The text explains that passengers are not obligated to book a shore excursion through Carnival to leave the ship. Public transportation is available at most ports, and passengers can visit local libraries, bookstores, or websites to determine their desired destination. There are many ports with activities within walking distance of the boat, such as Grand Cozumel, Mexico.
There are no rules that require booking a shore excursion from the cruise line, but there may be restrictions imposed by the cruise line. Some passengers prefer the flexibility of exploring on their own. In Cozumel, Mexico, passengers can exit the port gates and explore the city on their own. They can also find private tours on platforms like viator.com.
Shore excursions can be booked online before sailing up until the Pre-Sail cut-off time, 11:59pm ET, the evening prior to the cruise departure. Carnival excursions generally get off first in tender ports, while docking ports have a free-for-all policy. Guests who require special assistance will disembark with their luggage when their group is called through the HUB app notifications and will be escorted off. Tour operators and Carnival have the right to require any individual to withdraw from an excursion at any time if their conduct is deemed inappropriate.
In summary, passengers have the freedom to choose where to go on their cruise without booking a shore excursion. Public transportation is available at most ports, and passengers can explore the city on their own or book a discounted shore excursion. It is important to check the refund policy of your independent tour operator to ensure they are covered in case of any issues.
📹 6 things I’ll NEVER do on a Carnival cruise again!
After four Carnival cruises, here are the top things I’ll NEVER do again onboard! Read more: https://cruise.blog/
Do you have to use cruise excursions?
The majority of ports of call do not necessitate a shore excursion for exploration; however, certain destinations may require such an excursion or an independently operated guided tour due to the challenging nature of navigation or the lack of developed tourism infrastructure. To remain informed, you are invited to join the over 700, 000 readers who receive the latest news, comprehensive guides, and exclusive offers from TPG’s experts. By registering, you indicate your acceptance of the Terms of Use and acknowledgment of the data practices described in the Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Can you just get off a cruise ship?
When leaving a cruise ship at a port, it’s crucial to inquire about immigration status, restrictions, and laws in the destination country. If the cruise starts and ends in the U. S., a passport is not required, meaning there’s no trackable record of your presence. If you do have a passport, it likely hasn’t been stamped for entry. Without proper documentation, you can face complications. It’s essential not to go rogue, as this will alert cruise staff that you’re safe off the ship, not a missing person.
What happens if you no show on a Carnival cruise?
The penalty for non-payment of a cruise is the standard deposit amount, which is applied from the final payment date to 56 days prior to sailing. From 55 days to 30 days, the penalty is 50 of the Total Fare or the standard deposit amount, whichever is greater. From 29 to 15 days, the penalty is 75 of the Total Fare or the standard deposit amount, whichever is greater. From 14 days to the day of the cruise, the penalty is 100 of the Total Fare. No refunds will be made if the cruise is not attended or canceled.
The Total Fare includes Cruise Charges, Transfer Services, Pre/Post Cruise Vacation Packages, and Fly2Fun Air. Government Taxes and Fees, as shown on the cruise invoice, and any prepaid Service Gratuity are not subject to a cancellation penalty and will be refunded in case of cancellation. The Cruise Charges are the combination of the Cruise Fare and Required Cruise Fees and Expenses.
Are cruise ship excursions worth the money?
Shore excursions are a popular part of cruise trips, offering guided tours and private beach clubs to make the most of your time in each port. While not mandatory, they can be a worthwhile experience. Shore activities can be divided into two categories: those sold directly by the cruise line and those through local or third-party companies. As an avid cruiser, I have experienced both types of excursions and have had both positive and negative experiences.
One of my favorite shore excursions was a resort day pass in St. Kitts, booked through a third-party travel site, and another was a guided tour of top attractions in Jamaica, booked directly through Carnival while on one of their ships.
Does it cost money to get off a cruise ship at port?
Port charges, or fees, are imposed when a cruise ship docks at a port of call. Local authorities require these charges, and cruise lines collect them from the ports they’ll be heading to. The guests are responsible for paying these charges, as they may not make any money otherwise. The total port charges depend on the destinations visited and the number of stops in the itinerary. Other costs include docking tolls, ship inspection costs, harbor pilot payments, security services, and baggage handling costs.
Will a cruise ship leave port without you?
