Passport expiration

[Leroyr55]

It seems I misread my wife’s passport. It expires June 2023 and our cruise is May 20th this year. Their web page says your passport needs to be valid for six months after cruise. We are leaving from Miami and then the western Caribbean. Can we cruise with this passport or am I stuck trying to get a new one  in like 40 days which in all probability won’t happen  

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

I am in precisely the same situation - passport expires June 23 and have a cruise on May 26.

The good news is, I have taken 7 cruises since I was within the 6 month exclusion time period and no one has even brought up the 6 month thing.  We boarded EX on Sat - no problem.

Since I am in sketchy waters, I brought along my BC this time JUST in case, but did not need it.  I will do the same again next month JUST in case.  Then I will immediately mail out the renewal paperwork as soon as we return from our May cruise.  I have already had my photo done, completed the online renewal application and have an addressed envelope ready to go.  Since we have a cruise on Serenade on July 6 there is little to no hope that the new passport will be back in time….so I am prepared to cruise with my BC in July.

Good luck.  I don’t think your wife will have a problem.

[Bowen]

You can’t cruise with the passport as far as I know. I know for sure you can’t use it for international travel. You can use a driver’s license and birth certificate though if that’s easier than expediting a passport.

[Bowen]

15 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I am in precisely the same situation - passport expires June 23 and have a cruise on May 26.

The good news is, I have taken 7 cruises since I was within the 6 month exclusion time period and no one has even brought up the 6 month thing.  We boarded EX on Sat - no problem.

Since I am in sketchy waters, I brought along my BC this time JUST in case, but did not need it.  I will do the same again next month JUST in case.  Then I will immediately mail out the renewal paperwork as soon as we return from our May cruise.  I have already had my photo done, completed the online renewal application and have an addressed envelope ready to go.  Since we have a cruise on Serenade on July 6 there is little to no hope that the new passport will be back in time….so I am prepared to cruise with my BC in July.

Good luck.  I don’t think your wife will have a problem.

I wonder if the rules are different for closed loop cruises in the US? We were denied flying to France a couple of years ago because our passports expired before the six month mark, but I do think that might only be for international travel.

[WAAAYTOOO]

14 minutes ago, Bowen said:

I wonder if the rules are different for closed loop cruises in the US? We were denied flying to France a couple of years ago because our passports expired before the six month mark, but I do think that might only be for international travel.

yes, the international rules are absolutely different.  The only cruises (to my knowledge) where you can have a soon-to-expire passport is a closed-jaw US departure.  

 

[Leroyr55]

40 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I am in precisely the same situation - passport expires June 23 and have a cruise on May 26.

The good news is, I have taken 7 cruises since I was within the 6 month exclusion time period and no one has even brought up the 6 month thing.  We boarded EX on Sat - no problem.

Since I am in sketchy waters, I brought along my BC this time JUST in case, but did not need it.  I will do the same again next month JUST in case.  Then I will immediately mail out the renewal paperwork as soon as we return from our May cruise.  I have already had my photo done, completed the online renewal application and have an addressed envelope ready to go.  Since we have a cruise on Serenade on July 6 there is little to no hope that the new passport will be back in time….so I am prepared to cruise with my BC in July.

Good luck.  I don’t think your wife will have a problem.

That makes me feel a little better. We are going to bring her birth certificate and our marriage license. First thing we will do upon coming home is start the renewal process. My blood pressure is now slowly returning to a somewhat normal range. 

[DoomSlayer]

3 hours ago, Bowen said:

I wonder if the rules are different for closed loop cruises in the US? We were denied flying to France a couple of years ago because our passports expired before the six month mark, but I do think that might only be for international travel.

It really depends on what countries you are visiting and their laws, it has nothing to do with it being a closed loop cruise.  Mexico and some other Caribbean countries don't have the 6-month rule.  Europe and many Asian countries do.  The technical rule in European Schengen countries is that a passport must be valid for at least 3 months after your visa expires.  Standard tourist visas for a US citizen entering the Schengen countries is 90 days (3 months).  So with a little math: 3 months + 3 months = 6 months.  This is where the 6-month rule comes from for most of Europe.  UK and many eastern European countries have different rules.

