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If your cruise is listed as domestic, you will not need a passport, as you will not be disembarking into a foreign country during the voyage. Instead, you will be boarding the ship in a domestic port and returning to a domestic port, even if they are not the same. Princess Cruises provides a global experience, covering over 100 countries across all seven continents, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It offers a wide range of travel itineraries, from a week to over 3 months, visiting more than 380 ports and including over 100 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in their destinations. If you’re embarking on a closed-loop cruise, which starts and ends at the same U.S. port, U.S. citizens might not need a passport. However, for cruises that begin or end in foreign ports, a passport is typically required.
Bermuda
This means that if you’re heading to the Bahamas by air, you’re going to need to bring your passport to reenter the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, you’ll still need to provide some proof of U.S. citizenship. This can take the form of an Enhanced Driver’s License, a passport or a government-issued birth certificate.
Cruising further from the U.S.
That said, you generally do not need to bring your physical passport as you exit the ship at a port of call. That is because you have already registered with the ship, and they will present this information to any customs agents on your behalf. Another option for a cruise passenger is to keep their passport card on them while storing their passport book in their cabin safe.
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Keep in mind that cruise passport requirements can change based on shore excursions, too. For example, any time you cross a land or sea border into a foreign country, you’ll need a passport, whether it's riding Alaska's White Pass and Yukon Railway or taking day trips to smaller Caribbean islands. Additionally, it's a good idea to check entry requirements of all individual ports in your itinerary, as you might need a visa as well.
The Caribbean
In general, it is preferable to have a passport with you — especially in the event you need emergency medical care and have to stay in a foreign country, for example. A good example of this is a repositioning cruise from Miami to San Diego. During different seasons, cruises will often sail one-way routes from one port to another in order to reposition their ships.
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Many countries outside of North America do require a passport and visas are even required where they apply. Even though Alaska is part of the United States, most cruise itineraries will require you to travel with a U.S. passport. A valid U.S. passport book is mandatory even if you’re flying to or from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean from the United States. Figuring out if you need a passport to go on a cruise isn’t quite as straightforward as you might think. The answer largely depends on the destination of your cruise, which port you’re embarking and disembarking from, and which forms of ID you already have.
Regent Seven Seas features the Wonders in the Caribbean cruise that departs from Miami with stops in the Cayman Islands, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Key West. Royal Caribbean’s seven-night Southern Caribbean Holiday cruise embarks in San Juan and visits Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, St. Vincent, and St. Maarten. Located 570 miles east of North Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda is a convenient cruise destination from the East Coast ports of New York City, Baltimore, Charleston, Boston, Port Canaveral, Miami, and Norfolk, Virginia.
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On closed-loop cruises, a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID are all that's required. It is also your responsibility to obtain any necessary visas you may need during your cruise. Be sure to research the visa requirements for each country you’ll be visiting during your itinerary. 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.
Note that a social security card won’t be regarded as proof enough, nor will a baptismal paper or a hospital certificate. A laminated photo ID will usually work, as will a government-issued birth certificate. Children’s passports are issued for 5 years, adult passports for 10 years. If you board in Miami, make a few ports of call, sail through the Panama Canal and end in San Diego, you’ll need to bring your passport. Even if you are on a closed-loop cruise, though, you will still need to bring identification documentation in lieu of a passport. For those who are unfamiliar with cruising or the Caribbean, the Bahamas is a frequent destination for these behemoth ships.
If you’re traveling on a closed-loop cruise to Alaska that starts and ends in the same U.S. port, you can travel with a passport card or a state-issued ID (such as a driver’s license) and an original birth certificate. Cruise lines recommend that every passenger have a passport when traveling, even on closed-loop cruises when one isn't strictly necessary. It's the best way to prove your identification and citizenship and is an essential item if you unexpectedly get stranded abroad. It's also less cumbersome than carrying the required documents and papers with you wherever you go. Cruising is a wonderful way to explore incredible destinations while also enjoying luxury accommodations and onboard entertainment.
While nobody likes to think about the worst-case scenario when planning a vacation, being prepared is always a good idea. Sudden medical emergencies requiring you to be transported to a nearby country for treatment are always smoother if you and your travel companions have valid passports on you. Closed loop cruises are similar to domestic ones, but the voyage will always start and finish in the same port. If you book a closed loop cruise in your home country, you will not need a passport.
If you’re cruising outside of the U.S. — such as a jaunt through the Mediterranean — you’ll need to have your passport with you. If you need a passport immediately, most medium to large cities will have businesses that expedite the process — some claiming within 2-3 days. Simply search for your city name plus “passport” in Google to find companies in your area that offer expedited service. If you are sailing a “closed loop” cruise — meaning you depart a U.S. port and return to that port to disembark — then you don’t need a passport. We’ll answer some of the biggest questions and concerns regarding getting your passport and explain everything in simple detail for first-time cruisers. One of the greatest things about cruising is that it offers a chance for international travel, without many of the headaches.
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