What’s the alternative? Instead of providing a passport, you can show proof of identification (such as a driver’s license) and proof of citizenship (a birth certificate) to board your cruise. Both passport cards and passport books are valid identifying documents for these sailings, but you also have a third option. homeport and only visit destinations in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean – do not require passports. Specifically, as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, closed-loop cruises – those that depart and return to the same U.S. If your cruise involves international flights, you will need a passport book – not a card – with no exceptions.Ĭruises out of U.S. Do I need a passport card or book for my cruise? A passport book costs $145 for adults and $115 for children under 16 renewals cost $110.īoth passport cards and books are valid for the same length of time (10 years for adults, 5 years for children) and can be used in lieu of other state-issued IDs. Passport books are larger than passport cards and have multiple pages for customs officials to stamp or affix visas. to a foreign country to begin your cruise, or flying home after a cruise that ends internationally, you cannot use a passport card and must show a passport book. The biggest difference between a passport card and a passport book is that a passport book is valid for international air travel and any travel beyond the Western Hemisphere, while a passport card is not.
What’s the difference between a passport card and book? Passport cards are valid for 10 years (5 years for children). How much does a passport card cost?Ī passport card costs $65 for adults and $50 for children under age 16.
CROSSING MEXICO BORDER WITH DRIVER LICENSE LICENSE
Note that a passport card is considered a Real I.D., so you can use it in lieu of your driver’s license to fly domestically to a U.S.-based cruise homeport. – including flights to or from Canada for an Alaska or Canada/New England cruise – you cannot use a passport card as your sole identification. If you have to fly between your cruise homeport and the U.S. Passport cards are not accepted identification for air travel, and you cannot use them to fly internationally. Can you use a passport card to fly or cruise internationally? through a seaport, the customs and immigration officials at the port will recognize your passport card as a valid travel document. You can use a passport card as legitimate identification on your cruise if you’re sailing exclusively to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or Caribbean countries. (Photo by Evgenia Parajanian/Shutterstock) The catch is that it is only valid for travel by land or sea. after travel within the countries that are included in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
Can I use a passport card to go on a cruise?Ī passport card is an acceptable form of documentation when you’re returning to the U.S. citizenship for travel and other purposes. You can use it as official proof of your identity and U.S. It’s an alternative form of government I.D. passports, which come in the form of a booklet with a blue cover, a passport card is a wallet-sized card, similar to a driver’s license. A passport book will serve as acceptable proof of identification and citizenship at any cruise port, airport or border crossing.īut if you are hoping to save money by not purchasing unnecessary government-issued IDs, read our FAQ below to discover how a passport card compares to a passport book, and which travel documents you absolutely need for your next cruise.įor cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter What is a passport card? a passport book, and you can’t bear to wade through the fine print, the safer choice is always to get the passport book. If you’re deciding whether to get a passport card vs.
Which do you need for your cruise, and do you actually need a passport at all? Cue the hand-wringing. State Department can issue you a passport book or a passport card. You’re traveling internationally on your next cruise, so you go to order a passport … and realize that the process isn’t as straightforward as you thought.