Do I need a valid passport for a cruise?

[raphael7546 0]

Well I'm in a pickle! I won a cruise.

The catch is, We have to use it by the end of December 2008! Its for ANY priceline.com cruise I want . So we were thinking of one that leaves from Cape Canaveral, and goes to the Bahamas for 4 days.

Will we need passports? My hubby was in the military for 20 years and never needed a passport so he doesn't even have one.

I have my 10 yr green card holder.

It sucks that I may not be able to use this free cruise!

My Canadian Passport expired a year ago. I was told that it could take months to get a new one!

I just started a new job ( Start tomorrow in fact) and don't know how I will get time off

[Niels Bohr 72]

Contact the cruise line.

[lucyrich 20]

A US Citizen can still go to the Bahamas, Canada, or Mexico by land or sea with just proof of citizenship and proof of identity (typically a birth certificate and driver's license). But ALL international air travel requires a passport, so if he had to fly back for a medical emergency or something like that, he'd have to get a passport before he could board a plane back to the US.

Starting in June of 2009, US Citizens will need a passport for all international travel including Canada, Mexico, and the Carribean, regardless of whether travelling by land, sea, or air. So he should probably get his US passport anyway, in case he ever wants to visit your family in Canada. Currently, getting a US passport is fast. Even unexpedited service is typically taking around 10 days, and expedited service can be a bit faster. A US passport is normally good for ten years, so if he gets it now, he won't have to worry about it for awhile.

I'm not 100% sure what the requirements are for a Canadian citizen with a Green card, but I believe a valid Canadian passport would be required. Sounds like that may be a problem. If you are checking into the requirements, remember that there are two problems: One, what does the Bahamas government require in order to let you enter the Bahamas, and two, what will the US government require in order to let you back into the US.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

This is why I always keep a current passport. You never know what pops up.

U.S. Resident (non-citizen)

To enter The Bahamas, U.S. residents who are not citizens need the following documentation:

Alien Registration Card (Green Card)

For visits NOT exceeding 30 days:

An original Alien Registration Card is required, along with a national passport (passport from country of birth).

For visits exceeding 30 days:

A valid national passport and a Bahamas visa are required for U.S. resident non-citizens wishing to stay longer than 30 days.

http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/u...ent-non-citizen

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Entry Requirements for Land and Sea Travelers to the United States

Land and Sea Travel

The following summarizes entry and exit information available on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website.

Currently:

U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card or WHTI-compliant document; or (B) a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license) along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

In the future:

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States by sea or ports of entry to have a passport, passport card or WHTI-compliant document.

For more information about U.S. travel requirements, please visit their website.

http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/us-citizen

http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/entry-requirements

Edited November 12, 2008 by LuckyStrike

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think you would need a passport. On our cruise you needed a valid passport to get on the boat. I also had to present a green card. You can get around the green card with advance parole but the passport is a deal breaker I'd imagine

[star_dragon 0]

Go on a cruise where all the ports are in the US. Like Alaska (oh wait, December, never mind ) But how about Hawaii!