Alaska cruise: Is a passport required?

[jane01jp]

The Canadian authorities were extremely efficient and polite! We were very impressed.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Passports are an investment but are worthwhile. I hope you consider getting one for your trip. You never know how it may come in handy.

 

[easyas123]

do yourself a favor - if you are leaving the 48 states (except if you go to Hawaii), always have your passport - you can never plan for everything but getting stuck in a foreign country (like Canada or Mexico) without a passport is ugly

 

[starry_solo]

Oh and pay the extra $30 for a passport card. This can be used as the REAL ID that is federally compliant to fly domestically.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Oh and pay the extra $30 for a passport card. This can be used as the REAL ID that is federally compliant to fly domestically.

Why? You've got a passport that works for that.

 

[starry_solo]

Why? You've got a passport that works for that.

for the real ID portion when flying domestically. That’s what I said in the post you quoted. You have to get a REAL ID to fly domestically soon. Lots of DMVs have limited appointments due to the Coronavirus. I’m not bringing a passport when flying domestically if I’m not going on a cruise. i don’t think a lot of people will do that either.

you also need the real ID to enter federal facilities. You can use the passport card to do so too.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

for the real ID portion when flying domestically. That’s what I said in the post you quoted. You have to get a REAL ID to fly domestically soon. Lots of DMVs have limited appointments due to the Coronavirus. I’m not bringing a passport when flying domestically if I’m not going on a cruise. i don’t think a lot of people will do that either.

you also need the real ID to enter federal facilities. You can use the passport card to do so too.

I'm just saying - a passport works for anything you'd want the REAL ID for. Why spend the extra money? Or just get the REAL ID on your driver's license. That works also.

 

[MillauFr]

Vancouver has a very efficient system at the airport for international travelers, the best I've ever seen. You scan your passport at the kiosk, answer questions, and then it takes your picture. Don't know how you could do that check-in with a birth certificate (at the airport).

I believe you actually clear US Customs at Canadian Airports when flying back into the US. Dublin Ireland is the same way. When I see the Canadian flights and Aer Lingus land at SeaTac they deplane passengers at the domestic gates. You don't have to clear customs once you land which is a huge benefit.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I believe you actually clear US Customs at Canadian Airports when flying back into the US. Dublin Ireland is the same way. When I see the Canadian flights and Aer Lingus land at SeaTac they deplane passengers at the domestic gates. You don't have to clear customs once you land which is a huge benefit.

I believe you are correct. Vancouver airport is very efficient coming into and leaving Canada.

 

[MillauFr]

I believe you are correct. Vancouver airport is very efficient coming into and leaving Canada.

Far more efficient than driving back to Seattle on a Summer Sunday afternoon and waiting 2 hours at the Peace Arch border crossing on I-5.

 

[jane01jp]

Far more efficient than driving back to Seattle on a Summer Sunday afternoon and waiting 2 hours at the Peace Arch border crossing on I-5.

I've made the drive once from Vancouver to Seattle. It took nearly all day, between getting the rental car (which was a nightmare), the border crossing, and the traffic.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

I'm just saying - a passport works for anything you'd want the REAL ID for. Why spend the extra money? Or just get the REAL ID on your driver's license. That works also.

Before not be able to travel due to the pandemic, I used my passport to travel all the time. I now have real id on my license, so good there now too. I wouldn't spend the extra money for the card.

 

[otten]

I believe you actually clear US Customs at Canadian Airports when flying back into the US. Dublin Ireland is the same way. When I see the Canadian flights and Aer Lingus land at SeaTac they deplane passengers at the domestic gates. You don't have to clear customs once you land which is a huge benefit.

Yes this is true.

 

[daedelus]

I travel for business and I keep my passport and Global Entry card with me every trip I take. It's parachute logic - better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

[AquaDame]

I travel for business and I keep my passport and Global Entry card with me every trip I take. It's parachute logic - better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

We plan on just using our passport for domestic trips as well - RealID is optional in Oregon, and costs more. May I ask why you take the Global Entry card with you...? I did at first but was never asked to show it - its tied to the passport anyway. Wondering if I am missing something...!

 

[DCLDVC1]

The Alaskan dominoes are falling.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/...ancels-quantum-of-the-seas-2021-alaska-season

 

[belle032]

Just popping in to say - spend the money and get a passport. You don't have to worry about what documentation to use for different type of travel, when you're asked for identification (DMV for example), a passport generally covers your bases, it lasts for 10 years, and it's really not more expensive than any enhanced license.

We use ours for everything and take it any time we travel. IMHO, do yourself a favor and just invest in one.

 

[daedelus]

We plan on just using our passport for domestic trips as well - RealID is optional in Oregon, and costs more. May I ask why you take the Global Entry card with you...? I did at first but was never asked to show it - its tied to the passport anyway. Wondering if I am missing something...!

The GE card is required for land crossings, but not air or sea. As a road warrior, I just keep it in my wallet. The last time we did Alaska, we ended up flying to Seattle and renting a car to drive up to Vancouver. It's only a couple of hours and the drive was beautiful. That was before I had GE, but it would have been nice! Flights to Vancouver can be expensive, so that was a cheaper alternative for us.

 

[remlap]

depending on what you're doing in Skagway, you may need a Passport depending on how you're spending your day. I don't know if they will take a EDL from the lower 48 crossing into Canada from Alaska. We had a lovely 3rd party tour to Emerald Lake and then took the train back down and we were told passports were required.

I sailed on the Wonder from Vancouver to Seattle, and was excited I was going to finally get to use my Global Entry card for a "Land and Sea crossing". When we went thru US immigration in Vancouver, the border agent looked at us and said "I know you flew here, just give me your passport." We were "devastated" Ok maybe got over it two minutes later when we walked on the ship.

We also have sailed the Wonder two night cruises from San Diego when the gate agent also said somethin along the lines of, if you have a passport I can check you in immediately, or you'll need to wait for a supervisory to check you in with the Global Entry card.

A long way to get around to, if you have a Passport, just bring it. If you don't have one you will be ok, just know you may have longer waits or more hoops to jump thru.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

depending on what you're doing in Skagway, you may need a Passport depending on how you're spending your day. I don't know if they will take a EDL from the lower 48 crossing into Canada from Alaska. We had a lovely 3rd party tour to Emerald Lake and then took the train back down and we were told passports were required.

Yes, you must have a passport (book) if you take the White Pass train excursion that actually crosses the border. There is a White Pass excursion that stops before crossing the border, also.