A question on Cruises and passports.?

Question

Is a passport necessary for a US Citizen to take a Cruise that doesn't leave U.S. waters? I only ask this because my wife's ex husband has tried to take her daughter out of country before nd we believe there may be an alterior motive.

Answer 1

No, U.S. citizens do not need a passport for cruises that do not leave U.S. waters.  Passport wil be needed for cruises that  go to foreign countries after summer 2008.  As you may already know, BOTH parents must sign for a child to get a passport.  And...if a parent wants to take a child out of the country without the other parent, they must have a signed notarized letter of permission from the other parent.  These precautions are to help prevent parental abductions.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

If the child is under 15 and the cruise starts and ends in the US or US territory (Puerto Rico for example) then they will not need a passport. The cruise ship that does not fly a US flag (most of them do not, really only Norwegian in Hawaii for the major line) they do have to go to at least 1 foreign port during a cruise. Many cruise lines do require a letter from both parents if they are going to travel alone with a minor. So it would be difficult for someone to take a child out of the country via cruise ship with out the other parent knowing, but nothing is impossible.

Answer 4

All cruises leave US waters though.  Unless it's merely a dinner cruise, all others follow the Jones Act and must stop at one non-US port before returning to the original port.

On the passport question however it used to be Jan 1 2008 before you would need a passport for cruise ships.  However with the rules relaxing for air travel first til June then to September cruise travel relaxed as well.  It already says No Date has been set but it could be 09.  You'll need proof you have applied for a passport long before you'll need a passport.

However even on a cruise ship, she could jump ship.  Get off in Mexico and just not get back on the ship.  I would not allow the exhusband to take your daughter on a cruise.

Answer 5

There are many small cruise ships that are US registered and do not leave US waters.  Passports are not required, nor are passports required for any of the large cruise ships that depart from US ports.

(To correct some misinformation posted here -- every major cruise line's --  Carnival and Princess and Royal Caribbean and Holland America, etc.-- ships are not registered in the US.  Because they have foreign registry, they are required to stop in at least one foreign port before returning to the US.  For example, all cruises to Alaska on the big ships either depart from Vancouver, Canada or make a stop in Canada.  The only exception is NCL's 2 ships that sail in Hawaii -- these ships are registered in the US (and pay higher fees and taxes because of their registry) and are not required to leave US waters.)

Majestic America, and Cruise West are among the small cruise ships that are US-registered and can cruise in US waters only.  

Until some time in 2008, passports are not required for travel by sea to and from a US port for US citizens.  If your wife's ex-husband is trying to take her daughter out of the country, a passport is not required for travel by ship -- but, as others have mentioned, a notarized letter from the absent parent is required to board a major cruise ship.

Answer 6

The only cruises that do not leave US waters are the NCL ships in Hawaii.  You do not need a passport for a cruise around Hawaii on NCL.