The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) when fully implemented on June 1, 2009, will require all travelers to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda to present a valid passport or other approved document that establishes the bearer's identity and citizenship in order to enter or reenter the United States.
Passport Requirements
A valid passport is a requirement for air travel to/from Canada, Mexico the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
Effective June 1, 2009, only a valid passport (unless otherwise noted below) or other WHTI-compliant documents will be accepted for entry or re-entry into the United States. For a list of all approved documents visit: http://travel.state.gov.
U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government-issued picture ID, denoting photo, name, and date of birth. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notarized, or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by DOS, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
For Cuba and Panama, you will need a passport book. Sailings visiting Martinique will require a passport book for all visitors.
Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are not acceptable. Voter registration cards or Social Security cards are not considered proof of citizenship.
Alien Registration Card (Green Card)
U.S. lawful permanent residents will continue to be able to use their Alien Registration Card issued by the Department of Homeland Security along with a valid passport from their country of citizenship for entry to the United States.
Card renewal is an important matter. ARC holders (United States permanent residents) with expired cards may be considered "out of status" and may be denied entry/reentry into the United States. If your ARC was issued over 10 years ago, you should check the expiration date printed on the front of the card. If your card is expired or is about to expire, you should renew your card before you sail.
If you are holding an old edition ARC WITHOUT an expiration date, you will not be detained from entering the United States but U.S. Customs and Border Protection highly suggests that you apply for a new card before you sail.
For additional information, visit: http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/greencard_renewal.html
International Travel
A valid passport is required; visas are required where they apply. This includes Europe, Asia, Central, and South America.
For additional passport information, visit www.travel.state.gov.
Our Recommendation
We strongly recommend that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise. 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 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, because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons.
Guests who need to fly to the United States before their cruise ends will likely experience significant delays and complications related to booking airline tickets and entering the United States if they do not have a valid U.S. passport with them. For additional passport information visit www.travel.state.gov