Less than 6 months on passport

[MarkBearSF]

Here's a site with all the contacts listed for Cunard and Carnival.

http://elliott.org/company-contacts/cunard-line/

http://elliott.org/company-contacts/carnival-cruise-lines/

Edited August 24, 2015 by MarkBearSF

[Scriv]

I am not coming into this discussion with support for either side, lol, but I do wonder if the blanket rule by cruise lines is in place because of the many serious passport issues they may have come across in their history whether it be regarding passengers or crew. I actually know personally of an entertainer who spent an afternoon in a jail in Mumbai because an important stamp was missing on their passport before boarding her cruise ship. The cruise company had to pay to get her out!

 

At the moment we know there are increased passport and security issues worldwide too, so strict rules are hardly likely to be relaxed in this climate - and the company would have to have a blanket rule rather than allowing exceptions.

 

Whether they actually enforce the policy in practice is another matter of course - like taking someone on a coach out of the UK into Europe - but I guess the companies do have to cover themselves.

 

Just wondered..... and good luck to OP in whatever you decide.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Scriv

[Host Hattie]

people who travel a lot keep their passports up to date

 

ain't never had a passport question/issue

 

That's not the issue here, the question is whether Cunard can enforce a rule which neither the US or UK authorities apply.

 

Good luck sikwemu

Edited August 24, 2015 by Host Hattie

[cruiseluvva]

Cunard CAN be flexible - if they want to - they broke one of their strict rules for me, several years back, because of extenuating circumstances, and I will always be grateful to them. But it takes some considerable amount of pushing and isn't guaranteed.

 

I would certainly be on the case urgently - today!

[Scriv]

Good luck Gill :) I do hope you are successful.

[broberts]

I notice that early renewal of a UK passport results in an extension of the new passport expiry date (up to 9 months). I wish Canada did the same.

[BlueRiband]

Cunard CAN be flexible - if they want to - they broke one of their strict rules for me, several years back, because of extenuating circumstances, and I will always be grateful to them. But it takes some considerable amount of pushing and isn't guaranteed.

 

I would certainly be on the case urgently - today!

 

Unfortunately the OP wanted to travel with a minor. They're less likely to flex even an inch in this situation.

[Scriv]

Good luck Gill :) I do hope you are successful.

 

 

Editing : Sorry, Gill - I meant good luck to the OP.

[Sikwemu]

I decided at the weekend I couldn't go with the grand daughter, I couldn't risk it with her even though the UK and US officials said I could.

Since then I've also spoken with Ocean Terminal (berth 46) people and they also were a "it's more than my job's worth" scenario. The idea that the 6 months isn't actually correct for the US wasn't even conceivable....nobody had ever said that before and as far as they were concerned it couldn't be.

Letters have gone off but I'm not holding my breath for a reply

[whyohwhyoh]

Interesting thread. In our case we have both US and French passports.

 

On our next transatlantic when we leave the USA we are required by the US gov to use our US passport. Then we will use our French passports for entry in the UK, which actually occurs somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic.

 

Couple of questions for those that are dual (US/EU) citizens.

 

1. Do we need 6 months on our US passports on departure? I'm doing this to be safe, but couldn't find out for sure. Cunard won't accept our US passport in the system without 6 months.

2. Somewhere it states in Cunard literature that you can only use one passport on board; however, a transatlantic is unique in that disembarkation immigration occurs on board, not at the port. So we need to show our French passport to the immigration officer to get a proper entry into the EU.

 

--

whyohwhyoh

Edited August 26, 2015 by whyohwhyoh

[lannp]

A couple of years ago I ran into the problem that my passport would be short by about 5 days for the 6 month cut-off. The personaliser said my info was incomplete and it wouldn't accept my passport. I assumed it's internal calendar counted it out and kicked it back. I had plenty of time to get a new one but you do have to keep track of these dates.

[fantasy51]

2. Somewhere it states in Cunard literature that you can only use one passport on board; however, a transatlantic is unique in that disembarkation immigration occurs on board, not at the port. So we need to show our French passport to the immigration officer to get a proper entry into the EU.

