Ahoy, Richard, and welcome to planDisney! What an adventure you have ahead of you on Disney Cruise Line! You're going to love the magic of being out at sea. I'm so thrilled for you!
Thanks for asking this great question about required documentation. For round-trip sailings from/to San Diego travelers must have an original valid US passport OR original state-issued birth certificate AND a physical government-issued photo ID, like you mentioned. There are other documents that could also work in lieu of these particular documents, however, and they are listed
on the Disney Cruise Line website, including more details about documentation for all Disney Cruise sailings.
So, in short, it is not required to have a passport in order to travel on a Disney Cruise sailing from/to San Diego, at this time, if you have the necessary replacement documents.
That said, Richard, Disney does recommend that Guests carry a valid passport with them when traveling. In the unlikely event that an emergency should occur requiring a flight home from a foreign port, a passport allows for a swift journey home.
TIP: The
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App will be your best pal while aboard your cruise. The entire list of daily activities, from Kids Club to trivia, movie showings to dance parties, was in the app. I could easily scroll through and give a little "heart" to anything that interested me, and it would automatically create my own personal itinerary with all my favorite picks! It was so helpful to keep track of all the fun happenings offered on the ship.
That should get you on your way, Richard! I hope I answered your question, and it was helpful in your planning. Some of my family's fondest memories are from our time with Mickey and Pals aboard a Disney Cruise and I sincerely wish you the most magical voyage.
McCayla