Passport expiration date and HAL

[sppunk]

Tonight I bought airfare to Quebec City for our cruise in September. When I gave the airline my passport info I realized it expires in January 2014.

 

Canada does not have any passport requirements relating to expiration (other than it can't expire during your visit), so I assume HAL won't give me any issues. However I'm not positive so thought I'd ask!

 

Will HAL cause problems with a passport expiring more than three months after the end of the cruise (ends in NYC fwiw)?

[Boatdrill]

No.

 

BUT, as I'm sure you are aware, HAL says: "Each country has its own entry requirements, and guests assume personal responsibility for having the necessary documents when boarding. Holland America Line highly recommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel."

 

So it's up to you.

[KAKcruiser]

What would be the disadvantage of renewing your passport before your cruise? You have plenty of time. Why take a chance?

[kazu]

What would be the disadvantage of renewing your passport before your cruise? You have plenty of time. Why take a chance?

 

I agree with this. HAL recommends that your passport be good for 6 months after you cruise. Some countries have the same regulations.

 

I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

From their website -

Each country has its own entry requirements, and guests assume personal responsibility for having the necessary documents when boarding. Holland America Line highly recommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel. Having a passport will enable you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port in the event you miss your scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the U.S. if you need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.

[sail7seas]

I would renew. I am a low risk taker and if I need to come to a public forum to get multitude of opinions, I know I am uncomfortable about the facts. The best way to get peace of mind and know you have proper travel document is to renew. It's only a few months ahead of mandatory renewal time so why take a chance?

 

I think of U.S. passports as being valid for 9 1/2 years and as they approach that date, that is when I get them renewed.

 

IMO.....

[cruz chic]

I'm also in the renew camp and I was in the same position as you last year. Why look for problems?

[Randyk47]

I would renew. I am a low risk taker and if I need to come to a public forum to get multitude of opinions, I know I am uncomfortable about the facts. The best way to get peace of mind and know you have proper travel document is to renew. It's only a few months ahead of mandatory renewal time so why take a chance?

 

I think of U.S. passports as being valid for 9 1/2 years and as they approach that date, that is when I get them renewed.

 

IMO.....

 

Actually US passports are good for 10 years but if you factor in having at least six months before the expiration date to your travel date then I suppose you could say they're good for only 9 1/2 years. We're planning to get new passport pictures taken within the next couple of weeks and submit our renewals soon after. Our passports expire in nine months and that's close enough for us. Should add that children's passports under age 15, age when issued, are only good for 5 years.

[sppunk]

Thanks, everyone. Canada does not require any advanced dates - we own property in Canada bad go there many times a year so know their system inward and outward! Knowing HALs sometimes horrific knowledge of these things scares me though.

 

I can and will definitely renew but not sure how that will impact by United reservation where I was required to input our passport information.

[Taxguy77]

I would renew. I am a low risk taker and if I need to come to a public forum to get multitude of opinions, I know I am uncomfortable about the facts. The best way to get peace of mind and know you have proper travel document is to renew. It's only a few months ahead of mandatory renewal time so why take a chance?

 

I think of U.S. passports as being valid for 9 1/2 years and as they approach that date, that is when I get them renewed.

 

IMO.....

 

The second best way would be to check the Canadian requirements, which OP has done. OP is fine with Canada and the US, only HAL was the question.

 

OP: If you renew, be sure to contact the airline and give them your NEW passport #.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks, everyone. Canada does not require any advanced dates - we own property in Canada bad go there many times a year so know their system inward and outward! Knowing HALs sometimes horrific knowledge of these things scares me though.

 

I can and will definitely renew but not sure how that will impact by United reservation where I was required to input our passport information.

 

I think you can just go into your reservation at United's website and make the change. Just do it as soon as you get the new passports to make sure it will work. I haven't always entered the passport info at time of booking, and I know I've been able to go back in and add it later. So you ought to be able to change it online.

[sppunk]

I think you can just go into your reservation at United's website and make the change. Just do it as soon as you get the new passports to make sure it will work. I haven't always entered the passport info at time of booking, and I know I've been able to go back in and add it later. So you ought to be able to change it online.

