So the State Department doesn't know if these folks are US citizens?
No one is getting on any U.S.-chartered ship without a U.S. passport... Except this little one. From the AP:
The departure was delayed slightly because one passenger, 11-day-old infant Rawan Ali Mannoun, didn't have a passport. Her parents pleaded with embassy officials to allow them on the ship and in the end, a pass was issued for the infant. As her parents ran toward the waiting ship carrying Rawan those on the deck applauded.