sailing in 3 weeks and still no passport:(

[Sealicker]

ok so i hafta ask this one more time just to solidify this.

 

you are all saying that i can board the ship and visit all of the destinations i mentioned (bermuda, san juan, grand turk, st thomas) without a passport?

 

Yes they are all part of the Western Hemisphere Initiative, there is a post above that links you to the State Dept website.

 

You do not need a passport to visit any of these places on a cruise ship in 2007, and maybe longer, we will see in the fall if the push back, again...

[mjmalino]

I really feel for what you are going through not knowing if you will have it before your cruise sets sail.We just applied for our passports in Dec as DH and I had way expired ones and the 2 DS needed them as well for our upcoming Alaskan cruise. Anyway, when we went to apply for them, the person we spoke with asked when we needed them and when we told her June, she said th put a late February date on the application! The reason is that with the new passport requirements, they were starting to see a big increase in applications and if our need by date was too far, it was more likely to get lost in the shuffle. We took her advice and we had our passports January 20!

 

Anyway, I am just letting everyone know about that to keep in their minds for the next time they need to get their passports.

[8373seth]

I would highly recommend traveling with a passport. You simply call the state department number and set up an appointment in the Philly office. You go to the office at your appointment time and get your passport. I went with a friend in New York several years back. It didnt take long at all. We were in and out in a few hours with passport in hand.

[bobbycruiser]

this is what im thinking, but what about the money that ive paid already? will i lose that or can they track the one i paid for already and can i just pick it up in philly since ive already paid or do i hafta pay for another one?

[Crown Prince]

Don't you have a receipt for the amount paid??

 

Credit card, check?

 

You DO NOT have to pay again!!! :eek:

 

Why would you think that??? :confused:

[bobbycruiser]

i just assumed that since theres a chance that i may still receive the first one i ordered as well as the one from the same day agency, that i would hafta pay for both. im gonna call around today and see whats goin on.

[azsunshine]

i just assumed that since theres a chance that i may still receive the first one i ordered as well as the one from the same day agency, that i would hafta pay for both. im gonna call around today and see whats goin on.

 

I think you may be right about this. The same day agencies charge a signifcantly higher amount. They may wave the charge on the passport, but you would still pay the expidited fee I believe. Did you order both?

[debjo]

For bobbycruiser...

I really feel for you...I'm kind of in the same boat (pun intended)! I needed to "renew" my passport because it expired within six months from the return date of my cruise. I sent my renewal in on 3/2/07. The application form said that it takes six weeks to process...that six weeks was up on 4/13/07. Guess what...I still haven't seen my renewed passport hit my mailbox yet! I leave for my cruise on 5/19...so I'm starting to get a little nervous too, but have told myself to keep calm until 5/1/07.

 

My cruise planner said I don't have to have my passport to cruise to Alaska...that I'll be fine with my birth certificate (which I should probably find again) and my driver's license. Since my flights to the cruise port are within the USA, I'm OK there too. She did add that it might be good to take along a copy of my marriage certificate, as the name on my birth certificate obviously doesn't match the name on my driver's license. So, you might want to find your marriage certificate too...if you are married!

 

Good luck to us both!

 

Debjo

[8373seth]

They can speed it up if you are within several weeks of your cruise.

[ivielane2]

We applied for our passports on March 1 for our Dawn Princess sailing April 12 to Mexico. My DH received his three weeks later (we had paid for expidited service). I called the number on website and they said I needed to have pictures retaken. So I had the prictures taken and sent. Mine never did come and the day we left home a letter came stating there was inperfections on my photo and I would have to have another picture taken. Fortunately, I had sent for another birth certificate. I was going crazy until I decided not to let all the mess ruin my trip. So, I boarded with just my Birth Certificate and Drivers License. No questions were asked. Just was praying I wouldn't have to fly back home on an emergency, which I didn't....... Now I have to have pictures retaken and sent. Oh yes, our trip was absolutely wonderful, it was the 6th time to Mex. Riviera, 5th on Dawn Princess and 1 time on Celebrity and would go back in a heart beat. We felt we could easily have done back to back this time.

