Passport for Bahamas Cruise

[kruzerci]

I just read a thread about having a passport expiring in six months and it freaked me out a little bit. My passport expires in November and we are sailing on the Majesty to the Bahamas the first week of July. Am I going to have a problem with having a passport within six months of expiration? I'm worried if I renew I wont have it back in time since we're less than eight weeks out and I won't have a chance to do it next week. What should I do?

[Mrsg324]

My daughters birthday was April 4 and we applied for hers a week or so after her birthday. I received it in the mail today. I did not expedite it.

 

You should be ok & if you don't have it back in time, just have an extra copy of your birth certificate just to be on the safe side.

[BlueSkySailing]

I just read a thread about having a passport expiring in six months and it freaked me out a little bit. My passport expires in November and we are sailing on the Majesty to the Bahamas the first week of July. Am I going to have a problem with having a passport within six months of expiration? I'm worried if I renew I wont have it back in time since we're less than eight weeks out and I won't have a chance to do it next week. What should I do?

You will be fine. You're on a closed loop cruise. Leaving and coming back to the same US port. All I have is my birth certificate and drivers license. You wont need a pass port. But it help if you have one if you miss the ship and have to fly home.:eek:

[BrianAlt]

I looked it up. The Bahamas is excluded from the 6-month rule.

 

 

Six-Month Club Full List

[negc]

Since you are on a closed-loop cruise, you don't even need a passport so the expiration date is irrelevant. As far as the six month rule is concerned, cruise passengers who will only be in the country for a limited number of hours, are usually considered to be "in transit" and thus exempt from most passport regulations.

[Robinhill]

You dont need a passport for a Bahamas cruise

[JonBeezzee]

I looked it up. The Bahamas is excluded from the 6-month rule.

 

 

Six-Month Club Full List

KruzeRcI, according to the link BrianAlt posted, this rule appears to apply to visitors to the United States coming into the U.S., not citizens reentering the U.S.. I'm saying this based solely on the link BrianAlt posted. Can anyone else back me up on this?

[bcirish]

I would strongly suggest that you go beyond this board as well as beyond the cruise line for your answer. The rules have changed. I just did a cruise which was close loop and I do understand that concept BUT they can deny you boarding - probably wont but the long and short of it is that any country which you visit has the right to deny you in their country. The reason for the 6 mo rule is actually a protection. It is to help you regain admittance to the USA if for any reason you are left in the country or another country because an emergency then you will have a valid passport for reentry.

 

When I addressed this situation I talked to the cruise line who would commit to nothing except that they would not deny me boarding but could not promise that I could get off the ship during the cruise.

 

I called the passport office and ask them what to do. In my case they explained that I would be fine. My complication was that I was flying to St Thomas for a week and would not have time between that trip and the cruise to renew my passport. Their answer- you must have the passport to fly to St Thomas ( part of the US) - go figure- explanation - if your flight is diverted - your birth certificate would not be acceptable therefore you would not be allowed to board a flight leaving US air without a valid passport. On the other hand since the cruise was closed loop- I would not be denied boarding and they also explained the reasoning about the 6 mo rule then too. Long short - all was fine but was glad that I had it clarified by the passport office- came home - got new passport - arrived today - took 3 weeks!! I am good for 9 1/2 more years now!!!