A cruise ship’s departure time is meticulously planned, and delays can lead to the ship leaving without passengers. Cruise ships, like airplanes, are on tight schedules, and delays can impact thousands of people, including passengers, dock workers, tour guides, and bus drivers. If a ship delays its departure by an hour while waiting for passengers, it may arrive an hour late at its next port of call. This situation can negatively impact not only passengers but also dock workers, tour guides, and bus drivers who have planned their day around the vessel’s arrival.
What happens if you don’t board a cruise?
Cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and NCL have policies in place to ensure that passengers are not left behind if they choose to participate in shore excursions or opt for private tours. These policies reflect the fact that the ship will wait for stragglers only if the passenger booked a shore excursion through the cruise line. For example, NCL passengers left behind in São Tomé and Príncipe were responsible for any necessary travel arrangements to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call. The cruise line reimbursed the eight guests for travel costs incurred during the journey.
Most major cruise lines have policies that provide protections for passengers who venture out on their own in port. Royal Caribbean guarantees that if their tour is delayed, the ship will wait for them, and in the unlikely event that the tour is significantly delayed, the ship will make all the arrangements for the passenger to return to the ship at no expense. The ship will not wait for any guest faring on their own, as it is their responsibility to be onboard before the ship’s scheduled departure time.
Can you just not get back on a cruise ship?
In the event of a passenger failing to return prior to the scheduled departure of the vessel, they will be deemed to have abandoned their berth. This is regardless of the number of passengers on board, as the ship’s itinerary may not permit the accommodation of additional passengers.
What do you do if cruise ship leaves without you?
If your cruise ship leaves without you, contact a port agent to help you find a place to board the ship. If you’re unsure if you’ll be at another port, these agents can assist you. If not, they can coordinate with the ship’s staff to arrange for your belongings to be shipped.
Call your cruise line’s customer service line and inform them of your missed boarding and their policies. Inform your emergency contacts and make preparations for your night’s accommodations, such as calling local hotels and making transportation arrangements.
Be realistic with your travel plans once your cruise ship leaves you. If you’re unsure about the next steps, reassess your travel plans and consider whether you need to return home. Keep in mind that most of your luggage and personal belongings will still be on the ship. Some travelers may choose to return home, while others enjoy their new destination.
Can I leave the cruise ship without an excursion?
Carnival does not require passengers to book shore excursions to leave the ship, as public transportation is available at each port. Instead, passengers can visit local libraries, bookstores, or websites to determine their desired destinations. Carnival does not offer alternatives from its established shore excursion program, but all excursions sold through Carnival are coordinated with reputable tour operators and include popular sites.
Booking excursions through Carnival guarantees the ship’s presence in port until all guests return, while independent excursions may not be recognized. Additionally, some ports may have visa requirements that may prevent passengers from venturing off on their own.
Can you get off a cruise ship before the final destination?
Should one intend to disembark at a port in order to circumvent returning to the ship before reaching one’s final destination, it is permissible to do so, provided that the purser on board is duly informed in order to prevent unnecessary searches.
📹 CRUISE WITHOUT PASSPORT
Did you know you can cruise without a passport? I just took my first no passport cruise. In this episode, I provide travel and cruise …
I have been on 11 cruises and have never used a passport. I have never had an issues with using just my license and birth certificate – no delays or any other problems. I just now got a passport because of all the covid craziness – I did not want to take a chance in a foreign country. I will say I recently cruised on the carnival Sunshine out of Charleston and the strange thing is we didn’t even have to go through customs when when returned to port after our cruise. Got off ship and we went right to the parking lot. How strange – I’ve had to go through customs on my last 10 cruises so not sure why it changed.
I commented earlier that I got my passport Pick Pocketed in Rome . It was a giant pain to go through the process of getting another. I did get a bit of information from the American Embassy that might be helpful to other travelers. We now take a photo copy of our passports and put them in our carryons, this makes the emergency replacement process much quicker if we misplace our original passport.
This was the first time my DH and I embarked and disembarked in New Orleans. We have nothing but praise for the whole set up. It was a very smooth process, and the workers were smiling and polite. We have been to a few other ports and let’s just say you feel like herded cattle. It’s nice to know what is entailed in cruising without a passport. As usual Tony, you explained it very well. Bottom line, if you do not have a passport then get one. It makes it easier and safer to do. Thanks for sharing!!
