Enhanced Driver's License for Cruise.

[MNPunchy]

Has anyone used an Enhanced Driver's License instead of a passport for a Caribbean cruise?  Would be nice to leave the passport at home and just use it instead.  

[SpeedNoodles]

One of the problems with this is that if something happens that causes you to have to fly home from a foreign country, you need your passport.

People have had to fly home unexpectedly due to family issues, medical issues, issues with the ship that causes people to have to disembark in a foreign country and fly directly home.

 

[smokeybandit]

That's the whole reason you got a passport is for international travel.

[Ryan79]

I always take a passport no matter what. I don’t care if it’s a 3 day Ensenada cruise. As @SpeedNoodles said above, if there was ever an emergency where you need to get home for whatever reason…you aren’t going to be able to do that easily without a passport. If you have a passport, you aren’t almost asking for trouble by not bringing it. 

[NotPayinExtra]

7 hours ago, MNPunchy said:

Has anyone used an Enhanced Driver's License instead of a passport for a Caribbean cruise?  Would be nice to leave the passport at home and just use it instead.  

The purpose of a passport is to take it with you, not to leave it at home. If you need to travel back or in an emergency without the ship, your passport does you no good at home. Everyone should have and travel with a passport when leaving the country. The time and expense without a passport in an emergency is far greater than the cost of a passport. 

[Riverboy]

Had to disembark in Havana, Cuba in 2017 and fly home for a family emergency.   Having to deal with no passport would have added incredible stress to an already bad situation.  In fact, it would have probably delayed us one or more days in departure from Cuba.

[twangster]

With only five states offering EDLs I feel like its a recipe for trouble.  They are not commonly seen at cruise ports and while the policy is established that EDL's are okay to travel with I feel like its asking for problems even if you prevail in the end.  

Since you have a passport why don't you try using the EDL as your primary ID but have your passport with you just in case.

I have a passport card and a passport book.  I use the card for checking into the cruise but I carry my book with me.  Using the card means I can keep the passport book safely stored in my carry on bag while the card, which is more durable, is in a pocket ready to pull out for boarding the ship.  I like keeping my passport book clean and damage free so I leverage the passport card to keep the passport book tucked away safely.  My state doesn't offer EDLs. 

I have had to leave mid-cruise to fly for a death in the family and I was glad I had the passport book with me.  If I only brought the passport card I would have been stuck on the cruise until the end.

Just in case someone else is reading this thread I'll add that I have seen some people confuse REAL ID and Enhanced Driver's License.  I'm sure the OP understands the difference but given that there are cases of people being denied boarding a cruise because they confused REAL ID and EDLs it's worth including that they are not the same.  

[TXcruzer]

6 minutes ago, twangster said:

With only five states offering EDLs I feel like its a recipe for trouble.  They are not commonly seen at cruise ports and while the policy is established that EDL's are okay to travel with I feel like its asking for problems even if you prevail in the end.  

Since you have a passport why don't you try using the EDL as your primary ID but have your passport with you just in case.

I have a passport card and a passport book.  I use the card for checking into the cruise but I carry my book with me.  Using the card means I can keep the passport book safely stored in my carry on bag while the card, which is more durable, is in a pocket ready to pull out for boarding the ship.  I like keeping my passport book clean and damage free so I leverage the passport card to keep the passport book tucked away safely.  My state doesn't offer EDLs. 

I have had to leave mid-cruise to fly for a death in the family and I was glad I had the passport book with me.  If I only brought the passport card I would have been stuck on the cruise until the end.

Just in case someone else is reading this thread I'll add that I have seen some people confuse REAL ID and Enhanced Driver's License.  I'm sure the OP understands the difference but given that there are cases of people being denied boarding a cruise because they confused REAL ID and EDLs it's worth including that they are not the same.  

I love the passport card in hand, and passport book tucked away idea; I am going to incorporate this on our next trip.

 

I agree 100% with the comment about confusing real ID and EDL; using the OP screen name I assumed he was from Minnesota, one of the five states that issues EDL.

[MaryCS62]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

With only five states offering EDLs I feel like its a recipe for trouble.  They are not commonly seen at cruise ports and while the policy is established that EDL's are okay to travel with I feel like its asking for problems even if you prevail in the end.  

Since you have a passport why don't you try using the EDL as your primary ID but have your passport with you just in case.

I have a passport card and a passport book.  I use the card for checking into the cruise but I carry my book with me.  Using the card means I can keep the passport book safely stored in my carry on bag while the card, which is more durable, is in a pocket ready to pull out for boarding the ship.  I like keeping my passport book clean and damage free so I leverage the passport card to keep the passport book tucked away safely.  My state doesn't offer EDLs. 

I have had to leave mid-cruise to fly for a death in the family and I was glad I had the passport book with me.  If I only brought the passport card I would have been stuck on the cruise until the end.

Just in case someone else is reading this thread I'll add that I have seen some people confuse REAL ID and Enhanced Driver's License.  I'm sure the OP understands the difference but given that there are cases of people being denied boarding a cruise because they confused REAL ID and EDLs it's worth including that they are not the same.  

I don't know the difference between Real ID & EDL - my state is mandating one of them (I think Real ID), but you have to make an appt and they are very difficult to get. I will just keep using my passport, otherwise it would be DL, BC & marriage cert (for the name change).  It's just easier, plus with a 91 year old mother, the possibility of having to fly back lurks in the back of my head.

[Doug_Texas]

The “do I need a passport” thread is initialed every month or so.  Although there are certain situations where birth certificates can be substituted, a) every American should have a passport, b) any name change requires an updated passport, c) all passports should be renewed BEFORE it is 6 months to expiration.

[twangster]

6 hours ago, MaryCS62 said:

I don't know the difference between Real ID & EDL - my state is mandating one of them (I think Real ID), but you have to make an appt and they are very difficult to get. I will just keep using my passport, otherwise it would be DL, BC & marriage cert (for the name change).  It's just easier, plus with a 91 year old mother, the possibility of having to fly back lurks in the back of my head.

REAL ID was initially passed into law by Congress back in 2005 in the wake of the 9-11 attacks.  It is a Department of Homeland Security initiative. 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

State adoption of REAL ID has been very slow.  Almost 20 years later and we still haven't fully implemented REAL ID.  At some point the TSA will require REAL ID compliant ID at airport checkpoints.   There have been a number of deadlines set for this over the years but when some state or another hadn't implemented REAL ID for driver's licenses in that state yet the deadline was extended then extended again.  The current deadline is May 7, 2025. 

Separately DHS also has a program that allows a state to create a driver's license that can also be used as proof of US citizenship.  This is the Enhanced Driver's License or EDL initiative.  

https://www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they

Only five states have implemented EDLs so far.  EDL's are available in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington.

Much like a passport card, an EDL can be used to travel internationally at land or sea borders only when arriving from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.  You can not use an EDL as proof of US citizenship when arriving internationally by air or when arriving on a transatlantic or transpacific cruise.  In this regard an EDL is a lot like a passport card.

There have been cases of cruise guests being turned away boarding a cruise when they produced their REAL ID driver's license assuming it was an EDL.  They confused the two programs and it cost them a cruise.

[Psycho and Barb]

On 11/1/2024 at 8:57 AM, MNPunchy said:

Would be nice to leave the passport at home and just use it instead.  

We would never consider leaving our passports at home.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

Why would it "be nice"? I don't get it.