[timsbabe]

i applied for my passport about 9 weeks ago and i sail on may 12th (3 weeks) on the crown from brooklyn. if i dont get it in time, am i going to be screwed? is there any other possible way to get on board without the passport? im less than 3 weeks from sailing and now im getting reeeeeally nervous.

 

 

My parents made application the 2nd week in February...they just received their passports today...so approximately 10 weeks. Everytime my father checked the status at the travel.state.gov website it said his application couldn't be found...even to this day that is the message he got and now has his passport in hand.

 

Hope all who are waiting get theirs soon!

[bobbycruiser]

keepin my fingers crossed

[8373seth]

My parents made application the 2nd week in February...they just received their passports today...so approximately 10 weeks. Everytime my father checked the status at the travel.state.gov website it said his application couldn't be found...even to this day that is the message he got and now has his passport in hand.

 

Hope all who are waiting get theirs soon!

 

 

Yes, I couldnt find my application on the website either. So finally I called. They had left out a letter of my last name. It worked fine when I left out that letter. It took 10 weeks as well for me. I sent off for mine on Jan 2 and received it sometime in mid March. They are swamped with all the new passport requirements.

[bobbycruiser]

UPDATE!! UPDATE!! UPDATE!!

 

well after a day of calls to like a trillion (yes there are a trillion different offices) ive got conclusive evidence that a passport is not necessary for my sailing. but with that said...

 

i called my local county passport office and told them my situation. the lady was very helpful and told her supervisor my story. her supervisor then called south carolina (where my specific passport was being processed) and some how got through on the first try. she told the woman in south carolina my story and that my actual sailing date was may 2nd instead of may 12th. she said the person in her office made a mistake and added a 1 before the 2 accidentally. so long story short, she said they will process it immediately and should be here within a few days.

 

but i still want to thank everyone for all of ur responses and whatnot. its been appreciated, but now my nerves are settled and i can just relax and prepare for my cruise:)

[TMS9539]

If you call your local congressperson they will make sure it gets done. Call your district representative. The passport agencies have a congressional phone line that is always answered and your representative has a lot more clout than you do. My sister was in a panic last month - she was due to leave on March 30th and the online site said she should expect her passport by May 1st. When she called herself they would tell her one thing on one day and another thing the next day. It really got down to the wire (a week before she was traveling). So she called our district representative and they lit a fire under someone and she had her passport within 3 days. Don't be afraid to call - that's what our representatives are there for and they are happy to help!

[bobbycruiser]

yea im in the clear now, but thanx though:)

[Samcorl]

Hi Bobbycruiser - As long as you have a certified copy of your birth certificate and a government issued photo i.d. (driver license), you will be fine. I wouldn't go to the extra expense of an expedited passport, especially since you have applied and paid for one already. Your best bet (not to mention less expensive option) is to get another certified copy of your birth certificate. That's a nice itinerary, so go and have a great time.

Sam

[bobbycruiser]

yea i got it all cleared up, im good now:)

[dms42]

No, you arent required to have a passport until Jan 2008. They are recommending passports in the event that you have a medical emergency, and must be flown home. You must have a passport for international flights, at this time. We are doing a Mexico cruise in June and the Caribbean in October...no passports. We will have to have them by January for our cruise next spring. We have applied for the passports now because we'd like to get them out of the way, but I'm not concerned with not having them for the next 2 trips.

[GoodAsGold]

I finally got mine two days before we sailed. Since I didn't have to fly anywhere, a passport really wasn't needed for cruising...THIS year. I figured I might as well bite the bullet and get it over with now. I also had a copy of my birth certificate had they not returned mine in time. They did, but they cut it close. Since I live in the same town where I was born, I could have easily obtained a new birth certificate if needed. It all worked out, but I pity people who are waiting for their passports and need them to fly out (actually back into) the U.S. Best wishes for a fun cruise!

 

i applied for my passport about 9 weeks ago and i sail on may 12th (3 weeks) on the crown from brooklyn. if i dont get it in time, am i going to be screwed? is there any other possible way to get on board without the passport? im less than 3 weeks from sailing and now im getting reeeeeally nervous.