 

I have both UK and Australian passports. Cunard has never been interested in my Australian passport, even though the literature says I should declare it. I have stopped declaring it!

 

I would take both passports to the immigration officer and let him/her deal with it! It may be that you have to use your American passport for the whole trip but the French one could be used just as proof that you are allowed entry.

 

When I go to Australia I travel on my Australian passport as proof of entry. I used to travel back on my UK passport but the airline system does not let me change the passport any more. I just hand both over and let immigration sort out what they want to do.

[whyohwhyoh]

I just hand both over and let immigration sort out what they want to do.

 

That is our plan, just hand both to the UK immigration officer on board. I googled the heck out of this and couldn't find any info on this for transatlantic cruises.

 

We need to enter the UK on the French passports to be allowed to work, and stay longer than 6 months. But we are required to leave the US on the US passports per US government requirements and Cunard. We tried entering info online to leave New York on our French passports and Cunard called us to state that this is not possible for US Citizens, and sure enough I looked it up and they are correct.

 

This is the 1st time we are doing this, as in the past we always stayed less than 6 months in the EU, and had no intention of working etc. so just used all our US passports.

 

I believe the reason Cunard states only using 1 passport, is to prevent people from using different passports at different ports on a World Cruise for example. This could be advantageous as you could select a passport that best fits each country, visa costs, etc.

 

--

whyohwhyoh

Edited August 26, 2015 by whyohwhyoh

[milamber]

Guess it's too late to help, but we sent our UK passports off for renewal on Monday and got them back today. Probably would have been plenty of time to get them done between this thread starting and the ship leaving as it turns out.

[john watson]

Cunard advise having more than 6 months on your passport when you travel. Both the UK & USA passport/border force (or whatever they call themselves now) state categorically that this is NOT needed for UK citizens to the USA.

 

I've spoken to Cunard and can't get by the company line of 6 months etc. etc. To be fair to the girl when I gave her the relevant sites to look up she did so and expressed amazement....nobody had ever bought that up before and she had no idea why the relevant brochure paragraph didn't have "excluding the USA" with regard to having to have 6 months. You can guess the rest though that all she can say is.....

 

Has anybody done a Transatlantic-with immediate flyback-with less than 6 months on the passport? This was going to be a birthday present for a 13 year old but even though the websites say it's okay and the ESTA site had no problem with it I'm now uneasy

 

The important thing to remember about British Passports is that you can renew early without penalty. I think this is probably due to the seasonal nature of UK holidaymakers! Anyway unlike US passports if you renew early; up to a maximum of nine months early your next passport gets the unused validity period added on to your newly issued passport. It is theoretically possible to get a ten year and nine months passport at renewal. You do not lose any value on the deal. People who regularly travel are well advised to always keep a passport well in date to bag those last minute bargains.

 

Regards John

Edited August 27, 2015 by john watson

[Sikwemu]

Guess it's too late to help, but we sent our UK passports off for renewal on Monday and got them back today. Probably would have been plenty of time to get them done between this thread starting and the ship leaving as it turns out.

 

Impressive indeed, just couldn't risk it though.

[robbie_3]

I think passenger carriers are generally paranoid about travel documents, not only Cunard. Take for example, the UK carriers liability Act legislation which levvies on a carrier a £2,000 fine for certain nationalities found to be in possession of incorrectly/invalid travel documents. To avoid passenger upset and the possibility of fines I would hazard a guess this 6 month requirement is in place to remove any possible ambiguity and protect the travel carrier from fines even though it can clearly lead to some inconvenience for passengers.

[jimmybean]

I think passenger carriers are generally paranoid about travel documents, not only Cunard. Take for example, the UK carriers liability Act legislation which levvies on a carrier a £2,000 fine for certain nationalities found to be in possession of incorrectly/invalid travel documents. To avoid passenger upset and the possibility of fines I would hazard a guess this 6 month requirement is in place to remove any possible ambiguity and protect the travel carrier from fines even though it can clearly lead to some inconvenience for passengers.

 

What a nicely written explanation, Robbie_3

 

ALso, welcome to cruise critic.

 

Jimmybean