passport expiration date a problem with online check in

[ToxM]

12 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

If you're been on the O forum for a while, you know there is a history  of previous rants.

this is very true.

[Robjame]

Susie - you stated on other platforms,  “Due to Oceania's refusal to work with me, this will be my last cruise with them. Oceania was my favorite cruise line, not anymore.” 
 

I am curious if this is still your intention or, after some reflection, you have softened your position and rethought your declaration.

[susiesan]

4 hours ago, Robjame said:

Susie - you stated on other platforms,  “Due to Oceania's refusal to work with me, this will be my last cruise with them. Oceania was my favorite cruise line, not anymore.” 
 

I am curious if this is still your intention or, after some reflection, you have softened your position and rethought your declaration.

I am currently booked on Sirena Sept. 2, 2023 for a Canary Islands itinerary. I just got off the phone with my TA pricing out cruises from NCL, Princess, and Celebrity. The Black Friday sales have very attractive pricing on very similar itineraries in a balcony cabin. Of course, all 3 are way below O's price. I am taking this cruise for the itinerary, never been to the Canary Islands. Plus I have family in England to visit before the cruise if it leaves from Southhampton. I can put a small deposit down and decide before final payment which of the 4 reservations I will be keeping. It also depends if I can get business award tickets to the European cities where the cruises come and go from. Right now, I cannot get to Barcelona for Sirena 9/2 cruise, there are no award seats at a reasonable rate available now.

 

 Until I return from the Marina cruise, assuming I get to go at all as long as I get the passports back, I won't make a final decision. It's possible I won't like Oceania as much as I did in the past from the onboard experience which wouldn't make it worth paying so much more for a O cruise versus one on NCL, Princess, or Celebrity. The other 3 cruises I am contemplating have far more amenities for less than the price of the O cruise and are longer. Sirena is 10 nights, the others I am looking at are 11 and 12 so a better per day value. I have to decide if it is worth it to me. I have sailed on all 3 of the other lines within the last 3 years and don't have a problem with any of them, I was happy with those cruises.

[Robjame]

So happy you have mellowed your position on Oceania. Cruise Lines are all about individual preferences and you might enjoy NCL for a cheaper price . Who knows? 
‘Good Luck.

[susiesan]

17 hours ago, Robjame said:

So happy you have mellowed your position on Oceania. Cruise Lines are all about individual preferences and you might enjoy NCL for a cheaper price . Who knows? 
‘Good Luck.

I was on a 10 day NCL Baltic cruise this past summer on Norwegian Dawn. The cruise was fine, the ship was fine, the biggest difference was the food which was oaky, I did not starve,. On a port intensive cruise with not much time on the ship I'm not as picky about my surroundings. I usually travel to visit interesting places. I never take a cruise for a ship, it's transportation for me.

[susiesan]

Latest update to the saga:

We are at 10 days before when we need the passports in hand to fly to Miami for the cruise. Yesterday 11/22 got an email letter from the State Department saying the passport picture for my husband was unacceptable, either overexposed or underexposed. I need to send a new photo. I contacted Fast Passport Center, they sent me another Fed Ex label and we got a new photo taken, and all was overnighted. The package was delivered in Philadelphia today 11/23 and the expediter emailed to say they have it and are processing.

 

My passport picture was okay so I may have mine back Friday or Monday 11/28. My husbands' should be back by Wednesday 11/30. Hubby did say if for some reason I get mine and he does not he's okay with me going on the cruise alone. We would only be out half the money. I can cancel his plane tickets and redeposit the miles, and cancel him from excursions planned.

 

Wish us luck, we are both stressed to the max over all of this running around.😩

[njhorseman]

Just now, susiesan said:

Wish us luck,

I hope it works out for you.

[susiesan]

9 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I hope it works out for you.

After all this angst and stress I REALLY need this cruise😌🍹🚢

[schmerl]

I hope it all works out. I would be going crazy!

[Cape Hernlopen]

Dear Susiesan:

 

I hope that both you and your husband receive your new Passports in time for your cruise.  Since "nothing" can happen tomorrow have a happy and worry- free Thanksgiving celebration.

Joel Barry

[susiesan]

Half good news: my new passport showed up today Nov. 24. Still waiting on hubbies'. At least one of us will be on the cruise.

 

I am not able to update the passport information in online check in. I will do it upon boarding.

Edited November 25, 2022 by susiesan

[susiesan]

Interesting wording printed in the passport

 

If your passport expires within 6 months of your departure you may be denied entry into some countries.

[1985rz1]

13 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Interesting wording printed in the passport

 

If your passport expires within 6 months of your departure you may be denied entry into some countries.

