There has been much confusion as to whether a passport is needed for cruise travel. The current ruling by the U.S. Department of State is as follows:

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:

• Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.
  
• As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

So.....although a passport is not actually required at this time for a cruise, picture this unfortunate scenario.  You arrive at your port of call. You call home to check on everything and you are given the sad news that a close family member has passed away. The funeral will take place in two days, but your cruise ship doesn't arrive back in the U.S. for three days. You decide to immediately fly home. You DO NOT have a passport. This is a problem. My advice for all is  to obtain a passport now. You are going to need one soon anyway, so you may as well beat the rush and fork out the $97. For information on where and how to apply for a passport, please vist http://travel.state.gov/ or feel free to contact me.

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About the Author:

Sheryl Stypul is the owner of One Stop Cruise Shop & Vacations. She has been in the travel industry since 1995 and has had the good fortune to sail on over 30 cruises and visit various resorts. Sheryl promises her clients personal attention at internet prices. " You Deserve A Vacation"