Question about passport

[Susan in Maine]

I have a passport that expires in February 2020.

 

My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando.

 

Should I renew my passport before we go?

 

Thanks!

[Green4me]

Kind of depends when you travel?   It should be valid until well after you are scheduled to be home incase you have a travel delay issue.

 

Best

Edited July 29, 2019 by Green4me

[pirateg11]

The general rule of thumb is 6 months from expiration, you should renew your passport.  Carnival's website even has the following note:  Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel (unless otherwise noted).

[Susan in Maine]

I'm well aware of the 6 month rule, and I wouldn't be asking if it was somewhere other than the Bahamas. 

 

Money is tight and the $160 is quite a bit out of my budget right now. <sigh>

8 minutes ago, pirateg11 said:

The general rule of thumb is 6 months from expiration, you should renew your passport.  Carnival's website even has the following note:  Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel (unless otherwise noted).

 

[sparks1093]

The 6 month rule is only valid for some countries and the Bahamas is not one of them. As long as your passport is valid on the day you arrive back in the US it is fine. What Carnival does is recommend, they don't require.

Edited July 29, 2019 by sparks1093

[amyotravel]

1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said:

I have a passport that expires in February 2020.

 

My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando.

 

Should I renew my passport before we go?

 

Thanks!

You have a passport that expires Feb 2020, but did I miss the point about when your cruise actually is? Otherwise no way to know.

[oncruisecontrol]

1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said:

I have a passport that expires in February 2020.

 

My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando.

 

Should I renew my passport before we go?

 

Thanks!

It would help to know what your sailing date is in order to better answer the question.

[Susan in Maine]

8 minutes ago, amyotravel said:

You have a passport that expires Feb 2020, but did I miss the point about when your cruise actually is? Otherwise no way to know.

I did forget that detail, didn't I?

 

We are sailing September 23, 2019

[amyotravel]

Should be totally fine.

 

Passport and Visa Requirements for the Bahamas

If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a tourist visa to visit the Bahamas. You do need a passport, but it need only be valid at the time of your entry – a clear contrast to the nearby nation of Haiti, which requires that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the time of your stay. Of course, if you'd like to get back to the United States, your passport should be valid when you leave the Bahamas, too. You must prove your identity and citizenship when you reenter the United States from any foreign country, so in general, it's best to renew your passport if it'll come close to expiring during your trip.

[GradUT]

The info that Amyotravel provides was very good, but if you want to see the official US Department of State page on entry requirements for the Bahamas, see the link below.  (Note:  Your US passport need only be valid when you enter the Bahamas.  There is no 6-months validity requirement).

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Bahamas.html

Edited July 29, 2019 by GradUT

[indygirl76]

1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said:

I'm well aware of the 6 month rule, and I wouldn't be asking if it was somewhere other than the Bahamas. 

 

Money is tight and the $160 is quite a bit out of my budget right now. <sigh>

 

I'm not judging your budget and this may be too much also, but I just double checked, and renewal is only $110.

[Susan in Maine]

47 minutes ago, indygirl76 said:

I'm not judging your budget and this may be too much also, but I just double checked, and renewal is only $110.

 

It is $110 for the passport. If you add a passport card, picture, etc. it comes closer to $150 - $160.

 

[nascarcruiser]

8 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said:

 

It is $110 for the passport. If you add a passport card, picture, etc. it comes closer to $150 - $160.

 

Passport card you don't need.   Photo $15 @Walgreens.

[Organized Chaos]

44 minutes ago, Susan in Maine said:

It is $110 for the passport. If you add a passport card, picture, etc. it comes closer to $150 - $160.

 

I wouldn't bother with the passport card if you were trying to save money. Those are only good for land crossings and sea ports when arriving from Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, & Bermuda. And they can't be used for international air travel. If you have a passport book, you don't need the passport card for a cruise. But it's all pretty much a moot point anyway since you're good with your current passport.

Edited July 29, 2019 by Organized Chaos

[grandmarnnurse]

3 hours ago, pirateg11 said:

The general rule of thumb is 6 months from expiration, you should renew your passport.  Carnival's website even has the following note:  Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel (unless otherwise noted).

I was going to advise the same! 👍

[sparks1093]

2 hours ago, amyotravel said:

Should be totally fine.

 

Passport and Visa Requirements for the Bahamas

If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a tourist visa to visit the Bahamas. You do need a passport, but it need only be valid at the time of your entry – a clear contrast to the nearby nation of Haiti, which requires that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the time of your stay. Of course, if you'd like to get back to the United States, your passport should be valid when you leave the Bahamas, too. You must prove your identity and citizenship when you reenter the United States from any foreign country, so in general, it's best to renew your passport if it'll come close to expiring during your trip.

That is regarding people arriving by air. US citizens on a closed loop cruise such as the OP is on don't even need passports to board, they can use a government issued ID and government issued birth certificate.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, nascarcruiser said:

Passport card you don't need.   Photo $15 @Walgreens.

 

52 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

I wouldn't bother with the passport card if you were trying to save money. Those are only good for land crossings and sea ports when arriving from Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, & Bermuda. And they can't be used for international air travel. If you have a passport book, you don't need the passport card for a cruise. But it's all pretty much a moot point anyway since you're good with your current passport.

Since OP lives in Maine she may find it more convenient to use a passport card if she goes into Canada.

[Illbcruzn4life]

5 hours ago, Susan in Maine said:

I have a passport that expires in February 2020.

 

My daughter and I are going on a 4 day Bahamas cruise from Port Orlando.

 

Should I renew my passport before we go?

 

Thanks!

 

No 6 month rule does not apply to a cruise to the bahamas . You are considered in transit

[gatour]

OP, with your clarification of the time of your cruise in conjunction with when your passport expires.  You are fine without renewing your passport.

 

The Bahamas, countries in the Caribbean, Mexican Coast (Cozumel) just want you to have an active passport no matter how close the expiration date is.

 

The 6th month thing on Carnival website  is a CYA in case you are doing a European cruise or other such itineraries.

[Organized Chaos]

4 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Since OP lives in Maine she may find it more convenient to use a passport card if she goes into Canada.

 

That's why I specified that she wouldn't need one for her cruise (since she already has the book).

[CruizinKittie40]

We didn't use passports for the Bahamas  in 2017.  No problem. 

[FSHLOT]

We are always safe then sorry. Do you have to get it re-newed? Probaly not, but if its that close why not just re-new it?  I know the 150$ is a bit much for your budget, but maybe you should have included passport fees into the equation before you booked. 

[sparks1093]

9 minutes ago, FSHLOT said:

We are always safe then sorry. Do you have to get it re-newed? Probaly not, but if its that close why not just re-new it?  I know the 150$ is a bit much for your budget, but maybe you should have included passport fees into the equation before you booked. 

I can think of no scenario where the OP would need a passport with more than 6 months on it for the itinerary she's doing since she has more than ample time for any possible contingency that even the most creative mind can come up with. Personally I would let my travel plans dictate when I renew my passport so if I had no immediate plans for international air travel following this trip I would wait to renew until those plans were being made. 

[sparks1093]

6 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

That's why I specified that she wouldn't need one for her cruise (since she already has the book).

Yes, but obviously the OP is looking to her future travel needs and is planning to renew her passport with those needs in mind, not just this one trip.

[FTLCruiseGal]

As someone else stared, all the OP really needs is a certified copy of her birth certificate and a government issued photo ID for a closed loop cruise (such as this).