I haven't been south or north of the US border since 9?
Yes. High odds that cruise line will not let you board without a valid passport. They have no idea where you will or wont try to get off. And when you return to the US, youll need your passport to be allowed back into the US. The US border patrol has no idea if you boarded the ship in the US, Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. Youll need your passport to get home.