Looking for news story about elderly couple missing cruise due to passport in luggage

Only if you want to look like a clueless, idiot tourist.

 

A pocket or purse is fine. RFID sleeve if you are REALLY paranoid.

 

Especially since the US really doesn't use the RFID feature yet.

It's my understanding that all passports issued since 2009(?) have RFID chips installed, so some passports are still floating around that don't have them but time will soon enough take care of them. Vermont EDLs have had them since the inception of its program. I personally am not worried about the data on the RFID chips.

In case you are also touching upon how to protect the passport from being stolen. First of all, I carry it only if necessary. Secondly, my cross body bag has a large flap that covers the zipper. That way, pickpockets can't open the zippered compartment when I carry the bag.I bought my bag in a department store in Germany.

I noticed that all the e-bag ads I get offer bags with visible zippers. If you can't get one with a covered zipper, at least buy a bag where the zipper pull can be locked.

Yes, cruise lines may impose a stricter standard but I do note that we are primarily discussing US passport requirements. I haven't a clue what other issuing countries require. (And to that end, does the UK add the unused time onto the new passports? I know that some countries do. If the US were to do that my feelings about renewing early would change drastically.)

UK passports may be renewed up to 9 months before expiry and the new passport will include the extra time, i.e. if you renew it 9 months before expiry, the new one will be good for ten years and nine months. I know, I've just done it.

UK passports may be renewed up to 9 months before expiry and the new passport will include the extra time, i.e. if you renew it 9 months before expiry, the new one will be good for ten years and nine months. I know, I've just done it.

Thanks for the info!

UK passports may be renewed up to 9 months before expiry and the new passport will include the extra time, i.e. if you renew it 9 months before expiry, the new one will be good for ten years and nine months. I know, I've just done it.

Wish that could be done with ours.

Depending on the country it can be a legal offense for visitors not to carry their passports. IIRC, Japan and China are two of them.

Thanks for that information - we leave for Japan next week and I did not know that.

Yes, cruise lines may impose a stricter standard but I do note that we are primarily discussing US passport requirements. I haven't a clue what other issuing countries require. (And to that end, does the UK add the unused time onto the new passports? I know that some countries do. If the US were to do that my feelings about renewing early would change drastically.)

Yes, my 5 months was added to the 10 year new passport I bought for that cruise.

The UK will add any remaining time left on your expiring passport on to your new passport, up to a maximum of 9 months.

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We do not sweat the six month rule. We ensure that our passports are always valid for at least seven months. Loosing six months on a ten year passport is small change. We travel often and we sometimes go at the last minute. But we always make certain we know what the visa or passport requirements are. It is our responsibility and our dime. We would never attempt to fault someone for our failure to do the basic due diligence.

I really don't understand all the whining. The cost of a passport is nothing compared to the cost of travel. Heck, some people spend more on dinner. It is like taxes. Just accept it, pay, and move forward.

We do not sweat the six month rule. We ensure that our passports are always valid for at least seven months. Loosing six months on a ten year passport is small change. We travel often and we sometimes go at the last minute. But we always make certain we know what the visa or passport requirements are. It is our responsibility and our dime. We would never attempt to fault someone for our failure to do the basic due diligence.

 

I really don't understand all the whining. The cost of a passport is nothing compared to the cost of travel. Heck, some people spend more on dinner. It is like taxes. Just accept it, pay, and move forward.

We plan our travel out well in advance and are several years away from being able to even contemplate spur of the moment travel. I will let my personal travel plans dictate when I renew my passport, not the expiration date by itself. In other words I won't renew it six months early unless I happen to be traveling to a locality that would require extra validity on it. If we are going on a cruise a month after our passports expire and we have no other travel in the works we'll use an alternate form of ID. Our way works for us, your way works for you, that's all it boils down to.

I really don't understand all the whining. The cost of a passport is nothing compared to the cost of travel. Heck, some people spend more on dinner. It is like taxes. Just accept it, pay, and move forward.

This. :D

For those who complain they have X family members, another way to look at it is, it is less than ONE day at a Disney park for the same family.

This. :D

 

For those who complain they have X family members, another way to look at it is, it is less than ONE day at a Disney park for the same family.

To each his or her own. If you want to spend money on things you don't need then go for it. You can try to justify it all you want, but to families who are traveling it is a very real concern, especially if they have no future travel plans. When I started cruising there was no way I could justify to myself the expenditure of $850 for a 4 day cruise for something that we didn't need given the legal alternatives that cost nothing and the uncertainty of future travel plans. Now had passports been legally required as the only option then of course we would have either found a way to fund them or we would have chosen a different vacation. (And truth be told if we could have afforded Disney than we wouldn't have gone on a cruise at all.)

