Cruises That Don’t Require a Passport

If you feel the urge to cruise but your passport has expired or you've decided to take the kids on a last-minute trip and they lack passports, you might be asking yourself whether a passport is necessary for cruising. For certain destinations, you can cruise without a passport. However, cruising without a passport comes with its own set of risks, which we will discuss below.

To cruise without a passport, you must remain within the Western Hemisphere and embark on a “closed-loop” itinerary, meaning you depart from and return to the same U.S. port. These travel regulations are part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Cruises to locations like the Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Canada, New England, Mexico, Bermuda, and Hawai‘i all qualify under this rule.

Remember the “closed-loop” aspect. If your cruise does not return to the same port—such as a one-way Panama Canal trip from Los Angeles to Miami—you will need a passport. Additionally, some Caribbean itineraries are restricted, as certain islands like St. Bart’s and Martinique do require a passport, meaning your cruise line will necessitate a passport before boarding.

When a passport is required, every traveler must have one, including infants and toddlers.

All cruises heading to destinations beyond the United States require a passport.

Alternative Forms of ID You Can Use Instead of a Passport

If you’re on a closed-loop cruise that starts and ends in the U.S. and makes stops in Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean, you simply need to verify your U.S. citizenship, and this applies to everyone in your group. Instead of a passport, acceptable options include an Enhanced Driver’s License (available only to residents of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington), a government-issued birth certificate, or an official Certificate of Naturalization. Be aware that the birth certificate must be the official document from the Vital Records Department, not the decorative version with the baby’s footprints from the hospital.

For those aged 16 and older without a passport, a photo ID is also required, such as a state-issued ID or driver’s license. This photo ID must display your picture, name, and date of birth.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offers a comprehensive overview of the necessary requirements. If you have any uncertainties, consult your travel agent or cruise line to avoid being denied boarding due to insufficient identification.

The dangers of not having a passport during an international cruise

Even on closed-loop cruises within North America, cruise lines usually highly advise carrying a passport. The rationale is that if you find yourself in a Caribbean nation, Canada, or Mexico and need to return home early for any reason, a passport is essential for flying back to the U.S.

This concern is particularly important in light of COVID-19 and any medical emergencies that could necessitate changes to your trip or an evacuation. Having a passport will also be beneficial in unexpected situations such as a family crisis or if your cruise is cut short due to poor weather or technical difficulties.

Without a passport, you may face challenges if you miss the ship's boarding time and need to fly home or to another port of call.

Passport cards, a less expensive alternative to a passport book, can allow you to board the ship but are only valid for re-entering the U.S. by land or sea; they are not acceptable for air travel.

Destinations Where You Can Cruise Without a Passport

Alaska

Experience glacier calving, whale watching, and discover remote towns on “closed-loop” cruises from Seattle with lines like Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, and Princess. These cruises include a day in Canada, but you won’t need a passport.

For those who prefer small-ship experiences, there are options that remain entirely within Alaska, offered by companies like UnCruise Adventures, Lindblad Expeditions, and the Alaska Native-owned Alaskan Dream Cruises.

Bahamas

Short three- to five-day trips to the Bahamas offer access to beautiful white-sand beaches and the private islands of various cruise lines at budget-friendly prices, with no passport needed. However, if you’re embarking on a longer cruise that includes other Caribbean destinations, be sure to verify any passport requirements with your cruise line.

Among the various options available are Disney Cruise Line voyages departing from Port Canaveral (near Orlando) that visit Disney’s exclusive island, Castaway Cay, as well as Royal Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Miami that head to the luxurious waterpark on the line’s private island, CocoCay. For adults only, Virgin Voyages offers cruises to its stylish Beach Club at Bimini. If you're looking for an upscale small ship experience, consider the 298-passenger Evrima, the inaugural yacht from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, cruising to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale.

Bermuda

Closed-loop cruises to Bermuda depart from New York City, Boston, Baltimore, and Port Canaveral with lines like MSC Cruises, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean, taking you to the island's renowned pink-sand beaches and golf courses. In October, Disney offers sailings from New York featuring Halloween-themed activities, including spooky movies and “ghoulish treats” for guests of all ages. Other cruise lines with closed-loop itineraries to Bermuda include the gourmet-focused upscale brand Oceania Cruises, also departing from New York.

Caribbean

Year-round Caribbean cruises are the perfect getaway for sun lovers seeking blue skies, soft sandy beaches, and relaxation beneath swaying palm trees. Round-trip itineraries that don’t require a passport depart from ports including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa in Florida; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; and Galveston, Texas, featuring major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean’s mega-ships, the largest vessels in the world.

You won’t encounter any passport requirements on established routes from U.S. ports that visit Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands—St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John—which are all part of the United States. You can also fly in to start cruises from these locations.

However, for those considering small ships or larger vessels on more extensive itineraries, be aware that certain islands—including Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Bart’s—do require a passport.

New England and Canada

If you’re drawn to lobsters, rugged coastlines, whale watching, colonial history, or autumn foliage, these experiences are available on round-trip itineraries from Boston, New York, and Bayonne, New Jersey, offered by lines like Celebrity, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean.

For one-way voyages, such as those traveling between Montreal and Boston with Holland America Line, a passport is required for flying to or from Canada.

Hawai‘i

You can explore the volcanoes, tropical rainforests, whale watching, and surfing beaches of Hawai‘i without a passport in two ways. One option is to fly in for a cruise that keeps you primarily within the islands. The other option involves a lengthy closed-loop cruise departing from a California port or Seattle, with a stop in Ensenada, Mexico, and several days at sea to reach Hawai‘i.

The only major cruise line offering the fly-in option is Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,186-passenger Pride of America, which is U.S.-flagged, allowing it to operate to and from a U.S. port without visiting another country. (Foreign-flagged lines are prohibited from sailing between U.S. ports without a stop in another country due to the Jones Act.) You can spend a week on this ship departing from Honolulu, visiting five Hawaiian Islands.

For a week-long small ship adventure, consider UnCruise Adventures, which sails from Moloka‘i to the Big Island, with stops at Lāna‘i and Maui. If you’re cruising from California, most itineraries are 14 nights or longer, giving you options with lines like Holland America, Celebrity, Viking Cruises, and Seabourn.

Mexico

You don’t need a passport for western Caribbean closed-loop cruises departing from the United States, available through all major cruise lines from Florida ports, New Orleans, Galveston, and more, heading to destinations like Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Progresso. Belize and Honduras, which are occasionally included on these routes, also do not require passports for cruise ship passengers.

Additionally, you can cruise to the Mexican Riviera—visiting places like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán—without needing a passport. These round-trip journeys typically depart from Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, and San Francisco. If your cruise itinerary includes other countries, having a passport may be necessary, although cruise lines generally request it for boarding rather than for shore excursions. Lines offering these voyages include Princess, Holland America, Disney, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean.