travel documents for princess cruise

What documents do you need for a cruise? From passports to printouts, here's what to take

Boarding a cruise ship isn't like boarding a city bus or hopping on the subway. Because cruises involve international travel, you won't be allowed to sail if you don't have all the proper cruise documents and identification. That means you'll want to know exactly what to take with you and, once you have a list, double and triple check it to ensure you haven't forgotten anything.

The check-in process can be intimidating if you haven't gone through it before. You might be wondering what, exactly, cruise documents are, which ones you need and how you obtain them.

Gear up for a successful and stress-free embarkation day, and make sure you have all the necessary items on hand and ready to go with this guide.

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What are cruise documents?

Necessary cruise documents include acceptable official forms of identification, proof of your booking number and boarding information, and confirmation that you aren't ill. You must present these upon arrival at the port.

Only after port officials check and verify each of these at the terminal will you be permitted to board your ship.

At a time when eco-friendliness is top of mind and nearly every traveler has a mobile phone, it's easy to rely on apps to keep everything in one spot and avoid wasting paper. However, what would happen if your phone was lost, stolen or broken during your travels? For that reason, I always advise printing hard copies of anything you might need in a pinch, using as little paper as possible.

Pack all necessary travel documents in your carry-on luggage so you have them on hand when needed.

Documents needed for cruisers to board a ship

Identification.

For most cruises, you'll need a passport book that's valid for at least six months from the day your sailing ends. In some cases, you can use a passport card instead of a passport book , but that will only work if you plan to reenter the United States via your ship from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean.

Similarly, if your cruise is a closed-loop voyage (one that begins and ends in the same U.S. port and visits destinations in the Western Hemisphere, with a few exceptions), you can embark using an original birth certificate and driver's license if your cruise line allows it.

However, neither a passport card nor the combination of a birth certificate and license will allow you to fly to a foreign country or return to the U.S. from a foreign country by air. If you must fly to a foreign port for embarkation or if something unforeseen happens on your sailing and you need to cut your cruise short and fly home from a foreign port, you will need a passport book for identification.

Additionally, if you are a U.S. permanent resident, you must carry your green card. You can use it instead of a passport on closed-loop sailings, but carrying a passport from your country of citizenship is highly recommended. Also note that if your green card is expired, you likely will not be allowed back into the U.S. You are responsible for contacting the embassies in the places you'll be visiting to make sure there is no additional paperwork required.

Boarding passes

Similar to what you'd need for a flight, a cruise boarding pass is the document that shows you've checked in for your sailing, set up an onboard charge account for purchases and chosen a boarding time . It also includes relevant information like your name, booking number and cabin number.

Most cruise lines now have mobile apps that allow you to check in prior to arriving at the terminal and pull up your boarding passes electronically. If you don't plan on using the app, come prepared with a printed copy of your boarding pass; having one will speed up the check-in process on boarding day.

If you arrive without a boarding pass, don't worry. In a pinch, the check-in desk can look up your reservation in the system when you arrive, but it will add to the time you spend in the terminal before boarding your ship and beginning your vacation.

Health information

For years, cruise lines have required passengers to fill out health forms before boarding in an effort to prevent the spread of norovirus on board . Following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, lines have expanded health screenings to include questions about coronavirus symptoms.

Some cruise lines will ask you to complete a paper form at the terminal on embarkation day, while others will allow you to complete it a few hours before you arrive. If you fill it out in advance, whether or not you'll need to print out confirmation depends on your cruise line and whether the form is completed online or through a mobile app.

Although most cruise lines have rescinded their COVID-19 vaccination mandates , a handful of lines still require passengers to show proof that they have received their shots. Check with your cruise line directly for the most current details, and be sure to have your original vaccine card on hand if your sailing requires verification.

Likewise, check to see if any of the destinations you're visiting requires specific inoculations for entry; if they do, carry proof that you've received them.

Visas and other destination-specific documents

Depending on the destinations your cruise is visiting, you might be required to obtain visas or other documents that grant you permission to enter and stay in a specific country or region. As a passenger, it's your responsibility to know when you need to apply for a visa, how much it will cost you and how much time you need to allow for processing.

Sometimes your cruise line will take care of visa procurement on passengers' behalf and cover any associated fees. Check the official websites of the countries on your itinerary to see what's required, and contact your cruise line directly to ask if it can take care of applying for you. Keep all required documents with you for your trip.

