Passport question

[musicman85]

Hi,

I'm taking the Anthem of the Seas next March 17, 2024 but my passport expires in the middle of September 2024. I've been researching and finding that the passport needs to be valid at least 6 months past the last day of the cruise. How serious does Royal follow this rule or is this more of a recommendation? Thank you! 

[3yorkies]

18 minutes ago, musicman85 said:

Hi,

I'm taking the Anthem of the Seas next March 17, 2024 but my passport expires in the middle of September 2024. I've been researching and finding that the passport needs to be valid at least 6 months past the last day of the cruise. How serious does Royal follow this rule or is this more of a recommendation? Thank you! 

I sailed in late May with a passport expiring in October.   But I was going to ports that only require a current passport or one with 90 days on it.  I actually printed out the State Department information on each port and took it with me.  But no one at check in gave it a second look.  I did also take my drivers license, global entry card, and birth certificate.  All unneeded, but it made me feel better.   As soon as I got back I had it ready to mail in to renew in early June and got it back in 5 weeks!!!   Ready for my September cruise.  I don't do summers unless a trans Atlantic due to the large number of children/families. 

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, musicman85 said:

How serious does Royal follow this rule or is this more of a recommendation?

The latter. The passport just has to be valid upon your return for your sailing.

[Fouremco]

Your passport must meet the requirements established by the countries you visit, in your case the Bahamas. While their requirement is generally 6 months validity remaining on your passport, there is an exception for American passport holders. From the Embassy of the Bahamas to the United States of America website:

 

4b. If I only have four months left on my passport, can I still travel to The Bahamas?
Only British and American passport holders may travel to The Bahamas with less than six months left on their passports. However, British passport holders are advised to have at least six months unexpired on their passports, as they need this requirement for British Immigration purposes. British passport holders that travel to The Bahamas with less than six months validity on their passports would be allowed entry to The Bahamas as long as the duration of their visit to The Bahamas is less than three weeks (21 days).

 

 

https://www.bahamasembdc.org/contact/faq/

 

 

 

 

[RedIguana]

13 hours ago, musicman85 said:

Hi,

I'm taking the Anthem of the Seas next March 17, 2024 but my passport expires in the middle of September 2024. I've been researching and finding that the passport needs to be valid at least 6 months past the last day of the cruise. How serious does Royal follow this rule or is this more of a recommendation? Thank you! 

Assuming I looked up the right cruise, your ports are Port Canaveral, coco cay, and Nassau. You will not need 6 months post cruise validity on your passport. A good rule of thumb is any cruise you can take using BC and government issued ID, passport only needs to be valid til the day after the cruise. If concerned, just take an official copy (certified, or whatever verbiage your state/county uses) of your Birth Certificate with you, along with your passport.

Edited August 3, 2023 by RedIguana

[RedIguana]

My above reply assumes American citizenship by birth.....

 

[steveru621]

Consider you can take this cruise with a birth certificate and DL.  Your passport is fine.

55 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Your passport must meet the requirements established by the countries you visit, in your case the Bahamas. While their requirement is generally 6 months validity remaining on your passport, there is an exception for American passport holders. From the Embassy of the Bahamas to the United States of America website:

 

4b. If I only have four months left on my passport, can I still travel to The Bahamas?
Only British and American passport holders may travel to The Bahamas with less than six months left on their passports. However, British passport holders are advised to have at least six months unexpired on their passports, as they need this requirement for British Immigration purposes. British passport holders that travel to The Bahamas with less than six months validity on their passports would be allowed entry to The Bahamas as long as the duration of their visit to The Bahamas is less than three weeks (21 days).

 

 

https://www.bahamasembdc.org/contact/faq/

 

 

 

 

 

That is for flying into the Bahamas.

[Fouremco]

48 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

Consider you can take this cruise with a birth certificate and DL.  Your passport is fine.

 

That is for flying into the Bahamas.

Not just for flying.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Fouremco

[BirdTravels]

17 hours ago, musicman85 said:

Hi,

I'm taking the Anthem of the Seas next March 17, 2024 but my passport expires in the middle of September 2024. I've been researching and finding that the passport needs to be valid at least 6 months past the last day of the cruise. How serious does Royal follow this rule or is this more of a recommendation? Thank you! 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-travel-documents-i-need-for-boarding-day

 

Accepted Forms of Identification

All guests will also need a form of identification to board the ship. Accepted forms of identification vary based on nationality, departure port and disembarkation port.

Please note that hospital Birth Certificates (baby feet Birth Certificates), as well as photocopies or images of any required travel documents are not accepted for boarding.

Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens

• U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise ends. A U.S. Passport book is required for sailings that depart from homeports outside of the U.S.

