Coco - closed loop- passport expiring in 5.5 months

[Jentumbee]

We just saw language after we bought tickets, checked in that we have to have a passport that is at least 6 months from expiring. We are all good except our 13 year old child whose passport expires in 5.5 months from when our trip ends. Is is valid. She travelled 3k miles to us and no other forms of id. We were able to check her in and everything online. So when we get there do u think they will let her board. Anyone experience getting on with a  passport that expires in less than 6months? Examples of success in boarding under those circumstances! So anxious!
 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Jentumbee

[Essiesmom]

Not enough info.  Where does the cruise go?  A closed loop cruise from the US does not even require a passport from US citizens, unless the cruise visits Martinique and/or Guadeloupe.  Of course, the cruise line itself may require all guests to have a passport.  But there is no country in the WHTI that requires six months remaining on a passport.  EM

[Jentumbee]

It’s the Coco cay Bahamas three day trip. We don’t have her birth certificate. All we have is her valid passport, but it expires in 5.5 months.

[GeezerCouple]

35 minutes ago, Jentumbee said:

We just saw language after we bought tickets, checked in that we have to have a passport that is at least 6 months from expiring. We are all good except our 13 year old child whose passport expires in 5.5 months from when our trip ends. Is is valid. She travelled 3k miles to us and no other forms of id. We were able to check her in and everything online. So when we get there do u think they will let her board. Anyone experience getting on with a  passport that expires in less than 6months? Examples of success in boarding under those circumstances! So anxious!

[emphasis added]

 

Is there another potential issue lurking?

What does the section I bolded mean?

Does she have the same last name as you do?

GC

[Jentumbee]

Same last name as dad. Correct. 

[Jentumbee]

Ii appreciate all your thoughts! I have see. Folks that say they have gone and no one asked when boarding.

[Jentumbee]

I just noted she is in Florida now and we don’t have backup docs as we thought her valid passport would suffice. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Jentumbee said:

We just saw language after we bought tickets, checked in that we have to have a passport that is at least 6 months from expiring. We are all good except our 13 year old child whose passport expires in 5.5 months from when our trip ends. Is is valid. She travelled 3k miles to us and no other forms of id. We were able to check her in and everything online. So when we get there do u think they will let her board. Anyone experience getting on with a  passport that expires in less than 6months? Examples of success in boarding under those circumstances! So anxious!
 

“Traveled 3k miles to us” ??? No birth certificate???

 

Sounds like you don’t have court ordered full custody of this 13 yo kid. If so, not only should she have a valid passport (if for no other reason than an emergency flight home during the cruise), you’ll need the written permission of the other custodial parent (or family member or guardian) to take her out of the country.

If you don’t want “anxiety,” have the correct documentation with you. BTW, that would include adequate international travel/health insurance for the child as well as a “permission to treat” letter from whoever has legal custody of her.

 

[Jentumbee]

Thank u. Shared custody. We have travelled to Europe no problem. Just concerned about her passport expiring in 5 months not 6. I know the Bahamas would allow her in because they don’t adhere to the six-month real with  US citizens.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, Jentumbee said:

Thank u. Shared custody. We have travelled to Europe no problem. Just concerned about her passport expiring in 5 months not 6. I know the Bahamas would allow her in because they don’t adhere to the six-month real with  US citizens.

In all honesty, it sounds like you just don’t want to do what it takes to acquire the correct documentation.

Citing past experience in other places serves zero purpose. Not only might a new (to you) country require hard/fast adherence to their rules but, on any given day, the border authority person you encounter may be the strictest one in their group.

 

Why not just do the right thing and get updated documents?

[Jentumbee]

We sail tomorrow. 

[GeezerCouple]

2 hours ago, Jentumbee said:

We sail tomorrow. 

 

Good luck.

 

What I was asking about, indirectly, was what Flatbush Flyer asked more directly.

... except that you still don't understand the risk.

