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Passport Question


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Hello! So, I know, I know, the cardinal rule of cruising - you are SUPPOSED to have a passport even if the cruise does not require one.  I looked at my husband's and my passports, and his expired last January, and mine expires this July - about a month before we leave on our August cruise to Bermuda.  I started filling out our renewal applications, and then I saw the fee - $110 apiece! Yikes!  I hadn't renewed since 2009, so I forgot about the fees.  I'm deciding what to do.  If I mail our renewal applications today, will our new passports even arrive in time for our August trip?  If not, I don't feel like shelling out the $ right now.  We have a big Disney trip coming up in 2 weeks, and we are on a strict spending diet until then. Ha. BUT...if we are likely to get our passports in time for our August trip I'll bite the bullet and shell our the $ now.  Thoughts? 

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12 minutes ago, Silligan said:

If I mail our renewal applications today, will our new passports even arrive in time for our August trip?

You can opt for expedited passport processing and get it back in just a couple weeks. 

My opinion is the cost of the passport is well worth the simplicity it affords. They last for 10 years. 

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44 minutes ago, Matt said:

You can opt for expedited passport processing and get it back in just a couple weeks. 

My opinion is the cost of the passport is well worth the simplicity it affords. They last for 10 years. 

 

Thanks, Matt.  I was leaning towards renewing...just being cheap.  Do you know if I can mail my husband's and mine in the same envelope?  They're both going to the same place, after all.  I guess I'll head to the post office this afternoon ?

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1 minute ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I see no reason why you couldn’t mail them together.  Good luck !

 

Thanks! I figured as much. I'm going to try it.  Last time we got our passports we weren't married yet.   Going on the cruise for our 10 year anniversary!

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Remember also there is a travel card that works for cruises, and you can order one when you renew the passport.  It costs extra, but it gives you a second picture ID, which might come in handy.  For example, you can leave the passport in the ship safe and take the travel card and sea pass with you at port. 

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Remember that instead of renewing for the passport booklet with is $110, you can renew for the passport card which is $30, the passport card has the same information on it just like the passport booklet, and the passport card is the same size as a credit card, 

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1 minute ago, Bakerette said:

Remember that instead of renewing for the passport booklet with is $110, you can renew for the passport card which is $30, the passport card has the same information on it just like the passport booklet, and the passport card is the same size as a credit card, 

But you can't fly with a passport card, which limits options of getting home if something happens on an island ?

When I renewed our passports we got them back in under 5 weeks - I was shocked how quickly they took care of it.

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Hello--I just renewed and mailed my husband and my applications last week  and was told  I could put both renewal applications  in one big envelope but the applications should be in 2 separate envelopes.  You can track the status process at travel.state.gov or call at 1 -877-487-2778.

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Kao935 said:

Hello--I just renewed and mailed my husband and my applications last week  and was told  I could put both renewal applications  in one big envelope but the applications should be in 2 separate envelopes.  You can track the status process at travel.state.gov or call at 1 -877-487-2778.

 

 

Thanks. That is super helpful. I’m going to mail everything tomorrow and hope that regular processing is quick enough for an August 10th departure. So I guess they’d better arrive by August 9th. Ha. 

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Hi Silligan, , I mailed our two renewal request forms, passports and seperate checks together in  one envelope in Jan. No issues, got them back super fast, within 2 weeks. FYI, the travel cards came first in seperate envelopes and outer envelope did NOT look like anything official. So double check all your incoming mail / junk mail in your mail box. Happy cruising!

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13 hours ago, RTripp said:

Hi Silligan, , I mailed our two renewal request forms, passports and seperate checks together in  one envelope in Jan. No issues, got them back super fast, within 2 weeks. FYI, the travel cards came first in seperate envelopes and outer envelope did NOT look like anything official. So double check all your incoming mail / junk mail in your mail box. Happy cruising!

Thank you!

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19 hours ago, Silligan said:

Hello! So, I know, I know, the cardinal rule of cruising - you are SUPPOSED to have a passport even if the cruise does not require one.  I looked at my husband's and my passports, and his expired last January, and mine expires this July - about a month before we leave on our August cruise to Bermuda.  I started filling out our renewal applications, and then I saw the fee - $110 apiece! Yikes!  I hadn't renewed since 2009, so I forgot about the fees.  I'm deciding what to do.  If I mail our renewal applications today, will our new passports even arrive in time for our August trip?  If not, I don't feel like shelling out the $ right now.  We have a big Disney trip coming up in 2 weeks, and we are on a strict spending diet until then. Ha. BUT...if we are likely to get our passports in time for our August trip I'll bite the bullet and shell our the $ now.  Thoughts? 

If you are just cruising into a foreign port, all you will need is the cheaper "passport" card. You only need a full blown passport for air travel in and out of the US.  The turn around for the ones we got a few years ago was pretty quick, under like 4 weeks.

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