Bent Passport Personal Info Page and Cruising in 3 Weeks!

[Cruzinforpeace***]

I just called MSC to check in for my 2/4 Meraviglia cruise out of Brooklyn and as I was giving the agent the passport info I noticed that the right corner of my personal info page (across the A in USA) with my photo has a crease in it. It’s not ripped. On the back of the page it looks like there’s a mark on that crease line.  There’s no damage to my photo or personal information. My passport has what looks like a gold microchip on the front under “United States of America”.
 

Is this considered a damaged passport or do you think it will pass inspection?  The agent told me to bring my birth certificate and driver’s license just in case but that’s not so simple.  My birth certificate has my maiden name and I’m on my second marriage; so 2 name changes.  I would have to bring my birth certificate, original marriage license, divorce decree and my current marriage certificate.  I have all of these but would prefer not to carry them on a cruise.  I’ve attached photos of the “crease” and markings.  Anyone have an experience with this type of thing or any expertise?  I think it might have gotten damaged when I flew overseas to Greece last year from all the scanning and handling in customs and I just didn’t notice it until now.  I cruised in July with it and there were no problems but again I can’t be completely sure when the damage occurred.  Does anyone also know who checks the physical passports at the pier?  I can’t remember if it’s customs or the cruise ship shoreside staff.  Thanks in advance!

 

The first photo is the first page of the passport book which is the back of the personal information page.

[Essiesmom]

@Ferry Watcherto the white courtesy phone…EM

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

At embarkation, only a rep from the cruise line (typically a port employee) will look at your passport. Whether that person will notice it is questionable. They will scan the passport into their computer so if it scans correctly, should be no problem. If it doesn't scan, potential problem. If it was me and I was questioned, I would just shrug and say it happened years ago and it's never been a problem.

 

The only person that might look at it upon your return is U.S. Customs. But U.S. passengers in most ports now go through a face recognition gate and don't even show their passport.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

Update: I contacted the US Government’s Passport Agency and explained my dilemma and they think it should be fine as long as my personal information page has nothing obstructed, which it does not. To be on the safe side it was recommended that I bring my “collection” of other identifying documentation (birth certificate, marriage, divorce decree etc.).  I will stash them waterproofed and backed with stiff cardboard in my carryon just in case.  They also told me I can renew the passport when I come back from the cruise even though it doesn’t expire until 2026.  That way my new passport will have the solid plastic personal info page, not the flimsy paper laminated one that can bend and possibly tear.  I just purchased passport covers from Amazon for the future instead of my usual plastic ziploc storage.  
 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LG3TYJS?psc=1&smid=AH2OZ2T28MCR9&ref_=chk_typ_quicklook_seeDetailsToDp

 

Hopefully this post will be helpful to anyone else finding themselves in this situation.  Thank you for the replies!

[Brighton Line]

It's up to the port contractor that checks your document which is really the picture and the document number you entered matches. As far as US C&BP as long as the document is machine-readable it is fine and they only look at the passport if you fail facial recognition on return. 

 

On our renewal on 1/2023 I got the old passport and Mrs. Brightonline got the new passport, both renewals were mailed in single outside envelope but separate envelopes within so no idea how we got different ones. 

[mcoler181]

Bit of a different thing but when we were boarding Adventure of the Seas in 2019 the lady checking us in wanted to see copies of our ESTA's (we are form the UK) we didn't have them printed or even downloaded as you don't need copies of them when entering the US by air which we tried to explain. We were with two other groups who didn't get asked for theirs and as we were actually leaving the US I wasn't sure why she wanted them. She got quite abrupt and said we could be detained for not showing them, we had to login to the ESTA website and pull them up one at a time which was a bit of a faff. 

 

So I guess the point I'm trying to make is you could get a jobsworth who flags it as an issue, I would guess though as you are an American it would be fine.