Many Americans dream of faraway vacations — but a passport backlog may be holding them back, with wait times for a renewal of up to 13 weeks.
However, a lack of a passport doesn't mean you can't leave the mainland US. Travelers can visit US territories like the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands without a passport.
Or they can embark on a closed-loop cruise, which is a cruise that starts and finishes at the same US port.
An international agreement called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative allows US citizens to travel to destinations in the Western Hemisphere on cruises without a passport. In order to embark on a closed-loop cruise without a passport, the traveler must have a government-issued ID as well as proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
Many cruise lines offer closed-loop sailings, but not all. And if you're embarking on a closed-loop cruise, some companies, such as Celebrity Cruises, caution travelers that if a cruise doesn't go to plan and they need to return to the US by air, they'll need a passport to fly home. The same thing goes if a passenger misses their ship in one of the ports.
Take a look at the cruise companies that offer closed-loop sailings and where you can go without a passport.
Editor's note: Travelers should always check with the cruise company about closed-loop sailings before booking a trip.