Do YOU have your passport yet?

[Merion_Mom]

I've had a passport since 1972..............and I'm only 25!

 

'Tis a puzzlement! (as Yul Brynner said)

 

:D

[SHIVERMETIMBERS]

As DW and I take one cruise each year we decided in 2005 that we obtain our passports before they became mandatory to leave the USA and return. We figured that the wait for these documents would be greatly extended when they became mandatory and DW sometimes likes to put things off until the last minute. I told her consider it shopping for the cruise. This always motivates her.

 

Chuck

[isujim]

Hi Mom:D

 

Doesn't really surprise me that 86% of CC respondents already have their passport

[Beffy1167]

DH got his for a trip to the Holy Land in '97. I got mine for our first cruise together. We got one for our son this year, in order to be ready for HIS first cruise.

 

We would never leave the country (especially with a child!) without one--whether or not they're required. I can't bear the thought of some emergency occurring, stranding us in another country without passports. It would certainly make a return home much more challenging, I think!

We've also managed to work it out (quite accidentally) so that we'll renew them in different years, which makes it feel a bit less painful on the pocketbook!

[mohavemommy]

Hi Mom:D

 

Doesn't really surprise me that 86% of CC respondents already have their passport

 

Hi Jim! :D

 

Since CC members are now at 8% for those who say they will get them before the end of the year... I wonder what the general public percentage is. That would be one big rush of applications! :eek:

[Laetitia]

I got mine in 1998 for a spring break trip to Greece. Since then, I've been on two cruises. Plus, it's a lot easier when you get a new job to just break out the passport and not have to go searching for your birth certificate and social security card.

[NYDee]

Had mine for over 30 years.

[QueensChick]

I got my first passport when I was I child and have kept a current one ever since.

 

I am glad about the new passport requirement and I think it's about time. In my opinion, this requirement should've gone into effect in January 2002, not 2007. Congress has dragged its collective feet long enough. (OK, that was my rant for the day. I can't help it, I'm a passport pusher.) :)

[Treven]

I got my first one in 1964 - I was 19 (I was in the military so I really didn't "need" one); I'm in my early 60s now.

 

I never go on vacation without it (I don't take my DL as I'm not going to be driving anything), and I NEVER leave the ship without it in my pocket or camera bag.

[trixie54]

Anyone know about how long it now takes between applying for & receiving a passport? My daughter has some friends who may travel with us in late Jan., but they won't know for sure until Xmas, & of course don't have passports. I suggested just go ahead & get them, but you know teens...an application "in process" for a passport won't be good enough, right? (Caribbean cruise then land vac. on Jamaica.)

[mouseyy]

We've had ours for years. Hubby had to renew his this year so I had had him do it early so there would be no question about us having it for our upcoming 09/17/06 cruise:D

[whoop913]

I just received mine last week for our January 2007 cruise. I still need to get DH to the post office to get his though. I would hate to do it last minute, especially if I had to pay extra to rush! :eek:

[DiamondBound]

I had mine since several years ago. I got my two kids and wifes this past summer because I thought the Cruise line would require it, but they don't this year. Overall it took about a month and a half to from the time we submitted the application to receiving them. Get your passport photos done at Costco. It's a lot cheaper. Found out the hard way as usual.

[Beffy1167]

Anyone know about how long it now takes between applying for & receiving a passport?

 

We applied for our son's passport on the first of July and it arrived last week. It took almost exactly 6 weeks from putting it into the mail until it's arrival. My mother's took about 8 weeks from mail to arrival.

 

Might make a difference where you apply.....we live in PA (processed through the Philadelphia office) and my mom lived in FL (processed through the Miami office).

 

We had pictures taken at our local AAA office; pictures were FREE because we'd also booked the cruise through them. They also take the pictures for others for a fairly small fee (around $5).

[DJan07]

Derek, since you're already 17, you can apply now. Your passport won't expire for 10 years! So no need to wait until May!

 

Wow... that whole thing about being age 16 totally went right over my head. :p Like I said, I wrote a really difficult paper for my AP summer English homework and afterwards I was wayyyy out of it. Thanks for cleaning that up!

 

Derek

[em_in_murphy]

Anyone know about how long it now takes between applying for & receiving a passport? My daughter has some friends who may travel with us in late Jan., but they won't know for sure until Xmas, & of course don't have passports. I suggested just go ahead & get them, but you know teens...an application "in process" for a passport won't be good enough, right? (Caribbean cruise then land vac. on Jamaica.)

 

They say 6-8 weeks but I just applied for my two daughters four weeks ago and just received both passports in the mail this past Friday. Also, you can always pay a premium to get it expedited and get it in two weeks or even 2 days. If you're willing to pay, you can get it.

[Sea and Me]

We had ours since '04:) We found that having passports is so much easier than having to show paper documents. Of course think how much younger we will all look when they expire :) We went to the post office to apply for ours and had them in 4 weeks.

[trixie54]

I really appreciate all your answers, & we're setting aside a "last minute" fund for expedited passports - didn't know there was such a thing - whew!

[homeseller57]

I believe they will be required after 12/31/06. I'd apply early there may be a big push of applicants later on.

[magicolor_girl]

I got mine in 2001 for a trip to Ireland. I had to have it and have used it for every cruise. I've never dealt with anything else on a cruise.

[luv2cruz64]

Hubby & I got ours in 2004 before our first cruise. My son went on a land vacation with friends last year to Aruba and got his them. Got one for my daughter this year. I do know of someone whose was denied because he was apparently behind in child support. His wife told me this so anybody who is going to respond "they can't do that", I think that they can.

[luv2cruz64]

When we applied for our dd's, in early June we were initially planning to sail a last minute on the Grandeur on 7/21- it didnt work out:( . But we listed our date of expected travel on the form and chose not to expedite it(at the advice of the postal clerk who processed it). Exactly one week before we would have departed her passport arrived-they had sent it next day air at no additional cost to us. Of course i'm not reccomending that anyone else cut it this close but I was thankful to see that whoever processed it at the state dept. cared enough to get it to us in time. I would imagine that as 2007 draws close that there will be longer processing times.

[huntedbear]

Anyone know about how long it now takes between applying for & receiving a passport? My daughter has some friends who may travel with us in late Jan., but they won't know for sure until Xmas, & of course don't have passports. I suggested just go ahead & get them, but you know teens...an application "in process" for a passport won't be good enough, right? (Caribbean cruise then land vac. on Jamaica.)

 

 

I find it odd that so many people look for information here and skip over the best place to get soild information on such an important topic.

 

I agree that CC is a great place to get cruise specfic answers, but the best place to get passport answers is the Secretary of State website www.travel.state.gov every question asked can be answered on that site.

 

And no, "an application "in process" for a passport" is not good enough...get them to get it now because even if they don't go with you on this trip, I'm sure they will want to leave the country eventually and as of 01/01/2008 you will need a passport to even walk accross the border.

[mohavemommy]

A group of people from my work are having a "Passport Day" where they will all go together to get their passports! Hey, at least they are getting them! :D

[mohavemommy]

double post! ;)