Sorry! Another passport question?

[sweetsixteencruisers]

It seems, I now longer have a search bar. I looked through pages but can seem to get the answer I need:

 

My dad (76) will be sailing with me on the Liberty (10/25/14). He has a passport but it expires 3/2015. Is it still good to use for this cruise.

 

I read somewhere that it has to be valid for 6 months after. Its this true?

 

I know he can use a birth certificate. But just in case of an emergency, I want to make sure he has the right documents.

 

He's not sure if he wants to renew, at this time. One year at a time he says!

 

Thanks for you help.

 

~Sweet~

[mykiddiewinks]

Just looked on carnival website and it just states valid passports, it doesn't say it has to have 6 mths on it.

[snc_cam]

you should call the state department and ask them this question. regardless of what Carnival says, the state department has oversight of passports. You should be ok since the passport is still valid. I think the concern is that if you are going to get a new one, you should do it in the 6-month time frame.

 

Steve

[going2cruz]

Valid is valid...............

[Colonel Angus]

Colonel Angus says you will be fine.

 

The six months you mentioned often gets confused by others. The Six Months Validity Rule is imposed by certain foreign countries, and not by the United States. It simply means that your passport should be valid for more than six months before you would be allowed to enter a foreign destination. This applies to visitors visiting a foreign destination for longer than a period of time declared by the destination and does not apply to cruise visitors arriving and leaving the same day. This rule is in place so that if a traveler needs to stay for a period up to six months their passport would be valid to leave the country.

 

A passport expires on the date listed. It is not valid anytime after that date. If a passport is set to expire before or while one is traveling, they will need to renew their passport before travel.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Colonel Angus

[SadieN]

Check on travel.state.gov

 

Some countries require 6months validity after your planned departure.

 

Most Caribbean countries do not have this requirement.

Edited February 28, 2014 by SadieN

[sweetsixteencruisers]

Thank you everyone!!!

[sparks1093]

you should call the state department and ask them this question. regardless of what Carnival says, the state department has oversight of passports. You should be ok since the passport is still valid. I think the concern is that if you are going to get a new one, you should do it in the 6-month time frame.

 

Steve

 

But it is DHS that will actually be looking at the passport at the port of entry. The State Department website recommends renewing when there is 9 months left, but you may enter the US with it up until the day it expires. As stated the requirement is imposed by the country being visited and to the best of my knowledge that does not apply to any of the countries in the Caribbean.

[Colonel Angus]

As stated the requirement is imposed by the country being visited and to the best of my knowledge that does not apply to any of the countries in the Caribbean.

 

St. Lucia used to one of those countries. Not sure if they still are. Again though, that applies only to people visiting for a certain length of time or more, not day cruise visitors.

 

Colonel Angus

Edited February 28, 2014 by Colonel Angus

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

It seems, I now longer have a search bar. I looked through pages but can seem to get the answer I need:

 

My dad (76) will be sailing with me on the Liberty (10/25/14). He has a passport but it expires 3/2015. Is it still good to use for this cruise.

 

I read somewhere that it has to be valid for 6 months after. Its this true?

 

I know he can use a birth certificate. But just in case of an emergency, I want to make sure he has the right documents.

 

He's not sure if he wants to renew, at this time. One year at a time he says!

 

Thanks for you help.

 

~Sweet~

 

 

As per Carnival's Website:

 

CRUISE TRAVEL

Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port, travelling with a passport enhances your disembarkation experience, as delays may be expected upon your return to the U.S. if you do not have one. Additionally, passports make it easier for you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to the U.S. for emergency reasons. For more information on acceptable documents or to obtain a passport application click here or visit www.travel.state.gov.

 

This was taken from my "Travel Notes" when printing out my Cruise documents.

 

Given your father's age, I would recommend that he renew his passport. Unfortunately, things can and do happen whether we are on vacation or not...would not want to have a health crisis and find that there were difficulties getting back to the U.S.

 

I agree with others that the passport is valid until the date of expiry, but with a new passport, he won't have to worry about it for a number of years, and can plan his next vacation knowing that document-wise, he's good ! 76 is not old anymore, many people live well into their 90's or more :)

 

Wishing him many years of health and happy travels !

[sparks1093]

St. Lucia used to one of those countries. Not sure if they still are. Again though, that applies only to people visiting for a certain length of time or more, not day cruise visitors.

 

Colonel Angus

 

Yes, many countries do have different requirements based on the mode of transportation one arrives by and the expected length of the stay. Since a US citizen may cruise on this itinerary with a government issued photo ID and a birth certificate it would seem a little odd if any island imposed a 6 month requirement for passport holders.

[autofan]

You need to check the criteria of the countries you are visiting. Some of the European countries require the six months of validity. Carnival does have it in their rules that they strongly suggest that the passport be valid for six months. So, unless you do renew it, I would suggest also taking a valid birth certificate with you for boarding purposes. Someone that is a stickler for details could say no on the passport. From the countries in the Caribbean I have checked, none require the six months so that would not create an issue. You also would be able to fly back on the passport since it is valid.

[ZRC1MLC2]

Thank you everyone!!!

You can use a passport on a cruise that is a closed loop cruise even if it is expired. I have done this and the Carnival representative did not bat an eye. I had already called ahead and found this out but was leary of whether or not it was really true. We took our birth certificates just in case but did not need them. He will be fine as long as you are returning to the US. If you are traveling to Europe I would recommend having it renewed early and checking with the countries you're visiting just to make sure all is well. Amazing how it is so easy to get in and out of the US but difficult to get in and out of another country. HMMM

Edited February 28, 2014 by ZRC1MLC2

[Danacat222]

It seems, I now longer have a search bar. I looked through pages but can seem to get the answer I need:

 

My dad (76) will be sailing with me on the Liberty (10/25/14). He has a passport but it expires 3/2015. Is it still good to use for this cruise.

 

I read somewhere that it has to be valid for 6 months after. Its this true?

 

I know he can use a birth certificate. But just in case of an emergency, I want to make sure he has the right documents.

 

He's not sure if he wants to renew, at this time. One year at a time he says!

 

Thanks for you help.

 

~Sweet~

 

Sailed on Victory in Jan with passport, passport expires in March, no issue at all. (Passport has just been sent for renewal)

 

Have fun!

[sweetsixteencruisers]

Thanks for everyones input!! I will give him the option.

[sparks1093]

You can use a passport on a cruise that is a closed loop cruise even if it is expired. I have done this and the Carnival representative did not bat an eye. I had already called ahead and found this out but was leary of whether or not it was really true. We took our birth certificates just in case but did not need them. He will be fine as long as you are returning to the US. If you are traveling to Europe I would recommend having it renewed early and checking with the countries you're visiting just to make sure all is well. Amazing how it is so easy to get in and out of the US but difficult to get in and out of another country. HMMM

 

I wouldn't count on an expired passport, I recall a thread in the past year or so where someone grabbed their expired one and were required to have their birth certificate faxed to the port to board.

[mek]

DH and I just got off Liberty today and my passport expires on 3/8/14 and his on 3/12/14 -we didn't have any problems. We simply got too busy around the holidays to renew them and plan to it when we return home. We thought customs might might mention that they were expiring next week, but they didn't.