Here in Massachusetts we have the option to have a enhanced driver’s license. Supposedly to be able to travel within the US,Canada, Mexico and most of the Caribbean without a passport or birth certificate. I never trusted it. I always have my Passport for travel, the only exception is flying completely domestic. Very informative article. Thanks
Not all states use a raised seal. Another Youtuber ran into an issue a few months ago trying to board I think it was the Margaritaville ship. His BC was official, but didn’t have a raised seal and they initially denied him boarding. WA for example, has a color changing stamp. Mine from CA also isn’t a raised seal, but it’s still an official copy.
I got a passport back in the 1990s and used it a couple of times and then didn’t do much traveling after that. Over the years and moving, I had no idea where it was. I went on my first cruise to Bermuda on NCL last year and used my birth certificate & state ID. I did decide to apply for a new passport after that. I thought I might have trouble because I didn’t have my old one but it was easy. I had an extra form to fill out. I didn’t ask for rush processing and got it 5-6 weeks later. I’m going on my second cruise in April and it will definitely be easier dealing with one piece of ID rather than 2.
Yet another good reason to use a passport: Just got off the Valor this weekend, and oh my, that bc/id line was LONG. Like all the way back to the escalators. I felt sorry for those folks! No line at all for a passport, and you don’t even have to show it to them with the facial recognition (yes, the do have it in NOLA). A couple of people in my roll call got off the ship at about 9:30 and didn’t make it through that line until after 11.
You know…My father always said that I was born a woman because I was born in Japan and my Birth Certificate says US Citizen born…abroad…Yes Folks I will be here all week! Try the Veal! But True story! Our first two cruises we did with birth certificates. Actually when I travel in the US I only us my passport. It is just easier to me. Great show as always Tony!
I’m in a similar situation. I have a valid passport that expires in August of this year and had planned on renewing when I returned in early January from our Panama Canal trip. However, my global entry also was expiring this year in April and I was able to get a renewal appointment for end of January and needed my passport for that appointment. I’m cruising on Feb. 25 on a 7 day closed loop cruise on Princess out of Ft. Lauderdale. My passport, while still valid, won’t be valid for the full 6 months beyond the last date of the cruise, so I’m taking my certified birth certificate just in case. I plan on renewing my passport as soon as I return. Hard to schedule the renewal of the passport when you travel a lot!
Thank you so much for the information. My first cruise is next month and didn’t want to spend the money on a passport if I happened to find out I didn’t like cruising. this article is super helpful! (to explain: I am usually a camper….out in the woods, isolated, etc. I have high anxiety and bipolar) so, if I do happen to enjoy cruising, I will get my passport……we shall see…..and btw, all your articles have been amazing and so helpful! thanks.
Tony, you covered it well. In fact, you did better than your cruise line did as they didn’t mention the ability to get an emergency passport thru the State Department. The benefits of traveling on a passport, even when not required, are huge. You don’t see it until/unless something goes wrong. We don’t travel nearly as much as you do, but we still play the game of “when can we renew the passport without messing up travel plans.” Fortunately, we found that the time estimates on the web site are very generous. We renewed my daughter’s passport in 2022. The web site said 11 weeks, but the new one arrived in 6!
Grateful for this article! We are going on the Breakaway in March. This is our first time cruising. We didn’t have enough time to get our passports. Thought it would be okay for our first cruise, to see if we like it. We are only taking excursions with the cruise line, to ensure we don’t miss the ship. But I have been very anxious about it. This helped relieve some of that anxiety! Thank you! We will definitely be investing in passports in the near future.
Tony, we lost our passports after our Alaska cruise. Bob from Jenny’s office told us we could use our birth certificate. We have another trip soon that will require our passport. We made a article about the process. We posted it just before we left for the Vlogger’s Extravaganza. Let’s just say we do NOT recommend losing your passport! It was quite an expensive learning experience.
Yikes! I am in the exact same situation… Waiting for a passport renewal that may or may not arrive! Did the expedited, in person service at my local USPS on Jan 25 for a cruise that departs Mar 4 (NCL). So delighted to learn about the closed loop thing. (Who knew?!) Calling NCL to make sure I can do my cruise just in case my renewal is not back. Whew… Once again, La Lido Loco saves the day! (Or at least a lot of angst.) Thanks!!
