Passport 6 month rule

[EleventyBangBang]

Did my online check in today, entered my passport, and RCI's website "strongly encouraged" me to ensure that my passport is valid for six months after my trip, which it is not.  Cruise is leaving from Galveston and going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.  Do I need to get it renewed now? 

 

Googling seems to indicate that Jamaica maybe USED to have a six month rule but maybe doesn't anymore? 

 

Seems odd considering IIRC that a passport isn't even technically required at all for a "closed loop" cruise from the US, but...  Anyone have any recent personal experience with this? 

 

(I'm going to be moving after the trip, so I'd rather just renew at that time and put that address on it.)

 

Side question, I assume all those ports I've listed are "bring a photocopy, leave the original in the cabin safe" ports? 

[Clarea]

No need to renew now for the ports you are visiting.

 

Also, there is no address on a US passport.

[sparks1093]

I agree there is no need to renew for this cruise (and OP you are right, a birth certificate could be used). We leave our passport in the safe and have a photo of them on DW's phone.

[SRF]

Since you do not even NEED a passport on this trip, it does not have to be valid as of the day AFTER you arrive back in the US.

 

The only place in the Caribbean/Gulf that I know of that requires 6 months for cruise travel is Cuba.

 

Of course, if your passport expires the day after your expected return, and you home late, expect a couple extra minutes in clearing immigration. 😄

 

 

[AlexisV]

The recommendation probably has more to do with being able to fly back in to the country should you miss the ship for any reason and your stay in the country extends past the expiration date.  The only destination on a closed loop sailing that they will not allow you to board if it is not valid 6 months past the return date is Cuba, as that destination does require a passport.

[Kruzer Zuker]

How about Canada?  6 months required? 

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, Kruzer Zuker said:

How about Canada?  6 months required? 

 

Depends on the type of entry.  Typically, cruise ships day stops mean the person is "in transit" and different rules apply than if the person is flying into a country.

[d9704011]

If you are an American citizen you don’t even need a passport as long as you aren’t planning on using an airport.  If you choose to use a passport as proof of US citizenship, a valid passport on the date of entry is satisfactory.

Edited March 21, 2019 by d9704011

[gatour]

6 hours ago, EleventyBangBang said:

Did my online check in today, entered my passport, and RCI's website "strongly encouraged" me to ensure that my passport is valid for six months after my trip, which it is not.  Cruise is leaving from Galveston and going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.  Do I need to get it renewed now? 

 

Googling seems to indicate that Jamaica maybe USED to have a six month rule but maybe doesn't anymore? 

 

Seems odd considering IIRC that a passport isn't even technically required at all for a "closed loop" cruise from the US, but...  Anyone have any recent personal experience with this? 

 

(I'm going to be moving after the trip, so I'd rather just renew at that time and put that address on it.)

 

Side question, I assume all those ports I've listed are "bring a photocopy, leave the original in the cabin safe" ports? 

A while ago Barbados threatened to implement the 6 month policy and either backed off  before implementing or it just has a short implementation.

 

You have remember their are at least two different policies in play.   The United States has its policy and could care less the policy anyother country may have as that is the passenger's policy to know.  So each country in the Caribbean can create their own policy for cruise passengers or othewise, and at this point of time none other Cuba has a policy that requires your passport to be valid for at least six months.

[robtulipe]

2 hours ago, Kruzer Zuker said:

How about Canada?  6 months required? 

No.

Americans only need a valid passport for the time in Canada.

Same for Canadian going into the USA. 

[sparks1093]

2 hours ago, Kruzer Zuker said:

How about Canada?  6 months required? 

I can go to Canada without a passport so I don't think so (I use an Enhanced Drivers License for the border unless we are flying out of a Canadian airport).

[Iamcruzin]

7 hours ago, EleventyBangBang said:

Did my online check in today, entered my passport, and RCI's website "strongly encouraged" me to ensure that my passport is valid for six months after my trip, which it is not.  Cruise is leaving from Galveston and going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.  Do I need to get it renewed now? 

 

Googling seems to indicate that Jamaica maybe USED to have a six month rule but maybe doesn't anymore? 

 

Seems odd considering IIRC that a passport isn't even technically required at all for a "closed loop" cruise from the US, but...  Anyone have any recent personal experience with this? 

 

(I'm going to be moving after the trip, so I'd rather just renew at that time and put that address on it.)