• For sailings departing from U.S. homeports, an official US state-issued Birth Certificate is also accepted. Guests age 16 and older that present an official US state-issued Birth Certificate will also need to provide a valid Driver’s License or picture ID issued by the government.

• U.S. citizens may use Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) as a single form of documentation (instead of both birth certificate and picture ID) for sailings departing from U.S. homeports. Enhanced Driver's Licenses are only available from the following states: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington State. Please note that an Enhanced Driver’s License is different from a REAL ID compliant id. An EDL will have a flag on the front.

[ngrund]

On 8/2/2023 at 10:00 PM, musicman85 said:

Hi,

I'm taking the Anthem of the Seas next March 17, 2024 but my passport expires in the middle of September 2024. I've been researching and finding that the passport needs to be valid at least 6 months past the last day of the cruise. How serious does Royal follow this rule or is this more of a recommendation? Thank you! 

With the current processing delays with passports, if it was me, I'd just renew now,

[RedIguana]

22 hours ago, steveru621 said:

Consider you can take this cruise with a birth certificate and DL.  Your passport is fine.

 

That is for flying into the Bahamas.

 

21 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Not just for flying.

Most countries list their passport requirements regardless of method of entry, whether flying, land or sea. The Bahamas  encounter quite a few tourists coming over by sea either via private boat, charter, or ferry, so @Fouremco is correct in that it is not just for flying. Most countries who participate in the WHTI, and a few that are not in the WHTI, have varying exceptions for cruise passengers, the common ones being closed loop cruises out of the US. I'll let someone else chime in on exceptions for cruises departing other Caribbean ports, as I have little to no knowledge there. When checking passport requirements and valid time past stay I often try and find somewhere on the websites the cruise ship passenger requirements. They are not often easy to find. And of course, country of origin makes a difference, as the requirements for US citizens are often different than others, as are requirements for those citizens of countries with ties to the islands (British, French, Dutch). As a firm believer in traveling with a passport, the only time it really is an issue is that dreaded timing and wait for renewals.

[RedIguana]

19 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Accepted Forms of Identification

All guests will also need a form of identification to board the ship. Accepted forms of identification vary based on nationality, departure port and disembarkation port.

Please note that hospital Birth Certificates (baby feet Birth Certificates), as well as photocopies or images of any required travel documents are not accepted for boarding.

Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens

• U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise ends. A U.S. Passport book is required for sailings that depart from homeports outside of the U.S.

• For sailings departing from U.S. homeports, an official US state-issued Birth Certificate is also accepted. Guests age 16 and older that present an official US state-issued Birth Certificate will also need to provide a valid Driver’s License or picture ID issued by the government.

• U.S. citizens may use Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) as a single form of documentation (instead of both birth certificate and picture ID) for sailings departing from U.S. homeports. Enhanced Driver's Licenses are only available from the following states: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington State. Please note that an Enhanced Driver’s License is different from a REAL ID compliant id. An EDL will have a flag on the front.

I always wonder why there is never a mention of the validity of using a Passport Card vs a passport book, BC and ID, or EDL for these closed loop cruises. I'm not sure if it an oversight as they are relatively new, not very common, or if they are not accepted. I have my passport out for renewal, and am also getting the card with the book to have something to bring ashore as ID, as I would rather lose that than my driver's license if something were to happen. Also, it is something that will fit in my wallet when the new ID restrictions for flying domestically kick in (if ever...they keep getting pushed back).

[steveru621]

99% of people enter the Bahamas via airplanes or cruise ships.  It has nothing to do with this poster's question.

 

The Bahamas' passport requirements are unimportant if you are on a closed-loop cruise.  You can use your BC and driver's license.  That's it.

 

I encourage everyone to travel with a passport.  If you have a valid passport that's all you need to return to the US. 

[musicman85]

Thank you everyone. Yes I'm going to get a certified copy of my birth certificate and bring it with my Passport and new driver's license I'm getting this October. I'm not chancing renewing my passport right now with the delays. God forbid my passport gets lost and then I'm really stuck out of luck! I'm a nervous traveler, so trying to avoid any unnecessary worries like this passport question. 

[Ret MP]

6 hours ago, steveru621 said:

99% of people enter the Bahamas via airplanes or cruise ships.  It has nothing to do with this poster's question.

 

The Bahamas' passport requirements are unimportant if you are on a closed-loop cruise.  You can use your BC and driver's license.  That's it.

 

I encourage everyone to travel with a passport.  If you have a valid passport that's all you need to return to the US. 

