HELP! Leaving Tomorrow- Passport/Hurricane Issue

[Peepzilla]

Hey,

I'm going on my fourth cruise with family and friends, and one of them had to get a passport for the first time and went through the expedited process at the NYC Passport Agency. She was to pick it up this Monday, but unfortunately the hurricane prevented that. Now their offices are not opening until Monday and she is without BOTH a passport and birth certificate (since they needed to hold that with her application).

I've been on the phone with Princess, NYC 311 and the Passport department and have not been really given much information. Princess recommends her just going to the port with her state Id and SS card and hope for the best.

Do you think she has a chance to get through customs given that I'm sure several others in our area have lost their passports due to this disaster as well? Another side note is that her twin sister is going- who has her passport. I'm hoping that may be helpful in some way.

Any help would be great. As of now we plan on bringing her to the port with us tomorrow and hoping for the best... just a really stressful situation.

PS- If she does make it onboard, we are fully aware that she will most likely be stuck on the ship for the duration of the cruise.

[6rugrats]

That's a shame. I am not sure that her sister having a passport would make any difference. It's not up to Princess, it's up to immigration at the port whether she would be allowed to board or not. The policy is to deny boarding if you don't have the correct documentation. I have no idea if there is any type of waiver due to the storm, or if there even is such a thing.

Is it possible for her to get another copy of her BC?

Please come back and post what happened. Good luck.

[cb at sea]

Your SS card is in NO WAY identification. Never has been. If you have some other form of government ID...like a military ID, that might do it, along with your DL...

It's always a good idea to keep an original copy of your BC...even when applying for a passport!

[boulders]

If she can get to the county offices where her birth certificate is issued, they should be able to issue a new one on the spot. Assuming it's a closed loop cruise, the birth certificate and the driver's license will be enough to board. She wouldn't be able to fly home in an emergency, but she would be able to take the cruise.

[T&Dcruisers]

It is possible to get a BC right away at the court house in the county of birth. Unfortunately, right when she couldn't pick it up on Monday, she should have gone the BC route. Now you may be out of luck. Will they even let you on the ship without proof of citizenship? Princess is the wrong people to be calling. You need to call the passport number and get through to a live person, asap. You can't be the only people the hurricane has affected.

from the US travel site

The Connecticut Passport Agency is not accepting appointments or walk-ins on Friday, November 2, 2012. If you have emergency travel scheduled between now and noon Monday, November 5, please contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 for assistance.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppi...yclosures.html

[fishywood]

The cruise the OP is on is NOT closed-loop; it is from New York to Ft Lauderdale (calling at Aruba as the necessary distant foreign port).

I do hope that an exception (and it would be a HUGE one) can be made for this passenger, but unfortunately I wouldn't count on it. Lesson learned: never relinquish your only copy of your birth certificate; if you must, order a second copy immediately.

Know also that most cruiselines will not accept a booking on an open-jaw voyage unless each passenger's passport number is supplied at the time of booking--though this is not the first time I hear of Princess allowing said risky scenario.

[Keith1010]

I am sorry to hear this. All I know tells me that she will not be able to board.

Please let us know what happened.

Keith

[1025cruise]

Unfortunately, she will likely be denied boarding.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have to agree -- that since this is not a closed loop cruise, she will most likely be denied boarding the ship.

[Algebralovr]

I would recommend calling the passport agency, then your Congress person. The congressional office may be able to help where the passport agency won't. If your local office doesn't answer the phone, call their official office in DC. Someone is there.

[ladytravlr2]

I sure hope you can get a copy of your BC at least. We were boarding a cruise with a friend last spring, and it was her first cruise, but not ours. She couldn't find her BC at boarding. They were NOT going to allow her to board. Finally after much searching she found it in a pocket of carryon. After that, we tried to make sure she knew where everything was all the time! We were going to cruise without her, seriously! During the cruise, she lost her door key/pass card, her camera, and numerous other things around the ship. We had a lot of laughs after the fact, but it was nerve wracking to say the least.

