Passport question.

[atxlady]

Hello all. Question... my passport expires in April 2016. I'm cruising Nov 29, 2015-Dec 5, 2015. Should I go ahead and order a new passport?

[cruisinfanatic]

Hello all. Question... my passport expires in April 2016. I'm cruising Nov 29, 2015-Dec 5, 2015. Should I go ahead and order a new passport?

no reason to

[ZanziBarred]

Hello all. Question... my passport expires in April 2016. I'm cruising Nov 29, 2015-Dec 5, 2015. Should I go ahead and order a new passport?

 

If you want, but really there is no need to do so before your cruise.

[dioxide45]

Where does your cruise depart from and where does it go to? That makes a big difference. For just a Caribbean or Mexico cruise, you will be fine. Europe on the other hand...

[atxlady]

Thanks for the quick reply. I just wanted to check on the policy about traveling within 6 months of the expiration date. It's a Caribbean Cruise out of Galveston,Tx.

Edited May 19, 2015 by atxlady

[SadieN]

This website will give you the info you need---

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

[ZanziBarred]

Thanks for the quick reply. I just wanted to check on the policy about traveling within 6 months of the expiration date. It's a Caribbean Cruise out of Galveston,Tx.

 

It is common misinformation that generally gets reposted around here as fact. X month validity rules for passports generally do not apply to cruisers as they are considers transient visitors, especially in the Caribbean. If it was the case, the cruise line would require all guests to have passports versus the option of using license/birth certificate. As long as your passport is still valid when you re-enter the United States, you are fine.

 

If you cruise outside the Caribbean (like Europe), you may want to check with the cruise line.

[fireofficer5]

For a cruise you could get away with an expired passport.

Edited May 19, 2015 by fireofficer5

[dianef]

SO,I assume,traveling and stopping in Ensenada in June,with a passport expiring in Sept,should be okey.Website does say should be valid for 6 months but just booked cruise and do not have time to get a new one.I thought I might have to bring birth certificate also

 

Anyone travel to Ensenada with a passport that is soon to expire?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

For a cruise you could get away with an expired passport.

 

Not on Princess it's not. We just cruised on Princess a month ago and the lady checking in to the right of us just got her passport renewed but we she grabbed her passport for her cruise she brought the old passport and they would not let her board.

 

She argued and argued and they would not budge. They asked her to have someone fax the info but she said nobody had access to her house.

 

She was telling the rep that she just cruised with Princess in November and couldn't they use that information.

 

She was still pleading with the rep as we walked away from the counter. Never did see her onboard all week so don't know if she ever got on.

 

Bill

[sparks1093]

For a cruise you could get away with an expired passport.

 

No, if you use a passport it must be valid for at least the length of your cruise. While an expired passport is still proof of citizenship it is not on the list of acceptable documents for travel within the WHTI and I would not want to make this argument at the pier.

[sparks1093]

SO,I assume,traveling and stopping in Ensenada in June,with a passport expiring in Sept,should be okey.Website does say should be valid for 6 months but just booked cruise and do not have time to get a new one.I thought I might have to bring birth certificate also

 

Anyone travel to Ensenada with a passport that is soon to expire?

 

To my knowledge none of the countries covered by the WHTI require passports to be valid for 6 months after the trip.

[WECRUISE4US]

No need to renew passport yet. Went on a cruise the end of October 2014 and passport expired March 2015. Not an issue at all and eve spoke with a customs agent in New Orleans.

[winddawn]

Hello all. Question... my passport expires in April 2016. I'm cruising Nov 29, 2015-Dec 5, 2015. Should I go ahead and order a new passport?

Here is what Carnival says:

 

"Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel)."

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/New_Passport_Requirements.aspx?icid=HSiteSearchPassport

 

I renewed mine a little early to ensure that it would be valid for at least 6 months past my cruise date. Better safe than sorry IMO.

[Sauer-kraut]

Here is what Carnival says:

 

"Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel)."

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/New_Passport_Requirements.aspx?icid=HSiteSearchPassport

 

I renewed mine a little early to ensure that it would be valid for at least 6 months past my cruise date. Better safe than sorry IMO.

 

I wonder why they post this. A U.S. passport is valid for entry into the United States until the expiration date.

[Essiesmom]

I wonder why they post this. A U.S. passport is valid for entry into the United States until the expiration date.

