Congress enacted the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative as a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. The land/sea phase of the initiative went into effect on June 1, 2009. It establishes which documents are acceptable to establish U.S. citizenship and identity when a traveler is re-entering the United States. Passport books are required for air travelers of all ages. For entry via land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean, a passport, passport card or trusted travel document are acceptable. Children younger than 16 traveling by land or sea only need to present an original or certified copy of a birth certificate. The initiative also states that closed-loop cruises are exempt from the passport requirement.
A closed-loop cruise is a cruise that begins and ends in the same U.S. port. The Department of Homeland Security states that U.S. citizens traveling on a closed-loop cruise may present an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, along with a government-issued photo identification, instead of a passport for exiting and re-entering the United States.
An open-loop cruise is a cruise that begins in one U.S. port and ends in a different U.S. port. These cruises require either a valid passport book or a valid passport card. A trusted travel document such as a NEXUS card may be used as well.
A passport book is mandatory for all travelers flying to a foreign port to begin a cruise or flying back to the U.S. after a cruise ends in a foreign port. A passport card cannot be used for international air travel.
It is usually a good idea to carry a passport book on a Caribbean cruise. U.S. Customs and Border Protection advises that a valid passport book may be needed on closed-loop cruises because each country visited has its own entry requirements. Cruise lines also recommend that all passengers travel with a passport book so that in the event of a missed port or an emergency, they can fly to another port or re-enter the United States by air.
