Passport question

[jc4me]

I am booked on the 9-4-14 sailing on Grandeur of the Seas and my passport expires 1-31-15. Do I need to renew my passport prior to sailing? My gut feeling is "no" but I want to be sure. Don't want to show up to port and have them tell my that it needs an expiration date that is at least 6 months out. I didn't see anything on their web site about this. This will be my first renewal of a passport...can anyone tell me if the renewal will be 10 years from my current expiration date, or 10 years from when they get my renewal application. Thanks for the info!

[Merion_Mom]

No. (see? good news! ;))

 

ETA: Ten years from when you renew, regardless of current expiration date.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Merion_Mom

[jc4me]

No. (see? good news! ;))

 

ETA: Ten years from when you renew, regardless of current expiration date.

 

Thanks! Now I can put off renewing until closer to the expiration date. Don't want to waste all of those months :eek:

[Desert Cruizers]

Merion _Mom, that is interesting to know, I thought that your PP had to be good within 6 months of sailing. Have I missed something.

[Zigggypup]

Merion _Mom, that is interesting to know, I thought that your PP had to be good within 6 months of sailing. Have I missed something.

 

The 6 months prior is just a recommendation, not a rule or a law.

 

 

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[uksimonusa]

Merion _Mom, that is interesting to know, I thought that your PP had to be good within 6 months of sailing. Have I missed something.

 

Some countries do require an expiration date of longer than 6 months to enter their country. This is due in part to the fact that these countries will normally "stamp you in" for 6 months, they do not want to be in the position that you cannot leave as your PP has expired.

Cruise ship passengers are normally considered "in transit" and are not subject to the 6 month rule.

 

On a Caribbean cruise from the US, countries do not even require a PP for US Citizens, so the expiration date on this cruise is really moot.

[hellsop]

The 6 months prior is just a recommendation, not a rule or a law.

 

It's a rule to and from some countries. China requires, for example. But it's all up to the individual country, and the cruise line doesn't require anything more than the countries do.

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html has entry requirements for US passport countries to individual countries.

[lauren0309]

I'm cruising in December and my passport wasn't to expire until February but after reading the passport website that you should renew 6 months before expiration date, I didn't want to take any chances and be denied boarding so renewed it this past summer.

[Desert Cruizers]

Thank you for the clarification, we will renew if they are due to expire 1 yr out from our next sailing. We recently did this for our Australia trip coming up in March, as they expired this past Oct.

[BNL62]

Some countries do require an expiration date of longer than 6 months to enter their country. This is due in part to the fact that these countries will normally "stamp you in" for 6 months, they do not want to be in the position that you cannot leave as your PP has expired.

Cruise ship passengers are normally considered "in transit" and are not subject to the 6 month rule.

 

On a Caribbean cruise from the US, countries do not even require a PP for US Citizens, so the expiration date on this cruise is really moot.

 

uksimonusa, are you saying no Caribbean countries require a US citizen to have a passport if leaving from a US port? Does a US territory like Puerto Rico count? We're new to cruising and I hadn't heard this. Is it still recommended to use one? What if you get stopped for some reason by the police? Would a government ID be sufficient? Thanks for any information, I feel like there's so much to learn about cruising!!

[Desert Cruizers]

BNL62, we always have our passports with us when we travel abroad even the Caribbean. Although during a closed loop cruise, FL back to FL it isn't required, the problem would be if for any reason you had to suddenly end your trip and fly home, then you will need your Passport to book your flight back to the US and go thru customs.

[BNL62]

Thank you Desert Cruizers, that's a great point! One more question, if it's not needed to get on and off the ship, is it safe to leave it on the ship when in port or is there any other reason to keep them on hand? We usually do all-inclusive vacations to the Caribbean and have never taken our passports on excursions with us but I honestly never really put much thought in to it.

