Welcome Aboard, Jeanette!
I am so happy you have joined us here at
planDisney with your question. I'm even happier to hear that you are thinking of a
Disney Cruise Line vacation. There is nothing else like it!
Well, I think I have some excellent news for you: as long as you are sailing on what is known as a
"Closed loop" Cruise, meaning that you depart from and return to the same US Port, a passport is not required. For these voyages, you can present an original or certified copy of your birth certificate AND a valid, government-issued ID. Guests 15-years old and younger do not need to present a government-issued ID, only their birth certificate.
What that means is that there are many Disney Cruise Line vacations that are available to you without a passport! Are you looking for excitement? You could journey to the
Bahamas and enjoy
Disney Castaway Cay. You could sail to the
Caribbean to lounge on beautiful beaches and explore historic sites. Go
Zip Lining,
visit a butterfly farm while on a suspension bridge adventure, ride in style in a
Beach Buggy, attend a
Paella cooking demonstration, go
sailing and snorkeling for the afternoon, make pals with a
dolphin, and so much more. There are so many opportunities available to you!
Now, I do
recommend strongly that you consider going through the process to have a passport. Not only will they unlock journeys to other parts of the world (you might find yourself in love with exploration!) They also add the convenience of one form of identification for each Guest in your group. Finally, and most importantly, they add a layer of security to your voyage. If, for some reason, you need to fly home rather than sail home, from a foreign Port of Call, a passport will be required.
Quick Tip: if you do decide to obtain passports, I like to make a couple of quick photocopies of the information page. I leave one with a trusted friend on land and I place another in our luggage. That way, if a passport were lost while in another country, we might have an easier process to obtain a new one.
I hope that's helpful, Jeanette! Come back and visit us with any other questions as you begin planning your first Disney Cruise Line Vacation! We'll "Sea" ya real soon!
Adventure is out there,
Sally