Few things can turn pre-travel excitement to disappointment quite like realizing your passport is expired. But even if it’s no longer valid – or you couldn’t get one in time – you may still be able to take a trip outside the United States.
Travelers can board certain cruises with alternate identification, depending on where they’re going – potentially even saving time and money in the process. However, there can be risks to embarking without one.
“My advice is simple: Don’t let saving the cost of a passport turn a wonderful vacation into an expensive travel nightmare," Lainey Melnick, a luxury travel adviser and Dream Vacations branch owner, told USA TODAY.
Here's what to know.
Do you need a passport to take a cruise?
Not on closed-loop cruises. Those are sailings that begin and end at the
same U.S. port and sail in the Western Hemisphere, according to Customs and Border Protection. “For instance, if you board a cruise ship at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and after visiting at least one foreign port of call, such as Bermuda, or Cancun, and return to Fort Lauderdale, you have taken a closed loop cruise,” theagency’s website said.
U.S. citizens can leave and re-enter the country with other proof of citizenship instead. Those include Enhanced Driver’s Licenses or a birth certificate and – if they are 16 or older – a government-issued photo ID. The birth certificate must be issued by the government, as well.
“An U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notarized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State, (DOS) and/or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),” CBP said.
American travelers also typically don’t need to bring a passport on river cruises within the United States.
What are the downsides of taking a cruise without a passport?
Melnick said passports are “just easier and safer.” Even if U.S. government rules permit cruising without one, cruise lines may require passengers to have them due to rules in one or more of the ports on the itinerary, according to CBP.
Travelers may also need them if something goes wrong.
“I always recommend traveling with a valid passport even when it’s not required,” she said in an email. “If you miss your ship in an international port, experience a medical emergency or for whatever reason need to fly home from a foreign port, a birth certificate and driver’s license won’t get you on an international flight. You could face delays and additional expenses obtaining an emergency passport through a U.S. embassy or consulate.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do I need a passport to take a cruise? Not on these sailings