Also, as long as the cruise line requires the minimum that a country(ies) is cruising to wants/requires, the cruise line has the final say, if they require a 6-month validity, that's the rule.  If they don't, they don't.  If they want to enforce their policy, that's up to them, not any country, not the country(ies) sailing to, it is the cruise line that will either allow you to embark or not to embark, not the country(ies) sailing to.  

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 8/3/2023 at 1:02 PM, Fouremco said:

Not just for flying.

doesn't apply to closed loop cruises from U.S. as already mentioned. Cruise ship pax are considered "in transit" which is not the same as a person staying overnight for any length of days.

[broadwaybaby123]

Since your cruise is over a year away, why not just renew it now so that there's no question once you get to the port?

[Fouremco]

7 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

doesn't apply to closed loop cruises from U.S. as already mentioned. Cruise ship pax are considered "in transit" which is not the same as a person staying overnight for any length of days.

You are missing my point. While it's a closed loop cruise to the Bahamas and a passport is not a required travel document for US citizens, a passport is nevertheless quite acceptable. To say that passports are only for flying into the Bahamas is patently false.

 

As for RCI, if it chooses to require passports to have a 6-month validity beyond the date of departure, even though the Bahamas only requires American passports to be valid until the day following departure, that's entirely up to them. 

[steveru621]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

As for RCI, if it chooses to require passports to have a 6-month validity beyond the date of departure, even though the Bahamas only requires American passports to be valid until the day following departure, that's entirely up to them. 

 

Patently false.  The Bahamas do not require a passport for a closed-loop cruise.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

You are missing my point. While it's a closed loop cruise to the Bahamas and a passport is not a required travel document for US citizens, a passport is nevertheless quite acceptable. To say that passports are only for flying into the Bahamas is patently false.

I don't think anyone is saying a passport isn't ACCEPTABLE.  They're just pointing out that a passport, much less one with 6 months remaining before expiration, isn't REQUIRED. 

[Fouremco]

5 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I don't think anyone is saying a passport isn't ACCEPTABLE.  They're just pointing out that a passport, much less one with 6 months remaining before expiration, isn't REQUIRED. 

I couldn't agree more with respect to the actual requirements, and have stated so, but one poster seems to want to contradict me even though we are in agreement. Oh well, that's CC. 🙄 

[not-enough-cruising]

On 8/3/2023 at 12:02 PM, Fouremco said:

Not just for flying.

The Bahamas have  zero passport requirements for US citizens arriving by cruise ship. 

[BND]

On 8/3/2023 at 11:54 AM, RedIguana said:

My above reply assumes American citizenship by birth.....

 

A US citizen is a US citizen.  Doesn't matter if by birth or naturalization for immigration/passport.

[Illbcruzn4life]

7 hours ago, Fouremco said:

You are missing my point. While it's a closed loop cruise to the Bahamas and a passport is not a required travel document for US citizens, a passport is nevertheless quite acceptable. To say that passports are only for flying into the Bahamas is patently false.

 

As for RCI, if it chooses to require passports to have a 6-month validity beyond the date of departure, even though the Bahamas only requires American passports to be valid until the day following departure, that's entirely up to them. 

RCI does not require passports to have 6 months remaining on your passport for closed loop cruises.

 

Think about it. You have a birth certificate and a drivers license that let's you sail all the time but a valid passport with less than 6 months validity left is no good. Doesn't make any sense.

[Ret MP]

5 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

RCI does not require passports to have 6 months remaining on your passport for closed loop cruises.

 

Think about it. You have a birth certificate and a drivers license that let's you sail all the time but a valid passport with less than 6 months validity left is no good. Doesn't make any sense.

If you don't have a valid birth certificate, a valid passport can be used in place of a birth certificate. Royal's policy states, as evidenced by their policy, which has been copied and pasted on this board many times, that passports must have a 6-month validity period.  No one has stated, at least not from what I have read, that RCCL enforces the policy or even requires a passport for "closed loop" cruises.  Royal (and federal law/policy/treaties) offers an option that a valid passport can be used in lieu of a birth certificate AND vice versa <(and government pictured ID).  But, if Royal wanted to, by their own policy, they can require everyone that wants to board their property to have a passport regardless of other country's laws and treaties.  Like it or not, it's their ball, they make the rules to board their property.

 

AGAIN, no one is saying that ROYAL enforces its own policies.  I believe, meaning that it is my opinion, Royal has many unenforced, by choice, rules/policies to be enforced only in certain situations.  You give an employee a hard time at the terminal, they check your passport and it doesn't have 6 months remaining on it,  their excuse:  You don't have 6 months remaining on your passport and our policy requires it, you're not boarding our ship, bye!.  It's a policy, among many, of convenience for them!  It's like that in Law Enforcement a lot, we used a lot of unused laws as a basis (probable cause) to achieve certain other goals.