• Cruises that begin at a US port and end at the same US port: No passport required
• Cruises that begin at a US port and end at a different US port: Passport required
• Cruises that begin or end at any foreign (non-US) port: Passport required

Always check with your travel agent or cruise line about identification requirements. When in doubt, bring your passport. It can't hurt to have it.

The US State Department released the newest cruise guidelines in June 2009:

"Effective June 1, 2009, the following rules take effect for cruise passengers:

U.S. citizens on cruise voyages that begin and end at the same U.S. port (closed-loop itineraries) must show proof of citizenship* and government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license). A passport will not be required for passengers that fall into this category.

*Proof of Citizenship documents include: Original or certified copy of birth certificate; Naturalization papers; Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State

All other passengers and/or itineraries (such as cruises which begin in one U.S. port and return to a different U.S. port or any cruise that begins or ends in a foreign port) will require a passport or other recognized document. For a list of accepted documents, see travel.state.gov."

It should be noted the above only applies to US citizens. If you visit a country of which you are not a native, you should always bring a passport.

Further, it is recommended that you get a passport anyway. If for some reason (illness, other emergency) you must leave your ship and fly back home early, you must have a passport to do that. With passports being valid for 10 years (for adults), the cost works out to around $10 per year. Why would you want to take a chance and not have one?

It depends on what you want for the best time- best time to get the best deal or the best time to go period. It also depends on what you are looking for as far as your cruise. If you are someone who doesn't want to go when a ship may have a lot of children or if you are hoping to go in a less crowded time. It really depends on what you are looking for.

There is hurricane season which can lower prices but also there are 3 day weekends during hurricane season where the prices are higher due to the demand. Hurricane season is June 1st through November 30th with the majority of hurricanes in August and September.

The winter season is popular (and more expensive) because people from colder climates want to get out of the cold and spend some time in the Caribbean where it is warmer. Also, people that think the Caribbean is too hot during the summer will travel there during other times of the year to be a bit cooler.

Consult a good travel agent (and when I mean good.. I mean someone who will take the time to listen to what your needs are). Websites like Orbitz etc.. won't give you that personalized attention and counseling a good travel agent can offer!

You might also want to take a look at the cruise line promos and discounts. The cruise lines provide a lot of them now as they want to increase the popularity of cruising. Just because there is a promotional discount doesn't necessarily mean you will end up on a less crowded cruise ship. The promotions are there so the cruise line can fill the ship. They never want to sail with any empty cabins. There are promotions that are not advertised. Some of these are age-related, based on where you live, if you are in the military or other public service (police, fire, etc.), or in some cases even if you are a member of a union. Not every category above has a discount on every sailing though. Check with your travel agent.

There are some good tutorials on youtube ... just put in search term cruise prices.
summer because its better.

The MS Oasis of the Seas is larger than the RMS Titanic. While the Titanic was considered the largest ship of it's time, it would be dwarfed in comparison to today's ocean cruise liners.

The Titanic was approx. 46,000 tons -- less than half the gross tonnage of the Oasis of the Seas.

Surreyfan

Cheapest time for Caribbean cruises

The least expensive cruise fares can generally be found for sailings which occur during the period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving and between Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, any time most kids are in school is likely to be less expensive than other times of the year. Despite the hurricane season, summer is NOT the best time since kids are out of school and it's prime vacation time. After Labor Day, the kids are back in school, demand drops considerably and thus the prices drop during September and October. Also note that September is the peak time of the hurricane season. You may also opt for the promos and discounts that they give for early birds. Some people reserve their ticket a few months, some even year, before the cruise to save more money.

It is recommended that travelers research current weather patterns to determine if a tropical storm is forming. A large storm or hurricane could ruin a Caribbean cruise. Trip insurance is also recommended.

First of all, the cheapest cruise is not necessarily the one you want to buy.

The most expensive cruise you will ever take, is the one you paid for, but, did not enjoy.

Aside from that.... which of you know why the same cabin in three different locations on the same ship can cost $ 699.00, $999.00, or 1,049.00 ?

When you can answer that, and a dozen more little questions like it, maybe then you can feel comfortable booking a cruise yourself through the cruise line's Customer Service Representative (CSR).

It's YOUR time, YOUR money, and YOUR memories. Isn't that worth a little time and effort on your part? Do you really want to gamble with YOUR time, money, and happiness?

A good travel agent knows the cruise lines they represent and sell and has access to all the rate codes and promotions. They have completed initial training and continuing education by the cruise lines they represent, and is accredited by the Cruise Line Industry Association. Not all of the rates of all of the cruise lines are published on line. There are discounts for Seniors, people that live in particular States, members of the military, and others that the cruise line CSR may not tell you about. Note: not every sailing has all or even any of these particular discounts.

An agent will know or have a very good idea, or can find out how well an itinerary is filling, and how that may effect the supply and demand, in other words prices and promotions, and upgrades. You won't find that on a public booking website like Expedia or Travelocity.

FAQ Farmers have identified these

• My grandfather was on board the the Carpathia. His name was Arthur Vale and he was a stoker.

• My grandmother, Anna Oberg, immigrated to the US from Sweden and was on the Carpathia when it picked up the Titanic survivors in 1912. However, I cannot find any historical documentation showing the names of passengers originally on the Carpathia on that trip as opposed to the manifests created later to document the Titanic survivors.

• I've done a family geneology on my mother's side linking her as a descendant of the Johann Sebastian Bach family, which also married into the second generation of the Ringling family. On my father's side, I've been told my great-uncle was a Titanic survivor. My investigation finds that unfounded, but it is likely to be partially true. So I too would like to find a list of Carpathian passengers on its fateful voyage rescuing Titanic survivors. It could also be that another uncle was aboard the Carpathia when it was sunk, and survived (the Carpathia was herself sunk in 1918 towards the end of WW1 in shallow water off the West Coast of Ireland, as part of a coal convoy heading to the USA as part of the war effort. Her wreck is shallow enough for divers to have explored it).

• I have been searching for the passenger list of the Carpathia when it picked up some of the survivors of the Titanic. My father-in-law, Gregori Switenki was one of the Carpathia passengers. We do not know if he disembarked at Halifax or New York.

my grandfather was on the carpathia when it picked up the survivers of the titanic his name was Joseph ross colquhoun from Scotland he was an episcapalian minister, i found some of his writings talking about the titanic a few years ago and i am looking for the list of people who were on the carpathia when it picked the survivers of the titanic .

The captain of the Carpathia was Captain Rostron, who had only been promoted to the rank of Captain for a few months before the tragedy.

It should be mentioned that the characters of Rose and Jack in the 1997 film 'Titanic' were entirely fictional- they didn't exist in real life.