Looking for information from people who have gone a cruise lately -- dressed or not -- as to the ID process and requirements when getting on the ship, on and off in the caribbean and mexican ports, and while on the ship.
We know about the transgendered / dignity cruises, but are looking to go on one of our choice. I pass well and we want to just blend in as much as possible. The ID thing is our biggest concern. We are thinking about flying in a day early (I don't feel like dealing with the TSA folks) and then getting on the ship with me enfemme.
Any insight or advice is welcome. My beg concern is that I dont know how the new laws etc have changed things from the last cruise I went on 3 years ago.
This has been a year ago, but I was on a cruise from island to island in Hawaii. Everytime you reembark on the ship, you have to present correct ID and go through a search of all bags and personal possessions at the boarding terminal similar to the TSA and metal detector searches at the airport, and they are in fact the same people. At that point, my name was changed on my DL, I had my boarding pass, so I really didn't care, or not too much. No, I take that back. Really it was a lot for four letter barnyard terminology, as if you wished you could take almost anything on board with a little bit of thought. And the "security precautions" felt more like a joke, but the peeps doing the searches thought they were hot crap and they were very serious, hardly ever cracking a smile in return to one. I guess they were hoping for hijackers. You were checked aboard again as you entered the ship, but it was rather cursory and primarily to know that you were back aboard. The ship boarding passes have a mag strip on them and you just swipe it. The attendent looks at the read out, and welcomes you back aboard. From my experience, be prepared for delays boarding the ship after a stop if you do not have valid ID to match how you are dressed.
I find traveling under the current restrictions to be a real pain in the derierre, though my ID and appearance agree.
"It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,"
David Weber – In Fury Born
I don't know if this would help, but if you are going through a travel agent or even direct with the cruise line, they have a cruise rep that should be able to give you information. I would just tell them that you are transgendered and as part of your "transformation" you have to present en femme, 24/7 and would appreciate their full cooperation.
From what I hear about these cruises they are so desparate for people they are willing to really go out of their way to accomodate passengers.
Don't take any crap from them, just lay out what you want and ask how they intend to accomodate you!
Let us know what happens and as far as the TSA, I don't know that their "powers" extend to cruise ships --- yet!
Have fun!
Love.
Virginia
First star to the right, then straight on 'till mornin!
