Cruise Passport and Travel Documents
Passport Ready.
Adventure Awaits.
Know which travel documents you may need before you set sail.
1-800-988-6444 · Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM, Sat 9 AM–2 PM Pacific
Travel document rules change. This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Always confirm requirements with official government sources and your cruise line before you travel.
Passport Basics
A U.S. passport comes in two forms. The difference matters on a cruise, because only one of them can get you home by air.
Passport book
A passport book is valid for international travel by air, sea or land. It is the document to carry on any cruise that visits a foreign port.
Passport card
A passport card can be used to re-enter the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and some Caribbean destinations. It is not valid for international air travel, so it cannot get you home by plane.
Passport validity
Check your passport’s expiration date as soon as you start planning. Each country and each cruise line sets its own validity rule. Some require six months of validity beyond your travel dates, and the U.S. Department of State advises having at least six months and two blank pages. Your Cruise Company advisor can help you check your cruise line’s rule.
Why a passport book is strongly recommended
The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends that every cruise passenger travel with a passport book, even when the cruise line does not require one. Without it you cannot fly home from a foreign port. That matters if you are hospitalized ashore and the ship sails without you, if the ship has a mechanical problem, or if it has to dock somewhere unplanned. Read the State Department’s cruise guidance.
Cruise Itinerary Requirements
The documents you need are set by your specific trip, not by cruising in general. Five things decide them.
Your citizenship
Rules differ for U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents and citizens of other countries.
Ports visited
Each country on the itinerary sets its own entry rules, and they can apply even if you stay on board.
Embarkation and disembarkation ports
Where the cruise begins and ends matters. A cruise that starts in one port and ends in another is treated differently from a round trip.
Transit arrangements
Flights and overland travel before or after the cruise can bring their own passport and visa requirements.
Cruise-line policies
Your cruise line may require a passport book or other documents even when border rules do not.
A limited exception
Closed-loop sailings
Some cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port and travel only within the Western Hemisphere are treated as closed-loop sailings. On these sailings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection allows U.S. citizens to re-enter the United States with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate, plus a government-issued photo ID.
This is a U.S. re-entry rule, not a guarantee. Not every round-trip cruise qualifies, a cruise that ends at a different port does not, and a foreign port or your cruise line may still require a passport book. Ask your advisor or cruise line what applies to your sailing.
If you do rely on it, the birth certificate should be government-issued by a state, county or city vital records office. Hospital keepsake certificates are not accepted. Cruise lines differ on whether a copy is acceptable, so bring the original or a certified copy unless your cruise line confirms otherwise. An Enhanced Driver’s License, issued by a small number of states, shows both identity and citizenship for closed-loop sea travel. It is not valid for international air travel.
The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends a passport book for every cruise, and major cruise lines recommend the same. See CBP’s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative page.
Visas and International Travelers
Entry visas, transit visas and electronic travel authorizations depend on your nationality and on every country in your itinerary, including the United States if your cruise starts, ends or calls there.
An ESTA is not a visa
An ESTA is an electronic travel authorization for eligible citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries arriving in the United States by air or sea. It is not a visa. Official ESTA site.
U.S. visas
Travelers who are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program generally need a U.S. visa instead. The State Department explains the visa types and how to apply. U.S. Visas.
Visas for ports of call
You may need a visa for a port of call even if you do not plan to go ashore. Check each country on your itinerary with its embassy or consulate, or on the State Department’s destination pages.
If you are not a U.S. citizen
Guests who are not U.S. citizens should plan to travel with a valid passport from their country of citizenship. Requirements for Canadian citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents vary by itinerary and cruise line, so confirm them before you book.
Guests who arrive without the required documents can be denied boarding, and cruise lines generally do not refund the fare when that happens. Check requirements when you book and again before final payment. Apply early: passport and visa processing can take weeks or months. Carry your visas, and keep a paper copy and a phone photo of your passport and visas separate from the originals.
Our advisors can point you to the official source for your itinerary, but we cannot determine your visa or immigration status. Use the official U.S. visa and ESTA sites, or the relevant embassy or consulate, to confirm what applies to you.
Children and Family Travel
Children may need extra documents depending on who they are traveling with and where the ship calls. The United States does not require proof of both parents’ permission for a child to travel abroad, but some countries do, and some cruise lines have their own rules.
Traveling without both parents
A child traveling with one parent, with grandparents or with another adult may be asked for a signed consent letter, which is often notarized, or for proof of custody or guardianship. Whether one is required depends on the countries you visit and your cruise line.
If a consent letter is needed
Cruise lines commonly ask that it name the child and the accompanying adult, identify the cruise, and authorize the adult to supervise the child and approve medical treatment. Ask your cruise line for its required form or wording.
Proof of your relationship
Bring a copy of each child’s birth certificate or other evidence of your legal relationship to the child, especially if your last name differs from theirs. If you have sole custody, or the other parent is deceased, carry the court order or certificate that shows it.
Check your cruise line’s policy and the entry rules for each country you will visit. The State Department’s Travel with Minors page explains what some countries require.
Pre-Cruise Checklist
Use this checklist to confirm your documents well before you sail.
Passport expiration. The date meets the rule for every country on the itinerary and for the cruise line.
Name matching. The name on the booking matches the passport or ID exactly.
Visas. Visas and electronic travel authorizations are confirmed for every port, including ports where you stay on board.
Cruise-line rules. You have reviewed your cruise line’s own documentation requirements.
Official destination requirements. You have checked each destination on travel.state.gov.
Children’s documents. They are ready if a child is traveling without both parents.
Copies. Copies of your passport photo page, visas and itinerary are stored separately from the originals.
Official Resources
Documentation requirements change. These official U.S. government pages are the place to confirm current rules before you travel.
U.S. Department of State
Cruise Ship Passengers
Passport guidance for cruises, what to do before you sail and what to ask your cruise line.
U.S. Department of State
International Travel Checklist
A five-step checklist covering destinations, documents, children, medications and insurance.
U.S. Department of State
Travel.State.Gov
The official home for U.S. passports, visas, destination information and travel advisories.
More official pages
U.S. passports: apply or renew
Compare a passport card and book
Destination information and travel advisories
Europe is introducing new border and travel-authorization systems, so check current requirements before you travel. Travelers who are not U.S. citizens should check with the embassy or consulate of each country on the itinerary. For passport questions, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.
Industry reference, not a government source: IATA Travel Centre.
Have Questions About Your Travel Documents?
Our cruise advisors can walk you through your cruise line’s documentation rules and point you to the official sources for your itinerary.
Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM, Sat 9 AM–2 PM Pacific
Contact Us