Everyone must present an accepted form of identification to board the ship. We strongly recommend that all guests present a passport as their form of ID on boarding day. Accepted forms of ID depend on your nationality/country of citizenship. Guests who do not bring the required documents may be denied boarding. No refunds will be given to individuals who fail to bring proper documentation.
- US-Born Citizens must have a US Passport valid for at least 6 months after the cruise ends. Those without passports must bring TWO documents – an official US state-issued Birth Certificate AND a government-issued photo ID (ex. valid driver’s license). Should you decide to present your birth certificate on boarding day, please keep these guidelines in mind:
- It must be a state-certified birth certificate issued by the government. No “baby feet” certificates, no hospital birth certificates, and, no baptismal papers will be accepted.
- You must present the original copy, no photocopies.
- You must also show a valid government-issued photo ID, like a driver’s license.
- Guests 15 and under do not need to show an ID, just their birth certificate.
- The first and last names across all docs, and your reservation, must match. What if the name on my documents doesn’t match?
- Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 are no longer valid. The government of Puerto Rico has partnered with VitalChek to issue new birth certificates.
- US Permanent Residents must have a US Permanent Resident Card. Additionally, a passport from your home country is strongly recommended. Click here for additional information.
- Non-US Citizens must have a valid passport for at least 6 months after the cruise ends and the necessary visa for entry into the United States. Visa requirements vary depending on nationality and the country you are sailing from, get guidance here.
- Refer to the RCI Travel Documents Hub for more details regarding required travel documents on Royal Caribbean’s website.
Special Mentions
- Photocopies or images of required travel documents are not accepted for boarding.
- The first and last names on your travel documents must match your cruise reservation’s first and last names. Do NOT include middle name(s) on your cruise reservation.
- Although a passport is not required for US citizens taking “closed loop” cruises, we strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of the cruise. Having a passport will enable guests to fly from the US to a foreign port in the event they miss their scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the US if they need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.
- Traveling with a child that is not your own? Are you traveling with a grandchild, niece, nephew, or other child that you are not the guardian of? When a minor (age 17 and under) travels without their legal guardian, an accompanying adult must present a notarized form signed by the child’s guardian. This ensures the child has the guardian’s consent to leave the country.