Earlier this week, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed the rumor going around about how Carnival was going to start requiring passports for cruises in 2024.
Currently, Carnival Cruise Line goes by what is required by U.S. law. Passports are not required for closed-loop cruises out of a U.S. port. A closed-loop cruise is a voyage that starts and ends in the same U.S. cruise port. While passports are highly recommended for many reasons, a birth certificate is all that is needed for these cruises.
Rumors have been circulating online that Carnival Cruise Line will begin to require passports for all cruises starting in 2024.
John Heald posted on his Facebook page this week that the rumors are not true and Carnival was not going to require passports next year.
Heald said, “The answer is no this is not true, so please ignore any posts that have been made on other pages saying otherwise.”
While Carnival and most of the mainstream cruise lines do not require passports for a closed-loop cruise, some cruise lines like Virgin Voyages require them for all cruises. This is true even for closed-loop cruises from Miami.
If you are unsure on the passport requirements for your upcoming cruise, you can check with your local travel professional or the cruise line.
However, it is always best to have a passport when leaving the country, even if it is not required.