We do not sweat the six month rule. We ensure that our passports are always valid for at least seven months. Loosing six months on a ten year passport is small change.

 

 

...

While the six month rule makes sense - to avoid the possibility of travelers being stranded without valid documentation - it does seem unfortunate that the State Department fails to perform a simple act of "customer service" when renewing a passport. They obviously are aware of the expiration date of the passport being renewed, so entering an expiry ten years later than that on the original rather than ten years after issuance of the replacement would be a simple procedural step.

Further, it is not "six months on a ten year passport" - it is AT LEAST six months - for anyone who renews. A minimum of five percent wastage on any product is a sign of incompetent (or at least uncaring) management.

Just to let everyone know... the presentation went well, although I had to cut material out, including the story about Bernie and Dolly Wax who live in Brookline, MA :loudcry:. The request is that I try to do an entertaining yet informative speech. Sounds like my next topic will be..... "travel horror stories".

Z'loth, I can give you a story on the six month rule, although it is pretty old, it illustrates what can happen. Letme know if you wish it. EM

Yes, please. I'm also looking for a good story about missing a cruise because they thought it would be a good idea to drive or fly in on the same day.

Just to let everyone know... the presentation went well' date=' although I had to cut material out, including the story about Bernie and Dolly Wax who live in Brookline, MA :loudcry:. The request is that I try to do an entertaining yet informative speech. Sounds like my next topic will be..... "travel horror stories".

 

 

 

Yes, please. I'm also looking for a good story about missing a cruise because they thought it would be a good idea to drive or fly in on the same day.[/quote']

 

 

This is an old story, which ends well, but it might not today...

 

Back in the 80's there were several agencies that arranged group tours for professional groups. In 1983, I went to China; 1984 to Japan, Spain, Russia. 1985 a different company to India. In 1988 I was back with the original company on a tour to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and Bali. The company had the option to send them your passport and they would handle the visas and give them back to you when the group assembled in the airport for departure from the US. In this case, SFO. This was a group of perhaps 25-30 people. The company provided a tour escort and educational leaders. Well, one woman in the group had been booked on another tour with the company, but it was cancelled. She re-booked on this tour, and assumed that the company would know and transfer her passport to this tour escort and he would have it at the airport. Didn't happen. Tour agency boo boo. She had to stay behind and got a temporary passport in SFO and joined the tour a couple days later in HongKong. The temporary passport was good for six months from date of issue. The tour was two weeks, and by the time we got to Bali, in Indonesia, there was less than six months left on it. Indonesia is one of those countries with the six month rule. The immigration people did not want to admit her, but with some fast talking by our escort, and a bit of money under the table, she was admitted. Would she be admitted today? You guess. Theoretically, she should not have been allowed to board the original flight, and today the checkin people can probably scan your ticket and see all of your forward legs, but back then I think everything was paper ticketed separately.

Take what you can use. EM

Just to let everyone know... the presentation went well' date=' although I had to cut material out, including the story about Bernie and Dolly Wax who live in Brookline, MA :loudcry:. The request is that I try to do an entertaining yet informative speech. Sounds like my next topic will be..... "travel horror stories".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, please. I'm also looking for a good story about missing a cruise because they thought it would be a good idea to drive or fly in on the same day.[/quote']

 

 

 

A travel horror story...

 

A few years ago (10?) a church gifted their pastor and his wife on an Alaska cruise. The TA told them they needed a passport. The Postal Service passport person told them they’d be ok with a card. Turns out the cruise was a one-way. They were refused boarding.

A good travel horror story related to always checking visa requirements would be to look up stories of what happened when RCCL sent Mariner of the Seas to the West Coast for the first time. More than a small number of cruisers failed to get a Brazil visa in advance because, in some cases, they thought they wouldn't need it if they just stayed on the ship (others just didn't even realize a visa was needed). Lots of people denied boarding at the beginning of a several week cruise.

A travel horror story...

 

A few years ago (10?) a church gifted their pastor and his wife on an Alaska cruise. The TA told them they needed a passport. The Postal Service passport person told them they’d be ok with a card. Turns out the cruise was a one-way. They were refused boarding.

Actually, they were stopped because without a passport, they couldn't fly to Canada/Vancouver. EM

A while ago I was travelling with a friend Transatlantic Europe- US. She had her UK passport but had packed her Green Card in her luggage. Fortunately, we had checked luggage very early while we did some last-minute sight-seeing. I was able to go on board, retrieve the bag, and get it back to her before checkin closed.