I recieved my passport today

[SheriNtexas]

I got through to them!! Woohoo!! I have several threads i have been posting on about this and someone from one of those threads told me to do this: when they answer, choose #1 for English, then #3, then #9. if they come on and say that all their reps are busy and they can't take your call, then choose 9, 3, and 1, and keep doing this until you hear the music!! It only took about 5 minutes before i got put on hold, and then it was about 20 minutes before someone took my call!! I don't know if this trick is what totally got me through so fast, or maybe combined with the time of day, but I did talk to someone! She said they were still working on our passports and that they were both flagged for "Urgent Expedite". She said to give them 1 week because Monday is a holiday and then call back. Sorry, I AIN'T waiting one week to call back!!:p I'll probably call back Wednesday some time and just make sure they are still working on them! She was VERY nice and i gave her lots of compliments (which I meant)!! So if you are still waiting, don't give up! While i don't have my passports yet, at least i know they are still working on them!! She asked where i was going and when I told her Paris, she said,"OOhhh, we definitely don't want these passports to get lost in the cracks"!! thanks to everyone for the tips!! Praying and thinking good thoughts, good vibes, fingers crossed, etc. for everyone still waiting!!:)

[Tanker4]

So here's the next question: In port, are you going to take your passports off the ship with you (and risk them being lost/stolen), or are you going to leave them in your safe and just take color copies (in which case it could be more difficult to get home)? :confused:

I'm going to take the original with me just like I've always done over the past 30 years or so whenever I've travelled outside the US.

 

Tanker 4

[WCAB]

I got through to them!! Woohoo!! I have several threads i have been posting on about this and someone from one of those threads told me to do this: when they answer, choose #1 for English, then #3, then #9. if they come on and say that all their reps are busy and they can't take your call, then choose 9, 3, and 1, and keep doing this until you hear the music!! It only took about 5 minutes before i got put on hold, and then it was about 20 minutes before someone took my call!! I don't know if this trick is what totally got me through so fast, or maybe combined with the time of day, but I did talk to someone! She said they were still working on our passports and that they were both flagged for "Urgent Expedite". She said to give them 1 week because Monday is a holiday and then call back. Sorry, I AIN'T waiting one week to call back!!:p I'll probably call back Wednesday some time and just make sure they are still working on them! She was VERY nice and i gave her lots of compliments (which I meant)!! So if you are still waiting, don't give up! While i don't have my passports yet, at least i know they are still working on them!! She asked where i was going and when I told her Paris, she said,"OOhhh, we definitely don't want these passports to get lost in the cracks"!! thanks to everyone for the tips!! Praying and thinking good thoughts, good vibes, fingers crossed, etc. for everyone still waiting!!:)

 

Leigh,

 

Just keep calling. I do not think the reps you are talking to have any real power or authority but they can forward an e-mail to those doing the work and at least give you a status. Mom still does not have hers, although she did get a call from someone today that said her passport would be delivered at 2:00, she asked am or pm and get this...she is sure they said it would be 2:00 a.m. I will post tomorrow and let you know if it was 2:00 in the morning. We are down to the wire because our cruise leaves on Saturday. Recall we want the passport because of their age as a safety precaution, in case we would need to fly home.

 

Carol

[shiska]

It took 11 weeks to get here..Now I am ready for our cruise..:)

 

Kelly

 

I received mine on Wed this week, took 12 weeks. Lets cruise:D

[shiska]

We applied for our daughters mid-Feb and have yet to see them. It is listed online as processing. We are at 11+ weeks

 

I applied on the 24 Feb, received my passport Wed of this week 12.5

weeks. Sailing the 10 June 07. Best of luck:)

[WCAB]

Just a quick update, they were trying to deliver passport at 2:00 in the morning but someone then called Mom at 1:00 a.m. and said they were sorry, they had not one who available who could make the delivery and it would be in the morning around 8:00 a.m. Good they are working so hard to get to her before Saturday but it did result in Mom and Dad not sleeping last night, which is hard on them.

 

Carol

[southbayer]

Wow, you've been busy! Sounds like your gonna be a gramma soon!

 

 

I won't have any luck with my D.C. folks here, they're from the other party.

 

 

p.s. The best part about having kids, is making them:D

Thought I'd jump in! My 5th son ordered his passport on the 16th of March and we are still waiting for it! We don't need it until October for a Bermuda cruise. I guess we really don't need it at all but feel better having it.

 

My oldest son's girl friend ordered hers around the 20th of March, paid the expedited fees and got it within 2 weeks!

 

Although I am not happy to hear about the delays in passports- I am glad to hear we are not the only ones waiting for one.

 

When I got my 5 years olds passport 2 years ago - it only took 3 weeks! My how things change.

 

Beth

[nealison]

Not only did I enjoy the holiday, but received my cruise documents and passports too! Now, I am ready to sail!

 

Good luck to everyone else!

 

Neal & Alison

[8 Bells]

Jus curious for those who have gotton them in 11 weeks, was this a renewal, or a new application.

 

I have been getting by this far, by using my old passport. OLD, exp 1999! But it will not do anymore for next year cruises I'm told.

 

 

Ours were renewals and we got them in 8 weeks. Just think: in 2017, everyone gets to go through this again!!:eek: :eek:

[SheriNtexas]

Ours were renewals and we got them in 8 weeks. Just think: in 2017, everyone gets to go through this again!!:eek: :eek:

 

 

Well THANKS for that little tidbit of info!! LOL!!

[cusyl]

Leigh, did you get your passports yet?:rolleyes:

[8 Bells]

Leigh, I have been following your posts about the wait for your passports! Probably don't have to tell you this, but be sure and post when you receive them. We are keeping our fingers crossed that you get them soon!

