Susan in Maine Posted July 29, 2019 #1 Share Posted July 29, 2019 I have a passport that expires in February 2020. My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando. Should I renew my passport before we go? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green4me Posted July 29, 2019 #2 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) Kind of depends when you travel? It should be valid until well after you are scheduled to be home incase you have a travel delay issue. Best Edited July 29, 2019 by Green4me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirateg11 Posted July 29, 2019 #3 Share Posted July 29, 2019 The general rule of thumb is 6 months from expiration, you should renew your passport. Carnival's website even has the following note: Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel (unless otherwise noted). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in Maine Posted July 29, 2019 Author #4 Share Posted July 29, 2019 I'm well aware of the 6 month rule, and I wouldn't be asking if it was somewhere other than the Bahamas. Money is tight and the $160 is quite a bit out of my budget right now. <sigh> 8 minutes ago, pirateg11 said: The general rule of thumb is 6 months from expiration, you should renew your passport. Carnival's website even has the following note: Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel (unless otherwise noted). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted July 29, 2019 #5 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) The 6 month rule is only valid for some countries and the Bahamas is not one of them. As long as your passport is valid on the day you arrive back in the US it is fine. What Carnival does is recommend, they don't require. Edited July 29, 2019 by sparks1093 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyotravel Posted July 29, 2019 #6 Share Posted July 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said: I have a passport that expires in February 2020. My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando. Should I renew my passport before we go? Thanks! You have a passport that expires Feb 2020, but did I miss the point about when your cruise actually is? Otherwise no way to know. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oncruisecontrol Posted July 29, 2019 #7 Share Posted July 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said: I have a passport that expires in February 2020. My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando. Should I renew my passport before we go? Thanks! It would help to know what your sailing date is in order to better answer the question. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in Maine Posted July 29, 2019 Author #8 Share Posted July 29, 2019 8 minutes ago, amyotravel said: You have a passport that expires Feb 2020, but did I miss the point about when your cruise actually is? Otherwise no way to know. I did forget that detail, didn't I? We are sailing September 23, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyotravel Posted July 29, 2019 #9 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Should be totally fine. Passport and Visa Requirements for the Bahamas If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a tourist visa to visit the Bahamas. You do need a passport, but it need only be valid at the time of your entry – a clear contrast to the nearby nation of Haiti, which requires that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the time of your stay. Of course, if you'd like to get back to the United States, your passport should be valid when you leave the Bahamas, too. You must prove your identity and citizenship when you reenter the United States from any foreign country, so in general, it's best to renew your passport if it'll come close to expiring during your trip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GradUT Posted July 29, 2019 #10 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) The info that Amyotravel provides was very good, but if you want to see the official US Department of State page on entry requirements for the Bahamas, see the link below. (Note: Your US passport need only be valid when you enter the Bahamas. There is no 6-months validity requirement). https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Bahamas.html Edited July 29, 2019 by GradUT 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indygirl76 Posted July 29, 2019 #11 Share Posted July 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said: I'm well aware of the 6 month rule, and I wouldn't be asking if it was somewhere other than the Bahamas. Money is tight and the $160 is quite a bit out of my budget right now. <sigh> I'm not judging your budget and this may be too much also, but I just double checked, and renewal is only $110. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in Maine Posted July 29, 2019 Author #12 Share Posted July 29, 2019 47 minutes ago, indygirl76 said: I'm not judging your budget and this may be too much also, but I just double checked, and renewal is only $110. It is $110 for the passport. If you add a passport card, picture, etc. it comes closer to $150 - $160. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nascarcruiser Posted July 29, 2019 #13 Share Posted July 29, 2019 8 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said: It is $110 for the passport. If you add a passport card, picture, etc. it comes closer to $150 - $160. Passport card you don't need. Photo $15 @Walgreens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Organized Chaos Posted July 29, 2019 #14 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said: It is $110 for the passport. If you add a passport card, picture, etc. it comes closer to $150 - $160. I wouldn't bother with the passport card if you were trying to save money. Those are only good for land crossings and sea ports when arriving from Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, & Bermuda. And they can't be used for international air travel. If you have a passport book, you don't need the passport card for a cruise. But it's all pretty much a moot point anyway since you're good with your current passport. Edited July 29, 2019 by Organized Chaos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandmarnnurse Posted July 29, 2019 #15 Share Posted July 29, 2019 3 hours ago, pirateg11 said: The general rule of thumb is 6 months from expiration, you should renew your passport. Carnival's website even has the following note: Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel (unless otherwise noted). I was going to advise the same! 