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NEW PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
U.S.
Passport
There has
been much attention on the new travel requirements for U.S. Citizens
going into effect on June 1, 2009, and we would like to clarify
this for you. While the new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
(WHTI) requires valid passports for land and sea travel, a final
ruling was issued allowing leniency for “closed-loop”
cruises, i.e., sailings that both originate and terminate in the
same U.S. port.
U.S. citizens
taking “closed-loop” cruises are not required to have
a passport but will need proof of citizenship and a government-issued
photo ID, such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate
and a driver’s license. Children will also be required to
carry a birth certificate and a photo ID if over the age of 15.
Although
a passport is not required for “closed loop” cruises,
we strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid
for at least six months beyond completion of travel), a passport
card or an enhanced driver’s license (EDL). Having these
documents will enable them to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port
in the event they miss their scheduled embarkation or to fly back
to the U.S. if they need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due
to an emergency.
If a cruise
begins and ends in different U.S. ports or begins and ends in
a foreign port, a valid passport or other recognized WHTI-compliant
document is required. A valid passport is required if you are
traveling on any of our Europe cruises.
For more
information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to
obtain a passport application, visit www.travel.state.gov
I would like
to take this opportunity to remind you that ALL guests need proof
of citizenship in order to travel and failure to present a valid
document at check in will result in denied boarding and no refund
will be issued.
For
more detailed information
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