Complete Guide to Taking an Alaskan Cruise What Its Like
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If you’re sailing on a closed-loop cruise, American citizens can use a U.S. birth certificate and government-issued photo I.D. Passengers under the age of 16 only need an official birth certificate. If you’re traveling by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean, you can bring a U.S. passport card instead of a passport book.
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We recommend investing in a passport cover or wallet to protect your pages from bends, tears and spills. It’s important to keep your passport in good condition for easy inspection. Don’t forget your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date you plan to leave Canada. Cruises to Alaska can vary greatly, but even a good deal will typically be $600-$700 per person as a minimum for an interior cabin. Of course, then you have port fees and taxes, as well as gratuities, onboard spending, and more. Unlike places in the continental United States, much of Alaska is not easily accessible via car.
Do you need a passport if you fly to an international cruise departure port?
You might assume that a passport isn’t required to enter Alaska since it is considered domestic travel within the U.S., but that’s not always true. While Alaska passport requirements state that a passport isn’t required for arrival by plane, a passport is generally necessary when visiting via car, and you may also need one when visiting by cruise ship. You’ll need a valid passport if your Alaskan cruise begins or ends in a Canadian cruise port. A passport is required because you’ll be crossing international borders, and the authorities must verify your identity and citizenship.
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Customs and Border Protection says they do not require you to have a passport, but that it will likely be required by other countries that you visit. What if you aren’t an American citizen sailing from the United States and returning on a closed-loop cruise? There are also some “Inside Passage” sailings on smaller ships (where you may fly into and out of an Alaskan airport from the Continental U.S.) and do not make a stop in Canada.
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Special Cases: Small Ship Cruises and Shore Excursions
This is because a valid passport makes it much simpler to return home should something unexpected happen that requires you to disembark from the ship in another nation (medical emergency, ship breakdown, etc.). Even the US State Department advises that you travel with one. To re-enter the nation, citizens of the United States on these cruises simply need to present a birth certificate and a form of government-issued identification, usually a driver’s license. Most countries do not require U.S.Citizens to have a visa to travel if they are arriving by cruise ship; however,there are exceptions.
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If you are taking your Alaskan cruise with kids, they will either need a passport or a birth certificate (if on a closed-loop cruise) as well. Kids under 16 years old aren’t required to have a photo ID. Whether or not you need a passport for your Alaska cruise will depend on your itinerary. You’ll want to check with the cruise line since it may have its own rules and regulations, but U.S. citizens on a closed-loop cruise have more flexibility. Alaska is part of the United States, but some cruises either depart from a Canadian port like Vancouver or make a stop in a Canadian port like Victoria. In these cases, it is necessary to have a passport or passport card with you as identification.
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Though you can cruise without a passport and still get home if you get stranded in port, the hassle of obtaining a temporary passport on top of making arrangements for last-minute travel is rarely worth it. In our minds, investing around a dollar per month for 10 years of security is a steal. The answer to all of these questions for U.S. citizens is no -- as long as you’re taking a closed-loop cruise.
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Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens
Second, each cruise line has its own set of policies that govern the documentation requirements for travel. This means that whether or not you need to bring a passport will depend on the cruise line. The Embassies and Consulates of various countries are authorized to grant visas.
A Passport Can Make the Situation Easier in an Emergency
If you don't have a passport and your ship stops at one of these islands, you'll have to stay on board. If you want to cruise without a passport, choose itineraries where you know you can get off the ship and enjoy your day in port. Any cruises where you need to fly to or from a foreign country, including Canada, will necessitate a passport. Also, if you don’t care about being able to go home to the United States, you can enter Canada with an official birth certificate and photo ID. First of all, almost every large cruise ship that departs from a US port was built and flagged in a foreign country.
If your particular cruise calls on Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati, you are leaving the United States and a valid passport is required. If you don’t have one, then yes, you can still cruise to Alaska in most cases if you are an American passenger. You will need at least an official birth certificate and photo ID (if 16 years or older) as almost all Alaskan cruises also make a stop in Canada.
We break down closed-loop cruises, what happens in an emergency if you cruise without a passport, and what passport rules are for Alaska, the Bahamas and other popular cruise destinations. Embarking on an Alaskan cruise is a bucket-list experience for many travelers, offering breathtaking scenery, unique wildlife encounters, and the opportunity to explore charming port towns. However, one common question that arises for those considering an Alaskan cruise is whether a passport is necessary for the journey. In this blog post, we will explore the passport requirements for Alaskan cruises to help you prepare for your adventure of a lifetime.
On travel days, only take your passport out during inspection. Otherwise, keep it stowed away in a dedicated section of your bag (if you keep it in the same place every time, you won’t ever scramble to locate it). Once you arrive at your destination, find a way to stow it securely. In-room safes or safe deposit boxes at the hotel front desk are generally good options, but if neither is available, you’ll need to decide how to keep your passport secure.
Due to their intensity level and duration, they can often be pretty expensive! If, however, they disembark prior to reaching Canada, that would be considered violating the act, as Seward and, for instance, Icy Straight Point are both in the U.S. Per the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), foreign flagged vessels are prohibited from transporting passengers from one United States port to another without first stopping at a distant foreign port. Again, while you may not need a passport, you should want to have one!
Resident Aliens, carrying a valid passport and a valid VISA or ESTA proving you are legally in the United States is non-negotiable. Below, we discuss details for specific groups of travelers and possible exceptions. There’s no need for a passport when you sail on any NCL America inter-island cruise. So if your ship never sails beyond the islands of Hawaii, all you need is a government-issued photo I.D.
Before delving into the specific passport requirements, it's important to understand the distinction between closed-loop and open-jaw cruises. A closed-loop cruise is one that departs from and returns to the same U.S. port, while an open-jaw cruise involves disembarking at a different port from the one where you initially boarded. The passport requirements for your Alaskan cruise may vary based on this distinction and your specific itinerary. Passports are required for cruise travel to all International destinations not mentioned above, and for cruises that involve air travel that begins or ends outside of the U.S. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the last day of travel. A visa is an authority issued by the Embassy/Consulate of a country that permits a traveler to visit that particular country.
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