Passport is expiring

[HaveFunAndSmile]

New on MSC and just realized after booking my cruise that my passport expires next month. I have a Certificate of Birth Abroad. But I don’t have my German birth certificate. Does anyone know if MSC will except this in place of a passport or my German birth certificate.

[Essiesmom]

What country are you citizen of?  What country is your passport from?  If you are an American citizen, your Certificate of American born abroad should do to prove citizenship.  Along with government issued photo ID.  EM

[HaveFunAndSmile]

I’m sorry, yes I am American. My passport is from the USA. Father was in the Air Force. Last time I used my passport was a cruise back in 2018. Didn’t look at it until I booked the cruise and was getting my documents ready. The cruise is Feb. 12,2023 and have no time to renew it for this cruise. Thank you for the reassurance. Just wanted to hear from someone else. Didn’t want it to be wishful thinking.

[styles27]

Are you doing a closed loop cruise from the US?

[HaveFunAndSmile]

Yes, a 4 nighter out of Port Canaveral and back to Port Canaveral.

[kelleherdl]

Your original certificate of birth abroad (US State Department birth certificate) will get you onboard. I think it’s officially called a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or something like that. It is perfectly acceptable. You are a natural born US citizen.

Edited January 17, 2023 by kelleherdl

[styles27]

3 hours ago, HaveFunAndSmile said:

Yes, a 4 nighter out of Port Canaveral and back to Port Canaveral.

If the certificate has a raised seal you should be good. Take along your passport as well. 

[kelleherdl]

2 minutes ago, styles27 said:

If the certificate has a raised seal you should be good. Take along your passport as well. 

An expired passport IS NOT useful for any sort of identification. Any document used for identification must be unexpired.

[HaveFunAndSmile]

Thank You all. I’m going to bring it for a backup to my other original paperwork. My passport expires April 2023 if that matters. I know other countries will not accept it within that 3 or 6 months of expiring. But to get back into the US it may come in handy. Most likely they will just wave me past without trouble. But it’s just been so long since I travel without a passport. I was just upset with myself for booking without checking.

[kelleherdl]

Oh, you are going to be fine for this cruise.  The Bahamas will not even see your passport. You will go ashore with your cruise card and your driver license. You will likely be reminded at check-in that your passport is expiring soon. Coming back into the US Terminal 10 Customs and Border Protection uses facial recognition. Take both, but check-in with your passport. It saves a little manual entry by the pier agent. It was unclear from your original post that your passport had not already expired.

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, kelleherdl said:

Oh, you are going to be fine for this cruise.  The Bahamas will not even see your passport. You will go ashore with your cruise card and your driver license. You will likely be reminded at check-in that your passport is expiring soon. Coming back into the US Terminal 10 Customs and Border Protection uses facial recognition. Take both, but check-in with your passport. It saves a little manual entry by the pier agent. It was unclear from your original post that your passport had not already expired.

^^^^this....

[styles27]

5 hours ago, kelleherdl said:

An expired passport IS NOT useful for any sort of identification. Any document used for identification must be unexpired.

It’s not expired yet….hence the title of this thread 

Edited January 17, 2023 by styles27
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