Documentation Required for Cruise Travel...
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BOARDING. Guests who fail to provide a cruise line with proper proof of citizenship and photo ID may be denied
boarding and not receive a refund. The easiest way to avoid any problems, or to be denied boarding if the
government quickly tightens it's requirements, is to obtain a valid passport now.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER... The information below is for reference purposes only and is subject to change at any
time without notice. You are advised to contact the Department of Homeland Security for the latest requirements and
if necessary the appropriate consulate, U.S. Embassy or U.S. Immigration office to inquire further about travel
documents. Do not rely solely on the information provided below, as it could change. Failure to have the proper
current policies, or for passport applications, locations to have passport photos taken, or locations to
submit your application (such as post offices), see: www.travel.state.gov or call 1-877-487-2778 for
details.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR CRUISE TRAVEL -
NEW PASSPORT/TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS For US Citizens, Effective June 1, 2009...
1. Per the new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), ALL US CITIZENS TRAVELLING ON CRUISES
THAT BEGIN OR END AT A PORT OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES ARE REQUIRED TO
PRESENT A PASSPORT IN ORDER TO BOARD (INCLUDING Cruises beginning or ending in ALASKA, HAWAII
and EUROPE).
2. EXCEPTION FOR CLOSED-LOOP CRUISES SAILING ROUNDTRIP FROM U.S. PORTS...
While the new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires valid passports for land and sea
travel, a final ruling was issued allowing leniency for "closed-loop" cruises, i.e., sailings that both
originate and terminate in the same U.S. port...
U.S. citizens taking “closed-loop” cruises (beginning and ending at the same U.S. port) are not required
to have a passport but will still need proof of citizenship (such as an original or certified copy of your
birth certificate, naturalizations certificate, or Passport) and a government-issued photo ID with the
passenger's name and date of birth (such as a driver’s license). A Passport meets both requirements.
A voter registration card or Social Security card are not considered to be proof of citizenship. You can view the
complete list of acceptable documents by clicking here or read more at: www.cbp.gov. Passengers may also need
to provide a bridge document such as a marriage certificate, linking the name on the birth certificate to
the name on the photo ID, if they the do not match.
U.S. citizens taking “closed-loop” cruises (sailings that both originate and terminate in the
same U.S. port) are not required to have a passport, but will need proof of citizenship such as an original or certified
copy of a birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) as well
as a government-issued photo ID. Children are also required to bring proof of citizenship, and if 16 and over, a
photo ID is also required. If a cruise begins and ends in different U.S. ports or begins and ends in a foreign port, a
valid passport or other WHTI-compliant document is required. A valid passport is required if you are traveling on
any of our Europe cruises. All other non US citizens must have a passport for air, land and sea travel. For more
information, please visit us at www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/New_Passport_Requirement.aspx.
Children are also required to carry proof of citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate, naturalization
certificate, or passport; and if over 16, a photo ID may be required as well (see additional information at the
bottom of this page regarding photo identification for children).
If a cruise begins and ends in different U.S. ports or begins and ends in a foreign port, a valid US
Passport, Passport Card, or other recognized WHTI-compliant document is required. A valid passport is
also required if you are traveling on any Europe cruises.
For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents, or to obtain a passport application,
visit www.travel.state.gov.
ALL guests need proof of citizenship in order to travel, and failure to present a valid document at check-
in will result in denied boarding with no refund. We encourage you to invest in a passport as the
preferred document of choice for proof of citizenship.
If you FLY or DRIVE to and/or from a cruise port OUTSIDE the United States...
All citizens, regardless of age (including infants) are required to show a passport to re-enter the United States
BY AIR from Canada, Mexico, Panama, Bermuda, the Caribbean and the rest of the World. Passports must be valid
for at least 6 months after sailing. Passengers who's Alaska cruise itinerary includes a port call to a Canadian city, or
begins or ends in a Canadian port/city are required to have a valid Passport. You are responsible for having the
proper documentation with you when you travel. In addition Visa's may be required to enter certain countries while
on a cruise. Check with the cruise line for the exact documentation requirements for your cruise or cruisetour, well
before leaving the country. Failure to have the proper documentation (Passport, Visa, Health Vaccination
Certificates etc.) as required may result in denied boarding and you will not get a refund for your cruise.
