US Passport < 6 Months

[pa-annie]

So we just booked the Seashore out of Port Canaveral Dec. 10-17, and just received an MSC email "important travel rules". It states :

PLEASE CHECK CAREFULLY THE TABLE BELOW BEFORE BOOKING YOUR CRUISE

 

"INFORMATION APPLICABLE ONLY FOR EMBARKATION /

DISEMBARKATION FROM THE UNITED STATES

• PASSPORT WITH 6 MONTHS and USA VISA"

 

My US passport has 4 months before expiration, am I screwed?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

19 minutes ago, pa-annie said:

My US passport has 4 months before expiration, am I screwed?

you are fine.

My kid's passport is only good for a month after our cruise in November.

It's fine for a Caribbean cruise.

 

funny how you only saw the non-US passport expiration date, but didn't ask if you had to have a US visa. 🙂

19 minutes ago, pa-annie said:

• PASSPORT WITH 6 MONTHS and USA VISA"

Edited October 17, 2023 by Itchy&Scratchy

[brucevr6]

I think if it were me, I’d probably renew my passport. If I read your post correctly, when you sail in December you’ll only have two months left on the passport. Too risky for me !! I’ve had friends denied boarding at the airport for having less than three months on their passports. Sometimes it depends on the agent, and I wouldn’t want to find out when I arrive at the port. Just sayin’. 

[Até]

Certain countries do require visitors to have the six months validity,  I don't believe Mexico nor Bahamas, on the OP's cruise, have that requirement.  Canada, Cayman Islands and Curacao are ones that could screw you up on a US East coast departure.   

 

MSC does have the ability to make additional requirements of their own.  I'd renew.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Até

[Sundiego]

If you renew, you do need to forfeit your current passport book while it is in the renewal process which could take months. During that time, you won't be able to travel at all to places requiring a passport.

 

Denise

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, brucevr6 said:

I’ve had friends denied boarding at the airport for having less than three months on their passports.

that is not the same as a US citizen cruising on a closed loop Caribbean cruise.

[brucevr6]

I understand that, but with so little time remaining on the passport I was just pointing out that, in my opinion, it’s not worth the risk. There is time to renew, and that would be better than getting to the port and some overzealous agent saying “ but it clearly says here that you need 6 months remaining “. 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

6 hours ago, Sundiego said:

If you renew, you do need to forfeit your current passport book while it is in the renewal process which could take months. During that time, you won't be able to travel at all to places requiring a passport.

If you're renewing a U.S. passport, you DO need to send your current passport in along with the application form and money. But keep in mind that if you're sailing on a closed loop cruise (a cruise that begins and ends at the same U.S. port), you just need your original birth certificate and government-issued ID to sail. So if you don't get the new passport back in time, you can use this as a backup plan.

[ChrisCJR]

Assuming MSC is enforcing this, they probably aren't, you can always take your birth certificate.

 

MSC does allow people to travel with a birth certificate on closed loop sailings out of the US, so you're probably not screwed since you probably had one already in order to get a passport.

 

Also, you can probably still use your passport at the terminal following disembarkation, when you get off the ship, since that choice is made by US Customs.  As long as the passport is valid, you'd still be good to go on that front.

[JamieLogical]

The State Department site says processing times are currently 8-11 weeks.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html

 

 

[go.without.you]

I had a passport issue while flying from DC to Paris. I had just renewed my passport and I presented it to the agent upon check-in. He practically threw it back at me and stated that it was NOT a valid passport. ???

 

(Snooty tone with an accent) "This is not a valid passport. It isn't signed!". I took it, signed it right in front of him and then passed it back. Then he accepted it. Customer service skills were lacking that day.

[capriccio]

To summarize for US citizens:

 

• cruise lines can enforce their own requirements as long as they are not weaker than the requirements of the US and all the countries on the itinerary.  I know some of the premium lines - not MSC - have the blanket 6 month rule regardless of the itinerary.
• always check the requirements of the countries on your itinerary on the State Department website:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html.  We had a cruise out of Tahiti scheduled (canceled due to Covid) that required 6 month's  validity because that was a French Polynesia requirement.  We were notified of that by our cruise line upon booking and by the airline when we made our flight reservations.
• re-entering the US only requires that the passport be valid (it can expire the next day without a problem)

 

Assuming your itinerary is to the 'usual' Caribbean ports there should be no problem.  Enjoy your cruise!

[Brighton Line]

3 hours ago, go.without.you said:

I had a passport issue while flying from DC to Paris. I had just renewed my passport and I presented it to the agent upon check-in. He practically threw it back at me and stated that it was NOT a valid passport. ???

 

(Snooty tone with an accent) "This is not a valid passport. It isn't signed!". I took it, signed it right in front of him and then passed it back. Then he accepted it. Customer service skills were lacking that day.

Same thing happen to Mrs. Brightonline but it was a C&BP agent, other than making her sign it in his presence, a non-issue. The cruise line didn't catch it at check in.  

[Até]

MSC US has been working on the Travel Documents pages, they are back up.  It's best to scroll down to the tab section at the bottom rather than use the regional sailing links at the top, those PDF's are the generic ones they use on multiple county's sites and seem oriented to non US citizens.  The lower down tab  labelled "IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR USA CITIZENS, U.S. RESIDENTS AND CANADIAN CITIZENS" has the relevant information - see attached file.  The MSC use of the word "preferred" is typical MSC poor wording.  I believe rather than meaning 60 days remaining is preferred (and less is okay) they mean a passport with at least 60 days is preferred over the BC or passport card.

 

If I had less than 60 days on my passport on OP's cruise I'd be sure to bring my BC and ID as a backup.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/before-you-go/travel-documents-visas

 

 

US Documents.pdf

[RichYak]

On 10/17/2023 at 2:00 PM, pa-annie said:

My US passport has 4 months before expiration, am I screwed?

Not at all. You should be able to renew your passport with expedited service. 

Edited October 19, 2023 by RichYak

[Sundiego]

Even if it's a closed loop cruise, there is always that slim possibility that you won't be returning to the U.S. via your cruise ship. Maybe you fall off a moped in Cozumel and spend 2 days in a hospital, or you missed the ship due to your own shenanigans. Always best to travel with a passport imo.

[Até]

My above post should have stated 6 months,  not 60 days....