Passport for 3yr old About This Page:

[Tigger25]

My sister just got a job on DCL and is awaiting her shipdate We are so excited to visit her & take our 1st Disney Cruise next year. Our DD(3) of course will be joining us and she doesn't currently have a passport. Friends we know just took a carnival cruise earlier this year with their kids and they said they used their birth certificates for the kids. Is this true for children? Can we use her birth certificate to board the DCL?

[Dave Marx]

It depends on the itinerary. For "closed loop" itineraries, which depart and return to the same U.S. port, birth certificates will be fine for children (though passports are still better). Adults need a minimum of government-issued photo ID plus proof of birth/U.S. citizenship - kids only need proof of birth/U.S. citizenship. For the vast majority of DCL cruises in 2012 you'll be OK: Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, California Coast, the Hawaii specials... A-OK.

It gets stickier for other itineraries. Any cruiser visiting Canada will require a full passport or Passport Card, regardless of age (even newborns). As the U.S. has been beefing up its border-crossing scrutiny, Canada has reciprocated. Even though you don't need the passport to re-enter the U.S. as long as it's a closed-loop (Seattle to Alaska, Victoria BC, and back to Seattle, or New York to Halifax, Saint John, and back to New York), you'll still need it for Canada. If your cruise starts in California and ends in Vancouver (or vice verse), if you're starting in Vancouver and ending in Seattle or starting in Seattle and ending in Vancouver - passport or Passport Card.

And... if you're flying between the U.S. and Canada as part of the trip - full passports only, regardless of age. Passport Cards aren't valid for international air travel.

Now, isn't that as clear as mud? It's simplest when you go whole-hog for a regular passport. They're good for 10 years for adults and 5 years for kids, so it's a reasonable investment.

[PixieMichele]

Congrats to your sister, and to you for your first Disney cruise! Which ship is she going to be working on? You'll have to tell us all so we can harass her when we're on-board Happy planning!

[toddjodybrent]

That's great that your sister is going to work for DCL!

Our son was 4 for our first DCL cruise and we got him a passport. It was easy!

He has actually needed it quite a bit and is now on his second one.

It works great for non international travel, too, such as when he might need an "ID" for a domestic flight.

[MickeyWatch]

I would also recommend getting a Passport. Its a lot easier to carry around than a birth certificate. Margaret got her first when she was 4 and her second when she was 9. Also, you get the old passport back when you get a new one and its a fun keepsake, especially if you get it stamped at some of the ports.

[jimmymac]

DD will need a passport

[Tiki4]

We thought long and hard about getting passports for our kids but many on Passporters made us realize that if an emergancy occurred and we needed to fly home for some reason, the kids would be unable to fly without passports. Hmmmm, we decided that we didn't want to risk anything like that happening so we all got our passports. Now, no worries!!

[mom2twingirlies]

I think it's easier to just get the passport. Then you are covered no matter what.

[Tigger25]

Thanks for the input sounds like thats the way to go. After the holidays we will have to get this taken care of ASAP

[Disney Dream'n]

Personally, I would just get the passport and have piece of mind that no matter what, you'll have what you need.
I got my some his passport when he was 2 months old. Ridiculous? Yes....he's almost 11 months now and in no way resembles his "baby" picture and it's good for 3 yrs!!
Have a great cruise.