passport - need to be valid for 6 months????

[lakehead92]

I heard a rumour this week about passports needing to be vaid for at least 6 moths after your cruise sail date.
Does anyone know any info on this.

We are booked to sail on the double dip the first week of January 2011, and our passports do not expire until May of 2011.

I would hate for this to be true and be turned away...but at teh same time I wouldn't want to have to renew it now, and lose almost 8 months of time that was paid for on the current passport.

Can anyone help?

 

[~Dani~]

I don't think that's true. This is taken from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's website, and applies to the UK, but I'm sure it would be similar for Canada :

Does my British passport have to be valid for six months beyond my date of departure from the United States?

No, if your passport is not valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States, it will not affect your eligibility to travel. The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States.

If you are travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires

 

[mom_rules]

Canadian Foreign Affairs:
Expiration date

A Canadian passport is generally valid for a five-year period. However, a passport issued to a child under age three is valid for only three years. Before making travel arrangements, be sure to verify all passport expiration dates. If a passport is due to expire within six months of your scheduled return to Canada, check with the destination country’s embassy or consulate in Canada for rules and restrictions regarding passport validity. Some countries will not let you enter if your passport is due to expire within six months.

We are travelling in January 2011 and our passports were valid until May-We renewed to be safe.
It only took 10 minutes in the passport office (renewal application) and it was received by Registered Mail in 5 days.

 

[Gigi22]

The one time we encountered the six month validity rule it was because our cruise line, Holland America, had that requirement. It may have been itinerary-based, but who knows?

 

[Terapin]

I seem to remember that DCL required that the passport be valid for 6 months after the last day of travel....

 

[Anal Annie]

It's not a rumor - they DO want it to be valid for 6 months after your travel dates. We were told we had to get a new one in 2008 for our DS because his expired 5 months from our sail date so we did it. Now we're screwed up getting his NEXT one as the renewal age has some different rules once they're 16 (more liberal) and he'll have to renew at 15 instead.

 

[lmhall2000]

It's not a rumor - they DO want it to be valid for 6 months after your travel dates. We were told we had to get a new one in 2008 for our DS because his expired 5 months from our sail date so we did it. Now we're screwed up getting his NEXT one as the renewal age has some different rules once they're 16 (more liberal) and he'll have to renew at 15 instead.

When would they tell us this? There is a difference b/w what they want and what is required? All three of our childrens' passports expire in June 2011..our cruise is early March 2011...we don't plan on taking any more out of country trips for awhile so we were holding off on renewing...hmmm...not sure what to do now, maybe make a call to Disney?
Thanks!
Tara

 

[Tower]

I seem to remember that DCL required that the passport be valid for 6 months after the last day of travel....

It's not a cruise company requirement, but an immigration requirement. Everyone must do it. if a cruise line decides to ignore it, it's their problem.

 

[lmhall2000]

So confusing...

I just spoke with Disney, they have no rule about 6 months..they say they'd like it but even 3 months is fine....they said 3 years ago there was talk about doing such a thing, but it was never 'approved' so they do not have that limitation on expirations..

However, EACH country you visit may have limitations...for example Tunis (we traveled there in May) really caused a stink with Disney almost not letting them port there b/c their rules were more strict than the other Med stops..but in the end it worked out. So, he said to call Mexico (we're doing the Riviera)..I looked on the consulate's website..and it has a couple of things pointed out...
1. Kids under 16 do not even need a passport..but need a copy of their birth certificate...
2. You do not need a passport on closed loop trips, and/or specifically areas that are within 30-40km of the coast (hence the resort towns)
3. There were no specifications for Mexico on the length of expiration on existing passports..

Disney rep also said that if anything were to change right now, it would have to grandfather clause in cruises during the next year but as of right now, Disney relies on the rules for each port country, not a rule for the ship as a whole....so essentially check the country you're headed to.

Tara

 

[Disney Cajun Man]

Very interesting information from the Disney rep you spoke with that differs greatly from the letter that I received from DCL about my passport issue. I am on a cruise later this month and my passport expires in Jan 2011. DCL letter stated that if my passport was not good for 6 months past my travel dates that they would refuse passage for me at the terminal in PC - thus not being able to go on the cruise. As a repeat cruiser my information is set up in my Disney profile and until I got my new passport information and entered the new information into their system the online check in would not allow me to do any of the pre registration on line stuff - it was locked until the passport information was updated and corrected. All of this just happened to me in the last two weeks - so current information on what Disney does with passport deadlines. Hope this helps you.

 

[mom_rules]

It's not a cruise company requirement, but an immigration requirement. Everyone must do it. if a cruise line decides to ignore it, it's their problem.

I would check your Foreign Affairs and Immigration Websites.

 

[lmhall2000]

Very interesting information from the Disney rep you spoke with that differs greatly from the letter that I received from DCL about my passport issue. I am on a cruise later this month and my passport expires in Jan 2011. DCL letter stated that if my passport was not good for 6 months past my travel dates that they would refuse passage for me at the terminal in PC - thus not being able to go on the cruise. As a repeat cruiser my information is set up in my Disney profile and until I got my new passport information and entered the new information into their system the online check in would not allow me to do any of the pre registration on line stuff - it was locked until the passport information was updated and corrected. All of this just happened to me in the last two weeks - so current information on what Disney does with passport deadlines. Hope this helps you.

All of our information is in the system as well (having traveled to the Med last May) and we went in and booked the March cruise it already had our information loaded..we've received nothing about ours (kids expire 3 months after our trip)....I would call Disney and confirm..he was telling me it's always a good idea to renew but not required....

It also says on the website that you have to have a form notarized if you're taking minors with you that are not your own children..but Disney (when you call them) says this is NOT necessary and it's a fluke with the system not being updated to new rules...

Interestingly, the Mexican page at the consulate says you do have to have a notarized piece of paper if traveling with minors..but the rules for closed loop cruising are different than all the rules listed, so who knows???

Tara

 

[Anal Annie]

I think there could be multiple reasons. It may also have to do with being able to RETURN to the US in case there's an emergency. (Another reason to have a "real" passport instead of one of those card things.) Some airlines (in case of an emergency) might require you to have a valid passport good for 6 months in order to fly.

This is from the FAQ section of the US Passport site (they actually recommend that you renew at 9 months out according to the 10th question!):
http://travel.state.gov/passport/faq/faq_1741.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13342877/

http://www.uspassportnow.com/faq/general_traveling_mexico

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44294.asp

 

[NancyIL]

If you are a US citizen, you don't have to have a passport for closed-loop cruises from US ports. You DO need to bring a certified copy of your birth certificate and a photo I.D. for adults. If you are going to Europe, your passport ought to have at least 6 months left after the date you plan to return to the US.

 

[miatamel]

I'm so glad this thread is here. This passport thing confuses me greatly.
My husband is a German citizen but has a valid, current German passport to cruise. We are looking to go on the 12/18 or 12/23 Christmas cruise. However, my two daughters ( 7 , 9) and I do not have passports. I read last night about the "closed loop" cruise deal and thought we were fine without but then got to wandering if we DON'T have passports, can we get off for excursions? Not too worried if we do the 12/23 as Key West is American (duh) and we won't get off at Cozumel (been there, done that) but wonder about Castaway Cay. And the 12/18 has lots of stops in the British West Indies, etc. Do we have to show passports to get debark (is that even a word?) in these places?

In other words, do I have to spend the $400+ extra dollars for passports we will likely not use again any time soon?

 

[ga9497]

The 6 month rule is what certain countries require it has nothing to do with the cruise line. You need to check the requirements of the ports you are visiting

For Europe it is always has been the requirement that the passport is valid for at least 6 months from your return date whether you are traveling by plane or by ship

 

[NancyIL]

I'm so glad this thread is here. This passport thing confuses me greatly.
My husband is a German citizen but has a valid, current German passport to cruise. We are looking to go on the 12/18 or 12/23 Christmas cruise. However, my two daughters ( 7 , 9) and I do not have passports. I read last night about the "closed loop" cruise deal and thought we were fine without but then got to wandering if we DON'T have passports, can we get off for excursions? Not too worried if we do the 12/23 as Key West is American (duh) and we won't get off at Cozumel (been there, done that) but wonder about Castaway Cay. And the 12/18 has lots of stops in the British West Indies, etc. Do we have to show passports to get debark (is that even a word?) in these places?

In other words, do I have to spend the $400+ extra dollars for passports we will likely not use again any time soon?

You don't need a passport to get off the ship in the Caribbean ports, provided you have the proper documentation (birth certificates/photo I.D.) to board the ship.

 

[tjbaggott]

When we cruise later this month, our passports will be just under 3 months from expirey (they expire Mid January 2011). We're Canadian, and my TA assures me our passports are fine.

 

[ga9497]

When we cruise later this month, our passports will be just under 3 months from expirey (they expire Mid January 2011). We're Canadian, and my TA assures me our passports are fine.

As stated before it all depends on where you are cruising
European cruises have different rules on passport requirements. They are the same as land based vacations

 

[lakehead92]

When we cruise later this month, our passports will be just under 3 months from expirey (they expire Mid January 2011). We're Canadian, and my TA assures me our passports are fine.

My Canadian TA- just said that 6 months is the usual requirement, but they dod not always refuse entry.
And the email I received from DCL - says 6 months for Med and Trans Atl, but it is not yet a requirement for the Bahamas.

Do I trust the DCL rep????