Why You Should Take A Passport With You On Your Disney Cruise

One of the first things I did after booking my family’s Disney Cruise was to make sure each member of my family had a passport. Why is this essential?

If you are a citizen of the United States and taking a cruise that starts and ends in the same location (also known as closed loop), and to locations such as the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and Canada, having a passport is not necessary. Cruises traveling to places such as Europe and to the Panama Canal, however, always require passports.

If you are leaving the United States, you don’t want to take any risks. Accidents happen. Illnesses don’t stop just because you are on vacation. What would happen if you or a family member needs medical attention and you are in a foreign country? How are you going to get home? If you have a passport, it is easy to book a flight, go through customs and prove your citizenship so you can get back home.

Passports are good for your peace of mind. It is kind of like insurance. Having one gives you the security you need in case something were to happen. Plus, it’s easy to apply for one. For information on how to apply, go here. Some people might say it’s too expensive, but if you are already going on a cruise, my best advice is to include the cost of your passport in with your cruise budget and just get one because the benefits will far outweigh the costs you might face if you do not have one. Once you get one, it will last you ten years (five years if you are a child). In my opinion, it is well worth it!

This all seems totally obvious, right? Well, a recent change gives passengers yet another reason to carry their passport.

Disney Cruise Line also recently announced that passports are now required for travelers visiting Martinique (Fort-de-France). From Disney Cruise Line Blog:

Martinique has recently changed their document policy for cruise visitors and now require all Guests to have a valid, unexpired passport. Martinique will not allow anyone to go ashore without a passport and Guests without a valid passport will need to stay onboard while the ship is in port.

A valid passport is only necessary to visit Martinique. For more information on what documents are required to board the ship, please visit https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/ships-cruises/required-documents.

This means if you want to disembark the ship and visit Martinique you will need a passport!

There are two future cruises that have Martinique in their itineraries. The Disney Wonder is scheduled to visit Martinique on January 29, 2020, during a 7-night Southern Caribbean Cruise departing San Juan on January 20, 2019.

Next summer, the Disney Fantasy will call on Martinique July 1, 2020, during a 9-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise departing Port Canaveral on June 27, 2020.