This week, Disney Cruise Line sent emails out to guests booked on upcoming closed loop cruises with an update on the citizenship documentation requirement for those choosing to sail using their birth certificates.
The key message in the birth certificate correspondence is that only an original state-issued birth certificate is acceptable and photocopies of birth certificates will not be accepted.
<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="615" height="848" data-attachment-id="69028" data-permalink="https://disneycruiselineblog.com/2024/09/citizenship-documentation-update-birth-certificate-photocopies-will-not-be-accepted/dcl-passport-travel-documentation-round-trip-us-20240911/" data-orig-file="https://disneycruiselineblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/DCL-Passport-Travel-Documentation-Round-Trip-US-20240911.jpg" data-orig-size="615,848" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="DCL Passport Travel Documentation Round Trip US 20240911" data-image-description="DCL Passport Travel Documentation Round Trip US 20240911
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The latest clarification of the birth certificate requirement is presented below from the original email.
Dear Guest,
We are reaching out with important information about the citizenship documentation required for Guests planning to sail using their birth certificates and a government issued photo ID.
For round trip sailings departing from the U.S., Guests using a birth certificate as citizenship documentation are reminded that only an original state-issued birth certificate is acceptable. Guests 16 years of age and older are also required to present a physical government-issued photo ID. Children 15 years of age and younger will need to present an original state-issued birth certificate but do not need to present a government-issued photo ID. Photocopies of birth certificates will not be accepted.
Please be sure to review the documentation requirements for your sailing on our Passports, Visas & Citizenship Documentation page. Guests without proper citizenship documentation will be denied boarding.
In addition, for a carefree boarding experience, we strongly recommend that Guests complete Online Check-In ahead of time by uploading their valid citizenship documents and arrive during their designated Port Arrival Time. Online Check-In for your sailing will be available approximately 30 days prior to sailing.
Sincerely,
The Cast and Crew
Disney Cruise Line
<img decoding="async" width="440" height="1024" data-attachment-id="69027" data-permalink="https://disneycruiselineblog.com/2024/09/citizenship-documentation-update-birth-certificate-photocopies-will-not-be-accepted/dcl-email-birth-certificate-policy-20240912/" data-orig-file="https://disneycruiselineblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/DCL-Email-Birth-Certificate-Policy-20240912.jpg" data-orig-size="559,1301" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="DCL Email Birth Certificate Policy 20240912" data-image-description="DCL Email Birth Certificate Policy 20240912
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Most cruises beginning and ending in the same location are considered “round-trip” or “closed-loop,” meaning they begin and end at the same port in the United States and travel within the Western Hemisphere. For instance, if you board the Disney Fantasy at Port Canveral, Florida, and after visiting at least one foreign port of call, such as Cozumel, or Tortola, and return to Port Canaveral, you have taken a closed loop cruise.
For more details on required citizenship documentation you can visit Disney Cruise Line’s Passport and Travel Documentation page with information unique to the various itineraries, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.
If you do not have an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, the United States Government offers some advice on the steps to follow to get a birth certificate replacement if you were born inside or outside the United States.
It is important to research the citizenship documentation for you and your sailing party for your specific cruise. I highly recommend investing in a Passport for a number of reasons. Most importantly if something were to happen during the cruise and you needed to return home via alternative transportation methods. In the unlikely event that you experience an emergency during your cruise that requires you to fly home from a foreign port, your passport allows you to board the flight without delay. We cruised early on as a family using just birth certificates until we sailed on a 7-night Caribbean cruise where there were four separate guests medically evacuated from the ship either by tender or helicopter. Additionally, having a passport prepares you to travel to any destination opening up more unique itineraries.
Source: Disneycruiselineblog.com