Good information. Suggestion for a future article…. a review of the New Orleans Cruise Terminal. Very difficult from bag drop off up until the actual cruise check in. It appears that taxis and ride share drivers drop off at a different location and people have to walk a long distance in traffic and across rail lines – then it is quite confusing after you cross the tracks to figure out which line, etc. I felt bad for people with mobility issues navigating through that mess. For me… once in Norwegian’s check in line – all was good.
Tony, Matt had to use his birth certificate on the breakaway as well! He had to send his passport to China for approval for an upcoming work trip, and we did not get it back in time. It made me a little nervous, but everything went smoothly. although we did not get one of those documents stickers! 🤔
Yes totally agree!!! I have clients traveling on cruises all the time and I let them know upfront if something happens you can not fly back. What you went through with NCL i never heard of other lines doing that. Its Definitely not what others are doing. And virgin does close loop cruises and still require a passport to cruise.
I tried to explain to my Granddaughter she couldn’t cruise without a passport (since I’m so worldly with 5 past cruises) and she just boarded Carnival today from Miami for Cozumel…so I needed your message earlier so I wouldn’t be wrong AGAIN with the grandkids!! Oh well…better to be loved than always right!
I work at a Carnival cruise terminal and we have passport and birth certificate lines for passengers at debark. We don’t have stickers or even letters like you had at embark. That must be an NCL process. At check-in I always suggest passenger should get a passport in case or emergency. States with enhanced drivers licenses don’t need a Birth certificate. That would be New York, Vermont, Michigan, Minnesota and Washington state.
Every cruise we have gone to so far, has not required a passport. We live in Texas, and we cruise out of Galveston. Most of those cruises do NOT require a passport. 🙂 That being said, you definitely get to get through a lot of lines much faster than those just using a Birth Certificate. We have done it both ways and prefer having the passport. Galveston uses facial recognition, which makes it all fast too.
For any permanent residents of the USA, we do it and we use our Green Cards with no passport, it has to be a closed loop cruise. So far our 2 cruises have not given any issues but you cannot do pre checking on the app, you have to do it in person. Before anyone says “why not get a passport?”, I come from the crappy country of Venezuela and there is no embassy to renew my passport in the USA so that is why we do it this way. Edit: Unlike the birth certificate for Americans, you can in fact fly back to the USA with just your green card (Is on the CBP website)
I watched a couple get hassled in Ensenada Mexico trying to go through customs to get back on the ship. They were screaming and yelling (which is always helpful) saying they were told they didn’t need their passports. Customs didn’t care. Like others are saying, no need to risk it. Also, just a reminder that kids passports do not last as long. We found this out the hard way, we just didn’t realize how much time had passed.
I’ve been told that if you are in the renewal process, make sure you have a copy of your “old” passport in your phone that way if you get stuck in another country they can access the information and it makes it easier to get an emergency one. True or not, no idea BUT it’s always something to have during that time just in case. JMHO.
If you are traveling without a passport you are counting on absolutely nothing going wrong that requires another means of travel back to the U.S.A. I can think of many things that would require that, a medical emergency, ship running aground (which happened recently), missing the ship for any reason. Don’t be a pier runner if you don’t have a passport! I simply wouldn’t cruise without one. My passport expires later this year. We have nothing booked right now. I already submitted a renewal application so I will have one by the time we cruise again.
Would highly recommend passports for cruising. We have been on numerous cruises that did not require passports. However they cruise lines recommend them. Last summer cruised out of San Francisco with a return to San Francisco and a passport was required so glad we had them. Others were turned awAy at the port. At this point little to no refund as you were warned and told passports recommended.
In this particular case, since you renewed online, you still had a passport. It sounds like it would not yet have expired by the time you took your cruise. While your passport is technically cancelled when you start the online renewal process, it would have still worked as proof of citizenship and as an ID for embarkation. I was in this same situation, where I renewed online on January 5th, took my cruise on March 26th using my “cancelled” passport, and received my new passport around April 5th. In fact, some cruise ports will let you use your passport up to 10 years after it has expired, provided that it doesn’t have the two holes punched in the back cover. In any case, whenever you cruise with a questionable passport, always bring your birth certificate and drivers license, just in case.
Good info Tony. I’m glad the cruise line was letting people know that if they get stranded in a foreign country, flying home would be a challenge. Not everyone watches your website for this awesome info. I won’t cruise without a passport AND Travel insurance, thanks to you and Don. BTW, would travel insurance help cover the cost of a flight from one of those foreign countries that you may get stranded in?
