What can I expect when taking a cruise from the USA to Mexico (and others)?
- By
- Aparna Patel
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- 23 Jul, 2023
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To add extra detail to Dorothy’s answer:
We were required to provide a valid passport in order to board. We had priority boarding, so I don’t know if this was a requirement of that (as in if we didn’t have a passport we would have had to go to the normal lines), but not having a passport that was valid for at least six months after the return date was not an option.
In both ports we were told to provide only the ship board ID and a valid government issue ID (Drivers licence). We were advised to leave the passport in a safe on the boat.
When returning to the boat, the ports (Mexico and Cayman islands) didn’t even check the IDs. The cruise people checked the ship board ID as you got on and off the ship. They didn’t check the IDs either (but photos were embedded in the ship board IDs).
As to the question of money. Cash was accepted everywhere. Credit cards were not. Some places took cards, some didn’t. But cash was accepted everywhere. As an aside, be really didn’t spend any money. By purchasing ship “excursions” every thing was paid for or charged to our ship board account. I would still advise taking some cash, but not much.
In order to board your ship, you will need either a valid passport, or an original/certified birth certificate AND a government-issued photo identification (such as a valid driver’s license).
You shouldn’t need a passport if this is a closed-loop cruise (departing and returning to the same US port) and your two ports of call are in Mexico and the Cayman Islands. Some Caribbean nations do require that cruise passengers have a passport to enter. Should you arrive at one which does, you would simply remain onboard.
Note that most cruise lines strongly recommend that you travel with a valid passport. It would be needed if you missed a departure (from home or ports of call) or, worst case, in an emergency to fly home prior to the ship’s return to port. Having one could make your upcoming cruise, and future travels, a bit easier.
Credit cards and US currency are widely accepted at both of your destinations. You should notify the card issuer of your travel plans. Just call the toll free number and tell the rep where you’re going and when, to avoid a freeze being placed for unusual activity. If your card charges for foreign transactions, you might consider getting one that doesn’t.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘
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