Passport required to sail Virgin Voyages

[spookyfudge]

On 2/27/2023 at 6:26 PM, cantgetin said:

We did normal service as they said 11 weeks and we had about 15 weeks before our trip.  It stayed in "received" status on line until after she had received it.  And it took 6 weeks and 1 day to arrive.  I. This was thru the Texas processing address if that matters.  I don't have any good answers other than that you still have a little time for it to arrive.  Call VV and find out what their cancelation policy is just in case it doesn't get to you.   I'm not worried about the "received" status, but I'd be worrying as the date is close and you are beyond the 5 week point.  VV is strict about requiring passports, even for cruises where the federal government doesn't require one, but again, it doesn't hurt to ask if they can make an exception.

 

 

You realize both you and your husband can go to the local passport station to get it that same day.  You must be present and must have a valid reason to get it on the same day.  You must wait for it to be issued to you so contact your local office and go in person. There is an expedation fee I think additianal $300 pp.

[Dobby36]

On 3/1/2023 at 2:35 PM, GhettoCruiser said:

Nope!  Not yet.  Thanks for the defense, it's appreciated, since we did absolutely everything we could and followed the government's guidelines as you kindly pointed out.  

 

It absolutely is a dumb move to cruise without a passport - who knows if you have to dock someplace due to weather that wasn't originally on the itinerary?  We get it.  We aren't trying to flaunt the rules but we're past the point of cancellation / refund and we have jumped through all the hoops the government gave us to clear since we paid for expedited service and shipping that was supposed to deliver our passports within 3-5 weeks.  The information on the state department website says that if you have travel within 14 days to call and make an agency appointment but after you hold for over two hours to speak to a human and make that appointment, they tell you that the website information is incorrect and they won't let you book an appointment until it's FIVE days from travel.  Well, that means that the earliest I can call for an appointment is this Friday, the 3rd of March for travel that is going to occur (initial flight to Miami) on Friday the 10th of March.  And, one of the agents said when I called them on February 24 that the earliest Chicago (our closest agency office) was booking was Friday, March 10.  The day we are to board the plane at the crack of dawn from Indianapolis.  

 

Thankfully the advice above by FFMilesJunkie, neverendingcruising, Fogcityca13 and you, cantgetin,  seems to be our saving grace and for that we are incredibly appreciative!!!  We've been in touch with Virgin, they're giving us consideration since we can prove this fault doesn't lie with us and we're taking birth certificates, our marriage license, their correspondence accepting of our situation, our expired passports, and our state issued IDs. 

 

*sigh*  😝

Sooo, did it arrive? Did Virgin let you use the other docs?