Ahoy, Matey!
Welcome aboard planDisney! Making sure you have the right travel documents is one of the smartest things you can do before setting sail. It may not be as exciting as choosing your
Port Adventures or counting down to embarkation day, but it can save you from a major headache later on!
No matter where your family is sailing, I always recommend that everyone in your crew travels with a valid passport. While it isn't always required, it does make embarkation and debarkation a little smoother. More importantly, if an unexpected situation ever requires you to leave the cruise early and fly home from another country, having a
passport can make the process much easier.
Whether you need a passport depends on your citizenship and the itinerary you've booked. If you're a U.S. citizen sailing a closed-loop cruise that departs from and returns to the same U.S. port, such as many Caribbean itineraries, a passport is not currently required. Instead, adults may sail with an original state-issued birth certificate (photocopies are not accepted) along with a physical government-issued photo ID. Guests 15 years old and younger can currently sail with just an original birth certificate and do not need a photo ID.
On the other hand, some itineraries do require a passport even if they begin and end in the United States. A great example is a Panama Canal sailing that departs from one U.S. coast and ends on the other. Because documentation requirements vary by itinerary, I always recommend
checking the requirements for your specific sailing before you pack your bags.
I hope this helps you feel confident as you
get everything ready for your voyage. Once your travel documents are tucked safely away, you can leave the planning on shore and focus on making magical memories with your crew.
Sea ya real soon with sunshine on deck and fireworks lighting up the night sky,
Dustin