Ahoy there, Taylor!
Welcome aboard planDisney! From one military member to another, thank you so much for your service. Your Disney cruise is just around the corner, and I can already hear the ship’s horn playing “When You Wish Upon a Star”—so let’s make sure you’re ready to sail smoothly through embarkation!
When it comes to using a military passport, it really depends on which kind you’ve got in your sea bag. If you're referring to the official maroon passport, that one is a no-go for personal travel—it's only for official duty and won’t get you past the gangway on a Disney cruise. But if you were issued a blue no-fee passport for dependents or specific PCS-related travel (like when my crew moved to Alaska), that’s where things get a little more interesting.
Those blue passports look just like a standard tourist passport, but they’re technically government-issued and often expire after five years instead of the usual ten. Even though they look like the real deal, it’s important to remember they’re meant for official government travel and not always approved for personal use—including vacations. So, while it might work, I highly recommend double-checking with the military office that issued the passport or contacting the U.S. Department of State for clarity. The last thing you want is to be stuck in port while the ship sails off into the Bahamian sunset without you.
Now here’s the good news, and it’s as sweet as a Mickey ice cream bar on a sea day: U.S. Customs does allow U.S. citizens to sail on closed-loop Bahamian cruises with just an
original state-issued birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID (like your driver’s license or military ID). That option works perfectly for adult Guests. For any junior sailors under 16 in your party, they can cruise with just the original birth certificate—no ID required. Just be sure you're bringing original documents—no photocopies or hospital-issued certificates, or you may hit a snag at the port.
While we’re talking documents, I always recommend traveling with a valid tourist passport whenever possible. It's the smoothest sailing in the
event of an unexpected detour—like needing to fly home from a foreign port—and makes debarkation a breeze thanks to facial recognition at U.S. Customs.
So Taylor, whether you're using a passport or your trusty birth certificate combo, I hope your voyage is full of sunshine,
Castaway Cay breezes, and magical moments you’ll never forget.
Sea ya real soon as May brings sunshine, magical ports, and maybe a Mickey bar or two,
Dustin