Passports????

[vlf467]

I am a US citizen and will be travelling from Miami to the Caribbean and back to Miami. My passport expires in November 2016 and my cruise is in July. Can I use that passport or will I need to spend another 110$ to get a new one? Also, is a passport card valid for travel? The family members that are travelling with me do not have passports. WHat will they need to travel? Thank you.

[Kamloops50]

I am a US citizen and will be travelling from Miami to the Caribbean and back to Miami. My passport expires in November 2016 and my cruise is in July. Can I use that passport or will I need to spend another 110$ to get a new one? Also, is a passport card valid for travel? The family members that are travelling with me do not have passports. WHat will they need to travel? Thank you.

 

The gold standard is a Passport . A Passport car is a good choice. The only thing requires is a government picture ID and birth certificate.

If you have to leave the ship and come home early . A passport will be required to fly home.

[vlf467]

The gold standard is a Passport . A Passport car is a good choice. The only thing requires is a government picture ID and birth certificate.( I was told that the birth certificate had to have a raised seal but mine is 50 years old and doesnt have a raised seal. Will there be problems? Also, I was told that the passport had to be valid at least 6 months after the cruise. Is that true?

If you have to leave the ship and come home early . A passport will be required to fly home.

 

Thank you!

[riclop]

It's always very good to have a passport for various reasons.

[broberts]

You should check with MSC. At times there are differences between the requirements of various countries and those of a cruise line. MSC may have documentation requirements that are a little more stringent.

[mikesteg]

The gold standard is a Passport . A Passport car is a good choice.

 

I think I disagree. ;) A passport card is pretty useless. It will not allow you to fly internationally. It is beneficial for land crossings, but that isn't likely to be much use if you live in Florida. Maybe there is some use if going to the Bahamas? I don't know.

 

The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/card.html

 

 

I did get passport cards for my kids because I thought they might benefit from having a photo ID. At the time the PP card was only $10 additional when getting a passport, though it's $15 now. Their passports have been on many cruises, but my kids' PP cards have never left the safe.

[mikesteg]

In regards to the expiration: I'm not sure. :D

 

Here's some info from the gov't:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

 

I don't think it says you need to have a passport valid for X days after entry or return, and I don't think that is common for carib cruises. However, it does say:

 

You should always check with your cruise ship, travel agent and or destination country to confirm the requirements for entry into the foreign countries you will be visiting.

 

Personally I would ping MSC, but I would (and always do) bring our BCs along, carried separate from the PPs, in case of problems. I'd recommend that you do the same in case the check in agent decides to give you hassle over the PP expiration.

[parallax]

Since you are doing a Caribbean cruise you are ok. However, if you were traveling overseas to embark on your cruise you would need to renew your passport. Some countries will not let you in if the passport is set to expire within the next 3 to 6 months.