Can You Cruise on a Passport that Expires in Less than 6 Months?

[OceansOfTravels]

Hello,

I was sitting around today, listening to a story about how a colleague's child couldn't go on their school trip with EF Tours because their passport expired 5 months after the trip date. They got it resolved before the trip because they got the notice in October and had enough time to get a new one, but it got me thinking today. I have a land trip to SXM in early July, and then I have my MSC Divina Cruise in August, which stops in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico and the Bahamas. My passport expires on December 13 of this year. I planned on filing for a new one right after my MSC cruise, because after that cruise, I am done internationally traveling for a while, but that story has me worried. My passport expires 5 months after my trip to SXM, and 3.5 months after my cruise. Will I be denied entry into any of these countries with my passport? I could do the one day service in DC or Philly, or pay for the expedited passport service and get a new one now with a little over a month left until SXM, but if there is no problem with traveling with it, I don't see the sense in paying extra when I could wait the normal time after the MSC cruise is over. Thank you so much to anyone who can provide any help!

[Clarea]

In general, except for Cuba, no ports in the Caribbean require passports to be valid 6 months beyond the date of your visit.

 

Also, you may want to post in the MSC forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80

[OceansOfTravels]

In general, except for Cuba, no ports in the Caribbean require passports to be valid 6 months beyond the date of your visit.

 

Also, you may want to post in the MSC forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80

 

It wasn't an MSC specific question, and I figured that I could info a little faster here, since all of the places I am considering are frequent destinations for RCI. Besides, since it is not ship or line specific, the Mods will probably move it anyway. But thank you for your help! :D

[Homosassa]

What is SXM???????

[DonnaK]

What is SXM???????

St Maarten

[OceansOfTravels]

What is SXM???????

 

St Maarten

 

Yes, I'm sorry! :D

[Snowball]

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

"Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the cruise."

I always thought they would not accept a passport with less than six months to expiration. Guess I was wrong.

You would have to look up the policy for each port you visit to see what their requirements are. You may want to consider bringing along your drivers license and birth certificate as a backup form of citizenship, in case the passport is not accepted.

[uksimonusa]

For the cruise, as long as you are an American Citizen, then you don't even need a passport, so no worries there, for the land trip, Sint Maarten, only requires an American Passport be valid for the duration of the stay on the island, so once again you should be fine

[cruisinfanatic]

Hello,

I was sitting around today, listening to a story about how a colleague's child couldn't go on their school trip with EF Tours because their passport expired 5 months after the trip date. They got it resolved before the trip because they got the notice in October and had enough time to get a new one, but it got me thinking today. I have a land trip to SXM in early July, and then I have my MSC Divina Cruise in August, which stops in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico and the Bahamas. My passport expires on December 13 of this year. I planned on filing for a new one right after my MSC cruise, because after that cruise, I am done internationally traveling for a while, but that story has me worried. My passport expires 5 months after my trip to SXM, and 3.5 months after my cruise. Will I be denied entry into any of these countries with my passport? I could do the one day service in DC or Philly, or pay for the expedited passport service and get a new one now with a little over a month left until SXM, but if there is no problem with traveling with it, I don't see the sense in paying extra when I could wait the normal time after the MSC cruise is over. Thank you so much to anyone who can provide any help!

You can cruise, but not flying to St Maarten

[AdGuyMG]

You can cruise, but not flying to St Maarten

 

According to the US State Dept website, for the OP's July land based visit to St Maarten, a US passport must only be valid to cover the duration of the OPs stay in St Maarten for which they will need to show a return flight ticket back to the US.

 

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

 

 

Can you post where are you getting your alternative facts from?

[OceansOfTravels]

For the cruise, as long as you are an American Citizen, then you don't even need a passport, so no worries there, for the land trip, Sint Maarten, only requires an American Passport be valid for the duration of the stay on the island, so once again you should be fine

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your help. UKSimonUSA, I was also thinking that about the cruise, I could always show up with my birth certificate instead of a passport. But I do have a return ticket for my land trip to St Maarten, and obviously my passport runs through the duration of my stay, so I should be good. Thank you so much! :D

[OceansOfTravels]

According to the US State Dept website, for the OP's July land based visit to St Maarten, a US passport must only be valid to cover the duration of the OPs stay in St Maarten for which they will need to show a return flight ticket back to the US.

 

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

 

 

Can you post where are you getting your alternative facts from?

 

The ending statement made me chuckle :D But thank you for this, it is a good resource to use. I also know of a friend who is in a similar situation with different countries, so I will forward them the link so they can check up on where they are going and see if they need to pay for a new passport now or later. Thank you!

[OceansOfTravels]

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

"Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the cruise."

I always thought they would not accept a passport with less than six months to expiration. Guess I was wrong.

You would have to look up the policy for each port you visit to see what their requirements are. You may want to consider bringing along your drivers license and birth certificate as a backup form of citizenship, in case the passport is not accepted.

 

Yeah, I always thought it was a legitimate rule too until I did more research into the actual policies. Certain countries will not let you in if it expires in 3 months, but I always thought the 6 month rule was a real thing. I will check each of my port country's rules, but thanks for the tip about the driver's license and birth certificate, that should add for extra safety, but most importantly, peace of mind when traveling. Thank you!