Cruise line luggage tags

If you're planning to leave luggage with porters when you arrive at the terminal, make sure you print out the paper luggage tags — one per bag — provided by your cruise line when you receive your check-in documents. The tags are prefilled with information like your name and cabin number, so the ship's crew knows where to deliver your belongings after suitcases are loaded onto the vessel by the porters.

If you're driving to your embarkation port, you can attach the tags before you leave home. If you're flying in, I suggest packing a small roll of duct tape in your bag and attaching the tags after you land so they aren't accidentally ripped off during transit.

Permission to travel

If you're pregnant, most cruise lines require you to disclose that and provide a note from your doctor verifying your due date and that you're fit to travel. No cruise line will allow you to sail if you are more than 24 weeks along before the conclusion of the voyage.

In a similar vein, if you're planning to travel with someone else's kids and they won't have a parent or guardian on the cruise, you will also need a notarized letter granting you permission to take them out of the country and consent to medical care on their behalf in the event of an emergency. You might also want to have a similar letter handy for your own children if you will be traveling with them alone and their last name does not match yours.

Useful information to carry while cruising

Other travel information

If you're flying in for your cruise, flying home after or staying at a hotel before or after your sailing, it's not a bad idea to have information like airport and hotel addresses, flight numbers, confirmation numbers and boarding passes printed for reference (and as a backup if you lose your phone or charger).

Emergency contacts

In case something goes wrong while traveling, you'll want to carry a printed list of emergency contacts and their phone numbers, as well as contact information for your doctor, credit card companies and bank, and the local embassies or consulates for the countries you're visiting.

Having these easily accessible ensures you'll know what to do if you have an emergency, lose your passport or find a hold on your travel funds.

Travel insurance information

For me, travel insurance isn't negotiable; it's a necessity. With the pandemic and how overbooked flights and hotels can be these days, I like the peace of mind that comes with knowing I'm covered if something goes wrong.

If you've purchased travel insurance for your cruise, you should print out and carry the policy card listing your policy number and the phone number of the insurance company. If your trip is interrupted or canceled, or you experience a medical emergency, you'll have the key information handy so you can get help immediately.

Photocopies of important documents

Although you should always take steps to protect your personal documents and only take them out with you when necessary, you also want to be prepared in case your wallet or passport is stolen or misplaced.

Make photocopies of the information page of your passport or passport card, the front and back of your driver's license and birth certificate (if using it for a closed-loop voyage), and the front and back of each credit card. Keep them in a safe place, separate from the originals, when in transit and in your hotel room or cruise cabin safe when you get to your destination.

These copies won't replace the real things, but they could help to speed up the process if you have to procure replacements.

Bottom line

Cruise documents provide the verification you'll need to board your vessel on embarkation day. They include identification, boarding passes, health forms and any required visas, which you should always keep handy in your carry-on bag or personal item.

You'll need to keep track of several documents, but if you plan ahead and follow the list above, you should have no problem ensuring you have everything you'll need for a successful and seamless boarding experience.

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Travel Documents: What you need to cruise

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Knowing what travel documents you need when traveling outside the US can be daunting, and the requirements can sometimes be hard to understand and navigate. In addition, not knowing the airlines and cruises’ requirements could leave you stranded. That is to say, trouble could happen if you’re not aware of what you need to have with you to gain entry.

Traveling to and from the US isn’t as simple as hopping on and off a plane. For instance, the US government has specific requirements for travel documents that allow US citizens to come and go. If you’re planning to travel, you must take the proper documentation as you pass through airports, harbors, and bus stations.

What are travel documents?

According to Wikipedia : “A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international entity under international agreements to enable individuals to clear border control measures.”

A travel document is your identification that governments, such as the US, provide to citizens so they can cross international borders. The US government issues many different travel documents; for example, the type of travel document you need depends on your immigration status and the purpose of your trip.

Why do you need documents to travel?

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires 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 to enter or reenter the United States.

Your travel documents are essentially a permit to travel the world. That is to say, without the correct ID, your trip outside the US can become a nightmare. The first thing to remember is that you always want to carry the proper documents for your trip to avoid disastrous consequences.

There are many stories of travelers not gaining entry to cruises and ports of call due to not being aware of the required travel documents they need to have with them.

You are required to show valid documents to gain entry into the US. The documents you need depend on the country you are arriving from and your citizenship status.

What travel documents do I need?

US citizens entering the United States must have one of the following types of travel documents to enter:

• Valid Passport
• Passport Card
• Trusted Traveler Program  (TTP) Card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry, or FAST)
• Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)

On a closed-loop cruise (for example, departing and arriving at the same port), you can show a birth certificate and a government ID. However, if you have to fly home before you get back to port, you won’t be able to without a passport.

