March 28. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you’re planning to leave luggage with porters when you arrive at the terminal, make sure you print out the paper luggage tags.
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.
Source: The Points Guy
