Welcome aboard, Jodi! Your grandkids are pretty lucky to have such a cool grandmother who wants to surprise them with a Disney cruise! There is so much magic in store, no matter which ship you choose with Disney Cruise Line! And a stop at Castaway Cay is an absolute must!
For Disney's Bahamian and Caribbean sailings, passports are not required for U.S. citizens, though they are suggested. Guests without passports can sail with their state-issued birth certificate (copy or original), and government-issued photo ID (like driver's license) for those guests 16 and older. Younger guests can sail with just their birth certificate. If the kids' parents are not joining you, you'll also need to fill out the
minor authorization form with their parents before they sail with you and without their parents.
Check out more details about
passport and travel document requirements on Disney Cruise Line's webpage. My family likes to sail with passports just to be safe in the unlikely event that an emergency in a foreign port would find us missing the ship or needing to fly home from that port of call. Having a passport simplifies that process, but again is not absolutely required to sail with Disney. If you do choose to obtain passports, you must do so in advance, as it can take weeks and sometimes months to receive your passport for the first time.
Have fun planning, Jodi! Stop back with any other questions you might have before you set sail!