The exact type of documents you need for your cruise depends on where you are visiting. Some ports require visas and you must obtain one before your cruise departs.
Fortunately, this almost never happens when traveling from the United States. In most cases, no special documents are needed. However, a passport is required, although there is a way around this.
Related: Celebrity Cruises' Captain Kate Shares Key Tips for Couples
A Holland America customer brought up the document issue to the cruise line for a cruise she was taking that would make a brief stop in Canada but otherwise only visit U.S. ports.
It is important to note that cruise ships departing from the United States must make at least one stop in a foreign port. This is due to a very old law.
“There is a law from the 1830s that states that foreign-flagged ships cannot carry passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country. The law was put in place to protect U.S.-flagged cruise lines, but it is sadly outdated,” Cruise Job Finder shared.
In fact, U.S.-flagged cruises have been very rare due to the business's finances. That means that almost all cruises leaving from U.S. ports will require some form of travel document.
Image source: Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
What documents do cruises require?
One cruiser took to Reddit to share an interaction he had with Holland America to find out what documents they needed for this upcoming cruise.
“Next week we're sailing to Alaska, doing a loop from Seattle to Seattle and a short stop in Victoria, British Columbia. We didn't get passports because I read that we didn't need them for a loop, but today I read that the Netherlands requires passports for Alaska. Does anyone know for sure?” Eurodam shared.
While many people responded on the Reddit board, the cruise line did respond to the original question.
“Update: I finally got through to the documentation department and they told me the same thing many of you have. Birth certificate with driver's license is acceptable but they warned me that if we don't get back on the ship in time in Victoria we will be stranded without passports and that's why they highly recommend having it but it's not required,” they posted.
A closed-loop cruise is a cruise that begins and ends in the same U.S. port and travels within the Western Hemisphere. This means that U.S. citizens taking a closed-loop cruise do not need a passport to travel, even if the cruise visits international ports.
READ ALSO: Top travel agents share how to get the best price on your cruise
However, it is highly recommended to have a passport for any travel abroad because if you miss the ship you will not be able to get on a plane to return to the US.
“I think it's foolish to travel out of the country without a passport,” wrote IntelligentAge211. “You don't need a passport until you have one.”
Are you taking a cruise or thinking about taking one? Visit our Come Cruise With Me website to get all your questions answered.