Note: You may still be required to show a passport to enter the countries your ship is visiting. If this applies to you, check with your cruise line to find out which travel documents to prepare for your visits to these countries.

COVID-19 Vaccination Records

The pandemic brought us a new form of travel document that may impact your next cruise. Most cruise lines require guests get vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus. As a result, you must prove that your vaccination status is up-to-date.

Most cruise lines require that you show the card you were issued when you received your initial vaccine and then boosters as proof of vaccination.

Please check with your cruise line for what they will accept as proof. Some require a physical card, while others, such as Royal Caribbean, will work with guests who only have a digital copy of their vaccination card.

Therefore, our recommendation is to pack your physical card. As a result, you will have a smooth cruise.

In conclusion, before you embark on your cruise , ensure that you have the proper essential travel documents covid-19 for your trip.

Cruise Lines Documents Requirements

*Disclaimer: The information in this article is primarily for US citizens from the cruise line websites listed above at the time of this writing. Please consult your local authorities and the cruise line you are traveling on for the most up-to-date travel document requirements.

Cruising Know It All

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I’ve been on several cruises, but I still found this post to be informative. It’s always good to review the necessary documents and make sure you have everything in order before your trip.

The tips on getting a passport photo and submitting the passport application early are great. It’s something that many people overlook, but can save you a lot of stress and hassle.

Do I need to bring my driver’s license on a cruise?

Yes, it’s always a good idea to bring your driver’s license or another form of government-issued identification in case it’s needed for any reason.

What happens if my drivers license expires before i return from my cruise and I do not have a passport

In order to travel on any cruise, a US citizen must either have a valid passport or an official birth certificate + a valid government-issued photo ID. In your case, I don’t think an expired driver’s license would qualify as a valid ID, and they may not even let you board the ship if they notice your license will expire during your voyage. I would encourage anyone to make sure your IDs are valid and will still be valid during your entire trip.

Also, please know that with a US Passport, most cruise lines require that the passport has been issued within 10 years of the cruise date and is at least six months from expiring from either the departure date or return date. As always, double-check with your chosen cruise for their specific requirements.

Happy cruising!

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Travel Consent Document for Minor

By rsjc , December 17, 2004 in Princess Cruises

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Have any of you ever had to have one of these? I will need one because I will be traveling with my 8yr old daughter with out my wife. Princess states that any child traveling with out BOTH parents or legal guardians MUST have a Non-Traveling Parent Consent Form. Called Princess and they said just make one up your self and have in notarized.

Have any of you done this and did the form you used work out OK.

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sue d. miller

I do it every year with the grandchildren. I write dates, ship, cabin#, hotels if necessary, full name of child, birthdate, and who is taking the child!!! The mother will write, giving permission, and get it noterized. Any bank where you have an account will do it free of charge!!

...and remember to take your child's birth certificate.

try this site http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/before/faq/children_travel-en.asp

We used this one on our recent cruise and it worked great:

http://landfalltravel.com/child.pdf

If you want to see all the forms they offer, click here: http://landfalltravel.com/formsx.html

There should have been a form in your pre cruise documents, there's one with mine that I just received.

Yes they do / did supply a form that had to be filled out. The form in my pack was called “Princess Cruise Parental Questionnaire”. This form is supplied to all traveling with persons under the age of 18. The form clearly states that all Traveling persons under 18 must have this form completed by both legal Parents and or Guardians.

The form also states that if only one parent or legal guardian is traveling then there must be a notarized letter of consent to travel from the non-traveling parent or guardian.

They also state “Failure to comply will result in denied boarding”

I called Princess and they said I needed to have the non-traveling parent write a short letter stating Childs full name as on birth certificate, date and place of birth, and that they approve of their child to travel Internationally with the given Parent. And to have it notarized.

If both parents are traveling only the “Parental Questionnaire” had to be completed.

I like the one on http://www.legaldocs.com Click on Free docs and then Child Care Authorization. You can fill out all the pertinent info and print it. It's worked great on Royal Caribbean and Princess for us. All the cruiselines require it to be notarized though.

We used this one on our recent cruise and it worked great:   http://landfalltravel.com/child.pdf   If you want to see all the forms they offer, click here: http://landfalltravel.com/formsx.html

We also used this one when I took my grandaughter, this fall and it was perfect.

