Passport help please!

[latserrof]

Will Princess allow a U.S. citizen to check-in and sail RT Mexico with a passport that has less than 6 months before expiration? Do I even need a passport?

 

I have final payment due today on a March 5 RT LA-Mexico cruise, and my passport will have one day less than 6 months left when I disembark on March 12.

My booking confirmation says "Passports are required for international travel and for all air departures to or from the United States. Passports must be valid for six months after the completion of travel... "

 

Yet the Princess FAQs :

Document Requirements for US and Canadian Passport Holders

Although US and Canadian passport holders are not currently required to sail with a passport on most domestic itineraries (including Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico), Princess highly recommends they are carried.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience with the Princess passport requirements, please?

 

thanks,

 

latserrof

[NavArch64]

It is highly recommended that any US citizen who leaves the US carry with them a valid US Passport. Anything can happen while out of the US and not to have a valid US Passport is a risky venture. What if you need to fly home in an emergency? 

[NavArch64]

We recently sailed on Majestic Princess out of San Pedro to Mexico ... I can't imagine not having a valid US Passport in the safe in our S/R.

[latserrof]

5 minutes ago, NavArch64 said:

It is highly recommended that any US citizen who leaves the US carry with them a valid US Passport. Anything can happen while out of the US and not to have a valid US Passport is a risky venture. What if you need to fly home in an emergency? 

Thanks. I do have a passport (actually, two), but my U.S. passport is one day short of the six months that my booking confirmation says is required at disembarkation.

Edited February 25, 2022 by latserrof

[WendyVF]

Since the passport is not required I'd suggest you take it with you just in case and use your birth certificate and ID to board.

[VibeGuy]

Mexico does not have a minimum validity requirement and they will likely never see your actual passport. 

[latserrof]

1 minute ago, WendyVF said:

Since the passport is not required I'd suggest you take it with you just in case and use your birth certificate and ID to board.

Thanks, but does anyone know if that will actually work?

[latserrof]

Just now, VibeGuy said:

Mexico does not have a minimum validity requirement and they will likely never see your actual passport. 

Thanks, but it's not Mexico I'm concerned about, it's Princess. What if I pay for the cruise, and Princess or its computer won't let me check in because my passport will be one day short of six months upon embarkation?

[NavArch64]

Arriving back in San Pedro, disembarking Majestic Princess, one is led to a facial recognition US entry point. I have no idea what would happen if your Passport were 1 day less than 6 months valid.

[WendyVF]

From the Princess FAQ: How to prepare for a cruise

[latserrof]

7 minutes ago, NavArch64 said:

Arriving back in San Pedro, disembarking Majestic Princess, one is led to a facial recognition US entry point. I have no idea what would happen if your Passport were 1 day less than 6 months valid.

Thanks again, but it's not the U.S. I'm concerned about, it's Princess.

[latserrof]

1 minute ago, WendyVF said:

From the Princess FAQ: How to prepare for a cruise

Tnanks, I've seen this, but my booking confirmation says a passport is required, so which one do I believe?

[t&atravel]

6 minutes ago, latserrof said:

Tnanks, I've seen this, but my booking confirmation says a passport is required, so which one do I believe?

When you say booking confirmation do you mean your travel summary?  This is what my travel summary says for a closed loop cruise (bolding is mine)

WHTI-COMPLIANT DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security enforces secure document requirements. Only passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant documents are accepted to embark your cruise. U.S. and Canadian passport holders must present one of the following valid documents: Passport Book (RECOMMENDED); U.S. Passport Card; U.S. or Canadian issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL); U.S. or Canadian issued Enhanced "Non-Driver" Identification Card; NEXUS (for travel to Canada), SENTRI (for travel to Mexico) or FAST Card.
For information regarding WHTI compliant documents, visit https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative. U.S. citizens ages 16 and above may present a Certified Birth Certificate together with valid photo identification. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 15 and younger may sail with a Birth Certificate. U.S. Permanent Residents must present a valid Permanent Resident Card. Canadian Permanent Residents must present a valid passport and Permanent Resident Card.

[youngkona]

I had this issue when traveling to Costa Rica.  Costa Rica only requires the Passport be valid through the date listed however Alaska Airlines listed in their documentation that 6 months on passport needed.  I called, emailed and used chat feature with Alaska to make sure I would be let on the plane. Each time they said they go by the countries requirements and validated that it would be fine to travel on a non expired passport with less than 6 months.  When I arrived at the airport, it was flagged in the system, but the agent knew to look up the requirements of where we were traveling and overode it. We did not have an issue coming back at all. It did cause anxiety but by the time I realized this may be an issue there was not time to get a new one. I received so many different answers from various travel boards, however having the emals and chat saved from the company I was traveling with helped. I would suggest reaching out.

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by youngkona

[CineGraphic]

If it's Princess you are worried about, you need to get the answer from Princess, not us.

[latserrof]

Thanks to previous responders.

 

"Booking Confirmation" is what Princess emailed me after I did the courtesy hold.

 

I just spoke to Princess, who said I don't need a passport (certified birth certificate and government issued ID will do) and that I would "be allright"  with less than six months left on my passport, and  that their system would allow me to check-in online.

 

I have sailed 70+ cruises since 1980, and if there's one thing I have learned, it is: don't rely on the cruise line for accurate information.

My rule for cruising is  "ask four people, then divide by 5, and make your best guess."

 

I take a similar approach with CC.

Edited February 25, 2022 by latserrof

[Ferry_Watcher]

The check-in programs that the cruise lines' shoreside agents use will alert when a passport is expired (and then the embarkation process is automatically stopped by the system).  Check-in agents always will look at your passport, and may mention that your passport will be expiring soon as a courtesy, but we (Seattle) have never turned away anyone with a still valid passport that was expiring in less than six months.

I am unclear if you are sailing from LA or Mexico, but if it is LA, I can't imagine it would be a problem.  I can't speak to what they do in Mexico.

[blondee419]

I took a short cruise in october that went to Ensenada, and I was able to travel using my RealID drivers license and an official birth certificate. (This was due to a HUGE screw up by the passport people that makes me mad to even think about.) I got out and did an excursion while I was there, no problem. Now, if it's longer, than that I probably would have paused and thought twice before getting off the ship, but that's just me. 

Have a great trip! 

[latserrof]

Thanks to all.  I made final payment, after another Princess rep assured me that my passport would be OK or I could use certified birth certificate plus government-issued ID.

[Mike07]

Was in Puerto Vallarta back in October.... I took my passport with me, but all that was needed was my USA state issued drivers license.  I believe the ship said all you needed was a government issued ID to get off... not even a passport.