Ahoy there, Joseph, welcome aboard planDisney!
Ah, the ever-important topic of
Travel Documentation! It may seem like a boring topic, but it's so important to be sure you and your crew have the proper documents so you can enjoy everything about your upcoming Disney Cruise Line vacation! I see your sailing is just around the corner, so there's no time to waste in getting you an answer!
I'm so glad to hear you're planning on traveling with passports! A passport always gives my family peace of mind, should anything happen to me or my crew in a non-US port, we'd be able to get home without issue!
When it comes to whether you'll need them in advance, the short answer is yes.
During your Online Check-In process (which opens up 30 days before your sailing), you'll be asked to upload your travel documentation. If your passports are still not here by the time your Online Check-In opens, don't despair! Since many of the incredible itineraries available aboard Disney Cruise Line are closed-loop - and as such can be sailed upon by US citizens with just an original birth certificate and government-issued photo ID.
With any hope, your passports will be in hand by the time you check in, but if they are still making their way to you, I'd suggest using alternative approved travel documentation and bringing your passports with you once they arrive. This way, you'll be satisfying the requirements for check-in, but also have the power of the passports, too!
Thank you so much for your question, Joseph, and if any others surface while you continue planning, please drop me another line here at planDisney!
Until then, may your anchor be tight and your compass true!
Andrew