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Cruise Affairs News
Articles of interest from around the travel industry and from the office of Cruise Affairs, LLC
Check here often for an update on what is going on in the travel industry and how it affects you. __________________
We continue to get calls requesting more information on the change in ID requirements that will go occur on June 1 when the final phase of the WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) goes into effect. The State Dept. has posted information on this at www.getyouhome.com, but we must admit even this is somewhat ambiguous and confusing. We will try to simplify this for you as best as we can:
*Currently everyone (including children) needs a passport to fly to, or back into the U.S. from, any foreign location (does not include U.S. Territories like Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam)…this will not change.
*Effective June 1 this requirement will go into place for land and sea crossings as well.
*You may think it is safe to say that either a passport, passport card or EDL (Enhanced Drivers License – all three considered WHTI Compliant documents) would be needed for all forms of foreign travel, including cruises and Canadian / Mexican land border crossings, except that a loophole was built in for some cruise passengers, and that is what is causing the main confusion.
*** If, starting June 1, a U.S. citizen is a passenger on a so-called “loop” cruise, you will still be able to cruise using your birth certificate and a Gov’t ID (drivers license). A loop cruise is defined as a cruise that departs from a U.S. port and returns to that same U.S. port even though it may visit foreign ports as part of the itinerary.
Here is the danger in this policy --- if you have to leave your cruise in a foreign port for any reason and intend to fly home, if you do not have a passport the State Dept. and Homeland Security have not said how this will be handled. Repeated calls to them by us have resulted in no definitive answers. We were told that a U.S. citizen with valid proof of citizenship cannot be denied entry into the U.S.; they just don’t know what procedure would be used, or more importantly how long it would take. We were told that these would be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Of even more concern would be the scenario where you are a passenger on a loop cruise and, for whatever reason or whoever’s fault, miss your ship departure from the U.S. You will not be allowed to fly to the ship’s first port of call without a passport. (Passport cards and EDL’s cannot be used for flying, only land and sea crossings).
Our advice is simply…get a passport if your travels involve any foreign locations! An adult passport costs $100 and is good for 10 years…$10 a year is worth the peace of mind. (Remember – don’t try to take the less expensive way out with a passport card. They are OK for loop cruises, but not flying. Both the card and EDL were put in place primarily with frequent land crossings in mind).
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Disney Wonder Getting New Home at Port of Los Angeles Disney Cruise Line® has announced plans to reposition the Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship from its base in Port Canaveral, Fla., to the West Coast in 2011. _______________
Royal Caribbean has announced that you will now be able to make reservations at their speciality restaurants prior to your sailing. Just log on to www.rccl.com. Reservations will be available up to 10 days prior to sailing...after that you will have to make them onboard..expect very few to be left. __________________ The Dept. of Homeland Security has reached the FINAL decisions on travel documents for the future. As may come as no surprise, the report is 151 pages long, but I will give you some highlights.
Rules in place now will stay in place until the final implementation date of June 1, 2009:
*You must have a passport to fly out of and in to the U.S. from a foreign destination.
*Cruises that begin and end in a U.S. port require either a passport, passport card or proof of citizenship (birth certificate) and a gov’t issued photo ID.
*Cruises that begin and end in a foreign port require a passport.
*Land border crossings into the U.S. require either a passport, passport card or proof of citizenship (birth certificate) and a gov’t issued photo ID.
Effective on June 1, 2009:
The above regulations pertaining to air and land entries will basically remain the same (some other types of documents are being developed for land crossings, but pertain mostly to residents of border States).
***Cruise passenger’s requirements will change.
If the cruise begins and ends on the same ship and at the same U.S. port, citizens will need either a passport or passport card or proof of citizenship (birth certificate) and a gov’t issued photo ID.
If the cruise has either different U.S. ports of embarkation / debarkation, or starts or ends in a foreign port, regardless of it being on the same ship, you must have a passport or passport card.
As I said the report is very long and can be read at:
There are a number of special categories and rules pertaining to children, school groups, foreign nationals, and Native Americans, but the above is what applies to the average traveler.
Even though it will now be possible to continue cruising in many instances without a passport, we continue to caution against this practice. There is language in the report that addresses “waivers” of entry into the U.S. by citizens, without a passport. This may occur in response to emergency circumstances, determined on a case by case basis, and most likely requiring a lengthy process. If you, a family member or traveling companion have to leave a ship in a foreign port due to illness, injury or the need to fly home in response to an emergency, it will be difficult at best without a passport. Protect yourself and obtain one before any foreign travel.
Some sites to check are:
The following article was provided to us by the Cruise Lines International Association prior to it's representatives testimony before Congress.....
Facts About Cruise Ship Safety and Security
The highest priority of the cruise industry is the safety and security of its passengers and crew. With more than 12 million vacationers cruising each year, the cruise lines take every appropriate measure to ensure that their guests have a safe and enjoyable vacation.
While people are far safer on board a cruise ship than in virtually any community in the United States, on rare occasions, incidents may happen. On March 27, CLIA will testify before Congress on the outstanding safety and security record of the cruise industry.
Cruising remains one of the safest vacations available, with an outstanding record of safety and security. In fact, when compared with the FBI's land-based crime statistics in the United States, cruise passengers are much safer on board a cruise ship than ashore.
While instances of crime on board cruise ships are rare, it is important that whenever traveling to be observant of one's possessions and surroundings at all times. Cruise passengers are reminded of this, as they are in any hotel, by safety information, daily bulletins, port visit briefings and the provision of a room safe or safety deposit box. In the event of an incident, the cruise industry takes all allegations and incidents very seriously, reports them to the proper authorities and fully cooperates in any investigation. In many instances, cruise lines do not publicly disclose detailed information to comply with directions from law enforcement and out of respect for privacy.
Cruising is among the most popular vacation options in large part because of its excellent safety record and the high level of quality service cruise ships provide. The industry will continue to do its part to maintain a safe, secure and healthy shipboard environment.
NOROVIRUS It seems like the past couple of years we have heard more about noroviruses on cruise ships. Some people, incorrectly, have begun to associate this illness exclusively with cruising, probably because of the media coverage whenever a case is reported onboard.
While this is a serious matter, as anyone who has had the virus will attest, it should be kept in perspective. The virus is easily transmitted so it only takes one person to start an outbreak. Cruise ships are enclosed environments where contact with fellow passengers and crew is unavoidable. However, some information from the Centers for Disease Control might help you understand more about norovirus and in fact surprise you: What are noroviruses? Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the “stomach flu,” or gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis), in people. The term norovirus was recently approved as the official name for this group of viruses. What are the symptoms of illness caused by noroviruses? The symptoms of norovirus illness usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick. The illness is usually brief, with symptoms lasting only about 1 or 2 days. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults. Most people with norovirus illness have both of these symptoms. In the past year some 16 cases of norovirus has been reported on cruise ships. Each time a couple of hundred people (passengers and crew members) have been affected.
Now here is the surprising part and what you rarely see or hear mentioned in news stories……CDC estimates that 23 million cases of acute gastroenteritis per year are reported and are due to norovirus infection, and it is now thought that at least 50% of all foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis can be attributed to noroviruses. Considering the number of cruises that depart each week around the world, a relatively small number of cases actually occur onboard.
We recommend that when you travel, anywhere by any means, that you carry a small container of hand sanitizer with you and use it often. You can’t control the sanitation habits of others but you can take this simple action to help lessen your chances of becoming ill. ___________________________________________
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