Less than 6 months on passport, have you boarded

[I Run 26.2]

Only 5 months left.

 

Looking for reassurance here. Have you boarded with less than 6 months on your passport? I will have five, the ports we visit only require 3 or less months.

I am sure this has been covered but would appreciate someone who can calm my nerves.

 

Thanks so much:o

[mek]

Only 5 months left.

 

Looking for reassurance here. Have you boarded with less than 6 months on your passport? I will have five, the ports we visit only require 3 or less months.

I am sure this has been covered but would appreciate someone who can calm my nerves.

 

Thanks so much:o

 

Last Feb we sailed to the Caribbean and our passports expired the week after we returned. No problems at all.

Edited January 30, 2015 by mek

[I Run 26.2]

Appreciate the quick response.

Getting close to our sailing and trying to make sure all my ducks are in a row.

[Clear Solution]

Passports are issued and regulated by the State Department, not the cruise line.

 

It's either a valid, current document or it's invalid. No gray area. The 6 month rule is something, someone at carnival fancied up in their little noggin. If you look on the carnival web site, where it discusses passports, they have conveniently added a link to their passport services.

 

(And truthfully, you don't need a passport to cruise on any ship leaving and returning to the United States. A state issued birth certificate will suffice. The catch is if you have to fly from a foreign country for some unforeseen reason. You can't fly on a birth certificate.)

[hate2shop]

The six month rule is not something Carnival " fancied up in their little noggin ". You can look on the US State Department website to find out the requirements different countries have as to the length of validity needed on your passport. Mexico for instance requires six months.

This of course doesn't apply to cruise ship travel.

[Shmoo here]

Only 5 months left.

 

Looking for reassurance here. Have you boarded with less than 6 months on your passport? I will have five, the ports we visit only require 3 or less months.

I am sure this has been covered but would appreciate someone who can calm my nerves.

 

Thanks so much:o

 

Are you on a closed-loop cruise?

[ZJ13820]

The "six month (or however long depending on country) validity rule" applies to those with passports visiting the country by airfare or though crossing the border in from another country. It does not apply to cruise passengers in the Caribbean and most of the European countries. As long as your passport is valid upo the date you return to the Unites States, you are fine.

[I Run 26.2]

The "six month (or however long depending on country) validity rule" applies to those with passports visiting the country by airfare or though crossing the border in from another country. It does not apply to cruise passengers in the Caribbean and most of the European countries. As long as your passport is valid upo the date you return to the Unites States, you are fine.

 

Happy to hear that. One less thing to think about.

Thanks for all of the input from fellow CC ers. :eek:

[sweetsixteencruisers]

Went on the Liberty on October 25th, 2014. My dads passport had an expiration date of March 2015. It was fine. No one said a word. I was worried, so I made him bring his birth certificate just in case.

[sparks1093]

Happy to hear that. One less thing to think about.

Thanks for all of the input from fellow CC ers. :eek:

 

Of course all that have answered are from the US and you are from Canada. I for one have no idea how pertinent that is to your question.

[winddawn]

Only 5 months left.

 

Looking for reassurance here. Have you boarded with less than 6 months on your passport? I will have five, the ports we visit only require 3 or less months.

I am sure this has been covered but would appreciate someone who can calm my nerves.

 

Thanks so much:o

Nope. I just renewed mine with 9 months left, to time it where I would have it for my next 2 cruises which occur before the 6 month cutoff. I paid to expedite processing of my passport renewal just to be sure I'd get it back between my cruises.

[I Run 26.2]

Of course all that have answered are from the US and you are from Canada. I for one have no idea how pertinent that is to your question.

 

yes I am from Canada. All of the countries we visit require 3 months or less for Canadians. I was concerned about Carnivals requirements. They say recommended 6 months on passport, from responses it looks like recommended does not mean must have.

I appreciate all of the input, thanks;)

[I Run 26.2]

Of course all that have answered are from the US and you are from Canada. I for one have no idea how pertinent that is to your question.