 

It's not about entry/reentry into the US. It's about the requirements of the countries you are visiting. None of the countries in the WHTI require a passport be valid for six months from the day you leave the port. But some South American countries may, and Asian countries...Yes, Carnival sailing from North America is not likely to visit an Asian country, but Carnival Australia does, and I know for a fact Indonesia has the six month rule. EM

[fireofficer5]

There is not a six month requirement on passports.

And who cares about the backward place Indonesia.:p

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I wonder why they post this. A U.S. passport is valid for entry into the United States until the expiration date.

 

I always thought that a passport trumped a birth certificate and govt photo ID but it makes me scratch my head when a valid passport even with a month left on it is questioned for a closed loop cruise when you can cruise the same cruise with just a birth certificate and govt photo ID.:confused:

 

Bill

[Donh44]

Hello all. Question... my passport expires in April 2016. I'm cruising Nov 29, 2015-Dec 5, 2015. Should I go ahead and order a new passport?

 

 

I am cruising in Sept, 2015. My passport expires in May, 2016. When I saw that, I called my PVP to make sure that I would be OK. He told me that as long as it was beyond six months from the cruise that I was OK. I will renew it when I get back. Since you've got plenty of time, IMO, if it were me, I would go ahead and renew just to be sure there were no problems. You are going to have to renew it anyway. Have a great cruise.

[atxlady]

Thanks all for the replies. I will go ahead and renew, as it needs to be done anyway. Hope everyone has a great day!!

[tea4ular]

There is not one person, nor one argument (including a web link) that could convince me to travel without a valid passport outside the US. It only takes one incident to make it worth the cost of having one.

 

Consider this...a passport is valid for 10 years (adult) from date of issue. It costs about $150 (including the photos), which is about $15 a year or $1.25 per month.

 

Get the passport, keep it up to date, and then when homeland security decides to change the documentation rules again (and I have no doubt they will) you're on top of it. And you're prepared when invited to have breakfast in Paris by a handsome stranger! :p

[S.S.Oceanlover]

There is not one person, nor one argument (including a web link) that could convince me to travel without a valid passport outside the US. It only takes one incident to make it worth the cost of having one.

 

Consider this...a passport is valid for 10 years (adult) from date of issue. It costs about $150 (including the photos), which is about $15 a year or $1.25 per month.

 

Get the passport, keep it up to date, and then when homeland security decides to change the documentation rules again (and I have no doubt they will) you're on top of it. And you're prepared when invited to have breakfast in Paris by a handsome stranger! :p

 

While it may average out to $15 a year they make you pay the whole amount up front so for a family of 4 it's $600.

 

When and IF Homeland security changes the rules as you put it, they aren't going to say on June 1st that starting next week birth certificates are no longer valid. It would be a lot longer time frame and allow people to get passports but doubt that will happen any time soon.

 

Bill

[travler27]

There is not one person, nor one argument (including a web link) that could convince me to travel without a valid passport outside the US. It only takes one incident to make it worth the cost of having one.

 

Consider this...a passport is valid for 10 years (adult) from date of issue. It costs about $150 (including the photos), which is about $15 a year or $1.25 per month.

 

Get the passport, keep it up to date, and then when homeland security decides to change the documentation rules again (and I have no doubt they will) you're on top of it. And you're prepared when invited to have breakfast in Paris by a handsome stranger! :p

 

I agree. I even carry mine off the ship in port. Oh my.

Edited May 26, 2015 by travler27

[cruznjan]

Thanks for the quick reply. I just wanted to check on the policy about traveling within 6 months of the expiration date. It's a Caribbean Cruise out of Galveston,Tx.

 

Personally, I wouldn't leave the country without a passport.

[sparks1093]

There is not one person, nor one argument (including a web link) that could convince me to travel without a valid passport outside the US. It only takes one incident to make it worth the cost of having one.

 

Consider this...a passport is valid for 10 years (adult) from date of issue. It costs about $150 (including the photos), which is about $15 a year or $1.25 per month.

 

Get the passport, keep it up to date, and then when homeland security decides to change the documentation rules again (and I have no doubt they will) you're on top of it. And you're prepared when invited to have breakfast in Paris by a handsome stranger! :p

 

Personally, I wouldn't leave the country without a passport.

 

And there is nothing wrong with that if that is what you want to do, just as there is nothing wrong with someone else deciding that using an alternate means of documentation is acceptable to them. The Department of Homeland Security determined that a US citizen on a closed loop cruise presents a very low risk to the national security and until something happens to change that assessment the regulations will remain the way that they are.