Needing US passport
 

Both my wife and I are going on our first cruise and need to get passports. I shopped around and the average price is $12.00 for the passport photo. I find this to be a rip off and would rather spend that money on the cruise (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Has anyone used the free internet programs and if so, which one and how did you like it. I thought about using one but the reviews said that it downloaded a browser that you can't get rid of. Thanks for your help and I hope there is someone out there as cheap as me!

Try your local Walgreens for cheap passport photos. But if you're really that cheap, take your own. As long as they meet the size requirements and only show your head, you'll be fine.

But why get a passport if you don't need one?

If you're doing a closed loop cruise (leaving from and returning to the same U.S. port and going to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, etc), you don't need a passport. You can get by with an original passport.

Talk to your agent and they can tell you what you need.

Pete

Software I can't help you with but walmart offers 2 photos for $7.

Not worth the hour of installing software, taking photos, and then having them developed(which will still cost money).

Hope you had a good night's sleep. Accusing of being cheap:shock: A passport is a great way to travel hassle free. No, you don't need one for a closed loop per se, but what a great thing to have for the next 10 years for travel anywhere, especially if it's an unplanned trip out of the country. Haven't figured out what you mean by using an "original passport".

Well, I'm not really cheap, I just enjoy doing things myself if I can. I found a site on CNET that had a link to a passport web site that would resize the photo for you and then you print it out. They turned out great, a lot better than my mother-in-laws who had her's done at Walmart. Plus, I had the pleasure of doing it myself. Might just have some money saved from this to buy me a beer on the ship :D.

Be very careful to read the requirements for a passport photo and I am SURE you could take your own (I wish I had done it).

Here is the link: http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt...oreq_5333.html

By the way - with expedited service from the US Passport office my complete turn around time for getting a new passport was just one week. I couldn't believe it.