Colo Cruiser

Did it on the Island in September when we took our 13 year old neice. They never asked us for anything in Vancouver. Even on the drive up at the boarder they never asked for anything. Just had a note written out by the oarents and notarized. :)

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Nearly 200 people sick in norovirus outbreaks on Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises ships

Nearly 200 people got sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International ships.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 94 of the 2,532 guests on Sapphire Princess reported being ill during its April 5 cruise, along with 20 crew members. The round-trip cruise, which left from Los Angeles with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific, will end on May 7, according to CruiseMapper .

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, 67 of its 1,993 guests reported being ill in addition to two crew members during a cruise that ended April 22, according to the CDC . The two-week voyage sailed from Tampa, Florida to Los Angeles with stops in countries like Colombia and Panama, according to CruiseMapper .

In both outbreaks, the guests and crew members’ main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

Princess, Royal Caribbean and the ships’ crews implemented heightened cleaning and disinfection measures and isolated those who were sick, among other steps, the health agency said.

"Onboard the most current sailing of Sapphire Princess, there have been a small number of cases of mild gastrointestinal illness among passengers, the cause likely is the common but contagious virus called Norovirus," a Princess spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "At the first sign of an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus. Our sanitization program, developed in coordination with the CDC, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard."

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The CDC has logged six outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met its threshold for public notification since the beginning of the year. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in five, while one was unknown.

The illness is often associated with cruise ships but outbreaks occur in communities on land as well, according to Dr. Sarah E. Hochman, a hospital epidemiologist and the section chief of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital.

“There's not something special or unique about cruise ships,” she said. “It's really any type of congregate setting, but it's also happening out in the community on a much smaller scale among households and household contacts. It just doesn't come to the attention of public health as much as it does for larger congregate settings.”

Hochman said the virus is “incredibly infectious” and congregate settings tend to have many shared surfaces, such as handrails in cruise ship stairwells or elevators. “And so, if you just have one person who's shedding the virus and touches the surface and then someone else touches it and then touches their mouth, that's how it can spread in those types of settings.”

Cruise ship medical facilities: What happens if you get sick or injured (or bitten by a monkey)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer isn't as effective against norovirus, and Hochman emphasized that washing hands with soap and water “will do a lot to prevent the spread.”

The news comes after more than two dozen Silversea Cruises guests got sick in a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on the luxury line’s Silver Nova ship during a sailing that began in late March.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Norovirus: Nearly 200 sick in outbreaks on Princess, Royal Caribbean ships, CDC says

FILE - Tourists crowd upper decks and stateroom balconies as the Anthem of the Seas owned by Royal Caribbean International on Aug. 9, 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Nearly 200 passengers on U.S. cruise ships suffered from diarrhea and vomiting in norovirus outbreaks in April, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC reported that 94 of the 2,532 (3.71%) passengers on Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess ship reported getting sick during its current voyage. The 32-day, roundtrip cruise began on April 5 and ends on May 7, according to the cruise tracking and information site CruiseMapper . 

Another 20 of the 1,066 crew members on board also reported getting sick, the CDC said.

Cruise ship rescued 14 stranded at sea for over a week

This was the scene from the lunch buffet during the first full day of cruising for the Icon of the Seas. The crew rescued all 14 from the distressed boat which was dwarfed by the largest cruise ship in the world.

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas ship, 67 of the 1,993 (3.36%) total passengers on board became ill during a voyage that began on April 8 and ended on April 22, according to the agency. Two crew members aboard also got sick. 

In both of the norovirus outbreaks, the main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC said.

Princess Cruises told FOX Television Stations that "at the first sign" of an increase in passengers reporting gastrointestinal illnesses, "we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus."

"Our sanitization program, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard," the company told FOX Television Stations.

Royal Caribbean International did not immediately return a request for comment, but the CDC said in its notice that the company also took several steps in response to the outbreak – including isolating the sick passengers and crew members and "increased cleaning and disinfection procedures." 

RELATED: 'Vampire facials' at unlicensed spa likely resulted in HIV infections: CDC

Cruise ships expose passengers to high volumes of people and new environments, which can "create the risk for illness from contaminated food, or water or, more commonly, through person-to-person contact," the CDC says. 

The agency recommends that anyone feeling sick should report their illness. If it happens before the voyage, travelers can ask their cruise line about any possible alternative cruising options. 

Those on board should wash their hands often to prevent illness, as well as get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. 

This story was reported from Cincinnati.

Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel

I was rushing to make my dinner reservation on Princess Cruises’ new ship. But when I arrived at the restaurant, the view made me stop.

From the windows at the sushi eatery Makoto Ocean – part of a sphere-shaped structure near the middle of the vessel – I saw the sun sinking below the horizon, a reddish-orange dot on the Mediterranean Sea. The Sun Princess facilitates scenes like that by design.

