Passports refused

[peppergal]

I have cruised with a passport that expired just a week after my return date with no issues. I did have my BC just in case, but no one even mentioned the expiration date to me at all and I didn't need it.

 

Carnival has a recommendation for 6 moths validity, but they do not set requirements. That is done by the countries you are visiting and the DHS.

 

It is possible that a Carnival boarding agent may freak out, but usually DHS won't back them up in the improper decision.

 

There is a very minor risk (same risk as when you don't have a passport at all) that if an adult member of your party has an emergency while in port, you may be refused admittance to the country to stay with them due to insufficient documents. I don't know of any ports that actually do this, so it really is a very minor risk.

[jimbo5544]

The 6 month expiration date is a real thing you need to be worried about.

[fuddrules]

Personally, Cruise Critic is the last place I'd seek information about using a passport close to its expiration date. What you end up getting is mostly anecdotal guidance, some of it good, some of it not so good. Carnival Cruise Lines (or airlines for that matter) do not make the rules on passport validity...the State Department is the source for that.

 

Start with this State Dept web page:

 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/09/231319.htm

 

Did the OP just get a link to the State Dept. from CC? Yes they did!

 

Seems like a good place to ask to me. You'll get some answers that are out if left field, some that make no sense, but you'll also get good answers.

Edited October 17, 2016 by fuddrules

[jimbo5544]

Did the OP just get a link to the State Dept. from CC? Yes they did!

 

Seems like a good place to ask to me. You'll get some answers that are out if left field, some that make no sense, but you'll also get good answers.

 

From the .gov site.

 

 

fewer than six months have increasingly been denied airline boarding or been detained upon arrival in certain foreign destinations,

[jabberjaw070596]

From the .gov site.

 

 

fewer than six months have increasingly been denied airline boarding or been detained upon arrival in certain foreign destinations,

 

May I ask you please I am cruising from Miami on Eastern Caribbean in December. My passport expires May 25, 2017. Is this something I should be worried about?

[CeleBrat]

Just got back today from our Valor cruise, with both kids passport expiring in JAN. Both the port agent (check-in) and the Customs agents joked that our kids looked "quite a bit older" since their passports are nearly 5 years old and the kids pics no longer represent truly what they look like.

 

Despite that, there were no issues with their soon-to-be-expired passports.

 

CeleBrat

[Thorncroft]

I use to do passports for the PO and have seen a lot of places that do mess up the photos, including AAA. Make sure you got a 2x2 photo, white background and a good face shot. Oh, and keep your eyes open.....lol

 

And take your glasses off if you wear them. Glasses are not allowed after Nov 1.

[jabberjaw070596]

Just got back today from our Valor cruise, with both kids passport expiring in JAN. Both the port agent (check-in) and the Customs agents joked that our kids looked "quite a bit older" since their passports are nearly 5 years old and the kids pics no longer represent truly what they look like.

 

Despite that, there were no issues with their soon-to-be-expired passports.

 

CeleBrat

 

Thank you for the info!! My plan is to have them done when I get back!!

[HarpHarp]

Another problem :eek: I don't know if you've followed this, but you may need that passport to get on the plane. http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/pennsylvania-drivers-licenses-dont-comply-with-federal-real-id-act

 

 

Go Pens

Here we go Steelers

[thinfool]

May I ask you please I am cruising from Miami on Eastern Caribbean in December. My passport expires May 25, 2017. Is this something I should be worried about?

 

If you are a US citizen you don't even need a passport to go on the cruise. A birth certificate and govt issue photo ID will do fine.

 

But no, if you are a US citizen you have nothing to worry about with your Caribbean cruise in December.

[BallFour4]

Because...... As the post stated. If you have a PP that expires less than 6 months from your return. It may not be accepted It is in your CCL contract.

 

Well, here's what the Carnival FAQ page says about it. Surprised me that the 6 month statement isn't there.

U.S. citizens may present a valid, unexpired U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea.

 

That's it, no 6 month mention at all. We did get ours renewed via mail and the entire process took 11 days.

 

Here's what the contract states:

 

© Proper travel documentation and eligibility to travel is required at the embarkation and throughout the cruise. In addition to immigration and customs requirements, the U.S. government and others place restrictions on the carriage of guests whose names appear on government watch lists or who are deemed legally ineligible to travel. It is the guest’s sole responsibility to ensure his/her legal eligibility to travel and to bring and have available at all times all required travel documents.

 

https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/legal-notice/ticket-contract.aspx

 

.

Edited October 17, 2016 by BallFour4

[coevan]

May I ask you please I am cruising from Miami on Eastern Caribbean in December. My passport expires May 25, 2017. Is this something I should be worried about?

 

 

Why wait unless you do not have $100. Basically what are you waiting for, push it another month?

 

Cruises and land trips are two completely different animals as far as passports and customs. The person who said their kids passport expired in a week and had no problem with the the cruise, true, they are not customs agents. If they tried to fly out of the country with a passport expiring in 5 days. They would have not gotten on a plane.

