I have not found ANY reference on
DCL's website that stipulates that all cruises where you need a passport must have 6 months expiry regardless of port. What I found was the following (the bolding is mine):
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In order to board the ship,
all Guests are required to provide proper travel documentation. Guests unable to provide proof of citizenship will not be permitted to sail.
Passport Requirement
All travelers, including U.S. Citizens and all foreign nationals, are required to have a valid passport to enter or re-enter the United States by air.
Visa Requirements
In addition to a valid passport, many countries require an entry visa based on your nationality. It is each Guest's responsibility to identify and to obtain all the necessary visas before embarking on the cruise.
Because requirements may vary, Guests are advised to contact their local Consulate or Embassy for more information on required travel documentation for all ports of call during the cruise.
Please visit our section on Travel Document Information for your cruise itinerary for the most up-to-date proof-of-citizenship requirements.
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I find it hard to believe that they are requiring 6 months for everyone regardless of origin of country and ports visited just so that they don't have to check each individual as that would mean that they also wouldn't check for visas if they are required. If you are coming from a country that requires visas, they are certainly going to be checking that before allowing you to board.
HOWEVER, having said that, according to various Bahamian sites Canadians are required to have 3 months expiry upon leaving the Bahamas if they are travelling directly to the Bahamas (from Canada) but 6 months if transiting through the US which I presume would qualify when taking a cruise from a US port. Sometimes the standard rules for different countries provide an exception if it's a cruise but I haven't found any for the Bahamas. Thus, you DO need 6 months expiry but not because this is a set rule that DCL has instituted based on what they state on their website. If you visit the part of their site that pertains to Bahamian cruises it will simply tell you that Canadians need a valid passport. It is always up to the traveller to find out the rules that pertain to them and the ports they are visiting.
Sorry to sould like a dolt.....but when we do online check in, Disney will accept and put in their passport or will they need to bring along a copy of birth certificate?
During the on-line check-in DCL will accept any gobbledegook for passport information. It does NO validation at all during this stage. They check the passport and expiry and visa requirements at the port, not on-line. Don't assume that, if you put in passport information during on-line check-in that it means that you've been checked and approved. I've put in nonsense when renewing a passport and waiting for the new number.
that way!