 

yes I am from Canada. All of the countries we visit require 3 months or less for Canadians. I was concerned about Carnivals requirements. They say recommended 6 months on passport, from responses it looks like recommended does not mean must have.

I appreciate all of the input, thanks;)

Edited January 31, 2015 by I Run 26.2
dbl posting

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Nope. I just renewed mine with 9 months left, to time it where I would have it for my next 2 cruises which occur before the 6 month cutoff. I paid to expedite processing of my passport renewal just to be sure I'd get it back between my cruises.

 

Are you doing closed loop cruises or open?

 

That sounds like a little overkill if they are closed loop paying to have it expedited with 9 months left.

 

Bill

[ray98]

Of course. You do not need passports to travel the Caribbean by ship anyway. The regulations being quoted are by air.

[jmwg49]

I am also Canadian. I cruised in October with 3 months left on my passport and I was also concerned. It was a non-issue. I even went so far as to contact the tourism board in a couple of the islands for further reassurance. There was nothing to worry about. IF you are truly concerned, just renew your passport. I got mine back within a week. BUT, I can say with confidence that you will be fine. To those saying we Canadians do not need a passport, we do. We cannot even enter the USA to get to a ship without one!

[rocking-m-cruiser]

The six month rule is not something Carnival " fancied up in their little noggin ". You can look on the US State Department website to find out the requirements different countries have as to the length of validity needed on your passport. Mexico for instance requires six months.

This of course doesn't apply to cruise ship travel.

 

Yes when I booked my last Carnival cruise I could not set up my personal info with them until I updated my passport. It would have expired 4 months after the cruise.

[mayabean]

I am from Canada as well, and although there was no issues with the ports, the customs officers did make a bit of a fuss out of it when arriving back into the US after the cruise. Dad was within 3 moths of expiring and as a snowbird he was awaiting arriving back to Canada to renew it. The customs officer was just a little vocal about it, and the rules, gave him a "warning" and left it at that......

[jmwg49]

I am from Canada as well, and although there was no issues with the ports, the customs officers did make a bit of a fuss out of it when arriving back into the US after the cruise. Dad was within 3 moths of expiring and as a snowbird he was awaiting arriving back to Canada to renew it. The customs officer was just a little vocal about it, and the rules, gave him a "warning" and left it at that......

 

Come to think of it, it was mentioned to me but no big fuss was made about it. It was more a 'gentle reminder". I guess it all depends on the agent and how aggressive they chose to be!

[Cruiseaholichal]

Passports are issued and regulated by the State Department, not the cruise line.

 

It's either a valid, current document or it's invalid. No gray area. The 6 month rule is something, someone at carnival fancied up in their little noggin. If you look on the carnival web site, where it discusses passports, they have conveniently added a link to their passport services.

 

(And truthfully, you don't need a passport to cruise on any ship leaving and returning to the United States. A state issued birth certificate will suffice. The catch is if you have to fly from a foreign country for some unforeseen reason. You can't fly on a birth certificate.)

 

Not true for us , and the OP !

[Cruiseaholichal]

To the OP-- all you have to worry about is getting into the US. At he airport if flying, or at a border crossing. In other words-- it's what the US requires of Canadians.

[ZJ13820]

Yes when I booked my last Carnival cruise I could not set up my personal info with them until I updated my passport. It would have expired 4 months after the cruise.

 

Was it a non-Caribbean cruise?

[I Run 26.2]

To the OP-- all you have to worry about is getting into the US. At he airport if flying, or at a border crossing. In other words-- it's what the US requires of Canadians.

 

Should be fine then. Thanks for your input.

[alibabaxx]

Apologies for jumping on the thread but my question is passport related too.

We are UK citizens travelling to US in August, then we take a 4 night Bahamas cruise, returning back to the US to then fly home to the UK

 

We have booked with RCI and the US TA told us to make sure there is 6 months left on the passport following disembarkation from the ship. My son would have 4 and a half months left! I was hoping this wouldn't be a problem but I read on another forum that RCI won't let you do on line check in if you have less than 6 months left on your passport?

 

Anyone else had this problem? Thanks