what are the rules on passports?

If you are taking a cruise, you only need your birth certificate and drivers license. However if you were to fly, you would need a passport. I guess the cruise industry has a little pull with the state department. =) Hope this helps.

They have been extending the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative - the laws dictating passports. The only authority to trust on the matter is the State Department.

Their website is www.travel.state.gov

Passports are good for 10 years. You would be best advised to invest in a passport. The forms are to request a passport are also available on the state departments website.

If you are traveling with a birth certificate it must be an original birth certificate with the authenticating seal and/or hologram. As a cruise travel agent I have had customers be denied boarding when they were not in possession of a valid birth certificate. What a needless heartache.

If you do not have the correct documents you will be denied boarding and forfeit your cruise. Your travel insurance, if purchased, will not cover these losses.

Everyone leaving and returning to the US after Jan 23, 2007 will need a passport. If you don't have one, apply for one soon as the passport office is running behind on issuing passports - it may take up to 3 mos. to get it back. Forms can be found at the US post office site at www.usps.gov. Enter "passport" in the search box and hit enter.