Carnival Cruise Line is well known for its tremendous support of veterans, active service personnel, and military families. But what about when a veteran isn’t a veteran at all?

The concern about “stolen valor” has been raised and the cruise line has quickly responded about their procedures and documentation requirements.

The issue has been raised by a frequent Carnival guest who is a US Army veteran concerned about individuals receiving prizes, accolades, and honors they do not deserve. The guest reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, about these problems.

“I am curious Heald if you are aware of something that is everywhere in these United States. Stolen Valor. This is when someone is a military imposter. He will wear a uniform to get attention because they are sick in mind and soul,” the guest explained.

“My relevancy here is about your raffle for veterans to win a cruise. How is Carnival checking to see if people entering and winning the free cruise have served at all? You are not.”

Carnival Cruise Line awards a free cruise to a military member who enters the free raffle during the Military Appreciation Gathering held during every sailing. All entries across the fleet are pooled for the prize drawing, and one cruise is awarded per month.

Heald responded quickly to the concern, noting that in order for the prize to be awarded, the winning military member must absolutely provide proper documentation of their service.

“Let me say straight away and with total respect that you are incorrect,” Heald said. “We do ask for proof of service before we award the free cruise. Documents of service have to be sent to the wonderful lady who coordinates this and checks are made before the cruise is awarded.”

The guest’s concern stems from the fact that the Military Appreciation Gathering onboard is open to everyone, and there are no documentation checks at the door to ensure only valid service personnel attend.

“This is why the veterans meeting should only be for veterans who should prove they are so by showing evidence of this at the door to a Carnival staff person,” the guest continued. “Stolen Valor is punishing all of us who put our lives at the tip of the spear. Now it is happening on the ships of Carnival. These parasites should be stopped from sailing with Carnival again. They should be prosecuted.”

Heald does empathize with the guest’s concerns, but unfortunately, it would not be practical for Carnival crew members to check for military service documentation at the gatherings.

“‘Stolen Valor’ is not something I know too much about. However, from what I do know I feel very sad that anyone would want to pretend to have had the courage to serve. I think they need treatment more than prosecution,” Heald said.

It is important to note, however, that the Military Appreciation Gathering is open not just for veterans and active service personnel, but for anyone who wants to honor those who have served. This could be a family member who died while serving, who is currently deployed, or even just showing support for a veteran they know.

“Those who have not served are there because they want to pay their respects to those whose courage has allowed all of us the freedom to cruise,” Heald said.

Should the Veterans Gathering Be Only for Veterans?

To follow up on the guest’s concerns, Heald used his daily poll on his popular Facebook page to get feedback from other Carnival cruisers.

In rougly an hour, more than 7,000 votes agreed with the idea that “the veterans gathering should be for all guests to attend” while just over 2,100 votes preferred “the veterans gathering should only be for veterans and not open for everyone else.”

Read Also: Military Uniforms in the Dining Room – Carnival Responds

Many guests also chimed in with their own thoughts.

“Many of the Americans on board might also like to celebrate the veterans on board, let them attend.”

“I love the Veterans gathering, it so special to me to have this way of honoring those that serve and have served. My son is a Veteran and it give me great pride to be there and show my thanks to others.”

“I am not a veteran but my husband is and the whole family always attends because it is a show of support.”

One strong thought, however, is that if the event is intended for the fellowship of veterans so they can meet others who have served and share stories, the event should only be open to veterans.

At this time, that is not the sole intention for the Military Appreciation Gathering, and in addition to veterans, it remains open to everyone who wants to show support and appreciation for all service personnel.

The gatherings are typically held in the ship’s Heroes Tribute Bar and Lounge, a dedicated space with military memorabilia and messages of support, thanks, and appreciation. Each lounge is unique on each ship, and offers unique drink options, such as the Heroes American Pale Ale on select ships, which helps raise funds that are donated to Operation Homefront.

Every cruise traveler wants to be properly prepared for their oceangoing getaway, and that includes having the correct paperwork for checking in and boarding the ship.

But what is required? Carnival Cruise Line continues to struggle with rumors about what documentation guests will need to present in 2025.

Social media posts, sailing groups, and YouTube videos continue to support the idea that Carnival Cruise Line will begin requiring all travelers to present passports – and only passports – in 2025, but this is not the case.

The rumor has come to the attention of John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, several times and in so many ways that he has addressed it yet again.

“It seems lots of people are saying that we are going to be demanding everybody has a passport to cruise on every single voyage starting in 2025,” Heald said. “Please know that this is not true and of course, we would make sure that we announce anything this monumental.”

As it can take several weeks or even months for travelers to obtain official passports, depending on their location, what paperwork they must submit for processing, and the type of processing – regular or expedited – they select.

“Our Chief Communications Officer Chris [Chiames] and his team would advise everybody if a passport is needed for a specific voyage,” Heald explained. “And unless you hear from them, you can use your government issued photo identification and birth certificate.”

According to the cruise line’s website, specific voyages that do require passports are Carnival sailings in Europe, transatlantic cruises, sailings in Australia or New Zealand, cruises to Asia, and transpacific cruises.

From US homeports, any sailings that visit Colombia or Greenland also require all travelers to require a full-sized passport book (a passport card is acceptable for visits to Colombia). This applies even if individual guests do not plan to leave the ship in those ports of call.

Travelers should also note that passport books must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of the cruise to be usable. If the passport is expiring earlier, it will not be acceptable.

Of course, passports remain highly recommended, and can make both embarkation and debarkation smoother for travelers, but they are not required by Carnival Cruise Line.

“I obviously do recommend that if possible you get a passport, but that is very much a personal decision,” Heald confirmed.

Passports Continue to Be a Divisive Topic Among Cruise Travelers

The issue of whether or not to get a passport can be a controversial one among cruise travelers.

While this documentation is not absolutely required by the cruise line, it can make travel far smoother in the unlikely event of an emergency, such as a medical evacuation in a foreign country or being delayed at a port of call and missing the ship.

But if travelers are careful, there may never be a need for a passport at all. I personally took a number of cruises from different US homeports to the Caribbean and Mexico before I ever got a passport, and never had any trouble.

The expense of a passport may also be prohibitive or simply unnecessary, especially if a traveler doesn’t cruise frequently and may only use a passport a few times before it would expire and need replacing.

A new US passport for an adult (age 16 and older) currently costs $165 per person – $130 for the application itself and an additional $35 for the execution fee. Renewing an existing adult passport costs $130. For children under the age of 16, the fee is $135 for a new passport.

Special services and rush fees can also add to the cost, such as an extra $60 per application for expedited service plus $21.36 for 1-2 day delivery for even speedier service.

For a family of four, without expedited service, with new passports for two adults and two children, the fees add up quickly to $600 – a significant expense if they do not cruise often or travel outside the US.

Read Also: Passport Book vs. Card – Which is Best for Cruises?

Of course, the counter-argument is that at roughly $200 per adult, that’s only $20 per year for a passport – a small fee for the convenience, ease, and security it provides for travel.

The problem with that argument, however, is that there is no payment plan for US passports and all fees must be paid up front at once, which may not always be possible for travelers on a budget.

Choosing whether or not to get a passport is a decision each traveler must make for themselves based on their personal preferences, including how frequently they sail, where they want to visit on a cruise, their budget, and other factors.

Do you have a passport? Why or why not? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!