Required vs recommended travel documents – ID’s, birth certificates, passports, etc – seem to be a hot topic on many social media forums. This is due to the fact that the documents Disney Cruise Line requires vary depending on your own country of citizenship, the port of departure, and the port of return for your cruise. Show
Where Can I Find the Documents Required for my Cruise?The two sources to which any reputable travel professional will direct you to in order to answer this are the official Disney Cruise Line site – which lists every single possible combination of acceptable documentation, and the United States State department which instructs you how to obtain passports for your family and also publishes travel advisories.
Why Do Document Requirements Vary?This is a great question. If Disney Cruise Line would simply say everyone is required to have a passport and applicable visas on all sailings, this wouldn’t even be a topic of discussion. However, on some closed-loop cruises – which are cruises that depart and return to the same U.S. port – United States citizens are only required to provide a photo ID and a birth certificate (guests under 15 years of age do not even need the photo ID). There is also a small list of other documents which provide acceptable proof of citizenship, but REAL ID driver’s licenses are not on this list. The birth certificate and photo ID combination is very attractive because passports are costly and can take quite a long time to procure. Disney, and other cruise lines, allow this birth certificate loophole, but that does not mean you should be eager to seek this option. If you are a US citizen, and your cruise leaves from a port in any country but the United States, you need a passport.  Passports are the Gold Standard for Proof of CitizenshipNo one questions the authenticity of a passport. On embarkation day, you will be required to produce your proof of citizenship documents when you check in at the terminal. While copies of birth certificates are technically acceptable, I have read stories of guests being questioned about the document’s authenticity when state stamps are not visible. I would not want my vacation to be in jeopardy at the port because an agent couldn’t accept one of my documents. If there is an emergency onboard or in port, and you need to fly home, a passport will help you get home quickly. Passports Provide Peace of Mind for CruisersAny time you cruise you are traveling internationally. Even a quick cruise to the Bahamas means you are leaving the United States and heading into international waters and into a foreign port of call. Disney Cruise Line is a great way for families with small children to travel internationally for the first time. The cruise provides a safe and contained mode of transport and a way to explore foreign destinations. In the unlikely event you need to end your cruise early – due to illness or injury – and fly home, a passport is the easiest and quickest way for you to be able to purchase tickets, clear immigration and customs checkpoints, and get home. Without a passport, you may find yourself in need of assistance from an embassy or consulate, which adds additional stress when trying to arrange quick transport home. On our last cruise, a young child suffered an injury that required medical attention at a hospital. We found out first hand how quickly the Disney Dream can sail, as we steamed back to Nassau at top speed. Emergencies happen to any guest at any age. Post COVID-19 TravelGiven the unpredictable nature of viruses, it would only take a small outbreak of illness to potentially have a guest quarantined onboard. If you find yourself ill, and in need of care at a foreign port of call, you will need to arrange a way to travel home. Having a passport means that you do not have any additional red tape to deal with during an already stressful situation. Additional ResourcesThe US State Department has an information page specifically for cruise passengers. Make sure you check that out.
You Have to Make the Decision for Your FamilyHaving a gaggle of young adults in my house, I have never traveled internationally with them without passports. My oldest son looked like a man at the age of 14 – facial hair and all. Thank goodness we had a photo ID to prove his age. He was even stopped by the Bahamian officials on Castaway Cay upon reentering the dock to board because he didn’t have a photo ID with his Key to the World card. Only guests over 18 were required to take photo ID onto the island, but upon seeing his key card, they realized he was a teenager and let him pass without incident. Passports can give you peace of mind even when you are not facing an emergency situation. I am all for that. What are your experiences? Have you sailed without a passport, but wished you had one, or was your travel uneventful and you were happy to have saved the time and money required to obtain a passport? About Post AuthorMelanie ClatfelterMelanie is the mom of three young adults. She is a native Floridian who now lives in North Carolina. She is a Gold Castaway Club Member who has sailed on all four of the current ships at least once and is ready to set sail on the Disney Wish this fall. Which Disney cruises do not require a passport?Passports are not required for what are called closed loop cruises. Those are cruises that depart from and return to a US port and go to places like the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
What kind of ID do you need to go on a cruise to The Bahamas?If you are cruising to the Bahamas from the U.S., the following documents are acceptable: passport book, passport card, Trusted Traveler card (Nexus, SENTRI, or FAST), or an enhanced driver's license.
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Do you need a passport for disney cruise to bahamas
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