| Passports & Legal Names |
Passports are required for all travelers, including citizens of the U.S. and Canada, who enter or re-enter the U.S. by air.
The passport requirement has been extended to include entries into the U.S. by land and by sea until June 1 2009.
Until passports are required, citizens of the U.S. and Canada may use an original or certified copy of their birth certificate AND a
government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license), in lieu of a passport, for cruises that sail round trip from U.S. Ports (including Puerto
Rico) and visit the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. Children under the age of 16 are not required to
present a photo ID in addition to their birth certificate. Photocopies of required documentation are not acceptable.
Even though passports are not required at this time for U.S. and Canada citizens who sail round trip from the U.S. on cruises to the above
destinations, we strongly recommend that all cruise passengers travel with a valid passport anyway. This is because guests who need to fly to
or from the U.S. unexpectedly during their cruise will likely experience significant delays and complications related to booking airline tickets
and entering the U.S. If they do not have a valid passport with them. For example, a passenger missing a cruise departure due to a late
inbound flight to Miami would need a passport to fly to meet the ship at the next port. Similarly, guests needing to fly to the U.S. or Canada (via
the U.S.) before their cruise ends because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of
call, or a mechanical problem of some sort with the ship, would need a passport. Of course, situations like these are rare, but they can happen.
Passports are not required for U.S. Citizens traveling to or returning directly from Hawaii or a U.S. Territory, including Guam, Puerto Rico, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Passports are required for cruise travel to all International destinations not mentioned above, and for cruises that involve air travel that begins
or ends outside of the U.S. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the last day of travel.
For information about obtaining a passport for the first time, or about renewing a passport, click here to visit the U.S. Department of State's
Web site.
Legal U.S. Residents (Non-Citizens)
Legal permanent residents of the U.S. must have a valid passport from their country of citizenship and a valid Alien Registration Card (Green
Card) to enter or re-enter the U.S.
Non-U.S., Non-Canada Citizens
The following countries participate in a visa waiver program with the U.S., and citizens of these countries must have a machine-readable
passport for entry into the U.S.:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Monaco, Slovenia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
Citizens of the countries listed above who do not possess machine-readable passports, and citizens of countries not listed above must
present a valid passport and a valid United States visa upon entry into the U.S. For those whose travel plans include multiple entries into the
U.S., such as a cruise that begins and ends in a U.S. Port, a multiple-entry visa is required.
Visas
All travelers, including U.S. and Canada citizens, are responsible for verifying visa requirements with consular officials, and obtaining visas
where required, for every country visited during their trip, including countries visited via connecting flights.
Always check with your cruise counselor at the time of booking to verify the documentation requirements for your cruise.
Click here to access contact information for Consulates and Embassies that can provide information about Visa requirements.
Legal Names
The cruise lines require the first and last names of passengers only, middle names are NOT required. The legal names provided MUST be
the same as the names that appear on the identification documents provided. Any misspellings or incorrect names may at a minimum incur a
name correction fee of up to $100 per passenger prior to sailing and even worse, passengers may be denied boarding by the cruise line if the
names are not correct. It is important that spelling of names be verified against booking confirmations and electronic/paper cruise documents.
Newlyweds must bring a copy of their marriage license and marriage certificate along with required identification documents to verify name
change because of marriage.
IMPORTANT - Improper identification documents and name misspellings are some of the most common problems that exist
with booking a cruise. It is important that any issues be resolved as soon as possible to avoid financial penalties or being
denied boarding.
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| ***You MUST have a valid U.S. Passport to sail on June 1, 2009*** |