Countries who follow the 6 month rule frequently state "Must have six months validity at entry" (taken from the State Dept's travel information for visiting the French West Indies). That type of requirement might the the basis of the passport wording.  In the case of a cruise, entry into a country that is later in the cruise departure could be a problem if the 6 month's deadline occurs after boarding but before entry into the country.  The safest approach for a cruise line to cover this situation might be simply  requiring 6 months after return.  Just speculating.

[njhorseman]

49 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Countries who follow the 6 month rule frequently state "Must have six months validity at entry" (taken from the State Dept's travel information for visiting the French West Indies). That type of requirement might the the basis of the passport wording.  In the case of a cruise, entry into a country that is later in the cruise departure could be a problem if the 6 month's deadline occurs after boarding but before entry into the country.  The safest approach for a cruise line to cover this situation might be simply  requiring 6 months after return.  Just speculating.

Your speculation makes sense. The cruise lines have ensure they've covered the worst-case scenario. 

[Robjame]

2 hours ago, susiesan said:

I am not able to update the passport information in online check in. I will do it upon boarding.

The information about how to do this, along with the requirement to have a passport current to six months after the disembarkation date is all there on your Online Registratation form. It was there when you originally added your passport information as well.

 

[JHLH821]

I believe that if you have cruised with Oceania previously, the GIF is now locked. The person having these issues can call Guest Services and request a manual update- a simple fix.  My husband and I are in the midst of updating both of our passports for next year's trips. When I called to book, I mentioned to the consultant that we will be providing updated passport details prior to the next trip and there is a note in our profile to that effect.  When I called to book another trip, the consultant mentioned the profile note. 

[Nuka]

On 11/18/2022 at 8:32 AM, susiesan said:

I am taking responsibility for having a brain fart. I've done all I can to salvage the vacation by expediting the passport renewal at a very hefty cost. Lesson learned. At the same time, I was not asking O to change the rules, I was asking for an exception for a past customer. That's called good business, working with your customers to make then happy. Unhappy customers will tell 10 people about their bad experience with a corporation.

 

I hope my experience has benefited others who may make the same mistake I did. I already heard from someone on the O FB group who was going to be denied boarding on her January cruise due to the same passport expiration date. She had no idea about this until I brought it up. She is rushing to renew their passports now. So I saved at least one couple's cruise vacation.

You wanted them to change rules because of being a past customer?  It reads like i made a mistake but there shouldn't be any comsequences. The policy is in place for not an arbitrary reason - its a requirement for countries visited that is standard and could potentially open up the cruiseline to issues with ports visited.  Sorry, but thinking that there should be an exception for you and your past sailing history is a bit rich imho.  Anyways, hope this works out for you 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Nuka

[kitty9]

Neither Oceania nor any other cruise line can make an exception for any US Department of State regulation regardless of how good a customer you are.  For our upcoming cruise, my passport expired two days after the 6 month rule, but not wanting to take a chance, I renewed.  Didn’t use expedited service and got my new passport in 11 days. 

[mauibabes]

Susieann

IMHO, make a phone call Monday a.m. and get the Rep that answers to update your account with your new passport numbers and expirations dates and make sure all the info on your Registration is correct. The Oceania passenger info is matched to US Government data bases and we all know that “stuff happens” so a quick phone call could quell some unnecessary anxiety at the terminal. 
Have a great trip. 
Mauibabes

[susiesan]

mauibabes: I already called Oceania and updated my passport information. My husbands'  should show up tomorrow 11/28 per the tracking number from the State Department and I will call in his. Once this information is in the online check in form you cannot see if it is accurately entered by the O rep. I have to trust that they got it right and there are no problems at the terminal check in.

[JRIH]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

mauibabes: I already called Oceania and updated my passport information. My husbands'  should show up tomorrow 11/28 per the tracking number from the State Department and I will call in his. Once this information is in the online check in form you cannot see if it is accurately entered by the O rep. I have to trust that they got it right and there are no problems at the terminal check in.

Just think, you get to do this again in 10 years.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, JRIH said:

Just think, you get to do this again in 10 years.

Or, 9 and a half years without the drama.  😉

[susiesan]

49 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Or, 9 and a half years without the drama.  😉

We don't even get a full 10 years of value out of our passport fee. What a rip off😜

[shepherd really]

6 minutes ago, susiesan said:

We don't even get a full 10 years of value out of our passport fee. What a rip off😜

I actually thought to myself when Jazzbeau posted this "please don't let Susiesan complain about the 6 months, but she will".  

 

Thank you, I feel like Nostradamus. 

[susiesan]

12 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

I actually thought to myself when Jazzbeau posted this "please don't let Susiesan complain about the 6 months, but she will".  

 

Thank you, I feel like Nostradamus. 

My sister who lives in England said Brits have to have 9 months left on their passports toward the expiration date. We Yanks get a slightly better deal🤪