Ever Been Denied Boarding for Not Knowing Something the Royal Travel Agent Didn't Tell you?

[Pinballs83]

Get passports if you cruise a lot.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, Bencruisin said:

The day after we got home WE ALL TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID and the Facebook site for this cruise was filled with others who tested positive the day they disembarked or a day or two after returning. My wife and I hadn't got covid till then.

 

After decades of cruising we've decided to steer clear from now on.

mmmkay then.

 

We got Covid on our Allure cruise in June 2022, even though we didn't get it before then. Did we stop cruising because of that? Nope. We then did NOT get covid on our November cruise or the following April cruise.

 

Our neighbors went on a cruise this summer and got Covid. They are going cruising again shortly.

 

We have just gotten Covid at home out of the blue, without even going on a cruise. Do we need to stop living at home because of that?

 

Glad you had a good time on your cruise. But by all means - steer clear.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Itchy&Scratchy

[shirazcruiser]

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise.  Plus I guess it takes about a month to get a new passport.  Ours expire in 01-26 so my PC calendar has a event in 01-25 to start thinking about photos and getting forms together.  Everyone - MARK YOUR CALENDAR so this doesn't happen to you! 

[Fouremco]

7 minutes ago, shirazcruiser said:

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise. 

While that may be the case with RCI, there are other cruise lines whose travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary.

[shirazcruiser]

20 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

While that may be the case with RCI, there are other cruise lines whose travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary.

Bottom line...always be prepared to sail any cruise line at a whim - so renew your passport at least 7 months prior to sailing! So you can enjoy your cruise and alleviate all of the headaches Bencruisein experienced and the disappointment after all the packing, travelling and the excitement of a cruise...then you go back home.

[njkruzer]

36 minutes ago, shirazcruiser said:

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise.  Plus I guess it takes about a month to get a new passport.  Ours expire in 01-26 so my PC calendar has a event in 01-25 to start thinking about photos and getting forms together.  Everyone - MARK YOUR CALENDAR so this doesn't happen to you! 

People on cruise critic have reported it taking as much as 12 weeks to get a new passport. 

[RedIguana]

43 minutes ago, shirazcruiser said:

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise.  Plus I guess it takes about a month to get a new passport.  Ours expire in 01-26 so my PC calendar has a event in 01-25 to start thinking about photos and getting forms together.  Everyone - MARK YOUR CALENDAR so this doesn't happen to you! 

Any closed loop cruise you can take with a BC and ID will not require more a day past cruise validity on a passport. Royal may have a blanket statement about 6 months validity in the FAQ's, but that is more a cover their bases kind of statement. Actual document requirement is very much itinerary dependent. Most WHTI countries have exceptions for passport expiration requirements for cruise ship passengers. But as @shirazcruisersuggested, it is always better to be safe than sorry and renew ahead of time.

Edited September 22, 2023 by RedIguana

[RedIguana]

3 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

People on cruise critic have reported it taking as much as 12 weeks to get a new passport.

I've seen that also. Was 8 weeks for my regular renewal sent out first week of June this year. 

[crazyank]

17 hours ago, shirazcruiser said:

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise. 

Nope, not true,  passport time requirements depend on the countries you're cruising to, cruise lines make "recommendations"

[shirazcruiser]

41 minutes ago, crazyank said:

Nope, not true,  passport time requirements depend on the countries you're cruising to, cruise lines make "recommendations"

True - you can "what if" any scenario, but Bencruisin said "we've been cruising for decades"...why let your passport expire.  You're excited to go on the cruise, paying $9,000, travel time & expenses, packing and then get turned away...followed up by filing claims and dealing with RCCL. 

[barbeyg]

On 9/21/2023 at 11:50 AM, Bencruisin said:

The end of the original story:

After failing for months to get a cash refund instead of a discounted cruise credit we had a family meeting.  Everyone agreed that the cruise credit was too much money to leave on the table, that the covid rules were not nearly as intrusive as they had been and that we would all have passports this time. I verified everything we were told whether I had proof or not and spent countless hours educating myself by reading everything on the web site and everything I was sent. I did run into contradicting information between what was on the Royal web site, what I was told and documents/emails we were sent related to how the cruise credits could be used.  Knowing that Royal will enforce whatever rule they please when there is contradicting information I made the decision to expect the least desirable outcome and was not disappointed. We booked a 7 day Caribbean cruise on Harmony Of The Seas and again took out travel insurance.

 

The 8 of us had a good time. Especially the 4 and 8 year old who had never been on a cruise. There were some issues but they were minor until the day we disembarked.

 

The day we disembarked some luggage got lost.  Several of us felt "off" and we chalked it up to partying hard the night before. We had to wait a couple hours for the missing luggage and got charged for an additional day of parking ($30?) when we ended up missing the time we had to be out of the parking garage to not be charged for an additional day. I didn't bother trying to rectify this.  The day after we got home WE ALL TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID and the Facebook site for this cruise was filled with others who tested positive the day they disembarked or a day or two after returning. My wife and I hadn't got covid till then.

