Less than 6 months remaining on passport following cruise- advice needed.

Wondering if anyone can answer a question about the '6 months left needed on passport' dilemma...

I am aware that the USA have the agreement that UK visitors don't need 6 months left on the passport, however, at the end of our Disney holiday this year we are going on a 5 day RCI Bahamas cruise from/to Miami.

When we booked the cruise the email stated we need 6 months left on the passport when disembarking the ship. Our son will have 4 months left on his.

The thing is that when I next change my son's passport he will be changing his family surname on it too so if having to do it before the holiday then this will have an effect on all the other things booked so far... ..

If it is the case we have to renew it (as I'm worried we will be refused boarding) then it will mean getting a renewal in his old surname again as all the holiday is booked in this name , and then paying extra after the holiday to change his surname on it.....

I have emailed RCI but they have not got back to me. Wondering if anyone else done a cruise with similar issues...?

There is a list of about 30 countries who do not require the 6 months - I will try and find a link to the list. However, I think your biggest issue may be the fights as my brother and his wife were refused boarding (wrongly) as she only had 4 months left on her passport (she had not wanted to renew as they had married and she would now have a different surname than her tickets had been booked in) They were trying to fly to mexico via the states. - The airline admitted their mistake and eventually compensated them - but they still lost their holiday. I would be loathed to try it - but if you need to I would get an email from the airline stating that they will allow you to fly and take it with you to check in.

http://www.uspassporthelpguide.com/six-months-validity-rule/

Mexico is now added as of January I believe

Rci does not care about this, only that your pp is valid, it goes through the state department and other countries governments

I asked our TA this same question. We cruise in late May and our passports expire in June or July - His response was -

"As long as your passport is not expired you will be OK. Some countries when flying or if you need a visa will require 6 months of validity but for a cruise departing the US you will be all set."

Our passport expire 4 days after the end of the cruise , were canadian, and had the same questions , we contacted royal and the airline , and they said it would be fine .... After all we are canadian [emoji12]

Wondering if anyone can answer a question about the '6 months left needed on passport' dilemma...

 

I am aware that the USA have the agreement that UK visitors don't need 6 months left on the passport, however, at the end of our Disney holiday this year we are going on a 5 day RCI Bahamas cruise from/to Miami.

 

When we booked the cruise the email stated we need 6 months left on the passport when disembarking the ship. Our son will have 4 months left on his.

 

The thing is that when I next change my son's passport he will be changing his family surname on it too so if having to do it before the holiday then this will have an effect on all the other things booked so far... ..

 

If it is the case we have to renew it (as I'm worried we will be refused boarding) then it will mean getting a renewal in his old surname again as all the holiday is booked in this name , and then paying extra after the holiday to change his surname on it.....

 

I have emailed RCI but they have not got back to me. Wondering if anyone else done a cruise with similar issues...?

I assume from one of the above comments that this may well be on a UK passport. Are you in UK or US. When are you travelling? I can then give you better advice more specific to your situation.

Thank you for all the replies. We are UK citizens flying to US for holiday and then Bahamas cruise at end. On reading RCI confirmation it does state 6 months needed following disembarkation. I have emailed them but no response. Thanks for any advice

The only experience I have had of this was the year before last. I had 6 months left on my passport from the date I was due to fly back to the UK. I checked the rules regarding validity and was told quite clearly and obtained in writing (from the airline and US Embassy) that the passport only had to be valid for 6 months from the date I was leaving the US. At no point before I got to the US did anyone say anything but when I got to immigration in Miami I was put through the ringer and told that I was wrong and that with the 90 days we are allowed to be in the country (regardless of how long I was actually staying) I had to have 6 months validity after that... so basically 9 months! Anyway, I had printed out what I was told and provided return flight details, proof of my employment etc and he said that he would let me in on that occasion but to bear it in mind for the future. He was really nice about it but if I hadn't had the proof I did with me, I am not sure what would have happened.

Considering that you can carry forward up to 9 months to your new passport, it really is just far easier to get a new passport organised.

Have a great trip!

Eek... I didn't even think it would be a problem. We sail in 8 wks out of Copenhagen going to Sweden,Estonia,Finland and Russia. My passport expires in July. We are US citizens. Will that be a problem? The only place we need visas is Russia and we are doing a ships your so we don't need to get it ourselves. Am I screwed. Lol.

