Why You Should Have A Passport

Last Saturday, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Dawn was in the midst of a 9-night cruise to the Southern Caribbean.  The ship was heading back to Miami, and got about 95 miles north of Puerto Rico, when it happened: a power failure.

This power failure affected the ship’s propulsion system, meaning it would not make it back to Miami in time.  Limited power was restored, and the best course of action was to return to Puerto Rico, and fly the passengers back to Miami from the captial city of San Juan.

But, let’s ponder this situation for a moment.  Currently, the United States does not require a US Passport for closed-loop voyages, which both begin and end at the same US port).  As an option, US citizens can provide a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID, just like “the old days.”  That’s the bare minimum.  Cruise passengers can also get a US Passport card.  Of course, the traditional Passport book is also available at a slightly higher cost.

There’s just one problem with relying on the birth certificate/photo ID, and this problem also exists with the US Passport card.  Neither of these options will allow any US citizen to enter the United States by air.  Only the US Passport book allows for air travel.

In the case of the Norwegian Dawn, the passengers as a whole were lucky.  The cruise ship was able to divert to Puerto Rico, a US Territory.  Just like US States, Territories are exempt from the US Passport book requirement.  But, the Dominican Republic is less than 80 miles away from Puerto Rico – what if the ship was positioned such that the Dominican Republic was the best place she could seek help?

Those passengers who sailed with a birth certificate/photo ID wouldn’t be able to fly home.  Neither would those who opted for the cheaper Passport card.  Only those with the Passport books would have been able to return home quickly by air.

What is the lesson here?  If you are going to cruise, cover all the bases and plan for every eventuality by obtaining a US Passport book.  There is no document more important on the face of the planet that you should have when you depart from the US.