Passport validity question

[cgshot]

Roatan is a port visit during Thanksgiving week. We have valid passports that expire in May 2015 which is less than 6 months from our visit. Will that be a problem? Will we be able to get off the ship for the day at Roatan?

 

State Dept. website seems to indicate a passport needs to be valid 6 months after your stay.

 

I just noticed this issue from the Princess website today.

 

Thanks ahead of time for your advice/comments.

 

cg

[crewsweeper]

You show your passport when you first board the ship. After that, leaving and returning from the ship is usually just via the ship id/sailing card which has a picture. You don't go through customs or immigration at the port like you might if flying into a country. But the ship's manifest may have the passport expiration dates on it. Belize and Honduras require this for people flying in for land visits. But no one is checking passports at the pier. You may check with your cruise line to double check their requirements. And you still have plenty of time to renew your passports early, if needed.

[Hotdog 52]

You don't need a passport. You can sail with a birth certificate and ID. You would only need a passport if you have to fly home. A cruise probably doesn't fall under the category of a stay.:)

[cgshot]

Thanks for the info. Certainly appreciate it.

[dutch1060]

Did everything go ok for you at the port in Roatan? We visit in February and have the same situation. Thanks!

[GradUT]

We just got back from a cruise on the Emerald Princess which made a stop in Roatan. You do NOT need a passport to disembark from a cruise in Roatan. Princess recommended taking a photo ID in addition to our ship's cruise card but we were not asked to produce the photo ID by the Honduran officials to either enter Roatan or depart Roatan.

Edited January 1, 2015 by GradUT

[dutch1060]

Perfect. thanks!!

[Clear Solution]

A passport is either valid or not. The expiration date is stamped inside. Carnival recommends it be valid for 6 months post cruise, but they have no power to enforce anything regarding a passport.

 

However, thanks to the WHTI (Western Hemisphere travel initiative) you can cruise on a valid birth certificate and state issued photo Id.