“We wanted to make sure that within how we designed the (venues) and placed the furniture, we gave maximum opportunity for our guests to be able to celebrate those outward views,” Denise Saviss, Princess’ vice president of entertainment experience, told USA TODAY. “It is really, really unique to have so much glass on the ship.”

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That was one of several striking features during a recent sailing (the ship is now cruising the Mediterranean before it moves to the Caribbean in October). Here are three takeaways from the first in the line’s aptly named Sphere Class.

1. The design showcases views at sea and in port

Makoto isn’t the only venue that offers that kind of view.

Other spaces inside the Sphere – which also houses lobby-slash-entertainment venue The Piazza – feature similarly sweeping vistas across decks 7, 8 and 9. I watched the light sparkle on the water while I sipped coffee one morning at International Café, and patrons dining at Alfredo’s Pizzeria can take in the scenery during their meal from many seats.

That’s also true elsewhere on the ship. At Horizons Dining Room, floor-to-ceiling windows face the ship’s wake. At the other end of the vessel, the Dome, a geodesic structure that Princess has said was inspired by the hills of Santorini, is like a massive solarium.

The space – which will also host shows including acrobatics – has multiple tiers of loungers, an indoor-outdoor pool and the Cascade Bar (which comes in handy for cooling off, as it felt a bit muggy in the Dome at one point on a sunny sea day).

The overall effect helped to bring the outside in.

2. The ship is bigger but still intimate

Sun Princess is the largest ship in the Princess fleet, and the 21-deck vessel can accommodate 4,300 guests. But that doesn’t mean everything is huge.

Given the scale of the offerings, a number of spaces on board feel notably intimate. One night, I walked to Good Spirits at Sea, a cocktail bar crafted in partnership with mixologist Rob Floyd that also hosts classes, and thought I was lost before stumbling upon it tucked around a corner on Deck 7. Inside, the 40-person venue offered a laid-back alternative to other more boisterous nightlife options.

On Deck 9, the ship’s buffet-like venue, The Eatery, gives way to narrower hallways toward the aft with backlit wood paneling and benches. At the end, they open back up to reveal specialty restaurants The Catch by Rudi and The Butcher’s Block by Dario (from Princess’ head of culinary arts, Rudi Sodamin, and in partnership with famed butcher Dario Cecchini, respectively).

Even the multi-configuration Princess Arena felt cozier than its near-1,000-guest capacity would suggest. I sat in the second-to-last row of my section for a performance by the vocal group ODY·C and was still close enough to see clearly.

3. The line leans into family-friendly activities

Part of Sun Princess’ expanded footprint has been used to broaden the line’s family offerings.

Park19, a new space on the ship’s top decks, features a variety of activities in an open-air setting. Saviss said the line worked to balance the interests of core customers and a growing family market “and make sure we're prioritizing spaces that everybody can enjoy.”

“There are some attractions that I think naturally, at first blush, people would say, ‘Oh, it's just for kids,’ but actually, the space is really comprehensive,” she said. “Our attractions are available for many different levels of ability and mobility.”

Those include Coastal Climb, an obstacle course that culminates in 360-degree views from The Lookout observation deck (the highest point accessible to guests on the ship, also reachable via elevator) and The Net ropes course.

On Sea Breeze, billed as the first Rollglider on a cruise ship, passengers will glide along the outer edges of the ship on an electric track (the ride will also be ADA-accessible, though Saviss said some mobility is required for maneuvering into the seat).

It’s as close as the ship gets to an amusement park (Princess’ version). “We're not running the rat race, if you will, of like, who can do it bigger, better,” Saviss said. “If you want to just have a really incredible bird's-eye view of Sun Princess, and in and around where the ship is sailing, you can do that. But there is an option to push a little lever while you're riding it and dial up the speed a bit faster, and then it does become a bit more thrilling.”

The ride was not yet available when I was on board, as the line moved through a testing, certification and training process, but is expected to open on April 27. Sun Princess’ original launch was delayed with the cruise line citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard, which pushed back the opening of some onboard amenities.

When is the best time to take a cruise?: We broke it down by region.

There is also a hammock area to chill when guests need a break, a recreational court that can host activities from pingpong to morning meditation, a jogging track and more. Elsewhere on board, guests will find the Firefly Park kids club and hangout spaces Neon Grove and The Underground for tweens and teens, respectively.

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Princess Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.  

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bigger ship, better views: 3 takeaways from Princess Cruises' newest vessel