Do I need a passport to take a Disney Cruise trip?
That's a complicated answer...
As of June 1, 2009, if you take a Disney Cruise, returning to the same port from which you left, you only need a valid birth certificate (usually, requiring a raised stamp/seal) and a valid driver's license. However, if, for any reason, you need to return to the states, either by plane, helicopter, or boat, you will need a passport.
Also, if the ship leaves out of Port Canaveral, for example, but returns to Tampa, you will need a passport. Really, you never know when you may need to return home on a flight from Nassau on an emergency, so your best bet is to have a passport!
Recently, I had pretty short notice that I would be going on a Disney Cruise -- but I needed a passport or birth certificate and getting either one in the short time I had was going to be nearly impossible. So, did I cancel the cruise? Nope. I used one of our advertisers, RushMyPassport. I try to use the products and services from our advertisers on a regular basis, but I had not really had a need for RushMyPassport, until now.
They were absolutely amazing! Within 15 minutes of submitting my application for their passport rush services, I received a phone call and an email. They have several different options, including one to get your passport in 24 hours! Granted it will cost you about $299 to get it that fast, so I went with a middle-of-the-road option that cost $149 (plus federal passport fees) and guaranteed a passport in 3-7 business days. I first visited the site on Wednesday of last week and received my passport today, Monday of the following week -- roughly 4 business days from my first contact with the company.
Now, I'm all set for my Disney Cruise, next week! I'll be posting some pics and video during and after the trip, so keep an eye out for that. In the meantime, check out RushMyPassport.com if you need a passport in a hurry for your next international trip or cruise.