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted July 29, 2019 #16 Share Posted July 29, 2019 2 hours ago, amyotravel said: Should be totally fine. Passport and Visa Requirements for the Bahamas If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a tourist visa to visit the Bahamas. You do need a passport, but it need only be valid at the time of your entry – a clear contrast to the nearby nation of Haiti, which requires that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the time of your stay. Of course, if you'd like to get back to the United States, your passport should be valid when you leave the Bahamas, too. You must prove your identity and citizenship when you reenter the United States from any foreign country, so in general, it's best to renew your passport if it'll come close to expiring during your trip. That is regarding people arriving by air. US citizens on a closed loop cruise such as the OP is on don't even need passports to board, they can use a government issued ID and government issued birth certificate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted July 29, 2019 #17 Share Posted July 29, 2019 1 hour ago, nascarcruiser said: Passport card you don't need. Photo $15 @Walgreens. 52 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said: I wouldn't bother with the passport card if you were trying to save money. Those are only good for land crossings and sea ports when arriving from Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, & Bermuda. And they can't be used for international air travel. If you have a passport book, you don't need the passport card for a cruise. But it's all pretty much a moot point anyway since you're good with your current passport. Since OP lives in Maine she may find it more convenient to use a passport card if she goes into Canada. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Illbcruzn4life Posted July 30, 2019 #18 Share Posted July 30, 2019 5 hours ago, Susan in Maine said: I have a passport that expires in February 2020. My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando. Should I renew my passport before we go? Thanks! No 6 month rule does not apply to a cruise to the bahamas . You are considered in transit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatour Posted July 30, 2019 #19 Share Posted July 30, 2019 OP, with your clarification of the time of your cruise in conjunction with when your passport expires. You are fine without renewing your passport. The Bahamas, countries in the Caribbean, Mexican Coast (Cozumel) just want you to have an active passport no matter how close the expiration date is. The 6th month thing on Carnival website is a CYA in case you are doing a European cruise or other such itineraries. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Organized Chaos Posted July 30, 2019 #20 Share Posted July 30, 2019 4 hours ago, sparks1093 said: Since OP lives in Maine she may find it more convenient to use a passport card if she goes into Canada. That's why I specified that she wouldn't need one for her cruise (since she already has the book). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruizinKittie40 Posted July 30, 2019 #21 Share Posted July 30, 2019 We didn't use passports for the Bahamas in 2017. No problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSHLOT Posted July 30, 2019 #22 Share Posted July 30, 2019 We are always safe then sorry. Do you have to get it re-newed? Probaly not, but if its that close why not just re-new it? I know the 150$ is a bit much for your budget, but maybe you should have included passport fees into the equation before you booked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted July 30, 2019 #23 Share Posted July 30, 2019 9 minutes ago, FSHLOT said: We are always safe then sorry. Do you have to get it re-newed? Probaly not, but if its that close why not just re-new it? I know the 150$ is a bit much for your budget, but maybe you should have included passport fees into the equation before you booked. I can think of no scenario where the OP would need a passport with more than 6 months on it for the itinerary she's doing since she has more than ample time for any possible contingency that even the most creative mind can come up with. Personally I would let my travel plans dictate when I renew my passport so if I had no immediate plans for international air travel following this trip I would wait to renew until those plans were being made. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted July 30, 2019 #24 Share Posted July 30, 2019 6 hours ago, Organized Chaos said: That's why I specified that she wouldn't need one for her cruise (since she already has the book). Yes, but obviously the OP is looking to her future travel needs and is planning to renew her passport with those needs in mind, not just this one trip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTLCruiseGal Posted July 30, 2019 #25 Share Posted July 30, 2019 As someone else stared, all the OP really needs is a certified copy of her birth certificate and a government issued photo ID for a closed loop cruise (such as this). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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