Will You Need a Passport for a Last-Minute Cruise?

Will You Need a Passport for a Last-Minute Cruise

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If winter's cold, wet weather has you down, now is a good time to look for last-minute deals on winter cruises. Cruise lines are in a hurry to fill their extra cabins, so you can snag great prices on cruises departing in December, January and February.

According to CruiseCritic.com, "With a bit of flexibility, you'll likely be able to snag a good rate, and maybe even a few added bonuses, such as onboard credits, prepaid gratuities and cabin upgrades."

But does booking a last-minute cruise mean that you'll also need a last-minute passport? It's possible. The final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) became law in June of 2009. Under the WHTI, people traveling by land or sea to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean need one of the following documents:

A US passport book

A US passport card

An enhanced driver's license, which at the moment is only issued by certain states

A card from a "trusted traveler" program, like a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card.

There is, however, an exception: if you are on a closed-loop cruise, which is a cruise that begins and ends at the same US port, you can simply bring government-issued photo ID, like a driver's license, and a certified copy of your official birth certificate.

One important thing to remember: all international air travel requires a valid passport book, so if you're using another form of identification for the cruise, you will have difficulties if you have an emergency and need to fly back to the states. Likewise, if you're cruising anywhere other than Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean, you will need a US passport book.

If you do need a passport in less than 2 weeks, you can either make an appointment at a passport agency or use the services of a private passport expediting company like Rush My Passport.

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