[rpettus]

Anyone ever refused for using a passport that expires less than six months of return?

 

YES!!! I had a family member who was denied due to their passport expiring less than 6 months of return. Remember that some countries DO require a valid passport and it is the traveler's responsibility to make sure of the rules (Costa Rica being one of them). My family member had to get an expedited passport ($$$$$) and board the ship two days later. Their response is that they will NEVER have that happen again. :eek:

Edited October 17, 2016 by rpettus

[Dearabby_84]

I had no idea about the passport rule! Then I cruised in January whilst my passport was due to expire in April. I didn't have any issues with boarding with Carnival, but I certainly did with my flights. They denied me boarding the flight on the way there (flying out of Detroit - canadian passport) and after me crying for over an hour and providing every other piece of ID possible, itineraries, names of people to vouch for me, they hesitantly let me on. I was so relieved and nerves were shot!

On the way back, I couldn't check in for our flight home, because again my passport expired within 6 mos. I ended up having to line up in a different line than the rest of the travellers I was with, I think it was an immigration line, which was very slow moving. I ended up missing my flight home, thankfully my husband and kids boarded and made it home okay. So I ended up booking a new flight on my own dime, the next morning to get home . Slept at the airport and prayed that they would let me on the plane. I ended up being able to board and made it to Detroit.

 

I don't blame anyone but myself and totally understand they have rules and I respect them. I will never, ever, ever travel within 6 months of passport expiry again, it was a costly mistake and incredibly stressful and it is not worth it.

[coevan]

"Remember that some countries DO require a valid passport"

 

 

No, ALL countries require a valid passport

[xitappers2bx]

I think at the end of the day, the best option is to go with the "better safe than sorry route" and just renew the passports.

 

It's really not worth the hassle. And what happens if you don't have your birth certificate (or if it's not a closed loop cruise you can't use the BC). Then everyone else is going on vacation while you wait in a hotel, or at home. Is it really worth the risk?

[keishashadow]

In that case you would just need your birth certificate. Although, now there are some questions regarding our driver's licenses here in PA because we don't have the "enhanced" driver's licenses, so you probably want to get your passport updated just in case. No one knows how it's going to work yet, BUT people are starting to get concerned that our PA DL's wont be acceptable for when trying to fly since it is not "enhanced."

 

I live on the other side of the state from you, but in Bucks County I was able to renew my daughter's passport quite painlessly, I would look into that. We were in and out in about five minutes--I spent more time parking and walking to the building than actually signing everything.

 

Yes, keep waiting to hear a horror story re denied flight boarding.

[jamesr3939]

So let's do the math. Renewal of a passport is about $100 and it's good for ten years that works out to $10 a year or $5 for six months. Gee, $5 doesn't seem worth the worry about when to renew.

[Staceyface1]

. There are even apps for taking passport pictures that you can save and print for a few cents at Walmart, etc. app

if you have a membership to AAA, they do passport photos for free.

 

 

 

 

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[Shmoo here]

if you have a membership to AAA, they do passport photos for free.

 

 

 

 

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That's regional. At our AAA office we had to pay. Not a lot, but we did pay.

[Staceyface1]

That's regional. At our AAA office we had to pay. Not a lot, but we did pay.

 

 

 

Oh, sorry! (Yay, New England!). [emoji51]

 

 

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[S.S.Oceanlover]

So let's do the math. Renewal of a passport is about $100 and it's good for ten years that works out to $10 a year or $5 for six months. Gee, $5 doesn't seem worth the worry about when to renew.

I've never had the option to pay yearly installments. When did that start?

 

It is a lot more affordable just paying yearly @ $10.

 

Bill

I have cruised with a passport that expired just a week after my return date with no issues. I did have my BC just in case, but no one even mentioned the expiration date to me at all and I didn't need it.

 

Carnival has a recommendation for 6 moths validity, but they do not set requirements. That is done by the countries you are visiting and the DHS.

 

It is possible that a Carnival boarding agent may freak out, but usually DHS won't back them up in the improper decision.

 

There is a very minor risk (same risk as when you don't have a passport at all) that if an adult member of your party has an emergency while in port, you may be refused admittance to the country to stay with them due to insufficient documents. I don't know of any ports that actually do this, so it really is a very minor risk.

 

 

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[Shmoo here]

Oh, sorry! (Yay, New England!). [emoji51]

 

 

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Our AAA has 3 levels of membership. The lowest level you pay for passport photos (only $8). The other two levels you get free passport photos (how many times varies by level).

[simplelife]

Oh, sorry! (Yay, New England!). [emoji51]

 

 

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Ours are free with AAA plus at AAA Carolinas, too

 

 

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[GranysT]

I don't understand why a man was refused a cruise to Alaska, because he didn't have a passport. Why would he need one to go to Alaska? That's the U.S.