[SheriNtexas]

Leigh, did you get your passports yet?:rolleyes:

 

 

No! See my post on the Carnival board, it's title is "Updated passport info...

[goofysmom99]

LeighnTX (Sheri), I, too, have been following your posts about your passport. You're being vicitimized. . .by our own govt! There's just no excuse for what you're going through!:mad:

 

I was concerned that we would have a similar snail's-pace issue with DH's renewal, so I sent it in on the 12th of May and got it back today (18 days), without an expedite fee. He didn't get his old passport back like he has always in the past, however. Maybe it was because it wasn't expired yet? They used to punch holes in them that said "void," I think. Anyone remember? Used to be fun to look back at your old ones and see when and where we'd been.

 

Anyway, I guess they can handle renewals pretty quickly.

[MB Cruiser]

It has been 11 weeks since I sent my renewal app. Passport does not expire until October but HAL requires 6 months (fortunately found that out--quite by accident--in March). I didn't expedite as at the time they were saying 8-10 weeks. Anybody who hasn't done this: EXPEDITE! I called the passport office and one of the many menus say they won't even talk to you unless you're leaving in less than 14 days. Exactly 14 days before departure I called again. Called 10-15 times before I could even be put on hold. Was on hold over 1.5 hours and the call was dropped! Happened twice more before I got a live person. She expedited at no charge and I gave her my credit card # to Fed Ex. It's supposed to be here by the 5th (we leave here the 7th and fly out the 8th to sail the 9th). She said I could call back this week to get issue date & expiration date so I can pre-register with HAL (though, frankly, that's the least of my concerns at this point). Plan C is an appointment at the passport office in San Francisco (a four hour drive one way), AND a call to my congressperson.

 

Moral of the story: If you need a passport or yours will expire in less than six months after your scheduled cruise, APPLY NOW!

[SheriNtexas]

It has been 11 weeks since I sent my renewal app. Passport does not expire until October but HAL requires 6 months (fortunately found that out--quite by accident--in March). I didn't expedite as at the time they were saying 8-10 weeks. Anybody who hasn't done this: EXPEDITE! I called the passport office and one of the many menus say they won't even talk to you unless you're leaving in less than 14 days. Exactly 14 days before departure I called again. Called 10-15 times before I could even be put on hold. Was on hold over 1.5 hours and the call was dropped! Happened twice more before I got a live person. She expedited at no charge and I gave her my credit card # to Fed Ex. It's supposed to be here by the 5th (we leave here the 7th and fly out the 8th to sail the 9th). She said I could call back this week to get issue date & expiration date so I can pre-register with HAL (though, frankly, that's the least of my concerns at this point). Plan C is an appointment at the passport office in San Francisco (a four hour drive one way), AND a call to my congressperson.

 

Moral of the story: If you need a passport or yours will expire in less than six months after your scheduled cruise, APPLY NOW!

 

Well, if anyone knows what you are going through, it's ME!! When i got through last week she said she would flag both our passports Urgent Expedite but she didn't ask anything about a credit card or fed ex or anything. Do i need to ask for THAT?? Doesn't matter, i am calling them tomorrow, and everday for that matter. I am also calling my senator back and see what happens! we have to be at the airport early june 8th to fly to houston, then we fly straight to paris! Where will you be in Italy?? That is part of our itinerary too (see my siggie!) Good luck, do not wait, keep calling them because until you have the passport in your hand, all the other stuff doesn't matter!! I feel your pain, and your nervousness, and every other word i can think of!!!! Good luck, and let us know if/when you get them!!!!!:)

[derricj]

LeighnTX (Sheri), I, too, have been following your posts about your passport. You're being vicitimized. . .by our own govt! There's just no excuse for what you're going through!:mad:

 

I was concerned that we would have a similar snail's-pace issue with DH's renewal, so I sent it in on the 12th of May and got it back today (18 days), without an expedite fee. He didn't get his old passport back like he has always in the past, however. Maybe it was because it wasn't expired yet? They used to punch holes in them that said "void," I think. Anyone remember? Used to be fun to look back at your old ones and see when and where we'd been.

 

Anyway, I guess they can handle renewals pretty quickly.

 

 

:) They still punch holes. Our renewals tooks 11 weeks (Jan to Mar) w/o expidited service.

 

For those who need to complete resgistration with a cruiseline, you could give them your tracking number (this is your new PP number) and use a an expiration date ten years from the date you received your tracking number. You can correct any errors once you receive the PP.

 

The govt has a lot of areas which need improving and passport services is certainly on the list. However, they may be getting a bad rap on this issue. From all the posts on various forums on just CC the vast majority of applicants appear to have waited to apply or renew. Now if you do the math on the number of people in the US that do not post on CC who need passports renewed plus those who need new ones because they expired or they never had one in the first place it could lead to at least some understanding of the issue the passport office faces. The number has to be astronomical.

 

"When up to your hip pockets in alligators, it is difficult to remember that it was your responsibility to drain the swamp."

 

Hope it all works out:) :)

[MB Cruiser]

Sheri:

 

I just got off the phone with my congresswoman's office. I spoke with the passport office today and they said my passport has not been issued yet. Also, I can't get an in-person appointment at my nearest passport office (they can issue it right there) on the automated appointment line because there aren't any appointments available before I leave. The passport office says that I can call back 3 business days before my departure and they'll give me an emergency appointment (that's Monday). I'm 230 miles from the nearest passport office but if that's my only option, it's what I'll have to do. In the meantime, my crogresswoman's office is emailing the office that is processing the passport requesting assistance. I'll let you know how it comes out, assuming I'm not being handed the passport on the way to the airport.