I will have to renew my passport before April 2024 and I’m stressing already. I have my original birth certificate, but being a woman, it doesn’t match the name on my license. I’m in my second marriage, and I don’t have a copy of my first marriage certificate. Getting a copy is a huge hassle. Men have it easy.
It depends on what cruiseline you cruise on. Holland requires a passport for all travelers based upon which ports they’re going to. A birth certificate is only valid depending what the ports you’re going to AND in some cases, you’re not allowed off the ship at that specific port. We’re just encountering this right now and it’s a huge headache…🤯🤯
I have actually never used a passport to cruise. I have only cruised with Carnival, however (I have only been on 4 cruises), and they do not make you jump through as many hoops as NCL. I have never had to sign an additional form and neither have I had to wear a document sticker lol!!! The disembarkation process is the same as you described with the 2 lines when entering back with customs though. I do plan on getting my passport this year before my next cruise though, just so that I do not have to worry about it.
I always bring it but on my last 2 cruises I never needed it. I used it for embarkation but my state-issued ID would have been acceptable. The ports we stopped at did not ask for a passport when we returned to the ship. And, like in your case, 2 of the 3 ports didn’t even ask for a picture ID at all. All we needed was the ship card. At the port in Miami it was facial recognition upon disembarkation. Again, no passport needed. Of course, there’s always the chance they will ask to see it but it was never required and I could have theoretically left it home.
Hey Tony, perhaps do a vid walking folks through the ‘Passport renewal process’. I’m guessing that you might not have filmed it but perhaps you could do a ‘re-creation’ if you didn’t. I harken back to your great Covid online test vids. I can’t tell you how much perusal you do the EMed testing process eased our minds before we did it ourselves for the very first time. (And go watch both of your vids… nervous Tony dropping the test in #1; confident and experienced Tony in #2! See how that can help folks?) Well, Passport renewal is coming up in a year for us. Getting ‘Tony re-educated’ on the process would be fantastic.
I’ve never had a passport… I could have sworn we only needed a COPY and not the original “official” passport. I agree that the “in case of an emergency” reasons have always been a concern. I’ve only been saying since we started cruising, “I gotta get a passport!”… it’s only been like 12 or 13 years of cruising now…😅🤦🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️😬 We have only cruised Carnival, so I can’t speak for any other cruise lines….
My 10 yr old son’s passport expires while we will be on our next cruise (closed loop). At this point, it’s too late to get a new passport so I’m getting him a state ID, bringing the passport and his official birth certificate. Jamaica is the only port I’m not sure will allow him off the ship. We shall see!
Tony, I just found out, as in 2 weeks ago, I could NOT cruise without a passport because I was born overseas. I went to renew my passport, sent it off back in Nov and I finally got it 16 Feb. I called carnival and they said I MUST have a passport. I called the US State Dept and the National Passport Center. They too said I MUST have a passport to even board the ship. I’m well aware of the “closed loop” rule but that does NOT apply to those of us born overseas. If you need any further info, please feel free to PM me.
Just a side note not all certified birth certificates use a “raised seal”. Mine from Idaho and my kids from Indiana they use security paper instead now. On Royal we didn’t have to sign a paper because we didn’t have a passport. We also did not have to wear a sticker either but we did have the separate line.
First time I started cruising as an adult, I got the passport card because it seemed like it was geared towards cruising and that’s the only international travel I do so I did that. There weren’t really any notices back then about the issues with passport cards. Then checking in (ironically in New Orleans as you just did) got into a circular argument with the person at the check in desk. She’s holding my passport card and she kept asking where’s your passport, I’m like you’re holding it, and she just kept saying it over and over. Finally I’m like what are you asking for and she’s like this isn’t a passport do you have a passport, then she finally handed me that same paper you had a screenshot of. Needless to say, I have a normal passport now. Just not worth it. Not sure what the point of the passport card is at this point, just seems to add extra confusion where none is needed. Best to just get the normal passport even if all you do is cruise closed loop cruises.
The passport acceptance office here where I live is ridiculous – first come, first served, NO appointments, and only open weekday mornings and up to four hour wait time. And I need to get my kid his first passport, so I have to go in person. I’m too much of a worry wart to cruise without a passport for all of us… so I am actually thinking of going to another acceptance office 3 hours away because they do appointments.
