An article at Gadling.com predicts that as a result of the Costa Concordia disaster, the cruise industry is going to make some changes to the way passports are handled.
The changes to expect in the very near future deal mostly with safety. For starters, cruise travelers will need to participate in a safety drill on all sailings before the ship departs. In addition, there may be an end to behind the scenes tour or the ship’s navigational bridge. There is also expected to be an increase in security presence on cruise ships. There will alos likely be stricter policies in place regarding underage drinking. Background checks of passengers and psychological profiles of command officers will be more substantial.
There is also speculation regarding passport rules. Cruise ships may require passports to be required by all passengers. The travel industry is obviously against this because it may prevent US citizens without passports from traveling on cruise ships. There is the argument that requiring passports would result in an increased level of security. Requiring passports of all passengers embarking any ship at any time certainly presents a more secure atmosphere.
If you are planning to take a cruise, passports may soon be required for all passengers and all destinations. If you already have a passport, then you are in luck. Those of you who still do not have a US passport, this may be a good time to get one.
If you need more pages in your passport, a visa, an expedited passport, emergency passport, passport renewal, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.