Two decades after legislation requiring enhanced security for driver’s licenses and other forms of identification was signed into law, the Real ID Act finally went into effect on May 7, 2025.
In response, many travel agencies and authorities have issued their own guidelines for travel when it comes to the enhanced form of identification.
As reported by The Street, a Carnival brand ambassador has clarified that while Real ID is required by law for air travel, the cruise line will not require the same level of documentation to board and cruise on the company’s ships.
Does Carnival require a Real ID to board?
In a Facebook post, Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald provided his more than 600,000 followers with additional context about the documentation required to board and sail on a Carnival boat.
In his video posted on May 5, the brand ambassador said that a photo of a sign stating that passengers must have a Real ID is not only not new, but it also does not represent the full breadth of what the cruise line will allow passengers to board with.
The sign, apparently, has been at the point of embarkation—where passengers board the boat and leave the port—for years, the ambassador wrote in their post.
“So just to reiterate, you do not [need a] Real ID to cruise,” Heald says.
What documentation does Carnival require?
A Real ID may not be required by the cruise liner to board a vessel. However, the company does require guests to carry at least a permanent resident card and a passport for cruises that begin and end in a U.S. port, even if it is the same U.S. port.
Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the completion of travel, according to the company’s site.
However, as the company has pointed out on its website, passengers who intend to travel to the starting port of their cruise will need a Real ID to board their plane.
What is a Real ID?
The Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, established security standards for obtaining forms of identification, like a driver’s license.
To get a Real ID, folks will have to submit documentation including their full legal name, date of birth, social security number, proof of address, and lawful status in the U.S.
Identification that is Real ID compliant includes a star on the upper portion of the card, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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