I truly hope you can find a resolution, since this is not at all your fault due to the weather related circumstances. I worried when I sent to get my passport, having to send my original bc with it. So, I sent to my birth state online to get a duplicate official copy. It came within just a couple days. Saved my nerves! Was worth the peace of mind. You can overnight it, just cost quite a bit.

[6rugrats]

Originally Posted by fishywood

The cruise the OP is on is NOT closed-loop; it is from New York to Ft Lauderdale (calling at Aruba as the necessary distant foreign port).

Originally Posted by 1025cruise

Unfortunately, she will likely be denied boarding.

With this additional information, I agree that she will be denied boarding without a passport.

[SadieN]

Originally Posted by ladytravlr2

I sure hope you can get a copy of your BC at least. We were boarding a cruise with a friend last spring, and it was her first cruise, but not ours. She couldn't find her BC at boarding. They were NOT going to allow her to board. Finally after much searching she found it in a pocket of carryon. After that, we tried to make sure she knew where everything was all the time! We were going to cruise without her, seriously! During the cruise, she lost her door key/pass card, her camera, and numerous other things around the ship. We had a lot of laughs after the fact, but it was nerve wracking to say the least.

I truly hope you can find a resolution, since this is not at all your fault due to the weather related circumstances. I worried when I sent to get my passport, having to send my original bc with it. So, I sent to my birth state online to get a duplicate official copy. It came within just a couple days. Saved my nerves! Was worth the peace of mind. You can overnight it, just cost quite a bit.

This is what lanyards are for. Either that or pin the things to her shirt.

[T&Dcruisers]

I'm confused, isn't a closed loop cruise, one that originates and ends at the same port?

[6rugrats]

Originally Posted by T&Dcruisers

I'm confused, isn't a closed loop cruise, one that originates and ends at the same port?

Yes, but OP's cruise starts at New York and ends at Ft. Lauderdale, according to another poster, and thus, is not a closed loop cruise.

[Peepzilla]

Thank you to those who replied with addition information. Good news!! We're about to board and we were able to get a photocopy of her BC and she has her state id, so we're all good according to the customs supervisor!

[6rugrats]

Originally Posted by Peepzilla

Thank you to those who replied with addition information. Good news!! We're about to board and we were able to get a photocopy of her BC and she has her state id, so we're all good according to the customs supervisor!

I not sure how this works, since the other poster reports that this is an open loop cruise and requires a passport. Are they waiving requirements? I am glad this is working out; please come back and report again!

[T&Dcruisers]

Originally Posted by 6rugrats

Yes, but OP's cruise starts at New York and ends at Ft. Lauderdale, according to another poster, and thus, is not a closed loop cruise.

How does the other poster know that? The OP never stated that in the original post. It's possible that the OP lives in New York but was flying to Ft. Lauderdale where the cruise leaves and returns. Reagrdless, sounds like it was worked out.

[kitty9]

Originally Posted by ladytravlr2

I sure hope you can get a copy of your BC at least. We were boarding a cruise with a friend last spring, and it was her first cruise, but not ours. She couldn't find her BC at boarding. They were NOT going to allow her to board. Finally after much searching she found it in a pocket of carryon. After that, we tried to make sure she knew where everything was all the time! We were going to cruise without her, seriously! During the cruise, she lost her door key/pass card, her camera, and numerous other things around the ship. We had a lot of laughs after the fact, but it was nerve wracking to say the least.

This doesn't matter. The OP is not on a closed loop cruise. So, a passport is REQUIRED. A birth certificate will not do any good.

Sorry, but this person won't be allowed to board the ship. She needs a passport and doesn't have one.

[GTO-Girl]

Originally Posted by Peepzilla

Thank you to those who replied with addition information. Good news!! We're about to board and we were able to get a photocopy of her BC and she has her state id, so we're all good according to the customs supervisor!

Looks like she was allowed to board.......