RCCL Rule on Passport Expiry?

[tropiclvrs]

Does anyone know if RCCL has a policy on how many days/months are needed before your passport expires for you to travel? I just noticed that my passport will expire exactly 1 month after my sail date for our Caribbean cruise. I know some countries require 6 months or so, but I am not sure about Caribbean countries or if RCCL has a policy of their own. I can't find anything on their website in the section that details out their travel document policy.

 

Thanks!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Does anyone know if RCCL has a policy on how many days/months are needed before your passport expires for you to travel? I just noticed that my passport will expire exactly 1 month after my sail date for our Caribbean cruise. I know some countries require 6 months or so, but I am not sure about Caribbean countries or if RCCL has a policy of their own. I can't find anything on their website in the section that details out their travel document policy.

 

Thanks!

 

if you are doing a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean you will be fine.:)

 

Bill

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do

 

According to this, they 'strongly recommends' that you have at least 6 months remaining beyond the end of the cruise.

 

Whilst this is not a direct instruction as such, it might be worthwhile to take notice of their recommendation.

[mollyeilis]

Royal will cover their rears, of course.

 

But any country that is on a closed loop car/bah US-start cruise will also allow US citizens to travel on birth certificates (for said closed loop cruise).

 

So the passport date doesn't even matter.

 

If you're worried, bring your birth certificate and another ID, too. If someone balks at the passport, bring out the other totally acceptable ID combo.

[tropiclvrs]

Thanks for the info! I am going to renew my passport just to be safe. Now, I just have to decide if I should do expedited service or not. Our cruise is just over 8 weeks away and current estimate is 6 weeks for passport issue. Not sure I want to cut it that close.

[shanley]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do

 

According to this, they 'strongly recommends' that you have at least 6 months remaining beyond the end of the cruise.

 

Whilst this is not a direct instruction as such, it might be worthwhile to take notice of their recommendation.

 

The issue about 6 months of validity has nothing to do with Royal Caribbean rules. The countries visited may have that requirement and then the cruise line would need to enforce it.

 

As others have already stated, closed loop from the US and you are American or Canadian, all you need is a valid passport. As long as its valid for the length of your travel, you are fine. But if you are going on a European or Asia cruise, then you should have 6 months left on your passport. Countries that require visas, are more likely to require a passport valid for six months.

[setsail]

Does anyone know if RCCL has a policy on how many days/months are needed before your passport expires for you to travel? I just noticed that my passport will expire exactly 1 month after my sail date for our Caribbean cruise. I know some countries require 6 months or so, but I am not sure about Caribbean countries or if RCCL has a policy of their own. I can't find anything on their website in the section that details out their travel document policy.

 

Thanks!

 

Rci does not make policy on passports. It is all up to the countries you visit, check their policies

[erby2283]

Thanks for the info! I am going to renew my passport just to be safe. Now, I just have to decide if I should do expedited service or not. Our cruise is just over 8 weeks away and current estimate is 6 weeks for passport issue. Not sure I want to cut it that close.

 

I know that different facilities across the country have different processing times but my friend submitted forms for his First Passport around May 10th and we received it within 2 weeks - not expedited.

Edited June 8, 2016 by erby2283

[MrsKC08]

Thanks for the info! I am going to renew my passport just to be safe. Now, I just have to decide if I should do expedited service or not. Our cruise is just over 8 weeks away and current estimate is 6 weeks for passport issue. Not sure I want to cut it that close.

 

I don't think you need to worry about doing Expedited. I just went to the Passport office on Monday to get my passport (never had one and always sailed with BC and ID). I was told specifically that the government is doing a blanket statement of stating 6 weeks but I should receive my passport closer to 4 weeks. I think you will be more than fine. Besides, they can check the system and tell that you have applied to renew. :)

[sjb317]

Why would you pay extra for an expedited renewal for something you don't even need to renew before your cruise? Unless you a doing something other than a closed loop cruise in the Caribbean, you don't even have to have a passport. Your current passport is fine.:D

 

Sherri:)

Edited June 8, 2016 by sjb317

[Langley Cruisers]

As mentioned, as a cruise passenger on a closed-loop itinerary, you are good to go. I see you have decided to renew; we probably would as well with just 1 month left (personal choice).

 

Just for information sake, flying in on a land vacation is different. Here is the link to the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs, and the info about which countries require extra months. Type in the country of your ports and check; for example, I know St. Lucia is 6 months validity.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country.html

 

.

[misty57]

Why would you pay extra for an expedited renewal for something you don't even need to renew before your cruise? Unless you a doing something other than a closed loop cruise in the Caribbean, you don't even have to have a passport. Your current passport is fine.:D

 

Sherri:)

 

However... You have to send in your current passport when you renew. They will send it back, but you are essentially without a passport once you mail it all in. They suggest you use a traceable method of delivery in case things go missing.

[tropiclvrs]

Thanks for that link above. We will be travelling to St. Marteen (must be valid at time of entry), Puerto Rico (no passport required), and Labadee, Haiti (6 month validity required). Although Labadee is a "private destination" it is still Haiti and I could see that could potentially be a stinking point. I personally would rather play it safe and renew rather than get an unfortunate surprise upon checking in at the port.