 

Side question, I assume all those ports I've listed are "bring a photocopy, leave the original in the cabin safe" ports? 

I really think that the cruise lines encourage the 6 month renewal based on Airline rules. DW had an incident when booking a Lufthansa flight for the Physician she works for. He arrived at the airport and he was refused boarding because his past port only had 5 months left. Neither one of them knew about the rule and my wife asked me if I had heard about it. Of course I was in the loop and  knew because of CC. She shouldn’t have been able to book the flights or check in with the passport information that she provided. This was set up with a reservation agent. If she booked it online it would probably have red flagged the passport experation date. Just take a birth certificate and your passport or State ID as the photo proof of identity.

Edited March 22, 2019 by Iamcruzin

[sparks1093]

9 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

I really think that the cruise lines encourage the 6 month renewal based on Airline rules. DW had an incident when booking a Lufthansa flight for the Physician she works for. He arrived at the airport and he was refused boarding because his past port only had 5 months left. Neither one of them knew about the rule and my wife asked me if I had heard about it. Of course I was in the loop and  knew because of CC. She shouldn’t have been able to book the flights or check in with the passport information that she provided. This was set up with a reservation agent. If she booked it online it would probably have red flagged the passport experation date. Just take a birth certificate and your passport or State ID as the photo proof of identity.

It's not an airline rule per se. Some countries require this and the requirement is actually to have 6 months validity remaining on your passport at the end of your planned visit, so if you were visiting a country that has the requirement for 3 month stay your passport would actually need 9 month validity remaining on the day you leave home. 

[papaflamingo]

15 hours ago, AlexisV said:

The recommendation probably has more to do with being able to fly back in to the country should you miss the ship for any reason and your stay in the country extends past the expiration date.  The only destination on a closed loop sailing that they will not allow you to board if it is not valid 6 months past the return date is Cuba, as that destination does require a passport.

It's more to do with country requirements and not missing the ship.  The six month requirement is for NON U.S. sailings and Cuba.  Here is Royal Caribbean's requirements.  

 

"For US Sailings -

• US Citizens need their official Birth Certificate and a supporting Government Issued Photo ID, Hospital Birth Certificates are not accepted (baby feet Birth Certificates). We highly recommend guest sail with their valid US Passport book with 6 months validity past their cruise

 

For International Sailings- US Citizens require a passport book with a minimum of 6 months validity post the return of your sailing and the corresponding visa required for entry and exit from the country.

 

For Cuba Sailings - All cruises to Cuba require a passport book (NO passport cards or other forms of I.D. will be accepted) valid for at least 6 months after the sailing date, for all guests including minors, acquiring the appropriate visa, and the completion of the Travel Certification document identifying which of the 12 general licenses you are traveling under. Each guest must bring two printed, completed copies of the Travel Certification document to the pier on embarkation day."

Edited March 22, 2019 by papaflamingo

[Iamcruzin]

25 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

It's not an airline rule per se. Some countries require this and the requirement is actually to have 6 months validity remaining on your passport at the end of your planned visit, so if you were visiting a country that has the requirement for 3 month stay your passport would actually need 9 month validity remaining on the day you leave home. 

 

Since the cruise line travels to many different countries it is just easier for them the issue a blanket statement.

[TwinMamainMN]

13 hours ago, Kruzer Zuker said:

How about Canada?  6 months required? 

 

Nope! I had the exact same question. We are sailing HI to Vancouver. My passport expires 5 months later. I did some digging on the State Department website and found a list of countries that do NOT require the extra 6 months, and one of the countries on the list is Canada. Sorry I don't have an exact link for you, but you should be able to search to confirm it. I think I started my google search by entering "US passport expiration rules" or something like that, and then I ONLY read and believed information from the state department website (not blogs or random internet articles).

 

[Joseph2017China]

This isn't a rule, but based on Laws.  The cruise line, recommends 6 months, because they need to make sure they have correctly told you the correct info.  The laws of the countries you visit, plus the Law of returning to the USA, dictates what you need always and the longest is 6 months, and the shortest is expiration date.  The laws change all the time.    So when you cruise, you must ask yourself and be held responsible for knowing. Example, on a closed loop cruise from Florida that does not stop in Cuba, and as of today, you do not need to worry about the 6 month rule.  They allow cruise passengers to enter, without showing or even having a passport.  However, you need to get back into the USA, where you are required to have proper ID which includes, but not limited to the passport or passport card or a Birth Certificate.  In this case for a USA citizen, the passport must be valid, with an expiration date of the day you arrive or longer.  (note this is not 6 months). 