Maybe you'll be lucky and there won't be a problem

 

If a child is not traveling with *both* parents, there is often a requirement (from the cruise line/ship or perhaps border authorities) that there be either 1) permission from BOTH parents, which means a formal letter from a parent who is not traveling with the child, orfrom both if that's the case, *or*  2) something like a court document proving sole legal custody or perhaps a death certificate for the other parent.

Sure, these days, it's very possible that both parents surnames don't match the child's, so there may not be any other "questions". And obviously, there could be a non-custodial parent with the same surname, coincidentally.

 

All of this is due to unfortunate international child abductions, the type where a non-custodial parent spirits the child out of the country... and they are gone.

The procedures are meant to lower the chances of that happening.

 

The USA State Department has more information about this, too.

And the cruise lines often have their own forms.

 

And yes indeed, "permission to treat" the child in case of emergency, plus insurance information!

This is probably much less of a concern with one parent right there, to give permission should it be needed.

 

I hope you all enjoy your cruise.  Chances are good that you will.

However, many of us try to avoid/minimize the chances that things will go wrong, when there are steps that can be/should be taken to make sure it goes smoothly.

When things like this *do* go wrong, they can go very wrong.

 

GC

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, Jentumbee said:

We just saw language after we bought tickets, checked in that we have to have a passport that is at least 6 months from expiring. We are all good except our 13 year old child whose passport expires in 5.5 months from when our trip ends. Is is valid. She travelled 3k miles to us and no other forms of id. We were able to check her in and everything online. So when we get there do u think they will let her board. Anyone experience getting on with a  passport that expires in less than 6months? Examples of success in boarding under those circumstances! So anxious!

[emphasis added]

 

2 hours ago, Jentumbee said:

We sail tomorrow. 

 

So you posted here about whether there would be a problem with the passport the day before the departure?  IF the answers had been categorically "NO, you will NOT be able to get on the ship" (that is probably not the case, but "what IF"), then... what were your plans?

 

And if someone had answered "Yes" to your question of "Anyone experience getting on with a  passport that expires in less than 6months?"  what were you planning to do in one day, including a Sunday?

Because, "Yes", many of us know how to do this:  one gets a new passport.  There are ways to do this in an expedited fashion, or even "same day" if necessary, but I don't know what documents one needs to have for that, especially with a minor child.

 

GC

[Ferry_Watcher]

No problem on the cruise.

Not sure if she will be allowed to board the return flight back to her European home.  Is the child traveling on a US or EU passport?

[Charles4515]

32 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

No problem on the cruise.

Not sure if she will be allowed to board the return flight back to her European home.  Is the child traveling on a US or EU passport?

Glad you replied as you are quite knowledgeable about documentation for cruises.

 

I don't see any mention of a flight back to Europe. She came 3000 miles. That could be the west coast of the US. Europe is about 4500 miles Just saying....

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

I don't see any mention of a flight back to Europe. She came 3000 miles. That could be the west coast of the US. Europe is about 4500 miles Just saying....

 

You are correct.  The Op mentioned that they travelled to Europe w/o and problems.  I may have assumed the child was living overseas.

Frustrating to have limited info.

[sparks1093]

Who exactly says that you have to have a passport with 6 month validity? You might be sailing with a cruise line where this is actually the case, but they are typically the upscale cruise lines and I don't see them doing many 3 day booze cruises. What you might have read was a poorly written recommendation because for the vast majority of closed loop cruises there is no requirement to have 6 months validity remaining, it only needs to be valid on your return to the States. This is a lesson for anyone who is following this thread though, make sure that you have the required documentation for your cruise well before hand, that you know where it is and if you are using passports make sure they are valid. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by sparks1093

[mjkacmom]

Her passport will be fine.

[Host Kat]

On 2/19/2023 at 12:24 PM, Jentumbee said:

We sail tomorrow. 

 

Since OP sails today February 20, 2023, this thread is closed.