passport expiration question

[MMastell]

I love the rabbit trails this thread has gone down. The original question was that the children's "PASSPORTS" had 4.5 months of validity left at the time of boarding.

 

The OP also gave the itinerary and none require visas or 6 months or more of validity to cruise to those destinations.

 

The answer is simple: The "Passports", not passport cards, which the OP never asked about, are valid for this cruise.

 

My own feeling is that the Passport Card is a waste of money. The passport gets you anywhere you need to go with no problems. The passport card just opens up more questions for people who won't read its limitations.

 

Take care,

Mike

[cruisinfanatic]

But they have a valid passport. It's valid for 4+ more months. They will be allowed to leave a country with that. Having less than 6 months may not allow them to enter certain countries, but the ones they're visiting on a closed loop cruise aren't included. Now if they had no passport, or an expired one, they would have an issue leaving. That's why I put the word "need" in quotation marks. Always best to be safe and have a passport. Which they do.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Technically, I'm not sure this is a "closed loop" cruise, since it leaves from NYC and returns to Miami. So passports may actually be required for this cruise?

 

Regardless, it doesn't change your point about being able to fly out of a port if necessary - passports will be valid for 4 additional months following the cruise, so flying out shouldn't be an issue.

Leaving NYC and ending in Miami certainly is not a closed loop cruise. Also has nothing to do with a passport being 4 1/2 months till expiration

[summersigh]

NEWS FLASH ... ... We mailed our passport renewals off on JUNE 9th from the local post office - everything they required was included in our packets. We requested standard mailing. We sent them in a way so we could track the packets.

 

TODAY - JUNE 23 we received our new passports via Priority Mail.

 

2 weeks to the day from when they were mailed. We were shocked!! :D

[sparks1093]

Sheephugs said he/she obtained a pp card "too", meaning in addition to already having a renewed passport book.

 

but yes, pp cards are only good for land and sea access to the US and as photo ID on a closed loop cruise.

 

Just to clarify a pp card is good as a stand alone document for a closed loop cruise or an open jaw cruise within the Western Hemisphere since it proves both identity and citizenship (same holds true for Enhanced Drivers Licenses).

[originalgeek]

NEWS FLASH ... ... We mailed our passport renewals off on JUNE 9th from the local post office - everything they required was included in our packets. We requested standard mailing. We sent them in a way so we could track the packets.

 

TODAY - JUNE 23 we received our new passports via Priority Mail.

 

2 weeks to the day from when they were mailed. We were shocked!! :D

 

that's way quicker than I would have expected. Cool deal! We also get happy news as our new, first-time passport applications were processed almost 4 weeks from when we sent in our paperwork. I just got the email Sunday night that our passports and accompanying documents were in the mail and should be here any day now. very excited! We expected it to take the full 6 weeks or more.

 

Now I wonder if I should change my online check-in information at carnival from "Birth Certificate" to passport. I probably will. what's the fun in having it if I don't use it?

[summersigh]

Now I wonder if I should change my online check-in information at carnival from "Birth Certificate" to passport. I probably will. what's the fun in having it if I don't use it?

 

 

I would go ahead and change it to your passport - make everything simple. :)

 

What I wish I'd done with our first passports was to get them stamped at all of the different ports in the Caribbean we visited. Apparently, there is a building at every port where you can get that done. When we went to Europe we had them stamped but didn't realize we could do it on cruises.

 

There are folks on these boards who can tell you where the Caribbean buildings are if you ask here or on the threads for the ports.

[evandbob]

Thanks for the responses so far! I was hoping I was being overly cautious in considering early renewal and appreciate your feedback.

 

If it helps, it will be a Carnival cruise from NYC to Grand Turk, Bonaire, Aruba, St Maarten, ending in Miami. We are US citizens.

 

Sounds like the Vista Nov 16 sailing. There's an active roll call going on CC for that cruise, feel welcome to join it.

[It's a Ship!!!]

Just so you know, there is a website that will give you all the info you need about passports. You can even enter the country/countries you are going to and it will tell you the requirements for entry, such as how long your passport must be valid.

 

travel.state.gov

[sparks1093]

I love the rabbit trails this thread has gone down. The original question was that the children's "PASSPORTS" had 4.5 months of validity left at the time of boarding.

 

The OP also gave the itinerary and none require visas or 6 months or more of validity to cruise to those destinations.

 

The answer is simple: The "Passports", not passport cards, which the OP never asked about, are valid for this cruise.