 

Thank you! We rarely fly UA so their system is a bit foreign to me.

 

I'd love to not renew to save money (why throw out a perfectly good passport), but well HAL has demonstrated they can't be wholly trusted with federal requirements (hardening back to the poster who was wrongly denied boarding recently).

[sail7seas]

Actually US passports are good for 10 years but if you factor in having at least six months before the expiration date to your travel date then I suppose you could say they're good for only 9 1/2 years. We're planning to get new passport pictures taken within the next couple of weeks and submit our renewals soon after. Our passports expire in nine months and that's close enough for us. Should add that children's passports under age 15, age when issued, are only good for 5 years.

 

 

Yes, Randy. ;)

That is my point. :)

 

[doublebzz]

 

Canada does not have any passport requirements relating to expiration (other than it can't expire during your visit), so I assume HAL won't give me any issues. However I'm not positive so thought I'd ask!

 

 

When we last visited Canada, less than 2 years ago, my wife's passport was within 6 months of expiration. Canadian immigration took her aside and made her fill out paperwork for what essentially was a temporary Visa. While there was never any issue about denying her entry or cost for the Visa, it was annoying and wasted about a half hour.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thank you! We rarely fly UA so their system is a bit foreign to me.

 

I'd love to not renew to save money (why throw out a perfectly good passport), but well HAL has demonstrated they can't be wholly trusted with federal requirements (hardening back to the poster who was wrongly denied boarding recently).

 

Yes, I was thinking about him as I read this thread. If there's a way to keep any form of bureaucracy happy--immigration, TSA, HAL check-in people, I try to be ready for whatever they ask.

[sail7seas]

When we last visited Canada, less than 2 years ago, my wife's passport was within 6 months of expiration. Canadian immigration took her aside and made her fill out paperwork for what essentially was a temporary Visa. While there was never any issue about denying her entry or cost for the Visa, it was annoying and wasted about a half hour.

 

 

Thanks for posting this. :)

 

We can make travel as hassle free as possible by being meticulous to every tiny rule or we can invite inconvience. In the end, likely we'll all get to our goal but why not do it along the path of least resistance? The small cost of losing a few months from the old passport is not a significant sum if you can afford to travel.

 

If you know your passport will be under six months validity, I can't think of any good reason to not renew prior to the next trip except for having to juggle around multiple trips where you will need the passport.

 

Think of the passport as expiring in 9 1/2 years and not 10 years (as Randy and I have just discussed), renew at the 9 1/2 year mark and you'll be fine. You won't need to come here verifying you'll be okay, you won't have to get butterflies in your stomach when you approach Immigration, you can take a tiny piece of stress out of your life.

 

Don't we have enough stress we can't get rid of? Why allow any in your life you can get rid of?

 

JMO....

 

[sppunk]

When we last visited Canada, less than 2 years ago, my wife's passport was within 6 months of expiration. Canadian immigration took her aside and made her fill out paperwork for what essentially was a temporary Visa. While there was never any issue about denying her entry or cost for the Visa, it was annoying and wasted about a half hour.

 

Sorry to hear this, as that's against Canadian governmental regulations and requirements. At least for US citizens, I should say. If your passport was perhaps issued by another nation your market greatly varies.

 

We have Nexus status anyway, but your story saddens me.

[bphman]

This should be a no-brainer. Why run the risk of ruining your vacation and losing your money? This is something doubtfully covered by insurance. There is no reason not to renew.

[bar_20]

Our USA passports expired over a year ago, we booked a cruise from Sydney, and thought we better renew our passports sooner than later. They just came in the mail and I am glad we did. We just booked an Alaskan cruise that we wern't planning on but the price was too good to pass up. Had we waited and we know that as you get into the spring and summer months it takes the government longer to process your application we could have been without a current passport.

[sail7seas]

Our USA passports expired over a year ago, we booked a cruise from Sydney, and thought we better renew our passports sooner than later. They just came in the mail and I am glad we did. We just booked an Alaskan cruise that we wern't planning on but the price was too good to pass up. Had we waited and we know that as you get into the spring and summer months it takes the government longer to process your application we could have been without a current passport.

 

 

Proper Prior Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance.....