 

So if you really want the answer, review the laws of each country you are visiting. 

[SRF]

11 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

I really think that the cruise lines encourage the 6 month renewal based on Airline rules. DW had an incident when booking a Lufthansa flight for the Physician she works for. He arrived at the airport and he was refused boarding because his past port only had 5 months left. Neither one of them knew about the rule and my wife asked me if I had heard about it. Of course I was in the loop and  knew because of CC. She shouldn’t have been able to book the flights or check in with the passport information that she provided. This was set up with a reservation agent. If she booked it online it would probably have red flagged the passport experation date. Just take a birth certificate and your passport or State ID as the photo proof of identity.

It is not an airline rule.

 

It is a rule of the country of destination.

 

Typically, I find that the 6 month requirement is more for countries where is a visa is not required.  So you typically can stay up to 90 days without a visa, and they want to make sure that if you overstay a bit, you can still get out of their country and go home.

 

And yes, the airlines have up to date information on passport validity and visa requirements.  Not only for tourist passport holders.  Although, sometimes they may try to make things harder.  I had a trip where my passport was going to hit the 6 month time limit while I was in country Z.  The airline took exception.  Until I pointed out that country Z had granted me a visa that was valid past that 6 month limit.  Airline let me fly, absolutely no issue with country Z when I entered or left.

 

One thing that does bite people, is they are going from US to X country.  They meed the requirements of X country, but they are transiting in Y country, where they have to change airports, or take a domestic flight, instead of just changing planes in the same airport.  So they have to legally enter country Y for that transfer, and do not meet the entry needs for country Y.

 

US is one that could bite people.  As even to change planes in the US, you must legally enter the US.  So if someone was going to fly from Europe to Costa Rica via a US airport, they would need to meed the US entry requirements.

[waterbug123]

18 hours ago, AlexisV said:

The recommendation probably has more to do with being able to fly back in to the country should you miss the ship for any reason and your stay in the country extends past the expiration date.  The only destination on a closed loop sailing that they will not allow you to board if it is not valid 6 months past the return date is Cuba, as that destination does require a passport.

 

Nope, a US citizen can fly back home from wherever, and to re-enter the US their passport only needs to be good through the day they re-enter the US, not for 6 months after. 

[leep75]

So let me get this straight....For a cruise to the caribbean with stops in let's say Costa Maya and Cozumel a person does NOT need a passport?  Is this correct?

 

 

[Clarea]

8 minutes ago, leep75 said:

So let me get this straight....For a cruise to the caribbean with stops in let's say Costa Maya and Cozumel a person does NOT need a passport?  Is this correct?

 

 

 

If that cruise starts and ends in the same US city, then a natural born US citizen can use a certified copy of their birth certificate and a government issued photo ID.

[leep75]

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

If that cruise starts and ends in the same US city, then a natural born US citizen can use a certified copy of their birth certificate and a government issued photo ID.

 

Thank you for the quick response.  One of my daughter's friends didn't have a passport so she didn't want to go with us on this cruise, now I see maybe she didn't need one.  We've already paid and have a room with 4 person occupancy, do you think it's too late to add a person with 9 days until we sail?

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, leep75 said:

 

Thank you for the quick response.  One of my daughter's friends didn't have a passport so she didn't want to go with us on this cruise, now I see maybe she didn't need one.  We've already paid and have a room with 4 person occupancy, do you think it's too late to add a person with 9 days until we sail?

 

Can't say, call ASAP.  All depends on muster station capacity.

[sparks1093]

2 minutes ago, leep75 said:

 

Thank you for the quick response.  One of my daughter's friends didn't have a passport so she didn't want to go with us on this cruise, now I see maybe she didn't need one.  We've already paid and have a room with 4 person occupancy, do you think it's too late to add a person with 9 days until we sail?

The worst they can do if you call is say no, so I'd say give it a shot.

[RDC1]

Probably not an issue. 

 

However keep in mind that if for some reason they do not let you board with less than 6 months (last minute change in policy by some country or another), you would have no recourse and will lose the money spent. 

 

Yes leave passport in safe. Carry a copy or just your drivers license.

Edited March 22, 2019 by RDC1