In most cases, when you board a closed-loop Caribbean cruise, there are two ways to identify yourself before you’re allowed to get on the ship. You can present a valid passport, or you can choose to use a combination of a birth certificate and valid photo ID.
A closed-loop cruise is one that starts and stops in the same U.S. port. Passports are generally required when a cruise leaves from any other country.
Recently, there has been a rumor circulating among social media groups that Carnival was planning to eliminate the latter method in 2025 – meaning that the only way to get on a Carnival ship will be with a passport.
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This caused significant alarm for many people booked on future Carnival cruises. After all, not everyone has a passport, and many don’t have much of a desire to get one. Recently, Carnival addressed the rumors and how any future policy changes could be revealed.
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Image source: Carnival Corporation
Cruising with a passport vs. a birth certificate
To be perfectly clear, there are some very good reasons to cruise with a passport.
For starters, it makes it easier to get on and off the ship. At embarkation, the agent simply scans your passport, while there’s often further verification that needs to be done with birth certificates.
When leaving the ship, passport travelers simply walk by a facial recognition device, while those with birth certificates have to wait in a line (that can get long) to present their credentials to a customs officer.
The biggest reason to cruise with a passport is that it can make your life much easier if an emergency arises. In order to return to the U.S. by air from a foreign country, you must present a passport book (not even a passport card will do). So, if you have a medical emergency in a foreign port or miss the ship’s departure time, it can make getting home much easier.
To be sure, you can get an emergency passport, but having to do so adds stress to an already unpleasant situation. If you already have a passport book in hand, you can simply book a flight home and not worry about the logistics of being allowed to board the plane. (Note: If you miss the ship, the crew will typically go into your room, locate your passport, and leave it with the officers at the pier.)
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The main reason people don’t get passports is because it can be a hassle, and there is a significant cost involved. For adults, a first-time passport book costs $165 and must be applied for in person at a passport center (usually the post office). It then can take several months to arrive. If someone is simply taking one cruise, it might not seem worth the cost and hassle.
Carnival shares its passport policy
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald offered clarification of the rumor on his Facebook page. And fortunately for cruisers, it seems that there’s no basis in reality.
“Apparently, this is something that one of these lovely YouTube people have been talking about. Please know that this is not true, and of course, we would make sure that we announce anything this monumental," Heald said.
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He went on to clarify how such announcements would be made in the future. “Our Chief Communications Officer Chris and his team would advise everybody if a passport is needed for a specific voyage. And unless you hear from them, you can use your government-issued photo, identification, and birth certificate.”
Heald did strongly recommend that cruisers get a passport if they don’t already have one. As I mentioned earlier, there are quite a few reasons why cruising with a passport is the superior choice. But – at least for the time being – it isn’t required.
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