Ahoy, Susan!
Welcome aboard the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I'm so excited to hEAR that you and your son will be setting sail to paradise on an upcoming Disney Cruise! One of the many reasons why my family loves to take Disney Cruise Line vacations is because they make it such an inclusive experience for my son who has multiple medical, physical and developmental challenges. There will be
many activities to choose from each day offered to Guests with all ranges of abilities!
Knowing what kind of documentation is needed before embarking on your high-seas adventure is so important! Adult Guests who are U.S. citizens taking a closed loop cruise from a U.S. port, and returning to the same U.S. port, do not need passports in order to set sail. Instead, they may bring a valid Government-issued photo I.D. along with the original (or copy) of their state-issued birth certificate. Even if you're not planning on debarking the ship in Nassau, proper documentation is still needed at the Cruise Terminal while checking in on embarkation day. Before your Disney Cruise sets sail, I recommend checking out the
Passports & Travel Documentation page on Disney Cruise Line's website for the most up-to-date information!
Susan, even though you and your son aren't required to have a passport for your upcoming Disney Cruise, I recommend thinking about each getting one! On the off chance there is an unexpected emergency resulting in you needing to catch a flight while visiting a port of call outside the U.S., having valid passports will allow you to travel home without delay.
Beth