6-month passport rule for US citizens sailing to Mexico?

[pebem]

I'm a US Citizen and my passport will be expiring in 3 months when I board my 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise. Based on previous threads on here, it should be perfectly fine, but Celebrity's documentation page is not clear about this situation, so I wanted to get it in writing. I emailed Celebrity and this is what they said:

 

Guests that are US citizens entering the Mexico port passport should be valid for at least 6 months after the cruise. Also, it is sufficient for boarding but that's the requirement.

 

Is the customer service rep wrong or should I be prepared to use my birch certificate + DL to board?

 

Thanks!

[Charles4515]

You don't need six months for a Mexican Rivera cruise. All you need is an unexpired passport. 

[Ken the cruiser]

19 minutes ago, pebem said:

I'm a US Citizen and my passport will be expiring in 3 months when I board my 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise. Based on previous threads on here, it should be perfectly fine, but Celebrity's documentation page is not clear about this situation, so I wanted to get it in writing. I emailed Celebrity and this is what they said:

 

Guests that are US citizens entering the Mexico port passport should be valid for at least 6 months after the cruise. Also, it is sufficient for boarding but that's the requirement.

 

Is the customer service rep wrong or should I be prepared to use my birch certificate + DL to board?

 

Thanks!

Here's some information posted on the Celebrity website regarding unexpected air travel if you miss the ship for a variety of reasons:

 

International Air Travel

All travelers, including children, require a valid passport.

Celebrity Cruises® requires that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least six (6) months beyond the end of their cruise. This greatly assists guests who may need to fly out of the United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled embarkation in a U.S. port; guests entering the U.S. at the end of their cruise; and guests needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends, because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons.

 

But, if you don't encounter any of the above issues and are cruising RT out of the same port, it appears the below applies.

 

Sea Travel (for U.S. and Canadian citizens only)

For voyages that begin and end in the same U.S. Port, U.S. citizens may travel with both a Government-issued birth certificate** and Government-issued picture ID card, such as a driver's license.

**A 'birth certificate' is issued by a government agency (state, county, city, etc.). This document (with seal and signature) is legal proof of citizenship that can be used by U.S. citizens for certain international travel. A 'birth notice' is issued by a hospital or other type of medical facility but it is not an approved travel document. It is a courtesy document that merely indicates where a birth occurred. It has no legal status and cannot be used to prove citizenship for international travel purposes.

 

FAQs: Travel Documents to Gather & Bring | Celebrity Cruises

 

[RTShaker]

International Air Travel

All travelers, including children, require a valid passport.

Celebrity Cruises® requires that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least six (6) months beyond the end of their cruise.

 

As can be seen, even though a six month validity after cruise completion is not required for many countries, it is a requirement set out by Celebrity.

[Tierun]

Just carry both to cover your bases. 

[Charles4515]

34 minutes ago, RTShaker said:

International Air Travel

All travelers, including children, require a valid passport.

Celebrity Cruises® requires that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least six (6) months beyond the end of their cruise.

 

As can be seen, even though a six month validity after cruise completion is not required for many countries, it is a requirement set out by Celebrity.

No it is not required by Celebrity for  domestic cruises. Can't you see the subheading. It is only required for International Air travel. 

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/travel-documents

 

Domestic Sailings

Domestic sailings are all sailings originating and ending in ports located in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including Panama Canal sailings. Required travel documents for Domestic Sailings > Passport Requirements A valid passport is a requirement for air travel to/from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Valid passport (unless otherwise noted below) or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document will be accepted for entry or re-entry into the United States. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires all travelers to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a valid passport or other approved document that establishes the bearer's identity and citizenship in order to enter or reenter the United States.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Charles4515

[Mark_K]

2 hours ago, pebem said:

Guests that are US citizens entering the Mexico port passport should be valid for at least 6 months after the cruise. Also, it is sufficient for boarding but that's the requirement.

 

Is the customer service rep wrong or should I be prepared to use my birch certificate + DL to board?

 

Thanks!

Legally speaking, should is a recommendation, must is a requirement.

 

if you have time I’d renew the passport, just for ease of mind.  I can tell you that last April they let me sail on a Port Everglades to San Diego canal cruise using a passport expiring within six months.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Mark_K

[pebem]

48 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

No it is not required by Celebrity for  domestic cruises. Can't you see the subheading. It is only required for International Air travel. 

 

This was my initial interpretation as well, but they describe International Air Travel as a consequence of unexpected events like medical emergencies.

 

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

International Air Travel

All travelers, including children, require a valid passport.

Celebrity Cruises® requires that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least six (6) months beyond the end of their cruise. This greatly assists guests who may need to fly out of the United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled embarkation in a U.S. port; guests entering the U.S. at the end of their cruise; and guests needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends, because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons.

 

fly out of the United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled embarkation in a U.S. port

 

One can choose to avoid this.

 

guests entering the U.S. at the end of their cruise

 

This happens for everyone.

 

guests needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends

 

This could happen for anyone because of medical emergencies.

 

Hence it reads like the requirement "that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least six (6) months beyond the end of their cruise" applies to everyone.

 

Anyway, this is why I was unsure and emailed Celebrity. I might also call them and ask to speak to a supervisor.

 

My cruise is a few days, so no time to renew my passport. Time to dig up my birth certificate... if I can find it...

[Charles4515]

55 minutes ago, pebem said:

 

This was my initial interpretation as well, but they describe International Air Travel as a consequence of unexpected events like medical emergencies.

 

 

 

All you need to fly back to the US in an emergency is a valid passport. The US does not require 6 months. A birth certificate won't help you with unexpected emergencies. You can't fly back with a birth certificate. You would have to get an emergency passport. 

 

When is the cruise? Passport renewal time is backed up and running 7 to 9 weeks. There could be time to renew if your cruise is not close to that window. If I were cruising and the cruise was over 3 months away I would send it in for renewal now. I would still have the birth certificate as backup.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Charles4515

[CrazyTrain2]

I always bring a note from my Mom.

 

That being said, there are rules for cruising and rules for air travel.  So if anything goes wrong on your cruise, you can end up in a "situation" making it difficult to jump on a plane to return to the home port or back home.

 

Cruising on a short expiration passport is like eating gas station sushi - I mean you MIGHT be OK.  Even the birth certs have rules about raised seals and official copies versus notional copies. 

[Charles4515]

57 minutes ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

I always bring a note from my Mom.

 

That being said, there are rules for cruising and rules for air travel.  So if anything goes wrong on your cruise, you can end up in a "situation" making it difficult to jump on a plane to return to the home port or back home.

 

Cruising on a short expiration passport is like eating gas station sushi - I mean you MIGHT be OK.  Even the birth certs have rules about raised seals and official copies versus notional copies. 

The odds of ending up in a situation are low. In any case your analogy to gas station sushi does not apply as all that is needed to fly back from Mexico if it happened is a valid unexpired passport. They will be ok. There is no six month rulefor a US citizen to fly back to the USA. OP is actually in great shape as they will be cruising with a passport. 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Charles4515