Eek... I didn't even think it would be a problem. We sail in 8 wks out of Copenhagen going to Sweden,Estonia,Finland and Russia. My passport expires in July. We are US citizens. Will that be a problem? The only place we need visas is Russia and we are doing a ships your so we don't need to get it ourselves. Am I screwed. Lol.

Several years ago my husband, myself, our daughter and her son (about 12) were doing a Mediterranean cruise out of Civitevecchia- we went over a few days before them to have a few days to ourselves, we were doing a 12 day cruise after a few days in Rome, then after the cruise we flying from Rome to Athens for a few days in Athens then a few in Santorino.

They called us in Sorrento to say that they were not allowing our GS to board the flight as his passport did not have 6 months left. I always thought an expiration date is when something expires- but not so with a passport. They told her that Greece was very strict. At the last minute they decided to let them board and told them we would need to get to a US embassy to get an emergency passport. So we spent part of our day in Florence at the Embassy and there were a few issues there- but got it done. Had to run around Florence finding a place to get a passport photo for instance, then they wanted his birth certificate- who travels with it when you have a passport. I would say not worth what we had to go thru.

Fran

Thank you for all the replies. We are UK citizens flying to US for holiday and then Bahamas cruise at end. On reading RCI confirmation it does state 6 months needed following disembarkation. I have emailed them but no response. Thanks for any advice

I know for name changes on UK passport for minors there is a number to call to process name changes. Have you tried calling them to ask what the best option is? I thought you could get a temporary extension in some circumstances. Could you change the name now in advance if it will done in near future anyway, and then just change the name on the reservation? Just a thought if you don't want to do twice.

I know for name changes on UK passport for minors there is a number to call to process name changes. Have you tried calling them to ask what the best option is? I thought you could get a temporary extension in some circumstances. Could you change the name now in advance if it will done in near future anyway, and then just change the name on the reservation? Just a thought if you don't want to do twice.

I'm not sure re temp extension. If I change his name now though I'm sure it.would affect costing on the flight amid the cruise and accommodation. Thought could have done this after the holiday but just got this 6 month expiry date hanging now which means changing it now but keeping same name.. I suppose I could ring the passport agency see.what they say

I know for name changes on UK passport for minors there is a number to call to process name changes. Have you tried calling them to ask what the best option is? I thought you could get a temporary extension in some circumstances. Could you change the name now in advance if it will done in near future anyway, and then just change the name on the reservation? Just a thought if you don't want to do twice.

Eek... I didn't even think it would be a problem. We sail in 8 wks out of Copenhagen going to Sweden,Estonia,Finland and Russia. My passport expires in July. We are US citizens. Will that be a problem? The only place we need visas is Russia and we are doing a ships your so we don't need to get it ourselves. Am I screwed. Lol.

According to the US Department of State website Denmark requires three months passport validity in your passport beyond your intended stay for US citizens. If you don't renew you risk denied boarding on your flight over to Europe. For example, the machine readers at the airport will require you to swipe your passport and will check for the expiration date. If the machine cannot read them or there is a problem the agent will have to manually verify your travel documents. You would also risk being denied boarding on your cruise.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/denmark.html

Here is a helpful fact sheet about travel to countries that are part of the Schengen borders agreement, which includes all of the countries on your cruise except Russia.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html

Russia requires six months passport validity beyond your intended stay for US citizens. At least in my experience, even if you are on a ship or private tour that provides the blanket visa, you still had to individually go through Russian immigration.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/russia.html

The good news is that getting your passport renewed before you leave should not be a problem, particularly if you pay the expedite fee.

Thank you!!! Who knew!!!! Yes, we are overnighting the app today, but with. 4-6 weeks turnaround time we should be fine. We haven't done a European cruise in several yrs and my passport had a lot of time left so we NEVER thought to look it up. Thank GOD this post went up now and not 5 wks from now.... I owe someone a drink.

