Do I need a passport?
Answer: Each country has its own entry requirements, and guests assume personal responsibility for having the necessary documents when boarding. Holland America Line highly recommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel. Having a passport will enable you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port in the event you miss your scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the U.S. if you need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.
Passports are normally surrendered to and held by the pursers on board to facilitate clearances in ports of call. It is prudent to photocopy the identification page of your passport and pack it separately, in case of loss or damage to the original.
Your name on your travel documents (passport, Alien Resident card, birth certificate, etc.) must be identical to those on your cruise documents. Otherwise, proof of name change (e.g. a marriage license) with a valid driver's license (or other government issued photo ID) must be presented. Any discrepancies may prevent travel.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition, visas or other documents may be required, depending on your citizenship or residency and the itinerary. It is your sole responsibility to obtain all necessary documents for all ports of call on your itinerary. Requirements for your voyage may be found on Holland America Line's website or by calling your travel advisor, Holland America, or a visa advisory service. Boarding may be denied or fines may be levied against those guests without proper documentation. Payment of any fines levied is the responsibility of the individual guest. For more information please refer to the question Do I Need A Visa in our Frequently Asked Questions.
For U.S. and Canadian Citizens:
Travel by Land or Sea: Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 16 and above may present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant documents:
- Passport (recommended travel document) (valid for travel by air, land and sea)
- Passport Card (valid for land and sea border crossings only)
- U.S. or Canadian Issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) – (valid for land and sea border crossings only, not valid on Yukon Land+Sea Journeys due to air travel included in the journey)*
- Other documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security
For a list of approved documents visit: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative.
*As of March 2024 the EDL driver's license, or non-driver photo identification, is offered in the U.S. states of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington and in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, to applicants that can prove identity and citizenship. For more info visit Enhanced Drivers Licenses: What Are They? | Homeland Security (dhs.gov)
Please note the EDL is not the same as a Real ID driver’s license, Real ID non-driver photo identification (or Endorsed) Commercial Driver's License; Real ID and Endorsed Commercial Driver’s Licenses do not qualify as WHTI approved documents.
U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises: U.S. citizens on cruises in the Western Hemisphere that originate and terminate in the same U.S. port are required to have proof of citizenship such as a valid U.S. passport or a U.S. government issued birth certificate combined with a U.S. government issued photo I.D. A clear, legible copy (photocopy) of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a U.S. government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
Other approved proof of citizenship documents such as a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) or certificate of naturalization along with a government-issued ID are also acceptable. A passport is still the preferred document.
PLEASE NOTE: WHTI-compliant documents are acceptable for entry or re-entry into the United States. You may be required to present additional or different travel documents when entering foreign countries, including some countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued prior to July 1, 2010 are not valid forms of proof of citizenship that is accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Guests from Puerto Rico either need to present a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo identification with a validated birth certificate issued after July 1, 2010.
Children: U.S. citizen children under the age of 16 traveling on a closed-loop cruise (a cruise in the Western Hemisphere which originates and ends in the same U.S. port) will be able to present their government issued birth certificate or other proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a naturalization certificate or citizenship card to sail. Birth certificates can be an original or certified copy from an authorized authority.
Passport requirement when minors travel with one adult on voyages governed by U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) (includes travel within Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Mexico, United States): When minors are traveling with only one adult 21 years of age or older, Holland America Line requires that all guests must be in possession of a valid passport. Holland America Line has implemented this requirement so that you all remain together should an emergency arise that requires one or more in your party to be disembarked in a non-U.S. port. Holland America Line cannot guarantee that all members of your party will be allowed to disembark with only a WHTI-compliant document or birth certificate.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are not the parent or Legal Guardian of any minor child traveling with you, you must present an original letter signed by at least one of the child's parents. The letter from the child's parent must provide contact information and authorize the traveling adult to take the child on the specific cruise.
For more information regarding passports and WHTI-compliant documents, please visit https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative or call the National Passport Information Center toll free at 1-877-487-2778 or TDD/TYY at 1-888-874-7793.
Travel by Air: Passports are required for all international air travel to and from the United States, regardless of age or citizenship. This includes air travel to and from Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Mexico.
FOR NON-U.S./NON-CANADIAN CITIZENS: Holland America highly recommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel. Please carefully verify the existing identification requirements for your particular travel situation.
In addition, non-U.S. citizens who have previously been admitted to the United States for permanent residence must carry their Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), commonly known as a Green Card. Resident alien not in possession of this must obtain one at the nearest office of the U.S. Immigration Service.