[uksimonusa]

Thank you so much for your help. UKSimonUSA, I was also thinking that about the cruise, I could always show up with my birth certificate instead of a passport. But I do have a return ticket for my land trip to St Maarten, and obviously my passport runs through the duration of my stay, so I should be good. Thank you so much! :D

 

You're welcome, my daughter is at med school on St Maarten, so I tend to keep up with things like that

[Stivex84]

Hello,

I was sitting around today, listening to a story about how a colleague's child couldn't go on their school trip with EF Tours because their passport expired 5 months after the trip date. They got it resolved before the trip because they got the notice in October and had enough time to get a new one, but it got me thinking today. I have a land trip to SXM in early July, and then I have my MSC Divina Cruise in August, which stops in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico and the Bahamas. My passport expires on December 13 of this year. I planned on filing for a new one right after my MSC cruise, because after that cruise, I am done internationally traveling for a while, but that story has me worried. My passport expires 5 months after my trip to SXM, and 3.5 months after my cruise. Will I be denied entry into any of these countries with my passport? I could do the one day service in DC or Philly, or pay for the expedited passport service and get a new one now with a little over a month left until SXM, but if there is no problem with traveling with it, I don't see the sense in paying extra when I could wait the normal time after the MSC cruise is over. Thank you so much to anyone who can provide any help!

 

Hi OceanofTravels,

Would like to know if you had any issue to board the ship or the entry these country during your Msc cruise because I have the same issue with you for my Msc Seaside cruise on August 25, 2018.

Thanks!!!!

[not-enough-cruising]

For an American citizen, the expiration date on your passport doesn’t matter (as long as it is valid at the time) for a Caribbean cruise (with the exception of Cuba).

When on a cruise, you “technically” never enter the country you are visiting, your status is considered to be “in transit”

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[mikebz]

This is the best resource:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

 

Just type in the country and search for their requirements.

 

Regards,

mike

[kimlet]

I was wondering the same thing about passports. We are cruising in Feb and both my boys passports expire in May, i am guessing I will need to get them. They are going from child to adult and we are Canadian.

[Clarea]

I was wondering the same thing about passports. We are cruising in Feb and both my boys passports expire in May, i am guessing I will need to get them. They are going from child to adult and we are Canadian.

No place where Royal cruises in the Caribbean requires a 6 month expiration time on your passport.

 

Now, if you want to fly to one of those Caribbean islands, or you want to depart the cruise permanently in one of those islands, then the rules are different.

[Margy23]

This is the best resource:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

 

Just type in the country and search for their requirements.

 

Regards,

mike

 

I just followed this link, mostly out of curiosity because we have already applied for new passports for our late October cruise (with passports expiring in early April). This is the paragraph of most interest to me.

 

"Always bring your passport in case of an emergency, such as an unexpected medical air evacuation or the ship docking at an alternate port in an emergency, even if your cruise says you won’t need it."

 

None of us ever expects to need to fly home, but our travel agent has always advised us to cruise with a passport instead of other ID in case of emergency.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Margy

[Desert Cruizers]

Margy, I can't emphasize that rule enough to my friends. As you said, we never anticipate an emergency but be prepared. It happened to us coming off our TA last Sept with my husband. He made the cruise and tours magnificently but 4 days from arriving in Boston he suffered a heart attack and we were diverted to ST Johns Newfoundland. I bring my PP, DL, & Birth Cert when I cruise regardless of the Itinerary.

[rolloman]

Just came off a cruise to St. Maarten, St. Kitts...…..passport set to expire 6 days after cruise ending.....did not have an issue....

 

In my view, with the cost of those things, I am going to get my monies worth...especially for children which are only good for 5 years once renewed.

[ZoeyVictoria]

This is the best resource:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

 

Just type in the country and search for their requirements.

 

Regards,

mike

 

Thanks for the link, I was able to verify the info for my sister whose passport will expire 6 months and 3 weeks after our cruise. I wasn't worried about it, but I want to make sure her first cruise will be perfect, so I am paying attention to tiny details (even more than usual).

[NanciRDH]

Just came off a cruise to St. Maarten, St. Kitts...…..passport set to expire 6 days after cruise ending.....did not have an issue....

 

In my view, with the cost of those things, I am going to get my monies worth...especially for children which are only good for 5 years once renewed.

 

 

I've said the same thing lol. And when the kids turn 16 and get that first 10 year passport I also tell them that's the last one I'm paying for! :)

[SRF]

Yeah, I always thought it was a legitimate rule too until I did more research into the actual policies. Certain countries will not let you in if it expires in 3 months, but I always thought the 6 month rule was a real thing. I will check each of my port country's rules, but thanks for the tip about the driver's license and birth certificate, that should add for extra safety, but most importantly, peace of mind when traveling. Thank you!

 

6 months is correct for some countries.

 

Typically it has to be valid for 6 months upon arrival, but some countries it is expected departure.

 

Bottom line is, check EACH country.

 

And realize that cruise rules may be different from flying or driving into a country.

 

My SO is not a US citizen. If she were to fly into St Maartin, she would have to have a visa. But arriving on a cruises ship, no visa is required.