[OCruisers]

Better to be silly than sorry and renew your passport now! ;)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Desert Cruizers]

When going off in Port, I will take our copies with us and keep in my Camera Bag or small wallet which I carry a Credit Card and a little cash and wear under my clothing. I have known others to take Photos with their I Pad so they have it with them. I don't like to bring my purse when going ashore and taking excursions.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Desert Cruizers

[Donray]

uksimonusa, are you saying no Caribbean countries require a US citizen to have a passport if leaving from a US port? Does a US territory like Puerto Rico count? We're new to cruising and I hadn't heard this. Is it still recommended to use one? What if you get stopped for some reason by the police? Would a government ID be sufficient? Thanks for any information, I feel like there's so much to learn about cruising!!

 

Puerto Rico for USA citizens requires no passport. Only ID required to fly to Puerto Rico same as travel within the states.

[maureencruiser]

uksimonusa, are you saying no Caribbean countries require a US citizen to have a passport if leaving from a US port?

 

 

 

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

[mollyeilis]

It's a rule to and from some countries. China requires, for example. But it's all up to the individual country, and the cruise line doesn't require anything more than the countries do.

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html has entry requirements for US passport countries to individual countries.

 

 

Excellent answer and excellent website.

 

I remembered that Italy had a requirement for the passport, so I used the dropdown menu for Italy and clicked on "Entry/Exit Requirements for U.S. Citizens". And there I found that US citizens must have a passport that is good 3 months beyond the period of stay.

 

Looked up Vanuatu, and that requirement is not listed.

 

China, of course, requires more than just a valid passport. :)

 

It's all country-dependent!

 

 

And since PR is basically part of the US, you don't need a passport even to *fly* there. And for the countries cruiselines tend to visit in the closed loop cruises don't even require the passport for the cruise itself (just if you suddenly had to fly home from a country), of course a passport wouldn't have a period-of-time requirement on it.

[hasekmpp]

I thought that your PP had to be good within 6 months of sailing.

[JasonTehGreat]

I always renew my passport when it gets down to 6 months validity (well I will now that I have to renew it for the first time).

 

You never know when you have to flee the country or go on vacation lol

 

But in all seriousness a man I used to work with had to leave the country unexpectedly because his daughter got sick on a school trip. He ended up paying several hundred dollars for an emergency passport through an agency because his was only valid for 2 more months.

[Clarea]

I thought that your PP had to be good within 6 months of sailing.

Depends on the cruise. Only certain countries require the 6 months validity. Have not heard of any Caribbean county requiring this.

[sjb317]

As far as the US government is concerned, your US passport is good until the date it expires. So as far as flying back to the US, if your passport expires tomorrow, you would have no problems today.

 

It's only a problem for getting into a foreign country IF they have a time requirement. Not all countries do. Bottom line is, you need to check requirements before traveling out of the US.

 

Sherri:)

[Desert Cruizers]

Sherri beyond the passport requierements, I always check for Vaccinations required when entering a foreign port.

[cmason]

Most carriers, including airlines and cruises, want to see at least 6 months left on a passport. If you have less, they will often reject them. I suspect this is because this is a common rule for countries issuing visas etc. go ahead and renew, they are good for 10 years, it does not take long, and you have lots of time.

 

 

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[jc4me]

My quandary is that we sail in September 2014 and my passport expires at the end of January 2015. I'm thinking that rather than trying to get it renewed before we go that I will just take my birth certificate along "just in case". Our cruise is to New England/Canada, so it's not like we're going half way around the world and a passport is not even required. I don't want to send off my passport for renewal and risk not getting it back in time for the cruise and I don't want to renew it way early - seems like a waste of money to me. I've emailed RC for an answer as to whether they require the expiration date to be out 6 months, but have not heard back.

[uksimonusa]

My quandary is that we sail in September 2014 and my passport expires at the end of January 2015. I'm thinking that rather than trying to get it renewed before we go that I will just take my birth certificate along "just in case". Our cruise is to New England/Canada, so it's not like we're going half way around the world and a passport is not even required. I don't want to send off my passport for renewal and risk not getting it back in time for the cruise and I don't want to renew it way early - seems like a waste of money to me. I've emailed RC for an answer as to whether they require the expiration date to be out 6 months, but have not heard back.

 

If a passport is not required for your cruise, then an expiring passport is more than adequate.