 

My own feeling is that the Passport Card is a waste of money. The passport gets you anywhere you need to go with no problems. The passport card just opens up more questions for people who won't read its limitations.

 

Take care,

Mike

 

For many though the passport card more than amply meets their travel needs. I know a number of people in my community that need to travel up to Canada frequently for one reason or another and the passport card (or EDL) allows them to do that without having to spend money on a passport (which they would never use).

[originalgeek]

I would go ahead and change it to your passport - make everything simple. :)

 

What I wish I'd done with our first passports was to get them stamped at all of the different ports in the Caribbean we visited. Apparently, there is a building at every port where you can get that done. When we went to Europe we had them stamped but didn't realize we could do it on cruises.

 

There are folks on these boards who can tell you where the Caribbean buildings are if you ask here or on the threads for the ports.

 

I will do that as soon as I get home - my wife just texted me they came today! woohoo!

 

And yeah, actually I asked that very question the other day. The consensus seemed to be that it was a PITA to do it on a cruise as the guy who does the stamping sometimes has to be hunted down. I guess it's not a full time job with a manned station just for doing it. But even as a PITA, it still can be done. My wife said the same thing - she wants it done regardless (So did I until I read it was a pain lol). I imagine we'll try but I'm not waiting all day for a guy with a stamp.

[sparks1093]

I will do that as soon as I get home - my wife just texted me they came today! woohoo!

 

And yeah, actually I asked that very question the other day. The consensus seemed to be that it was a PITA to do it on a cruise as the guy who does the stamping sometimes has to be hunted down. I guess it's not a full time job with a manned station just for doing it. But even as a PITA, it still can be done. My wife said the same thing - she wants it done regardless (So did I until I read it was a pain lol). I imagine we'll try but I'm not waiting all day for a guy with a stamp.

 

Just be careful, if you fill up your book with stamps you'll have to apply for a new passport since the State Department is no longer adding pages to existing books (as I understand it anyway). That would be more of PITA than getting the stamps in the first place.

[evandbob]

Just be careful, if you fill up your book with stamps you'll have to apply for a new passport since the State Department is no longer adding pages to existing books (as I understand it anyway). That would be more of PITA than getting the stamps in the first place.

 

When applying for a new or renewed passport, there is an option to get more pages if you believe you will be traveling enough to warrant it.

 

Getting an expanded passport with more pages at the onset is cheaper than adding pages later on.

 

I recently renewed my passport and most of my pages had multiple stamps, just one page blank. Got my expedited passport in a week and was off to Bermuda with it a few days later.

[originalgeek]

I sincerely hope I eventually have the problem of too many trips out of the country. :)

[Bookbug53]

Just to clarify a pp card is good as a stand alone document for a closed loop cruise or an open jaw cruise within the Western Hemisphere since it proves both identity and citizenship (same holds true for Enhanced Drivers Licenses).

 

Passport is required for an open loop cruise. I will follow US Customs and Immigration advice. Fairly certain SA is in western hemisphere.

 

 

 

"NON-US Citizens, US Citizens on open-loop cruses (being and end in different ports) and passengers on cruises that stop at ports in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Antartica ALL require a valid passport, and in some cases a visa as well as a copy of your Alien Registration Card (Green Card)".

[sparks1093]

Passport is required for an open loop cruise. I will follow US Customs and Immigration advice. Fairly certain SA is in western hemisphere.

 

 

 

"NON-US Citizens, US Citizens on open-loop cruses (being and end in different ports) and passengers on cruises that stop at ports in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Antartica ALL require a valid passport, and in some cases a visa as well as a copy of your Alien Registration Card (Green Card)".

 

The passport card is valid for re-entry from Bermuda, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean via sea ports of entry. Since South America is not on that list a passport would be required.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/card.html

[Bookbug53]

The passport card is valid for re-entry from Bermuda, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean via sea ports of entry. Since South America is not on that list a passport would be required.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/card.html

 

 

Yes, I know. Thus the reason SA was mentioned.

 

Your previous incorrect information stated a passport CARD was all you needed for Western Hemisphere travel and open loop cruises.

[sparks1093]

Yes, I know. Thus the reason SA was mentioned.

 

Your previous incorrect information stated a passport CARD was all you needed for Western Hemisphere travel and open loop cruises.

 

It is all that is needed for open loop cruises within the Western Hemisphere as defined by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.