For experienced cruisers, travel with a passport is second nature. However, many people push back at this, saying that for closed-loop trips, passports are not required. They can get on the ship carrying a drivers' license and an official copy of their birth certificate. Experienced cruisers know better. Most of us know of circumstances where travelers on closed-loop cruises have had their cruises cut short, or have had to return to a different port due to circumstances outside of anyone's control. This month's post is meant to serve as guidance for the paperwork one must have in order to cruise without problems.
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Additionally, the US State Department has the
a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals to enroll their trip abroad so the Department of State can accurately and quickly contact them in case of emergency. Its benefits are:
- Receive real time updates about health, weather, safety, and security in the country.
- Plan ahead using information from the local U.S. embassy.
- Help the embassy or consulate contact you if there's an emergency like a natural disaster, civil unrest, or a family emergency.
A recent example of one of the benefits of the STEP program was a recent alert sent to people planning to visit Honduras, notifying them of a new requirement which requires foreign nationals to show proof of Measles vaccinations before visiting the country. This is one example of paperwork that must be taken care of before travel. ETA (Electronic Travel Authorizations) and Visas are other requirements for which the US State Department publishes advisories.
Although many countries do not require US Citizens to have visas, countries outside of North America are imposing more stringent requirements for Americans traveling to these places. For example, Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) are now required for the UK (ETA - 2025), EU (ETIAS - 2026), Australia (ETA), and New Zealand (NZeTA). Other countries such as Bolivia are joining on this bandwagon, as they want to know as much as possible about visitors before they reach their points of entry. (Note: The US has an ETA which citizens of other nations must also apply for in advance.)
In most cases, applying for electronic entry authorization is very easy. Find the appropriate site, fill out an electronic form, pay the fee, and wait for approval.
- .The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is mandatory for travelers under the Visa Waiver Program.
- .The Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is required for
visa-exempt travelers arriving by air. - .The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is an electronic authorization system for visa-exempt travelers.
- .The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) is mandatory for some visitors from visa waiver countries.
- .The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is gradually
being rolled out for certain travelers, including those from
the United States, starting in 2023 and 2025. - .The ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) will be required for visa-exempt travelers to the Schengen Area, starting in 2025.
- .The K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is a
system for foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries. - .Japan is developing a similar system called JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which is expected
to be implemented by 2030.
There will soon be other countries that require an Electronic Travel Authorization, so double check travel requirements while planning one's cruise. Each country has its own requirements, and the last thing one would want is to be rejected because of skipping this step, or by NOT researching the requirements for visiting a country.
- - - - - -Even though many countries only require American citizens to have approved ETAs before travel starts, many countries still require Americans to apply for a visa. Each country has its own requirements and application process - way too many to list here. One acquaintance of mine had to apply for visas for each country she would visit on her South American/Antarctic cruise. This is a pain, as one of these countries (Brazil) now requires Americans to show proof of financial status - which meant (at the time I write this entry) one had to show that s/he had a minimum of $2,000 in the bank with other verifiable income. (Note: Brazil, like many developing nations is pushing back with visa requirements for Americans due to changed American requirements for citizens of these countries.) The following site can be useful in determining whether an American needs a visa to travel to that country:
https://cibtvisas.com/visa-quick-check
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Once one has all required Visas and/or ETAs only then, one can assume one is set to cruise. However, one must still be careful. Cruise lines will allow a person who is ineligible to take a cruise to pay for one, and be rejected by one of the countries whose ports the ship will visit on the cruise. For example, Canada considers DUI convictions to be felonies, and will reject a potential passenger once the manifest is sent to each country for processing. Even the Alaskan ferry system has to refuse transit for American citizens traveling directly from Seattle to ports in Alaska, as the ship sails through Canadian waters to get there.
Some key things to note about passport requirements when cruising:
- Most nations require that passports expire no less than 6 months after one's travel in that country has ended.
- Many nations refuse to recognize the "X" (Non-Binary) Gender Marker on passports. (Sadly, the US is now one of these countries.)
- If one plans to travel in the Middle East, it would be wise to hold a second passport which contains NO Israeli stamps in its pages. The US recognizes this issue, and will issue a second passport good for only 5 years instead of the normal 10 for this purpose.
- US citizens leaving/entering the US must present their American passport at American ports, even if they have a second country's passport. (The process is reversed when those citizens enter/leave their second homeland.)
- At some ports, the cruise ship is required to present your physical passport to their national customs authorities. The passport will be returned to the cruiser as soon as the cruise ship is allowed to return it to the cruiser.
