Caribbean Cruise document requirements? Please read!?

Question

Anyone that is a Permanent Resident go on a Caribbean Cruise (Eastern or Western) recently? We really want to go in April and are not sure of the requirements. We both are permanent Residents of US and dont have Passports.

I called Carnival and they said that a Permanent Resident Card (aka Green Card) is okay until June of this summer. But they said its my responsibility to check with Immigration about the countries that we are going to visit. (Cozumel, Cayman Island, Jamaica, and others)

When I called Immigration, they told me that a Passport is required to get back to the US...not were not sure if we want to risk it or not. Please answer if you are in similar situation, and went on a Carnival Cruise.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Answer 1

Legal U.S. Residents (Non-Citizens)

Legal permanent residents of the U.S. must have a valid passport from their country of citizenship and a valid Alien Registration Card (Green Card) to enter or re-enter the U.S.

Answer 2

You do not need a passport to re-enter the u.s. if you are traveling to the Caribbean via a cruise ship.  A permanent resident card is all you need until the summer of 2009.

Answer 3

To go on a Caribbean cruise you MUST have a passport.  I am going on a 2 week cruise on Monday and we are flying to San Juan PR and I was told I HAD to have a passport.  You need it for when you get off the ship too.  

You want to apply for it now and rush the passports which will cost you $160 each person.  Make sure you do it NOW that way you know you will get it in time.  You need to make sure you all have the up to date information in order to get your passport too.  Any small or minor mistake will make your passport processing get put on hault.  

If you want to travel within the next 2 weeks or your trip is in the next 2 weeks then you can make an appoint with a Passport agency, but ONLY if you are traveling within 14 days or less.

Also if you have to fly to a country outside of the US to go to where you cruise will be sailing out of then you DEFINATLY need a passport.  So for example if your cruise sales out of San Juan PR then you need a passport so you can fly to San Juan.

MOST if not ALL cruise lines now require a passport.

Answer 4

What are the new passport requirements?  

CRUISE TRAVEL

The U.S. Government will soon require all of our guests (including U.S. citizens) to be in possession of a valid passport when traveling on any Carnival cruise. To make sure you are prepared at your departure port, visit http://www.travel.state.gov

for the latest and exact passport requirements.

Answer 5

You have to have a passport to return to the US.  A green card will not suffice. Your other option is to apply for a temporary re-entry permit with the State Department (also known as a white card).  However, this may take you more than six months to get, in which case it may be better to get your regular passport.

Answer 6

I don't know the answer but if I were you I would follow the advice of the official at the Immigration service because THEY are the ones who will be at the port when you return from a cruise to check your papers.  They, Immigration, are the ones who will say, no to your re-entry.

Answer 7

I spoke to someone at my work about this today and she told me that you do need a passport when you go on a cruise now. As of Jan 1st 2007 you need to have a passport to even get on the ship doesn't matter your cruise sails out of a US port or non US port.

She said there were people who didn't have theirs and they were told to wait in a lounge until the cruise line decided what they needed to do with the people who did not have their passport.

Even though the government website says you may not need it, get it because Most if not all cruises now require you have one to even get on the ship.  I know Carnval and Celebrity do.

Answer 8

Marina,

Charlie has the perfect answer! Don't be confused. You are a permanent resident and will be treated just like an American citizen.

Only if you are to FLY into the US then you need passport. And the destinations do not bother with passports unless you have to fly back from there (like an emergency back home).

I am a resident and travel same way. Of course, an extra id like driver's license is beneficial. And the greencard has your biometrics already so they can check easily if it is you, unless you get a dumb and boring customs guy!