Does Princess enforce 6 mos rule on passports?

[fergorama]

Our passports expire mid-March 2025. We are booked on Dec 4 Island Princess TA. Will our passports not being good for 6 mos from embarkation date be a problem?

[reedprincess]

6 minutes ago, fergorama said:

Our passports expire mid-March 2025. We are booked on Dec 4 Island Princess TA. Will our passports not being good for 6 mos from embarkation date be a problem?

Maybe.. depends on itinerary, your passport nationality and so forth.

You have plenty of time to get it renewed before your travels if needed.

[MTNest93]

I wouldn’t risk it and would renew now while I still had time. Less stress! 

[Thrak]

It would be foolish to take a chance and find that you are unable to board. Why take that sort of risk? Start the renewal process now!

[skynight]

I would renew your passports. Why risk it.

Check the passport requirements as well as visa requirements for the countries you will be visiting. You have to first get into Italy, What are their requirements when you land at the airport? Then Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Spain again and Cape Verde Islands. Princess has to enforce all requirements of all countries. If one of those countries has visa and 6 month requirements at the time of entry then Princess will not allow you to board without meeting those requirements. You have to meet all requirements even if you do not go ashore. 

[t&atravel]

36 minutes ago, fergorama said:

Will our passports not being good for 6 mos from embarkation date be a problem?

I believe the rule is 6 months from the END of the cruise. See below clipped from Princess FAQ’s

 

Passport validity

Many countries require passports be valid for six months after the completion of your travel.

[skynight]

Morocco requirement: "Must have at least six months of validity at time of entry"

 

Here it is. You need to meet this requirement when you board.

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

[memoak]

Get them renewed. No question about it

[hpeabody]

I agree, don't take a chance.  I had to renew mine quite early with a long international cruise coming up about 4 years ago.  One way to tell is (at least it was when this happened to me) If the Princess/Medallion App or website accepts your passport information that may be an indication that has likely been accepted.  If you seem to have an issue enterring the passport information that may indicate it would not be accepted.  Just my experience, YMMV

[cynbar]

I would never take a chance on this ---- renew now, you have plenty of time, the long waits that occurred after the pandemic are a thing of the past (I know, I recently renewed mine.) What an awful thought, to be refused boarding at the pier, and think of the impact on anyone traveling with you. Don't waste any more time wondering or asking others their opinions ---- just do it.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Have you gotten enough comments?  All saying exactly the same thing.  If flying to a country that requires 6mos till passport expiration you will be denied boarding on the airline.

[Sprocket]

We are also cruising in December-January my husband’s passport expires in May.  He’ll renew in October and then not have to worry about it for the next 10 years.  

[Ombud]

5 hours ago, Sprocket said:

We are also cruising in December-January my husband’s passport expires in May.  He’ll renew in October and then not have to worry about it for the next 10 years.  

Why are you waiting until October? To extend it just a couple of months??

[negn]

Just renewed mine and was very surprised to receive it in less then 3 weeks,

[skynight]

One more point. You post from B.C. Assume you have Canadian passport. If you have a passport from a different country you have to check those requirements. 

[FLAlaska]

It’s a country you are visiting requirement, not a Princess one. Don’t risk it, renew the  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

17 hours ago, Thrak said:

It would be foolish to take a chance and find that you are unable to board. Why take that sort of risk? Start the renewal process now!

why now? it takes 8-12 weeks now - for the US passport, and apparently less than that for a Canadian one. May to December is a looooong time.

Edited April 28 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Sprocket]

10 hours ago, Ombud said:

Why are you waiting until October? To extend it just a couple of months??

His passport expires May of 2025 didn’t clarify that sorry.

 

We are also cruising in June and late August, early October works best for us.

Edited April 28 by Sprocket

[STLVacayAllDay]

I will never understand people who try to travel without a valid passport. It is never worth the risk. There was a couple on our Alaska cruise who were stranded in Canada for 2 weeks because they missed the ship due to a medical issue and didn't have valid passports. 

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

why now? it takes 8-12 weeks now - for the US passport, and apparently less than that for a Canadian one. May to December is a looooong time.

Not so long these day for US. Applied for mine in November got it back in 9 days with expedited.

 

Normal seems to be under 4 weeks at this point.

Edited April 28 by TRLD

[BamaVol]

4 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

why now? it takes 8-12 weeks now - for the US passport, and apparently less than that for a Canadian one. May to December is a looooong time.

It took my daughter’s family 3 weeks in December 2023.

[Mississippian]

22 hours ago, fergorama said:

Our passports expire mid-March 2025. We are booked on Dec 4 Island Princess TA. Will our passports not being good for 6 mos from embarkation date be a problem?

I think it will almost certainly be a problem. This isn't a matter or Princess enforcing the rule. It is the foreign governments enforcing the rule. You have plenty of time and should renew now. If you have other trips planned, you can renew in person at various offices. It was a roughly four-hour drive each way for me. Fortunately, there was a casino in town where I could waste a few hours and dollars and eat lunch while waiting for my passport to be processed.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, BamaVol said:

It took my daughter’s family 3 weeks in December 2023.

it took 4 weeks for our kid's passport in December 2023, but it took 8 weeks in August 2023 for the adult passports. Both unexpedited.

Sometimes it takes a bit longer before and during the summer due to more people needing a passport for international travel.

But I certainly wouldn't renew a passport in May 2024 if the cruise is in December, I'd renew around September-October time frame. 

[IndyKid]

Just renew it....

[EDVM96]

On 4/28/2024 at 3:33 AM, fergorama said:

Will our passports not being good for 6 mos from embarkation date be a problem?

They will not let you go on the ship.

 

Princess even enforces the 6 months rule when sailing sorely in countries that don't have this rule. It's a passenger contract thing.