itineraries. Since the town has so much to offer and travel to and from the cruise port is so scenic, it is an incredibly popular cruise destination.
This means that Alaska cruises are one instance when the passport card would be a handy alternative to traveling with both an ID card and a birth certificate. The Canadian government strongly recommends that its citizens travel with a passport valid for six months after the arrival date. It is the only universally accepted identification document, and it proves that they have a right to return to Canada. A lost or stolen passport is also easier to replace when outside of Canada than other evidence of citizenship. These documents will permit you to receive a temporary passport to be used for reentry into the United States.
This ensures that the name on the ticket matches the person boarding the ship. Even if you plan to stick to a closed-loop cruise, we still recommend you invest in a passport or passport card before your cruise. Though you can cruise without a passport and still get home if you get stranded in port, the hassle of obtaining a temporary passport on top of making arrangements for last-minute travel is rarely worth it.