Our Recommendation...
We strongly recommend that all guests travel with a valid passport, passport card, or enhanced driver's
license (EDL) whenever you are leaving the United States by any means. This greatly assists guests who
may need to fly out of the United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled
cruise embarkation in a U.S. port; guests entering the U.S. at the end of their cruise; and guests needing to fly to the
U.S. before their cruise ends, possibly due to a medical, family, personal or business emergency, or due to missing
the ship's departure from a port of call, etc. To make sure you are prepared at your departure port, visit www.
travel.state.gov for the latest and exact passport requirements.
Note that Your exact legal name (first, middle and last) must be shown on cruise tickets/documents, and
this must match the name shown on your passport or drivers license.
For details on how to obtain a Passport: Visit http://travel.state.gov, or call the U.S. National Passport
Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT; TDD/TTY: (888) 874-7793. *If you need to obtain a passport quickly, you can
contact ZVS at http://www.zvs.com/carnival or by phone at: 1-866-788-1100. Carnival cruisers should mention
that they are sailing on Carnival to receive discounted service fees.
Non-U.S. Citizens...
Citizens of countries other than the United States and Canada (Aliens) are required to present both a valid passport
and an unexpired U.S. multiple re-entry visa (B-2 Visitor’s Visa) or a visa waiver. Resident aliens need both a
passport and an alien resident card. Guests will need to contact the consulates of the islands/countries they will be
visiting, to inquire about necessary travel documentation. Immigrations determines the proper documents which
guests must have available in order to sail. For cruises that visit or transit in Canada, citizens of some countries
may require a Visa. Guests must check with the Canadian Consulate for documentation requirements. This includes
cruises to Canada (from New York) and Alaska cruises.
Parental Consent for Minors...
Minors (under the age of 18) traveling without parents or grandparents, (perhaps going with a friend and his/her
parents) should possess a parental/guardian consent letter that authorizes the minor to travel, assigns temporary
guardianship to the adult travelling with minor, and that further authorizes medical treatment in case of an
emergency (a notarized statement is preferred, but not required by the cruise line*). If only one parent is going on
the trip, it is recommended that the other parent sign a release form.* If neither parent is going, then BOTH parents
should sign.* In most cases, your travel agent can provide you with the cruise line document for parent signature.
(*Note that most cruise lines do not require a minor sailing with only one parent to have a document signed or
notarized by the second parent, but it is recommended in case you should miss the ship or are detained in a foreign
port... For example, Mexico may require a notarized affidavit signed by ANY parent not accompanying the minor.
Furthermore, Canadian Entry Requirements stipulate that minors under the age of 18 traveling into Canada without
both parents must have in their possession a notarized letter of consent that includes the actual dates of travel and
signatures of both parents, as authorization to do so.)
Your Responsibility
Without exception, it is the responsibility of the individual traveler to obtain passports, birth certificates, visas and
other documents required for entry into a foreign country, and for embarkation and re-entry into the United States.
You will not get a refund if you are denied boarding for lack of proper documentation. Foreign citizens especially
should contact the embassy or consulate of any country to be visited and request a copy of its entry requirements.
(Note that requirements are often different for cruise travelers who are not staying overnight in the country.)
Great Rates Travel can not be held responsible for any loss, damage, inconvenience, delay, additional costs or any
other irregularity caused by the traveler not obtaining proper documentation.
*Photo ID's May Be Required by some cruise lines for Children ages 16+
Most cruise lines require a Photo ID for all passengers 16 years of age and up. A government-issued
photo ID is recommended. Your local driver's license office can provide official Photo Identification Cards for
persons who do not have drivers license IDs. A school photo ID or other ID card showing passenger's legal name
and photograph may also be acceptable (check with the cruise line or your travel agent to confirm the www.
childsmartid.com/travelIDs.html
Proper travel documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise. Even though a guest has completed registration
using Online Check-in, it is still the responsibility of the guest to bring all required travel documents. Guest should check with their travel
agent and/or government authority to determine the travel documents necessary for each port of call. Any guest without proper documents of
proper travel documentation. Certain ports of call will require a VISA which must be obtained prior to your cruise and will be checked at
embarkation. All guests must check with their travel agent or the appropriate government authority to determine the necessary documents.
CRUISE TRAVEL
U.S. Citizens...
Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). Although a passport
is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin & end in the same U.S. port, travelling with a passport enhances your
disembarkation experience, as delays may be expected upon your return to the U.S. if you do not have one. Additionally, passports make it
easier for you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to the U.S. for
emergency reasons.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same
U.S. port to travel with one of the WHTI compliant documents, listed below. Additionally, baptismal and hospital certificates, copies of U.
S. passports and naturalization papers, are not WHTI compliant documents, therefore, are NOT acceptable.
· Valid U.S. Passport
· Passport Card
· Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by a government agency: state/county/city)
· Certificate of Naturalization
· Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card
· Enhanced Tribal Card
· A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
· Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
Important Notes: . Enhanced Driver's Licenses can be used as proof of citizenship at land and sea ports of entry. However, it cannot be used
to travel by air outside the United States. There are currently four U.S. states and four Canadian provinces producing EDLs: Michigan, New
York, Vermont, Washington, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over.
To debark for more than 24 hours in Mexico, guests must have obtained a Mexican Tourist Card from either a travel agent or a Mexican
consulate prior to their departure.
Sailings from Canada (including ALASKA Cruises) or to Canadian Ports of Call:
U.S. Citizens require a valid passport or WHTI compliant documents.
Europe, Hawaii and Transatlantic Cruises:
U.S. citizens must have a valid passport.
U.S. Alien Residents and Non-U.S. Citizens
U.S. Alien Residents require a valid Alien Resident Card and/or passport (depending on itinerary) to travel on all Carnival cruises. Non-U.
S. citizens require a valid machine readable passport and a valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable, to travel on all
Carnival cruises. Guests are advised to check with their travel agent or appropriate government authority to determine the necessary
documents.
Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa Requirements:
During your Mediterranean or Transatlantic voyage, you will be visiting various countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Croatia.
Specific countries will vary depending on the voyage you have chosen. Some of these countries are members of the Schengen Agreement.
Countries participating in the Schengen Agreement are listed below. Because the ship may be departing and re-entering countries which
participate in the Schengen Agreement, certain nationalities will be required to obtain a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa (for at least two
entries) prior to joining the ship. A Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa may be required if your passport has been issued by a country other than
the United States, Canada or European Community.
Visa requirements vary depending on the passport under which you are traveling and the countries being visited. Guests traveling under non-
U.S., non-Canadian and non-European passports must check with the Consulate of every country visited during the cruise for specific Visa
requirements. When contacting the Consulate for the country being visited, be sure to provide the complete itinerary of the cruise so the
Consulate can provide the correct information as your Schengen Visa requirements. Guests may also contact a Visa service agency in their
country for assistance.
If a Schengen Visa is required for your nationality and you are not in possession of this Visa when departing for the cruise, you may be
denied boarding OR, in a Schengen Agreement port the local authorities may detain you on board the ship and assess a fee.
SCHENGEN VISA: Summary
1. There are now 25 countries that are part of the Schengen Agreement: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France,
(including Monaco), Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
2. Currently, U.S., Canadian, and European Community passport holders do not require a Schengen Visa.
3. If a non-Schengen country is visited in between visits to Schengen countries, a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa will be required.
4. Guests must show proof of medical insurance coverage of at least U.S. $37,500 in order to obtain a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa.
Additionally, this proof of medical insurance coverage is also required when entering a Schengen Visa country.
5. The following are a few types of nationalities requiring a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa: citizens of Russia, Trinidad & Tobago, Colombia,
China, Morocco, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Turkey. Please contact the consulates for a complete list.
Guests visiting Brazil:
• U.S. and Canadian citizens are required to obtain a Brazilian visa.
• U.S. Resident Aliens and Non-U.S. citizens may require a visa for Brazil, depending on their nationality. Please check with the
appropriate consulates to determine the necessary documents.
We have been informed by the Brazil Consulates that processing times for all visa issuance and legalization is taking longer than normal. The
Consulates are working diligently to resolve the delays but cannot provide any guidance as to when operations will return to normal.
Therefore, we strongly suggest you submit your Visa applications as quickly as possible and not wait until the last minute. Please allow ample
time to include delays.