I'm none the wiser though yet 😔

On reading RCI confirmation it does state 6 months needed following disembarkation. I have emailed them but no response. Thanks for any advice

I suppose I could ring the passport agency see.what they say

Why ring the passport agency? Entry into other countries is not up to them, it is up to the various countries you will visit, namely the US and the Bahamas. If RCI already told you the passport needs to be valid for 6 months post cruise, then I'd take a "better safe than sorry" approach, and get the new passport, in the current name under which travel is booked. Yes, even if it means getting another one with his new name a short time later and paying a bit more to do so. After all, if/when you (and your son) are being (very possiby) detained and questioned and not allowed to continue the trip, how much consolation will it be to know that "well someone at the passport agency or cruise line said we should be ok?"

Why ring the passport agency? Entry into other countries is not up to them, it is up to the various countries you will visit, namely the US and the Bahamas. If RCI already told you the passport needs to be valid for 6 months post cruise, then I'd take a "better safe than sorry" approach, and get the new passport, in the current name under which travel is booked. Yes, even if it means getting another one with his new name a short time later and paying a bit more to do so. After all, if/when you (and your son) are being (very possiby) detained and questioned and not allowed to continue the trip, how much consolation will it be to know that "well someone at the passport agency or cruise line said we should be ok?"

I was going to ring the passport agency as someone suggested they may do an extension instead of renewal which may be cheaper. I just wanted experience of others in similar situation for guidance

You won't be able to enter the USA on an ESTA with an extension in a UK passport. However, as posted previously, you will be able to enter the USA without the need for 6 months validity as long as your passport code is GBR. Details below

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements

http://london.usembassy.gov/mobile/faq-passports.html

When we cruise, I always bring our Birth Certificates along as well as our PP and make sure they are updated. If I know we are going to travel and the PP will expire within the year we travel, then we renew them. We traveled to Australia last March and needed visas for flying, the PP were due to expire 7 months after are departure, so got new ones. We were doing NZ, a Transpacific and Hawaii to Vancouver so 54 days.

When we cruise, I always bring our Birth Certificates along as well as our PP and make sure they are updated. If I know we are going to travel and the PP will expire within the year we travel, then we renew them. We traveled to Australia last March and needed visas for flying, the PP were due to expire 7 months after are departure, so got new ones. We were doing NZ, a Transpacific and Hawaii to Vancouver so 54 days.

What does your answer have to do with the O.P.'s question? It's great you do this but it doesn't help the O.P.

O.P. - I don't think the passport extension applies in your case. I believe this applies to someone who is living outside the U.K., at the time their passport will expire and they can apply for a 12 month extension.

You'll probably have to just renew the passport now, to match his cruise documents and then apply for a new passport later. You don't want to risk being denied boarding. :(

Don't forget to contact Global Entry, if you're on the program, and have your new passports scanned into the system.

What does your answer have to do with the O.P.'s question? It's great you do this but it doesn't help the O.P.

 

 

O.P. - I don't think the passport extension applies in your case. I believe this applies to someone who is living outside the U.K.' date=' at the time their passport will expire and they can apply for a 12 month extension.

 

You'll probably have to just renew the passport now, to match his cruise documents and then apply for a new passport later. You don't want to risk being denied boarding. :([/quote']

 

Thanks. I rang RCI who said I would be fine and then they responded later via email with 'you need to renew '!

Think I'll just take the hit and renew now in old name and renew next year in his new name 😲

Was just doing a search on this as my wifes PP is about to hit that 6 month mark . laughing at RCCL giving multiple answers , that is just shocking that you would get different answers every time you call:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I Havent renewed. I checked the embassies of us and Bahamas nd apparently it 'should' be six months but prob be fine! Again no definite answer even from the embassy!! 😀

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Eek... I didn't even think it would be a problem. We sail in 8 wks out of Copenhagen going to Sweden,Estonia,Finland and Russia. My passport expires in July. We are US citizens. Will that be a problem? The only place we need visas is Russia and we are doing a ships your so we don't need to get it ourselves. Am I screwed. Lol.

Yes, it's a problem!

See this thread. You probably are not even getting on the plane.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2221753

And folks calling RCCL really doesn't do much. Even if they day "sure" they don't get the final say.... it's immigration in whatever country that makes the call.

Now the cruise lines and airlines may actually deny you boarding if they think there's a risk they could get stuck with you. SO for example if they let you on the plane but the next country won't let you in, the airline then has to deal with you.