Passport validity

[orangelollypops]

We are Canadian and just booked a last minute cruise this weekend from Florida, not closed looped, for my elderly parents and are going along to assist them. We recognized that our daughters passport next April, but about 10 days before the 6 month validity date. Is this going to be a problem?

[cruisinfanatic]

4 minutes ago, orangelollypops said:

We are Canadian and just booked a last minute cruise this weekend from Florida, not closed looped, for my elderly parents and are going along to assist them. We recognized that our daughters passport next April, but about 10 days before the 6 month validity date. Is this going to be a problem?

no problem

Ignore everyone that responds "some countries require 6 months on your passport"

Not true for cruises!

Edited October 23, 2018 by cruisinfanatic

[Dennis#1]

26 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

no problem

Ignore everyone that responds "some countries require 6 months on your passport"

Not true for cruises!

Agree.

[frayedend]

I was wondering about this as my girlfriend's passport (US citizen) expires after our cruise but within 6 months.  The Royal Caribbean website says that a passport isn't required for closed loop but it also says the passport has to have 6 months validity. However, the travel document section under non-US citizen does not mention the 6 months.  Strange.

 

We are just going to San Juan, no passport needed anyhow.  Labadee, no idea on a private island in Haiti.  St. Maarten, no idea what their rules are.

 

 

[broberts]

Labadee is not an island, just a fenced off area of Haiti.

[frayedend]

Cool, thanks. I didn't know that.  I saw some description that said "private islands such as coco cay, labadee, etc..."  

[reallyitsmema]

5 minutes ago, frayedend said:

I was wondering about this as my girlfriend's passport (US citizen) expires after our cruise but within 6 months.  The Royal Caribbean website says that a passport isn't required for closed loop but it also says the passport has to have 6 months validity. However, the travel document section under non-US citizen does not mention the 6 months.  Strange.

 

We are just going to San Juan, no passport needed anyhow.  Labadee, no idea on a private island in Haiti.  St. Maarten, no idea what their rules are.

 

 

 

Royal Caribbeans website says they highly recommend six months, not require it.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/united-states-citizen-travel-documentation

[cruisinfanatic]

5 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Royal Caribbeans website says they highly recommend six months, not require it.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/united-states-citizen-travel-documentation

Also says you don't even need one for most closed loop cruises

[frayedend]

10 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Royal Caribbeans website says they highly recommend six months, not require it.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/united-states-citizen-travel-documentation

Oh cool.  I guess I missed that it was only recommended.  At least I don't have to panic if we don't get around to renewing it.  🙂

[sparks1093]

46 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

no problem

Ignore everyone that responds "some countries require 6 months on your passport"

Not true for cruises!

It's true if the cruise happens to be calling in Cuba, at least that's my understanding. And FWIW for countries that enforce it, it is 6 months as of the end of the trip, not the beginning. I don't know what the requirements are for Canadians but suspect they are similar to those for US citizens.

[Merion_Mom]

15 minutes ago, broberts said:

Labadee is not an island, just a fenced off area of Haiti.

 

13 minutes ago, frayedend said:

Cool, thanks. I didn't know that.  I saw some description that said "private islands such as coco cay, labadee, etc..."  

 

It’s a peninsula. 😉

 

Royal uses the term “private destination”. 😄

[cruisinfanatic]

20 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

It's true if the cruise happens to be calling in Cuba, at least that's my understanding. And FWIW for countries that enforce it, it is 6 months as of the end of the trip, not the beginning. I don't know what the requirements are for Canadians but suspect they are similar to those for US citizens.

As far as I know the only Caribbean country you need to have is Cuba. NO other

There are also times when you may want to go on an excursion from cruise terminal to another country where it is required

[SRF]

15 hours ago, cruisinfanatic said:

no problem

Ignore everyone that responds "some countries require 6 months on your passport"

Not true for cruises!

 

It depends on the cruise.

 

AFAIK a cruise to Cuba requires 6 months on your passport. 

[starrcards]

I believe the 6 month requirement is recommended in case you need to leave the ship and fly home in an emergency.  Some islands require a six month validity to be on their island and no longer be in transit.

