Passport Question

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, beachmiker said:

My problem was when I wanted to initially apply for my new passport, I was outside the window to renew,

There is no window to renew other than in the online passport renewal process.

You can renew by mail at any time .

[fredflint]

Wait until you get back i am sure there is a rush and lots of vacation  time and use it or lose it.  Go on the cruise and then send it in in January.

[debenson0723]

My driver's license and Passport were both set to expire in July 2020.  I had a cruise booked for March 2020 (last one before the shut down but we didn't know that back in 2019).  I decided to renew my Passport in November 2019, right after I got off the Getaway.  Had it in plenty of time before the 2020 sailing but was not able to renew my driver's license until September 2021.  Was so glad I had that Passport as valid ID...you just never know what might happen.

[The Traveling Man]

On 2/3/2023 at 10:59 AM, BirdTravels said:

Since you are on a closed-loop Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, NCL only requires that your passport to be valid for the duration of the cruise. It does not require you to have 6 months validity. There are no issues with a 3 month expiry. That is the only relevant point in the discussion and directly answers your question. You could even travel with a birth certificate on this cruise and no passport.

 

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents

 

That information appears to be correct for the cruise on the Escape which the OP mentioned.  I would caution, however, that there can be other considerations on different itineraries of closed loop cruises from Florida to the Caribbean and/or Latin America.  We currently are on an 11 day cruise on the Sky out of Miami, with several port stops before we return to Miami.  I do not recall receiving any notice from NCL prior to departure that anything more than a driver license was required for ID.  When we booked a tour for our port stop in Panama, however, we received a letter advising that we would not be allowed off the ship in Panama unless we each had a passport which was valid for at least six more months after the date of our port stop in Panama.  There may be other port stops on other closed loop cruises from Florida which require this, or ours may be an anomaly.  I haven’t attempted to research every possibility, but I know that I am glad that we always travel with our passports and we always make sure that they are valid for at least six months beyond the date of any travel we have planned.

Edited February 8, 2023 by The Traveling Man

[ChiefMateJRK]

Thanks for this great thread.  I didn't know that US Passports could be renewed on-line.  I'm due in less than a year, so hoping this process will be available.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

That information appears to be correct for the cruise on the Escape which the OP mentioned.  I would caution, however, that there can be other considerations on different itineraries of closed loop cruises from Florida to the Caribbean and/or Latin America.  We currently are on an 11 day cruise on the Sky out of Miami, with several port stops before we return to Miami.  I do not recall receiving any notice from NCL prior to departure that anything more than a driver license was required for ID.  When we booked a tour for our port stop in Panama, however, we received a letter advising that we would not be allowed off the ship in Panama unless we each had a passport which was valid for at least six more months after the date of our port stop in Panama.  There may be other port stops on other closed loop cruises from Florida which require this, or ours may be an anomaly.  I haven’t attempted to research every possibility, but I know that I am glad that we always travel with our passports and we always make sure that they are valid for at least six months beyond the date of any travel we have planned.

Panama is the only exception mentioned on the ncl.com documentation FAQ page.

There are Caribbean Islands that are actually part of France...Guadeloupe, St. Bart's and Martinique...also requiring  a passport, but NCL doesn't have  cruises calling on those ports.

[sailorusvi]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks for this great thread.  I didn't know that US Passports could be renewed on-line.  I'm due in less than a year, so hoping this process will be available.

 

So my experience.

 

Got excited and renewed online on Dec 29th, as we booked the cruise 7 weeks out. Was told 3-5 weeks (feb 18th sail) with expressed service (extra money).  Received a confirmation email that day and they took the $208 out of my card for expediated service.

 

Checked every few days between Dec 29 until Feb 3rd.  Status was "received", otherwise crickets.  And the website was down most of that time.   Called the number to inquire and was told to call on Feb 6th.

 

Feb 6th. Spent 4 HOURS  on hold (called at 8:0am, when they opened). Then told "oh well" the website had issue,  and "no", they could not give me an in person appointment, which you can often get within 14 days out, as I was. 

 

Later on  Feb 6th, got an email it was now "in process"

Feb 7th - status now "printed"

Feb 8th (yep, today) - it arrived.

 

The paperwork online was easier than other times I've renewed, but if you have a trip in the near future I would do it via snail mail as it's a different system. Let them work out the kinks.  If you have time before your trip, then go via the online renewal.  

 

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by sailorusvi

[teachberry]

At least you're not in my position...cruise in March, Mexico in June, cruise in October, Christmas Markets cruise in December and back in Mexico in January, 2024. And my passport expires June, 2024. Right now, my plan is to renew immediately after Mexico trip in June.

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by teachberry
clarification

[ChiefMateJRK]

17 hours ago, sailorusvi said:

 

So my experience.

 

Got excited and renewed online on Dec 29th, as we booked the cruise 7 weeks out. Was told 3-5 weeks (feb 18th sail) with expressed service (extra money).  Received a confirmation email that day and they took the $208 out of my card for expediated service.

 

Checked every few days between Dec 29 until Feb 3rd.  Status was "received", otherwise crickets.  And the website was down most of that time.   Called the number to inquire and was told to call on Feb 6th.

 

Feb 6th. Spent 4 HOURS  on hold (called at 8:0am, when they opened). Then told "oh well" the website had issue,  and "no", they could not give me an in person appointment, which you can often get within 14 days out, as I was. 

 

Later on  Feb 6th, got an email it was now "in process"

Feb 7th - status now "printed"

Feb 8th (yep, today) - it arrived.

 

The paperwork online was easier than other times I've renewed, but if you have a trip in the near future I would do it via snail mail as it's a different system. Let them work out the kinks.  If you have time before your trip, then go via the online renewal.  

 

 

Thanks.  I have a nice window to renew, so I'll target the on-line process.  The only cruise in the near term after my renewal request will be a POA, so no need for the passport.