Clarification of passport valid for 6 months after cruise "strongly recommended"?

[Buddysmom10]

Thinking of doing a last minute 4 -night cruise (Nassau and Coco Cay) within a few weeks.  One person's passport expires in February.

Does "strongly recommended" apply to the passport itself (vs a certified birth certificate) or does it apply to the 6 month validity? 

Would someone be able to get on with a passport that is only valid for two more months?

Or will we have to dig up (somewhere!) the certified birth certificate?  

Thanks! 

[AshleyDillo]

They will accept the passport. The 6 month validity is actually a passport rule and they're making an exception. Some countries won't allow it to be expiring within that timeframe but you won't be visiting one of those countries.

 

You have 4 weeks to dig up the BC..might as well try to do that just to be on the safe side.

[Ferry_Watcher]

As someone who has checked-in cruise passengers, we have never turned anyone away with a valid passport on a closed loop cruise with less than 6 months remaining on their passport. 

 

If you were flying to Europe to start a cruise there, the airlines would not let you board your flight if your passport was to expire within 6 months.

 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

If you were flying to Europe to start a cruise there, the airlines would not let you board your flight if your passport was to expire within 6 months.

 Very  unlikely that would happen. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Just now, Biker19 said:

 Very  unlikely that would happen. 

Denied airline boarding with less than 6 months remaining on a US passport? 

It actually happened to a relative about 3 years ago at SeaTac airport.  They had to get an emergency issued passport and flew out the following day.  They originally had Business seats, but had to fly coach.  It also cost them additional fees for the change as they were flying to Europe for Christmas.  Costly error in not checking their passport expiration date.

[Biker19]

17 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Denied airline boarding with less than 6 months remaining on a US passport? 

Yes. Your example is probably the exception, very few places in Europe have a rule about required 6 months passport validity. 

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

They will accept the passport. The 6 month validity is actually a passport rule and they're making an exception. Some countries won't allow it to be expiring within that timeframe but you won't be visiting one of those countries.

 

You have 4 weeks to dig up the BC..might as well try to do that just to be on the safe side.

6 month validity is not a “passport rule” (whatever that means) 

 

6 months of  validity requirement is set by the visiting country (for some it’s more for some it’s less).

 

No country in the Caribbean requires 6 months remaining on a US passport for a cruise visitor.  Only one requires a passport at all. (Martinique) 

 

There are no exceptions being made.

[Ferry_Watcher]

It is not a chance I would take (traveling internationally by air with a passport set to expire in less than 6 months).

 

As someone who checks in cruise passengers, we have to follow the rules, regulations and expectations of the countries that our passengers are traveling to - just as airline check-in agents do.  There is also potential real world ramifications for passengers if we make a mistake.  Like a student traveling with their US host family on an Alaskan cruise on a single (1) entry J 1 visa.  Without a multiple entry visa, the student stopping in Victoria, BC is in violation, and could run into serious trouble with US CBP officers when returning.  In this scenario,  the student would be denied boarding at the pier.

 

Another scenario is a foreign national married to a US citizen, but hasn't yet received their Permanent Resident status (Green Card).  Their US visa is in their recently expired foreign passport and they show up at the pier with their newly issued passport, but their US visa is in the old passport at home.  Without the US visa in hand, they are denied boarding.  This actually happened.  It went all the way to the ship's documentation officer who made the final denial call.

 

In addition to real world consequences for the passenger, fines can, and are leveled against the cruise lines if passengers are allowed to board without the correct documentation.  This is why there are multiple agents from the moment a passenger enters the terminal, all the way to the final look/see by the check-in agent.  It just has to be done right.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2021 by Ferry_Watcher