passport question

We are cruising in April 2015. Our passports are valid until Sept.2015. I have seen posts about passports needing to be valid for six months beyond your trip. Do you think we need to renew these before our April trip or will we be fine. Hoping to get this trip in before we renew...but wanted to ask opinions first.

Thanks for any info.

We are cruising in April 2015. Our passports are valid until Sept.2015. I have seen posts about passports needing to be valid for six months beyond your trip. Do you think we need to renew these before our April trip or will we be fine. Hoping to get this trip in before we renew...but wanted to ask opinions first.

 

Thanks for any info.

If your cruise is in the Caribbean, you will be fine with the current expiration date.

We are cruising in April 2015. Our passports are valid until Sept.2015. I have seen posts about passports needing to be valid for six months beyond your trip. Do you think we need to renew these before our April trip or will we be fine. Hoping to get this trip in before we renew...but wanted to ask opinions first.

 

Thanks for any info.

Could always go ahead and renew now so you would be ready for your cruise in April. If you are cruising the Caribbean and the renewed passports don't arrive in time, can use an official birth certificate with a raised seal. Not as convenient as a passport.

In a tangent, but related answer- getting the passport quick is pretty easy. We just went to the Detroit office on July 18, and the new passport was delivered home on July 25. It did cost an expiditing fee extra, though.

My renewal was sent on July 7 and is on its way. Of course if you need it right away it would never have that quick a turnaround! I bit the bullet because I didn't want to stress even though it wasn't due until 2015.

When going to the Bahamas, do you need the actual passport book? Or will the passport card be sufficient?

When going to the Bahamas, do you need the actual passport book? Or will the passport card be sufficient?

Passport card is OK if you are leaving and returning to the same US port.

When going to the Bahamas, do you need the actual passport book? Or will the passport card be sufficient?

For others thinking of the card vs. the book- here's a quick difference page from the US state department- http://www.travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/card/Difference-Between-Passport-Book-and-Card.html

The card is much less expensive, just limited.

Be careful renewing now,some big hassle & delays at the US Passport office was just on the news.

I mailed our renewal on July 1st, still have not received anything back yet. Read that the State Department's global database for issuing travel documents has crashed and is causing major delays to those waiting for their passports or visas. You can google the info below.

Glitch Crashes Global US Passport, Visa Operations

Makes me happy that we went to the office in person. One week- appoitment 7/18, deliver 7/25.

We just got our passport renewals last Thursday (July 24), four weeks, to the day, from when we sent them. It didn't take them near as long to cash the checks, five days from when we mailed them.

The passport office cashed my 'normal service' mailed check for renewal on July 8, 2014. Received my passort in the mail on July 25th. Pretty quick, and I didn't pay for expedited service.

When going to the Bahamas, do you need the actual passport book? Or will the passport card be sufficient?

First of all you do not need a passport to go to the Bahamas on a cruise leaving from Florida. You can use a picture ID and birth certificate.

If you want to get a passport don't bother with the card. It is almost useless unless you travel frequently to Canada or something like that. If you are going to pay for something get the regular passport book.

When going to the Bahamas, do you need the actual passport book? Or will the passport card be sufficient?

Countries generally require that passports have remaining validity for the maximum amount of time they will allow you to stay in the country, and some countries allow stays of up to six months. Closed loop cruises from the US do not require validity beyond your expected return date. Unless you have numerous trips planned that would prevent you from finding a renewal window, there is no reason to renew your passport now and throw away more than 1/10th of its validity. My passport expires Feb 2015 and I will return from Spain in early Nov 2014; Spain accepts passports as long as they still have three month validity when you depart Spain meaning that my admission will be flagged as valid only until a certain date. That works for me, and works for Spain. No way am I paying to renew early, which means that it will be that much earlier next time, etc.

Thom