Carnival sends out email requiring passport for sailing * 30 days prior to embarkation*

[tw67]

Just to clarify......The cruise the OP is referring to is a 9 day that does not go into the canal, but does stop in Panama. I am on this sailing, but I do own a valid passport. Many people who are on this sailing have claimed to have reached out to Carnival and asked about Passports. They were told No. While I understand it is up to the consumer to check, in my opinion many of these people going on this sailing aren't people who cruise a lot. While that isn't an excuse, they were given bad information. There are people reporting that Carnival has actually offered them refunds, I have no idea how true this is. I am sure that for some getting a passport the last minute will be a hardship they just can't do. 

[tree.critter]

OK, it is possible to still get a passport fast, it’s not cheap and there’s a couple hoops you have to jump through. I would go to government site, immediately fill in application for new passport, get it sent in right away with the photos you’ll need. Once they give you the acknowledge of receipt of application you can then call with the number. Apply for Urgent passport, it!s a pain but doable. Try calling the number on this link right away, see if you can get an appt without having to send in application first. 

 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by tree.critter
additional info.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, tw67 said:

Just to clarify......The cruise the OP is referring to is a 9 day that does not go into the canal, but does stop in Panama. I am on this sailing, but I do own a valid passport. Many people who are on this sailing have claimed to have reached out to Carnival and asked about Passports. They were told No. While I understand it is up to the consumer to check, in my opinion many of these people going on this sailing aren't people who cruise a lot. While that isn't an excuse, they were given bad information. There are people reporting that Carnival has actually offered them refunds, I have no idea how true this is. I am sure that for some getting a passport the last minute will be a hardship they just can't do. 

I agree I think this should have been said when people booked. Carnival reps cant answer me when i asked if i could add someone who didnt have a passport. I wrote to guest services. They should be able to answer this question correctly. It's not like Panama changed. Or Costa Rica and Columbia. Someone on my roll call said well they had a friend who did a similar cruise and it wasnt enforced to board before. 

 

They should give refunds if people request them for not being told at the time of booking. No excuses. .. and having a meeting yesterday to discuss passports .. at this late stage? Rcl did the same thing, not excusing them either.

[Despegue]

It truly beggars belief that one would even consider that a passport is not an essential part of your travel documents when visiting foreign countries, on a cruise or not! 

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, PayneAS said:

Oh, look who posted 3 mins ago about this. LOL

 

What confuses me in this message is why would U.S. Customs & Border Protection have a documentation requirement for other countries like Panama or Costa Rica?  Don't those countries make their own rules?  

[stobe1]

There are services out there that will get your passport for you in about a week if you do not live near a passport processing center where you can get them the same day via an appointment. This service is VERY costly, but if you can afford it and are in a bind, it is doable and a potential solution for the situation that the OP is in.

[Cherries Jubilee]

I know that empathy is rarely given around here when some of the fault falls on the customer but I personally am sorry the OP and others are just finding this out.

 

 I also, as always, appreciate all of the information provided in here. I have my passport but every now and then a different family member will join us and not have theirs.

 

It’s always good to know to be on higher alert than you may have been when confronted with the same situation. I don’t think I would have thought twice about an itinerary that included Martinique. 

 

Hope it works out for you OP.

[Earthworm Jim]

On 10/6/2023 at 6:21 AM, sanger727 said:

If you want to try and salvage this trip, your only option at this point is to appear in person at a passport center. 

 

We recently got our passport renewal back 3 weeks after we sent it in. And one of those weeks was the time it took our application and old old passports to get to the passport office. So it is theoretically possible the OP could still get it in time if they only need a renewal. But I wouldn't want to gamble my vacation on hoping to get it that fast.