 

After decades of cruising we've decided to steer clear from now on.

Sorry to hear you got Covid during that trip. We’ve cruised multiple times since Covid and got it on only one cruise trip…but, we flew across the country, and also took a bus tour the day I believe I picked it up.  Really have no idea whether we picked it up on the cruise or one of the ports.  We won’t give up on cruising ourselves. Covid is endemic and here to stay, so we must live with it. I can understand you deciding to vacation in other ways with your experiences so far. 🙂

Edited September 23, 2023 by barbeyg

[Bencruisin]

Catching covid wasn't the deciding factor in our recent decision to avoid cruising.  It was just one factor along with things like the increased cost, lack of recourse, all the work that goes into preparing for the cruise as well as the treatment we received in front of our grandkids regarding the BC. As I've said earlier in this thread... I'm never going to convince anyone that we didn't take our frustrations out on the agent who immediately lost her temper with us when the BC issue became known but we're aware of what can happen now and in front of our grandkids.

 

I hope everyone who cruises has a great cruise.  Its just not for us anymore.

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:08 PM, shirazcruiser said:

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise.  Plus I guess it takes about a month to get a new passport.  Ours expire in 01-26 so my PC calendar has a event in 01-25 to start thinking about photos and getting forms together.  Everyone - MARK YOUR CALENDAR so this doesn't happen to you! 

If cruising a closed loop cruise in theCaribbean that isn’t correct.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:08 PM, shirazcruiser said:

Technically your month expired passport was not valid to cruise for the last 7 months since you're required to have 6 months left on a passport to cruise. 

that is very ITINERARY dependent and not true for most itineraries in the Caribbean. Please look into that.

 

I once cruised with a passport that expired 1 day before disembarkation. Nobody cared. I am a naturalized citizen, so I cannot even do closed loop sailings with a birth certificate.

 

We have just renewed our passports (sent in June, received in August) - 8 weeks exactly, without expediting.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Itchy&Scratchy

[shirazcruiser]

14 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

that is very ITINERARY dependent and not true for most itineraries in the Caribbean. Please look into that.

You are correct! I've just never travelled anywhere land or sea without a passport as I feel more comfortable with unforsceen issues. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by shirazcruiser

[Goodtime Cruizin]

On 8/3/2022 at 5:44 PM, BirdTravels said:

You understand that the outward facing email address for the execs go to an off-shore call center where sub-minimum wage call center personnel respond with canned, legally approved responses signing the boss' name? That email address gets hundreds and hundreds of emails a day that Mr. Bayley never sees. 

 

Disagree. I'm not sure about Bayley's email, but I've emailed other execs and have received returned emails and actually a pohone call. So there's that. 

[doghog]

If we use a TA it's only to get possible cruise fare discount, gratuities and additional OBC. Other than that I feel I know more than the TAs I've booked with. Unfortunately (especially on this RC forum) there is a very knowledgeable TA  I've never booked with as CC doesn't allow that kind of communication.   

[Wheels87]

Greetings! 

 

I just want to point out that the cruise lines have to be very careful about what information they give out regarding citizenship documents. Laws are always changing and are often not cut and dried.   That's why they reiterate that it is up to the passenger to ensure they have the required documentation. 

 

Remember, it is not the cruise lines rules they are enforcing, but rather US and/or international law. Imagine what would happen if they allowed someone to board, only to have the US deny them entry upon the cruises return. The cruise line would then be responsible for that passenger for an indefinite period of time. That is why it is in their best interest to ensure that all documentation is in order and to err on the side of denying boarding of there are any doubts. 

 

Happy cruising! 

 

Brad

 

[doghog]

20 hours ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

Disagree. I'm not sure about Bayley's email, but I've emailed other execs and have received returned emails and actually a pohone call. So there's that. 

I have also with Celebrity questions using the executiveoffice@celebrity.com Email address. 

[Cruisegoer]

On 8/3/2022 at 3:55 PM, Bencruisin said:

I checked the Royal FAQ page and found a mention of the PR birth certificate issue. I'm not upset that this PR rule caused us to be denied boarding. I'm upset that there are situations like this where cash refunds are not policy when the customer is expected to know more than the subject matter expert/Royal booking agent.  After being told we could use birth certificates we didn't investigate further so I consider the blame to be shared with the agent we depended on.

No cruise lines have ever made it policy to guide the documentation requirements by the government to travel.  It's generally a liability if they were to do so and also they do not represent the US government who makes the requirements for national security or other reasons.  It's kind of a buyer beware situation and actually a terrible shortcoming by Customs and Immigrations & Naturalization if you ask me as they don't even do a good job on their websites to guide cruisers.