 

Good for you. You acted and now you benefit.

Enjoy. :)

 

[dwjoe]

From HAL's web site (emphasis added):

 

For U.S. and Canadian Citizens:

Travel by Land or Sea:

Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. For voyages that are scheduled to end outside the U.S., a passport that is valid for six months beyond the completion date of your travel is required. Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal.

 

Since the cruise ends in NYC, a passport with six months' validity is not required. You can get yours renewed early if you wish, but there is no specific reason to do it.

[RuthC]

If there's a way to keep any form of bureaucracy happy--immigration, TSA, HAL check-in people, I try to be ready for whatever they ask.

Government types call it: "Placate the idiot". ;)

[cruz chic]

<snip> We rarely fly UA so their system is a bit foreign to me.

.

Good luck with them! They made my last trip very painful and I hope to never have to fly with them again.

[cruz chic]

Thanks for posting this. :)

 

We can make travel as hassle free as possible by being meticulous to every tiny rule or we can invite inconvience. In the end, likely we'll all get to our goal but why not do it along the path of least resistance? The small cost of losing a few months from the old passport is not a significant sum if you can afford to travel.

 

If you know your passport will be under six months validity, I can't think of any good reason to not renew prior to the next trip except for having to juggle around multiple trips where you will need the passport.

 

Think of the passport as expiring in 9 1/2 years and not 10 years (as Randy and I have just discussed), renew at the 9 1/2 year mark and you'll be fine. You won't need to come here verifying you'll be okay, you won't have to get butterflies in your stomach when you approach Immigration, you can take a tiny piece of stress out of your life.

 

Don't we have enough stress we can't get rid of? Why allow any in your life you can get rid of?

 

JMO....

 

I SO agree with you. If paying a bit of cash eliminates potential problems I'm totally on board with that. It's really a small amount of money. I don't understand the fuss.

[Mary Ellen1]

From HAL's web site (emphasis added):

 

For U.S. and Canadian Citizens:

Travel by Land or Sea:

Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. For voyages that are scheduled to end outside the U.S., a passport that is valid for six months beyond the completion date of your travel is required. Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal.

 

Since the cruise ends in NYC, a passport with six months' validity is not required. You can get yours renewed early if you wish, but there is no specific reason to do it.

 

Hi dwjoe,

 

Can you tell me where on Holland America's website you found this info? I'm curious because we're in a similar situation. DH's passport expires 5-1/2 months after our cruise ends.

 

We booked our cruise last-minute, thus were hesitant to send DH's passport out for renewal. Checking the info on the US State Dept.'s website shows that Spain, where we'll be disembarking, requires that passports be valid for just 90 days. So I think we're OK.

 

Here's the info that I found on HAL's website (but it's different from what you've quoted):

 

Holland America Line highly

recommends

that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel.

 

The above info comes from the FAQ section here:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation&contentMenu=Essential+Documentation#

 

Does HAL's site have conflicting info?

 

:confused:

[dwjoe]

Hi dwjoe,

 

Can you tell me where on Holland America's website you found this info? I'm curious because we're in a similar situation. DH's passport expires 5-1/2 months after our cruise ends.

 

We booked our cruise last-minute, thus were hesitant to send DH's passport out for renewal. Checking the info on the US State Dept.'s website shows that Spain, where we'll be disembarking, requires that passports be valid for just 90 days. So I think we're OK.

 

Here's the info that I found on HAL's website (but it's different from what you've quoted):

Holland America Line highly

recommends

that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel.

The above info comes from the FAQ section here:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation&contentMenu=Essential+Documentation#

 

Does HAL's site have conflicting info?

 

If you click on the "Do I Need a Passport Link" you will see the complete text. Both the text you quoted and the text I quoted are contained there. They are not contradictory; for OP, a passport with 6 months' validity is recommended by HAL but not required.

 

Your case is different because your cruise disembarks in Spain. Although you are correct that EU countries generally only require 3 months of passport validity, a cruise line is free to impose requirements beyond this as a condition of carriage. So on HAL, for cruises disembarking outside the US, a passport valid for 6 months beyond the completion of travel is required.

 

Hope that helps. :)