Are passports required?

Carnival requires guests to provide proper travel documentation in order to travel. A passport is NOT required for U.S. citizens taking
cruises that begin & end in the same U.S. port. The passport requirement also does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning
directly from a U.S. territory.  (Non-U.S Citizens must contact the appropriate Consulates, U.S. Embassy and U.S. Immigration office to inquire about necessary travel documentation.) Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of Immigration requirements.

Though not required, It is recommended that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise. This will enable guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at the first port should they miss their scheduled embarkation and allow guests that must disembark the ship before their cruise ends due to an emergency to fly back to the U.S without significant delays and complications. It is also recommended that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond completion of travel.  (*If you need to obtain a passport quickly, Carnival recommends that you contact ZVS at http://www.zvs.com/carnival or by phone: 1-866-788-1100.  Callers should mention that they are sailing on Carnival to receive discounted service fees.)  Travelling with a passport enhances your disembarkation experience, as delays may be expected upon your return to the U.S. if you do not have one.  

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same
U.S. port to travel with one of the following WHTI compliant documents:

• Valid U.S. Passport

• Passport Card

• Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate, Issued by the department of vital statistics.  (Baptismal and Hospital Certificates,
  copies of U.S. Passports and Naturalization papers, are NOT acceptable.)

• Certificate of Naturalization

• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card,  e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card

• Enhanced Tribal Card

• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad

• Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) (EDLs cannot be used to travel by air outside the United States.)

If you are not travelling with a passport, a government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over.  For a
complete list of WHTI-compliant documents Click Here.

When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original, signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect may be required if debarking with children in Mexico.

Sailings from Canada or to Canadian Ports of Call: U.S. Citizens require a valid passport or WHTI compliant documents.
Europe, Hawaii and Transatlantic Cruises: U.S. citizens must have a valid passport. U.S. Alien Residents and Non-U.S. Citizens: U.S. Alien Residents require a valid Alien Resident Card and/or passport (depending on itinerary) to travel on all Carnival cruises.  Non-U.S. citizens require a valid machine readable passport and a valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable, to travel on all Carnival cruises.  Guests are advised to check with their travel agent or appropriate government authority to determine the necessary documents, including a Schengen/ or Croatian Visa necessary for European cruises.  On occasion, non-U.S. citizens and U.S. Alien Residents may be asked to surrender their passport and/or Alien Resident Card at time of embarkation. These documents will be returned upon completion of the Immigration inspection at the time of debarkation. Non-U.S. citizens that are eligible to apply for admission under the Visa Waiver
Pilot Program, must still have a valid unexpired passport. U.S. State Department regulations require all guests traveling from visa-waiver countries be in possession of a machine-readable passport that includes a biometric identifier - e.g., embedded digital photograph. Otherwise, guests will be required to obtain a U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa. Guests without proper identification may be refused boarding or entry into the United States.
AIR TRAVEL:  Passports are required for air travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda. This will impact all guests traveling by air to embark or debark in Vancouver for our Alaska or Hawaii cruises; and our Canadian guests that travel by air to or from any of our U.S. embarkation ports. This will also enable guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at the first port should they miss their scheduled embarkation and allow guests that must debark the ship before their cruise ends to fly back to the U.S without significant delays and complications.  

Guest names on travel documents (passport, or birth certificate and drivers license) must be identical to those on the cruise reservation and
airline tickets. Otherwise, proof of name change (e.g., a marriage license) or a valid driver's license (or other government-issued photo ID) must be presented.

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