For example -- Mexico technically does have a 2-month rule for US passports if the person is traveling more than 20km into the country.  Border towns and costal areas don't even require a passport for US citizens because they are within the 20km buffer zone, but you will need a birth certificate and government issued id to prove nationality and identity.  These rules apply to both land and sea crossings.  Air travel requires a passport though because of different air-travel specific laws and treaties.   This is why you don't need a passport on a closed loop cruise to Mexico.  If I was traveling to Mexico or the Carribean with a soon to expire Passport, I would defiantly take a birth certificate and driver's license as a backup.  Best case scenario, you take your birth certificate and driver's license and find out you don't need them.  Worst case scenario, you don't take your birth certificate and driver's license, are asked for them, and are denied boarding at the port.

[Va4fam]

You should be ok with birth certificate and driver's license.  Maybe marriage license if names have changed over the years.  

At least that's our plan when we try to board this weekend.

[FlipprDolphin]

My wife's expires in July for our May 28th trip.  I asked Royal and they said it would have to be renewed.  FYI, call your local congress office and they can expedite the process once you get you the message that your passport was received.  I called them (Santa Fe, NM) and they said send it in ASAP and let them know the confirmation number once I receive it.  We are also way ahead of most people.  They usually get calls when people are one week or less and realize their passport expired, so they do their magic and get it done in time.  So I am not worried at all.

[KevinJ]

We went through this between our Jan and March cruises. Wife and sons passports expire in Sept. First country for our March cruise was St Kitts and it was stated they require 6 months. So as soon as we got off in Jan submitted an Online renewal application. We had almost 7 weeks between the cruises and expedited claimed 3-5 weeks. First issue was that as soon as your online application is accepted they invalidate your current passport, so no trying to skate that. When we hit 5 weeks with no status change for the application we had a panicked week of getting certified copies of birth certificates and marriage licenses, wide was married before so multiple name changes. My sons passport showed up the day before he flew to Florida. We used my wife's BC and our current marriage certificate plus Id were all that got checked, but you never know. Our marriage certificate did list her maiden name as well as her previous married name. At least now we have all the paper work. My wife's passport showed up while we were on the cruise.

[TXcruzer]

You will be fine with your passport on a Closed Loop cruise. The WHTI covers this, and I have cruised with a nearly expired passport multiple times. 

[RoseofTX]

The main issue isn't the cruise, its the what happens when there is an emergency.  In order to get off the ship (other than for a day excursion), they may require a valid passport to enter the country (to go to a hospital or catch your flight).  In the Caribbean, many do not have the "6 month validity" requirement.  Columbia was one exception if you are doing a Panama canal cruise. For the US, you only need a valid one to use it to re-enter.  So while a guideline, if you are getting close to 6 months, best to get it current to renewed to eliminate any worry.  

I would think as noted above, it would be more pertinent on a European cruise (of course, in this case, you also flew there anyway so you would have had it). 

[Hvoletsky]

Hello!

 

we depart on 12/31 and my passport expires in March- reading the replies here it seems like I’d be ok? Little nervous- just ordered a copy of my bc just in case 

[DoomSlayer]

4 hours ago, Hvoletsky said:

Hello!

 

we depart on 12/31 and my passport expires in March- reading the replies here it seems like I’d be ok? Little nervous- just ordered a copy of my bc just in case 

Take your passport and I would recommend taking your birth certificate and id as well.  You don't want to stand a chance of getting denied at port.  Each country has requirements for how long a passport must be valid for when entering a country your cruise is going to.  Mexico for example, does not have a 6 month rule, but other countries do.  Worst case scenario, if you take both is you may have to show your birth certificate to board the boat, but you can still use your passport to fly back home in case of an emergency.  I usually take my birth certificate and my passport even though my passport does not expire for years.  It gives me peace of mind knowing I have another document showing citizenship just in case my passport gets lost or stolen while traveling.