 

Now, back to the expedited or not part of it...What if I send it non-expedited but 4 or 5 weeks go by and no passport is received yet. Is there anything that can be done to expedite after mailing it in? Can I go to the Passport Agency for an urgent passport issue? Keep in mind, that for renewal I have to mail in my current passport so I would have nothing. I don't think I even have a certified birth certificate as a backup, but I'll have to check on that. Even if I did, not sure I'd want to just use that...but that's just me.

Edited June 8, 2016 by tropiclvrs

[Fouremco]

The closed-loop myth continues. Foreign countries decide on the requirements to visit their nations, not the US Government and most certainly not the cruise lines. I suggest that those in doubt read the following:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

[jamesr3939]

None of those port stops will even look at your passport. In fact we have never taken ours off the ship at those ports. Obviously, no PP is required for PR. RCCL doesn't care as long as it's good for the duration of the cruise.

 

Since you have to renew it anyway (I assume you plan to travel in the future) then I would just go ahead and do it after I get back.

 

If you decide to do it prior you take the small chance it won't be back in time. This is high volume travel season so they might be a little slower, but we had our renewal back in less than 14 days. I used Priority Mail flat rate with tracking.

 

We have used the expedited service for our new born grand-daughter and it's a pain. You have to actually go to the local passport station and get the extra forms notarized. Our county clerk wasn't familiar with the process and tried to keep the application. I had to show them the instructions from the expediting service, which they questioned and then had to look up before they went along with the process.

 

Using the service isn't near as easy as just sending in a renewal.

[Paul65]

If I were you, I would wait until after the cruise to renew your passport. You have a passport now, and it will not expire before you return from your cruise. You are good. If you send it off for renewal, then you won't have a passport, and you'll be worrying about getting it back in time. Chances are, you would get it back in time, but since you don't really need to renew before, I wouldn't.

[xpcdoojk]

However... You have to send in your current passport when you renew. They will send it back, but you are essentially without a passport once you mail it all in. They suggest you use a traceable method of delivery in case things go missing.

 

Agree 100% send PP back after the cruise to renew.

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

The closed-loop myth continues. Foreign countries decide on the requirements to visit their nations, not the US Government and most certainly not the cruise lines. I suggest that those in doubt read the following:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

 

Sure, why trust us... We are just people, trust a link to a website.

 

Sigh... Sad but predictable.

 

JC

[KansasK]

Thanks for the info! I am going to renew my passport just to be safe. Now, I just have to decide if I should do expedited service or not. Our cruise is just over 8 weeks away and current estimate is 6 weeks for passport issue. Not sure I want to cut it that close.

 

We renewed our passports last December and they came in two weeks.

 

It could be that summer is a busier time, though.

[ryano]

Thanks for the info! I am going to renew my passport just to be safe. Now, I just have to decide if I should do expedited service or not. Our cruise is just over 8 weeks away and current estimate is 6 weeks for passport issue. Not sure I want to cut it that close.

 

Expediting would be throwing money away. The estimate has been 4-6 weeks for years. It's usually more like 2-3, even quicker. You're fine. They know when you are leaving and take that into account

[Merion_Mom]

If I were you, I would wait until after the cruise to renew your passport. You have a passport now, and it will not expire before you return from your cruise. You are good. If you send it off for renewal, then you won't have a passport, and you'll be worrying about getting it back in time. Chances are, you would get it back in time, but since you don't really need to renew before, I wouldn't.

 

Agree 100% send PP back after the cruise to renew.

 

jc

 

I agree. Just wait until after your cruise, unless you have some international travel planned for then.

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

Thanks for the info! I am going to renew my passport just to be safe. Now, I just have to decide if I should do expedited service or not. Our cruise is just over 8 weeks away and current estimate is 6 weeks for passport issue. Not sure I want to cut it that close.

That's a really sensible decision. I certainly wouldn't risk my holiday for the sake of a new passport and going on the say so of people on a forum!

 

I've had RCI question me when I had 5 months left, so it isn't worth the risk to me.

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

The issue about 6 months of validity has nothing to do with Royal Caribbean rules. The countries visited may have that requirement and then the cruise line would need to enforce it.

 

As others have already stated, closed loop from the US and you are American or Canadian, all you need is a valid passport. As long as its valid for the length of your travel, you are fine. But if you are going on a European or Asia cruise, then you should have 6 months left on your passport. Countries that require visas, are more likely to require a passport valid for six months.

That's why I said what they recommend, not that it is their rule.

[ZoeyVictoria]

We cruised (to Grand Cayman and Key West) on May 28 and my SO's passport expires in mid-August. He took along his birth certificate for back up, just in case, but had no problem with the passport. He had the passport renewal application completed and ready to mail, so he just added his passport and mailed it the day we returned.

[cherylandtk]

FWIW, RCI's website does not list the 6 month recommendation for domestic sailings, and it does define domestic as including the RT Caribbean itineraries. It just says 'valid passport' with no mention of a recommended expiry.

 

The international sailings DO list the recommendation for 6 mos extra expiry on the passport.

 

Sounds like OP has already decide to renew the passport, which is their option. But I agree that it a) is not necessary and b) runs the risk of leaving the OP without a passport on the cruise. Summer renewal times run longer than winter and being as this is ten years after the first WHTI rules, they are expecting a glut of renewals to slow down the process. Safest option is to renew after the cruise and travel with a valid passport.