Guests may apply for a visa at any time. However, the application process may take 6 to 8 weeks. So, to avoid rush fees, please allow
ample time for processing. A visa may be obtained at:
o Visa Central – U.S. citizens please visit www.visacentral.com/carnival or www.visacentral.ca/10141 for Canadian citizens (to secure
a discounted rate, please indicate you are traveling on Carnival Cruise Lines).
o Closest Brazilian Consulate
AIR TRAVEL
Passports are required for air travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda. This will
impact all guests traveling by air to embark or debark in Vancouver for our Alaska or Hawaii cruises; and our Canadian guests that travel by
air to or from any of our U.S. embarkation ports. This will also enable guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at the first port should
they miss their scheduled embarkation and allow guests that must debark the ship before their cruise ends to fly back to the U.S without
significant delays and complications.
Guest names on travel documents (passport, Alien Resident Card, birth certificate, etc.) must be identical to those on the cruise and airline
tickets. Otherwise, proof of name change (e.g., a marriage license) or a valid driver's license (or other government-issued photo ID) must be
presented.
TopHow old do you have to be to travel alone? (Traveling with minors)
Carnival's policy regarding guests traveling alone or traveling with minors:
Guests are required to be 21 years old (on embarkation day) to travel. Guests under the age of 21 must be accompanied in the same
stateroom by a parent or guardian 25 or older. The exceptions Carnival will make to this policy are:
Guests Under the Age of 21 Traveling with Parents / Grandparents
Guests under the age of 13...
• Minors can be booked in separate staterooms, only if booked next door or directly across the hall from the Parents/Grandparents
stateroom.
Note: Minors 13 and under may only be booked in a balcony stateroom with the Parents/Grandparents"; this also applies to connecting
staterooms.
Guests 13 - 17 years of age...
• Minors can be booked in separate staterooms, by up to 3 staterooms in between the minor stateroom and the Parents/Grandparents
stateroom.
Note: Minors age 13 may only be booked in a balcony stateroom with the Parents/Grandparents; this also applies to connecting staterooms.
Guests 18 years of age and older...
• Minors 18 and older are not required to be booked within close proximity nor on the same deck as the Parents/Grandparents. However,
we will place you as close together as possible.
Guests Under the Age of 21 NOT Traveling with Parents / Grandparents
The minor must travel with a guardian 25 years of age or older in the same stateroom. The exception Carnival will make to this policy is:
• Legally married couples and same gender union couples less than 21 years of age must provide Carnival with legal proof of marriage/civil
union at least two weeks prior to sailing. Documentation can be e-mailed to individualsailingsupport@carnival.com or faxed to 305-406-
6479. For those guests whose marriage/civil union will not take place until closer to the sailing date, they must bring proof of their
marriage/civil union to embarkation. Failure to do so will result in denied boarding and no refund. Documentation: marriage license issued by
the County Clerk’s Office; legal proof of civil union; for newly married couples: a copy of the marriage license application signed by the
official that performed the ceremony.
--Infants must be at least six months old (twelve months for Transatlantic, Hawaii and South America cruises) to be eligible to travel.
Guest ages will be verified at embarkation. Guests not conforming to this policy will be denied boarding and assessed a 100% cancellation
penalty. NO exceptions will be made at embarkation.
--All guests 16 years of age or older must provide an official photo I.D.
--When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter
from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland
Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico.
--Air Travel / Hotel Stay - Guests under the age of 21, staying at any hotel in conjunction with Carnival’s Fly Aweigh® program, may be
required to be accompanied by a guest 21 years or older in the same room as per each hotel’s policy. Permission for minor guests to fly
unaccompanied is determined by the airlines as per each airline’s policy. We suggest you check with your scheduled airline for their
requirements. Carnival assumes no responsibility for guests under the age of 21 traveling unaccompanied by air.
Passports are NOT Required for Roundtrip Cruises leaving and returning to the same US Departure Port.
Carnival requires guests to provide proper travel documentation in order to travel. The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S.
citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. Non-U.S Citizens must contact the appropriate Consulates, U.S.
Embassy and U.S. Immigration office to inquire about necessary travel documentation. Carnival assumes no responsibility for
advising guests of Immigration requirements. It is recommended that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise. This will enable
guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at the first port should they miss their scheduled embarkation and allow guests that must
disembark the ship before their cruise ends due to an emergency to fly back to the U.S without significant delays and complications. It is also
recommended that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond completion of travel.