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If you aren’t sure, please ask your cruise line about this in advance. A closed loop cruise refers only to U.S. immigration regulations and passport requirements for U.S. citizens. It does not reflect those of the destinations on the closed loop cruise. Note, however, that this does not necessarily mean that the countries on your itinerary, especially in the Caribbean, won’t still require you to have a passport to enter.
Limited time cruise deals
Be aware you can not fly internationally without a passport so if something happened mid-cruise and you needed to fly home, you couldn't. There are NO countries in the Caribbean that require a US citizen to have a passport when arriving by cruise ship AND on a closed loop cruise. There are different rules still if you’re a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) of the U.S. While the U.S. government does not require you to have a passport, destinations on the itinerary may have different rules, so it’s always advisable to check. If you are an LPR, you’ll need your I-551, or Green Card, to re-enter the U.S.
Accepted Identification for European Citizens
But if you’re looking for an incredible Alaskan experience, head out west to Seattle and catch a trip to The Last Frontier with HAL. Though cruise ships and their contracted ports of call may change annually, here’s a list of cruise lines and expected ports they sail from. Specifically, on a closed-loop cruise, U.S. citizens were required to have only a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID. Have to agree with @twangster on this one, if you search the boards you will find that this very subject has been debated to death. It is our preference to carry them anytime we are outside of USA, just in case.
Closed-Loop Cruises: Popular Port Cities from the United States
Outside of the Americas, there are other countries within the boundaries of the Western Hemisphere. The following countries or territories are also within and available for cruising from a U.S. port. Since these cruises stay within the Western Hemisphere, this provides a broad list of available countries.
Travel document requirements for sailings from U.S. homeports (excluding Honoulu, Hawaii & Seward, Alaska)
The most popular Mexican Riviera cruise ports include Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta on 7-day cruises. However, La Paz, Loreto, and Manzanillo are popular on longer cruises of 8-14 days. The WHTI introduced the concept of a ‘closed-loop cruise’ as a cruise that begins and ends in the same U.S. port. This type of sailing was granted special documentation requirements to simplify travel. However, travelers do need appropriate government-issued documentation when they cruise. This particular type of itinerary begins and ends in the same U.S. port.
Cape Liberty to Bermuda
The short answer is that EDLs can be used for limited border crossings and is only available in specific border states. Whereas a Real ID is available in all states, it cannot be used to cross borders like an EDL or passport. A cruise that departs from one port and arrives/ends at a separate port of call is known as an “Open-Jaw Cruise.” Sometimes they’re referred to as “Open Loop” or “Repositioning” cruises.
What Is A U.S. Passport Card?
Destinations You Can Visit Without a Passport on Major Cruises - Business Insider
Destinations You Can Visit Without a Passport on Major Cruises.
Posted: Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
There are a number of good reasons to have a passport but there is a difference between it being a good idea and it being "required". I am glad that you figured it out, it could have been a costly mistake. From what I've been reading passports are being processed rather timely so she will probably be ok.
It’s your responsibility to ensure you have all the proper documentation to board the ship and enter each of the countries your cruise visits. And government authorities may require you to have a visa or meet other requirements. Passports are currently taking up to 18 weeks as there are significant backlogs at many offices. Those offices actually CLOSED for many months last year with no work moving at all until they reopened.
You’ll have three full days at sea on this itinerary to soak up the Pacific sunshine and enjoy Celebrity Millennium. You’ll enjoy a luxurious suite and dine in the beautiful, fine dining Luminae restaurant, exclusive to guests of this tranquil enclave. You’ll also visit Juneau, the perfect spot for whale-watching, hiking, and thrilling flightseeing trips over snow-covered mountains. In Skagway, you’ll have the chance to ride the spectacular White Pass and Yukon Route railroad, heading high over rugged passes, following the trail of hardy prospectors from the Gold Rush days. You’ll visit pretty Ketchikan, from where you could join a bear-spotting tour, try kayaking, join an expedition to fish for king crab, or just explore the colorful town. The spectacle of this vast river of ice meeting the sea is a highlight of the day.
There are many types of cruises, but in recent years one that is becoming more popular is the closed-loop cruise. One reason for this is simple; there are no passport requirements. If you're concerned about the cost of the passport, see if the places you're travelling to accept the passport card instead of the book.
I have not looked at the itinerary of the cruise you are talking about, but here´s my thought on it. Starting and ending in Miami would make it a closed loop cruise and thus you may not need a passport for leaving and re-entering the US. However you state there´s one port on the itinerary that requires a passport and that brings me to a point that seems often be missed in a lot of these passport discussions. Every voyage on a ship that’s not U.S. flagged, departing from and returning to a U.S. port must, according to maritime law, visit one foreign port of call. This is why you’ll find Alaska cruises stopping in Vancouver, or Western Caribbean cruises calling in at Cancun.
Additionally, visas or travel permits may be required to enter some countries. Is the cruise from Miami that goes through the canal considered to be closed-loop, I know it goes from Miami and returns to Miami, but one of the stops requires passports. In most cases, possessing a valid passport isn’t a requirement for closed-loop cruises, which are voyages that start and conclude at the same U.S. port. However, it’s important to note that there may be exceptions to this rule. Royal Caribbean, a widely recognized cruise line, also offers closed loop cruises.
