Passports for Cruises FAQ

The passports for cruises FAQ page provides American citizens with answers to the most frequently asked questions about passport requirements related to cruising. Discover if a passport is required to go on a cruise, when to obtain one, where to get it and how quickly you can acquire your travel document.

The general rule is that all adult U.S. citizens arriving by sea from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, or Mexico must have a valid passport book or passport card. There is an exception for passengers of closed-loop cruises.

If you board a cruise ship at a U.S. port, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship, you only need to present government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship. Therefore, you can present a valid driver's license and a birth certificate.

You still may need a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. It is always a good idea to contact the cruise line to verifiy travel document requirements.

Related Article: Guide to Cruise Passport Policies for U.S. Travelers

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For more information, check out the links to visitor-submitted questions below.

List of Passports for Cruises FAQ

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Passports for Closed Loop Cruise 
Question: If we are leaving Miami on a cruise to Belize and Honduras then returning back to Miami, do we need a passport? Answer: A cruise .

Passport for Cruise to Bahamas 
Question: We are planning on taking our teenage grandson on a cruise this summer, probably to the Bahamas. Does he need a passport? It could possibly .

Passport Requirement for Closed-Loop Cruise 
Questions: We are going on a cruise to Bermuda. Actually it is a closed-loop cruise (New York-Bermuda-New York). My husband's .

What is the best way to get a passport for a cruise in 3 weeks? 
Question: I don't have a passport. I plan on going on my cruise in less than 4 weeks. What is the best way to get my passport in time and how much...

My daughter needs a passport in about 6 weeks - where or how can she get one? 
Question: My daughter needs a passport in about 6 weeks. She works from 8am to 4pm M-F and cannot take time off. How can she accomplish this? She .

Do I need a passport for a cruise to Mexico? 
Question: Going on a cruise in two weeks and have never had a passport. I'm aware I can have on expedited using a service but don't want to incur extra .

Does my 6-year-old daughter require a passport to visit Bahamas by cruise? 
Question: My daughter was born in the USA. I am a permanent US resident. My daughter is 6 year old. She has a birth certificate. Does she require a .

my family wants to go on a cruise 
Question: My husband cannot get a passport because he owes past child support. He has been paying faithfully over 23 years. We really want to go .

Does a minor need a passport for a cruise to the Bahamas? 
Question: My daughter will be 13 at the time of travel. We will be leaving Florida and going on a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas. We will then be returning .

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