Cruise Vacation

A passport is essentially a document issued by a national government that certifies the identity and nationality of its holder for the purpose of international travel. So when you are traveling on a cruise holiday you will need to carry your passport with you is that is you are entering another country, which is mostly the case in most cruises.

Here is the recent passport regulation for international passengers. Most recently the Department of Homeland Security has passed the WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) act which strengthens the border security and facilitates the entry into the United States for US citizens and legalizes foreign visitors by providing secure, reliable and standardized documentation. This will allow the Department of Homeland Security to identify a traveler quickly, accurately and reliably. Also with effect from January 1, 2008 every single person including the US citizen who travels between the U.S, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, or the Bermuda through land or sea would be required to present a valid passport.

The answer to the question, ‘do I need a passport on the cruise’ is a definite ‘yes’. The fact is, any international cruise ship will check your identification before you board it. The identification proofs are usually a driver’s license and an international passport and mind it, both are equally mandatory. In case you show up without a passport, absolutely nothing could be done to help you. Yes, such stringent is the requirement of a valid passport on a cruise. So do remember that cruise passport requirements are mandatory and so include this in your cruise essentials list. The requirement of a passport does not really depend on the length of your cruise or your ports of call.

And so, in case you do not have a passport, apply for one immediately. Or, if your passport has lapsed, then get it renewed before applying for the cruising trip as the rules for the passport requirements are really strict. You will definitely need a valid passport.

The passport requirement rule for the cruisers was passed by the U.S. Government and was activated on December 31, 2005. A valid passport, according to this law is a must for travelers going to any of the popular cruise destinations like Europe, the Caribbean, the Bahamas or even Alaska before they sail.

Applying for a passport

Have you already planned your favorite cruise vacation? Check with your cruising agent, you must be requiring a passport before boarding the ship. The agent should be able to tell you the passport regulations. According to the rule, a passport application takes at least a six to eight week’s time to be processed. And if your holiday starts before the completion this period, then you might have to change your vacation dates. Well better late than Never, isn’t it? Passports are typically processed during the early months like January through July and the usual cruise season stats in May and lasts till September. Thus the months of January till May might see a big rush for the delivery of passports. And too much rush sometimes affects the delivery dates as well. Therefore, to be on the safer side, apply for a passport well in advance to avoid unwanted problems.

Thus you see how important the requirement of a passport for any cruise vacation is. And if you are amongst those without a valid passport, you will then have to book your cruise rather earlier to avoid the last minute cancellation of the trip due to non availability of your passport. Also, trying to get the smart last-minute rate might be a tricky job if you do not have your passport in hand! And if you are running short of time and have already booked that enticing cruise vacation, you will have to shed off some few extra bucks from your pocket for quick issuing of the passports. This extra amount usually ranges between $350 and $390. These extra bucks on the other hand might have a negative impact on the cruise lines that may then plan to cut down rates on their packages to the Caribbean, the Bahamas or even Alaska. Thus any traveler who did not have a valid passport gets both a passport and the cruise trip of course at the cost of only the cruise trip alone.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and apply for your and your family’s passport today (if you do not have one already) to avoid any last minute rush and mishap. Remember, you have to personally visit the court house to apply for a passport but the initiative is worth the fun and pampering you enjoy at the cruise vacation! Happy cruising!

And when you are packing to board the ship, do ensure that you have not forgotten to take your international passport with you as you will need to show it at the ship.