[Havingfun2010]

The six month rule is the most misunderstood rule of all time.  Cruise lines, and Airlines tell you when you travel international travel that you should have 6 months left.  The reason, is that some countries require this. All countries require a set time.  The most is 6 months.  Others might be 2 months, and yet others could be a week. How does the travel industry explain this?  By simply saying, 6 months.  It covers everyone. 

 

For the case of a Canadian, visiting the USA, they are on a list of countries that DO NOT NEED a passport beyond 6 months.  They are only required to have a valid date on it, when they exit, or other words they can not stay past the end date. 

 

The 6 month rule is the rule for entering a country, that has such a rule.  So if you entered, you can leave.  Even if it was on a ship, and you need to fly back. 

 

So if you are from Canada, you should check the rules of any country you visit, but in the Caribbean, I'm sure it does not matter.  Most of the Caribbean countries including Cuba are allowed to enter USA up to the expiration date, and can leave any date, up to the expiration date.  So my guess the opposite is true for North American countries entering their country. 

 

I just went on a cruise with 3 weeks left, and I just sent them out for renewal after I got back.

Edited October 24, 2018 by Havingfun2010

[frayedend]

So Haiti says 6 months on their website.  But does Labadee count if it's owned by Royal Caribbean?

 

ETA:  A quick search answered my question.  Seems neither passport nor birth cert is needed on Labadee, no immigration or anything because it's segregated from the rest of Haiti.

Edited October 24, 2018 by frayedend

[broberts]

1 minute ago, frayedend said:

So Haiti says 6 months on their website.  But does Labadee count if it's owned by Royal Caribbean?

 

Yes. But many, if not most Caribbean islands have different rules for cruise passengers than tourists arriving for a longer stay.

[cruisinfanatic]

50 minutes ago, starrcards said:

I believe the 6 month requirement is recommended in case you need to leave the ship and fly home in an emergency.  Some islands require a six month validity to be on their island and no longer be in transit.

Nonsense!!!

With the exception of Cuba, a passport isn't even required let along one that doesn't expire for 6 months

[nelblu]

 

 

On most of the Islands the passport stays in the safe.  I believe the issue is in case of emergency and if you need to fly our and what are that particular Island/Nation requirement vis-à-vis passport.

[SRF]

The six month rule is also typically for countries that do not require a visa.  Although some will not issue a visa if there is less than six months left on your passport.  But, in those cases, the visa is granted for multiple entries over a long period of time (sometimes for even longer than your passport is good for).

 

In those cases, upon entry, you can granted a given stay, typically 90 days.  You have to leave within the 90 days.

 

Six months means, if you over stay your 90 days, you can still go back to your home country.  The country you are visiting does not want you stuck there.

[frayedend]

18 hours ago, broberts said:

 

Yes. But many, if not most Caribbean islands have different rules for cruise passengers than tourists arriving for a longer stay.

When you say yes do you mean Labadee also requires 6 months?  Online search I found that nothing is needed in Labadee to get on or off, other than ship card.

[FLACRUISER99]

18 hours ago, frayedend said:

So Haiti says 6 months on their website.  But does Labadee count if it's owned by Royal Caribbean?

 

ETA:  A quick search answered my question.  Seems neither passport nor birth cert is needed on Labadee, no immigration or anything because it's segregated from the rest of Haiti.

It is not owned by Royal Caribbean  It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean Cruises

[broberts]

1 hour ago, frayedend said:

When you say yes do you mean Labadee also requires 6 months?  Online search I found that nothing is needed in Labadee to get on or off, other than ship card.

 

Yes Labadee is sovereign Haitian territory.

 

As I wrote, many Caribbean islands have special immigration rules for cruise passengers or consider them in-transit.

[cruisinfanatic]

1 hour ago, frayedend said:

When you say yes do you mean Labadee also requires 6 months?  Online search I found that nothing is needed in Labadee to get on or off, other than ship card.

Except for Cuba, there are no Caribbean ports that Royal Caribbean goes to that even require a passport, let along one that is current for 6 more months. Worrying over Nothing!

[SRF]

4 hours ago, broberts said:

As I wrote, many Caribbean islands have special immigration rules for cruise passengers or consider them in-transit.

 

Yes, I was checking for visa requirements for an upcoming cruise.  My SO in not US citizen or resident.

 

At least one stop would require a visa for her, except, when arriving and departing on a cruise ship.