PASSPORT EMERGENCY 🤬😡

[BoozinCroozin]

Birth certificate experience for my wife is that she went to the County office, paid the fee (I think $50 for 2 copies) and had them in her hand in about 15 minutes. Unless you are looking to pay one of those expedite companies an insane amount, you will not have passports back by Aug 22. 

[zzdoug]

On 7/26/2021 at 6:13 PM, ShaniBell said:

when are you traveling and from where.  Closed loop cruises do not require a passport as long as you have your driver's license and birth certificate.

Does "closed loop" mean that it starts and ends in the United States?

Also, with only Real ID DL and birth certificate, does anyone know if I can get off in ports (specifically Mahogany Bay, Honduras; Belize, and Cozumel, MX)?

 

I too am in this predicament although I have a few months (mid-October).  As soon as I found out about the backlog, I got the first appt I could get at a passport office.  It is this week but the cruise is 11 weeks out and the State Dept. now shows expedited as 12 week turnaround with shipping, so I will pay for expedited with express delivery and I am hoping the backlog doesn't get any worse and I get it in time. :{ 

 

My wife's passport expires in January, i.e. 3 months after the cruise, and we are trying to decide if she should also apply, as our appointment allows 2 applications.  I think when we last applied for a new passport, we had to surrender our existing passports - is that still the case?   I know that when we travel overseas by plane, we have to carry passports that will be valid for at least 6 months from the date we arrive.  Does that also apply for cruise travel?  If so, should she risk applying for a new passport that will be valid for 3 months after the cruise, or should she hold onto it and apply after?

Edited August 2, 2021 by zzdoug

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, zzdoug said:

 I think when we last applied for a new passport, we had to surrender our existing passports - is that still the case?  

Yes.

[sparks1093]

11 hours ago, zzdoug said:

Does "closed loop" mean that it starts and ends in the United States?

Also, with only Real ID DL and birth certificate, does anyone know if I can get off in ports (specifically Mahogany Bay, Honduras; Belize, and Cozumel, MX)?

 

I too am in this predicament although I have a few months (mid-October).  As soon as I found out about the backlog, I got the first appt I could get at a passport office.  It is this week but the cruise is 11 weeks out and the State Dept. now shows expedited as 12 week turnaround with shipping, so I will pay for expedited with express delivery and I am hoping the backlog doesn't get any worse and I get it in time. :{ 

 

My wife's passport expires in January, i.e. 3 months after the cruise, and we are trying to decide if she should also apply, as our appointment allows 2 applications.  I think when we last applied for a new passport, we had to surrender our existing passports - is that still the case?   I know that when we travel overseas by plane, we have to carry passports that will be valid for at least 6 months from the date we arrive.  Does that also apply for cruise travel?  If so, should she risk applying for a new passport that will be valid for 3 months after the cruise, or should she hold onto it and apply after?

A closed loop cruise starts and stops in the same US city. The ID doesn't need to be REAL ID, it can be any government issued ID and yes, you can get off in the ports (if you don't have the documentation to get off in a port you don't have the documentation to board). This of course pre-supposes that your cruise line doesn't require a passport. Your wife's passport will be good for the cruise. (And when you renew your passport yes, you have to send in your old one.)

[Shmoo here]

16 hours ago, zzdoug said:

I think when we last applied for a new passport, we had to surrender our existing passports - is that still the case? 

You have to send in the old passport with the renewal request, but you get it back after the new one is issued.  

[ontheweb]

27 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

You have to send in the old passport with the renewal request, but you get it back after the new one is issued.  

But getting it back after the new one is issued does not at all help someone who made need it during the time waiting for the new passport to be issued.

[PurpleHays]

Mine expired in July of this year. Since our June Alaska cruise was canceled, I went ahead and renewed in March. I think I got it back in mid-March.

 

I use it as my ID even when flying domestically. It's bigger and easier to carry than my driver's license--and harder to lose since it's not slick like my DL.

[Sue Do-Over]

On 7/26/2021 at 8:50 PM, EngIceDave said:

https://passportworld.com/

 

Helped me once. They'll get it done if anyone can

 

Owner is a friend

Website isn't clear what the service 'is'.  Do they hand-deliver the documents to a passport office on your behalf, and wait for it to be processed (for the new passport book)?

Sounds like a great retirement job!!

[capriccio]

It has just gotten harder for third party companies to get last minute appointments or maybe more accurately the State Department has made an attempt to level the playing field.

 

About 2 weeks ago the State Department instituted a change they hope to help travelers successfully make last minute appointments via the phone.  See the entire answer to FAQ #6 at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/faqs.html

 

At 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 21, we temporarily disabled the online booking system for Urgent Travel Appointments to ensure our very limited appointments go to applicants who need them for urgent travel.

Why are you making this change?

We are making this change to address the problem of third parties booking appointments online using automated programs, or bots, and then selling these appointments to customers with urgent travel needs. We are not affiliated with any third-party appointment booking services, and we do not charge a fee to make an appointment. 

Third parties booked all available appointments within minutes of the appointments being posted online which prevented many of you from making urgent appointments, and made it difficult to determine whether your appointment was legitimate or fraudulent.

 

 

[sparks1093]

7 hours ago, capriccio said:

It has just gotten harder for third party companies to get last minute appointments or maybe more accurately the State Department has made an attempt to level the playing field.

 

About 2 weeks ago the State Department instituted a change they hope to help travelers successfully make last minute appointments via the phone.  See the entire answer to FAQ #6 at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/faqs.html

 

At 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 21, we temporarily disabled the online booking system for Urgent Travel Appointments to ensure our very limited appointments go to applicants who need them for urgent travel.

Why are you making this change?

We are making this change to address the problem of third parties booking appointments online using automated programs, or bots, and then selling these appointments to customers with urgent travel needs. We are not affiliated with any third-party appointment booking services, and we do not charge a fee to make an appointment. 

Third parties booked all available appointments within minutes of the appointments being posted online which prevented many of you from making urgent appointments, and made it difficult to determine whether your appointment was legitimate or fraudulent.

 

 

Excellent move on their part.

[maggieq]

If going on a closed loop cruise, do you still need 6 additional months on your passport?  Using a birth certificate (US) is not an option for me.  When looking at the information on rccl and celebrity it made it seem it’s only required to have the additional 6 months when taking an international cruise.  Thanks!

[sparks1093]

6 minutes ago, maggieq said:

If going on a closed loop cruise, do you still need 6 additional months on your passport?  Using a birth certificate (US) is not an option for me.  When looking at the information on rccl and celebrity it made it seem it’s only required to have the additional 6 months when taking an international cruise.  Thanks!

That is a recommendation. It would seem to me to be silly to require passport holders to have 6 months validity remaining when someone can board with a birth certificate and government issued ID (of course governments do silly stuff all of the time, but still...).

[maggieq]

23 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

That is a recommendation. It would seem to me to be silly to require passport holders to have 6 months validity remaining when someone can board with a birth certificate and government issued ID (of course governments do silly stuff all of the time, but still...).

Thanks!  I called rccl crown and anchor today and they said it is only recommended not mandatory for domestic/closed loop cruising.  Kicking myself I just wasted 15 months that I went nowhere while I could have renewed our passports.