Travel Documents Required
TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
U.S. Citizens
All persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and all foreign countries are required to present a valid passport to board the aircraft.
While recent legislation has deferred the passport deadline for some cruise passengers to these areas Cruise Planners strongly recommends that every traveler possess a valid passport.
If your cruise departs from and returns to the U.S., a passport is now required in both of the following unexpected situations:
· To fly to a foreign port to catch up with the ship if you miss its U.S. embarkation, or;
· To fly home to the U.S. from a foreign port if you are forced to cut your trip short.
To obtain a passport for the first time, you must go in person to a local passport office along with two photographs of yourself, an original or certified copy of your birth certificate and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license. Passport offices can be found inside many post offices and court houses. For complete information and instructions please visit the U.S. Department of State’s website at: www.travel.state.gov/passport
Visa and documentation requirements vary by destination and change from time to time without notice. Check with the consulate of each country you will visit or with a visa service to verify current regulations. It is your responsibility to have proper travel documentation. Travelers who fail to present the necessary documentation for their trip will be denied boarding and be solely responsible for fines, cancellation penalties and additional expenses, and neither the cruise line nor Cruise Planners is able to offer refunds of any kind.
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION
In addition, some cruise lines and some countries require special documentation when:
• children travel without both parents;
• cruise guests explore independently rather than on a ship-sponsored shore excursion;
• Hawaii cruises make a port of call in Fanning Island;
• Alaska cruises make a port of call in Canada.
ONLINE CHECK-IN PRIOR TO YOUR CRUISE
The cruise line requires that you pre-register for your cruise online on their website no later than seven days prior to sailing. You will need your booking number, passport information, dates of birth, address and emergency contact information. You may also be able to activate your onboard account with your credit card. If you have not completed online check-in you will be required to complete the information at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time. All guests must be checked in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or will be refused the ability to sail.
We highly recommend flight confirmations for those who would like a specific airline, routing, class of service or change of flight date. This is also the only way to guarantee the same flights as travelers in other cabins. The cruise line will charge a fee for this service, as well as pass along any additional airfare required to honor your request. No changes are permitted once final payment has been made. You may decide to make your own air arrangements, thereby releasing the cruise line from this responsibility, but must do so prior to making the final payment on your cruise to avoid paying a penalty.
PREGNANCY
Pregnant women are only allowed to sail if pregnant for 24 completed weeks or less at the time of cruise disembarkation. All pregnant women are required to produce a physician's letter stating that mother and baby are in good health, fit to travel and the pregnancy is not high-risk. The letter must also include the Estimated Date of Delivery (EDD).