We have a passport and a passport card. The card can be used in place of the passport for cruises to Mexico, Caribbean and Canada. We did this once when we needed visas for another trip and we had a cruise booked. Passport to visa service and card for the cruise. Also my card does not expire the same time as my passport.
I have a CLOBAL ENTRY card that I use going into Mexico so that I don’t have to carry my passport, I got it after a trip to Roma where I got Pick Pocketed. I havent tried it in other countries yet, but we are going to Australia in april and I’ll try it there.( Don’t worry I’ll have my Passport too} .
thanks so much for this article! awaiting my online renewal to be completed as well for a cruise the end of april. hope that gives them plenty of time. such a great thing reminding everyone about what happens if you get stranded or sick in a foreign place…thanks for all the great info. how long exactly did it take for you to get yours using the online process….
I had 2 different friends that had only their birth certificates both out of Long Beach one had to go to a different line that just took a few minutes longer, the other one actually had border patrol escort him off the ship. I waited outside for almost an hour when he finally came out and he told me they went through all of his belongings. I never experienced anything like that, but he did and that was actually his last cruise he took.
Love your shows, however, I believe your information may be misleading for many closed-loop trips. I understand about the closed-loop, but it doesn’t always work. Many countries will not let you in without a valid passport. If that is the case the ship will not let you board without one. Our upcoming closed-loop trip from Fort Lauderdale includes stops in central and South America. Princess requires a valid passport to board. Recently there was a news article that stated Princess would not let dozens of people board because they did not have passports with them. They misunderstood the closed-loop scenario. Princess stated that passport information was in the important notices, provided to the passengers, but apparently failed to read them. I personally would never travel outside our country with my U.S. passport. Keep up the good work!
Hello Tony we have the same problem here in Sydney we are on Ovation in March we always travel with a passport but our sons lapsed and he has to use a State ID we had trouble entering details on the check-in in the app had to ring RCCL they told me it is an issue and to enter the number beneath the passport field all good now. We will never let a passport lapse again.
You seem pretty knowledgeable about cruises. Heres my question. My friend ans i booked a cruise with msc. We bought all rhe insurance. 3 daya before the cruise my friend became deathly ill, needless to say qe had to cancel. I have submitted all the paperwork requested, ans received an acknowledgement They got it all. We got a note from her dr. Stating she was roo sick to travel. Do you think msc will honor any if it? So dar we have not heard even a whisper, but its only been a week.
No password cruises work OK for men. But for a woman without a passport can be a very big Pain in the U Know What. In 2022 my girlfriend was refused boarding on a Princess cruise with me because she did not have her Marriage and her Divorce papers with her. Maiden names and married names ain’t the same, especially with multiple Marriages Los Angeles cruise ports use Third Party Company to process you. Six months prior to our cruise. Not just one Princess rep, but her supervisor BOTH told us it was just fine for her to cruise with a LA county certified birth certificate. . Cruise lines will lie there asses off to take your money, Then say SORRY, its MY responsibility to check the laws, and refuse except any responsibility and refuse to give any credits or refunds. Buyer Beware. Never cruise without a passport . NO EXCEPTIONS. I just hope my experience can help other cruisers to not have go through what we went through. .
I am part of a cruise FB page and almost daily there is a discussion about passport vs BC. Most people say leave the passport on the ship and thats what the cruise lines recommend. To me I don’t want to be stuck without it or having to rely on the cruiseline to empty out my safe and room. What are your thoughts on taking the passport off the ship? Mine stays with me the whole time in a waterproof pouch. But now I am second guessing myself.
This is something I really don’t understand. …or rather; I don’t understand what the problem is?!? If a US citizen is cruising out of Florida to the Carribean for example, they don’t NEED a passport with them… is that correct? So having read the comments to this article, it seems that this has caused a lot of problems for cruisers. If it has, why not bring your passport with you in the first place?!? Why is it so important for people to NOT bring their passport on a cruise? It can’t be for financial reasons (passports cost money!), because cruisers have already paid $1000s for the cruise itself, so to buy a passport lasting 5 or 10 years cannot be that much of a financial strain… I am not asking this to try to be ‘funny’ but I genuinly try to understand what the problem is? In short, why is it so important for people to not have to bring a passport?