Current Passport Turn Around Time

[mzloolue]

A member of our party needs to get a passport.

 

Last month I got mine back in 10 days not expedited, but does anyone have more recent experience.

 

I hate for him to pay the extra $60 to expedite it if he doesn't have to.

[firefly333]

Lots get theirs back in 7 to 10 days, why would you have it expedited?

 

Now that you dont even need a passport to cruise, the wait time is way down.

[Squidly]

Most recent posts have stated 7 to 10 day turn around. Save the money for DOD.:D

[lgbteacher]

A member of our party needs to get a passport.

 

Last month I got mine back in 10 days not expedited, but does anyone have more recent experience.

 

I hate for him to pay the extra $60 to expedite it if he doesn't have to.

My family applied for our passports on May 12(this year) and got them back on May 20. We did not expidite. A lady I work with was in line in front of us. She decided to expidite. She got her passport on May 19. I really don't think 1 day earlier is worth $60.

[mzloolue]

Lots get theirs back in 7 to 10 days, why would you have it expedited?

 

Now that you dont even need a passport to cruise, the wait time is way down.

 

I guess I missed something.

 

I thought that a passport was now required.

[DqALEX]

Most recent posts have stated 7 to 10 day turn around. Save the money for DOD.:D

7 to 10 days is very fast

[bunny1954]

A member of our party needs to get a passport.

 

Last month I got mine back in 10 days not expedited, but does anyone have more recent experience.

 

I hate for him to pay the extra $60 to expedite it if he doesn't have to.

 

DH and I applied in April of this year. Took 16 days from mail in date to receipt date. We did not have ours expedited.

[tarheeltink]

I applied for mine on May 15th and haven't gotten anything yet. I didn't have it expedited, so if I get it in before sometime in early June I'll be surprised.

[Kakk52]

MZ,

We applied around the 6th-7th of May and had our passports by the 16th, and this was four of us. One came on the 19th. So it sounds as though they are processing fairly fast!

 

Also, if going to Caribbean...???....you dont need one, but if for some reason you have to fly back to US, you cant w/o passport.

[firefly333]

I guess I missed something.

 

I thought that a passport was now required.

 

Nope, not required for cruises leaving and coming back to the same port.

 

All you need is your official BC, not a passport. Whenever anyone asks this question someone feels the need to jump in and point out that if you have to be air lifted home, you would need a passport, but nope, its not required to cruise.

 

Earlier this year it was changed. Carnival might not have changed it on their site yet, they still show you need one mid 2009, but its not required any more, govt changed it for now to not required period.

[Fun 2 Crz]

Got mine and DH's in April it took 8 days to have it in hand we did not expediate. Was very suprised and excited.

[TakeMeAway1001]

Applied on May 17th at the local PO and it was in my mailbox on May 24th, not expediated :)

[firefly333]

I looked for the thread called final passport ruling or something and the search will only go back to mid April, and the thead must be older as it wouldnt go back far enough to pull up. sorry, but the current ruling says you do not need a passport only if you are cruising out of and back in to the same port.

 

I dont have the thread with the copy and paste from the govt, but this thread about 4 people confirm that a passport is not required.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=771479&highlight=final+passport

 

or

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=758096&highlight=final+passport

 

Fortunately, some cruise passengers will continue to be exempt from the passport requirement even after the final rule takes effect. Passengers on any "closed-loop sailing" -- an itinerary that begins and ends at the same U.S. port -- will not require a passport or other WHTI-compliant document in order to re-enter the U.S. They will, however, still need to present a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license) and proof of citizenship (a birth certificate, certificate of naturalization or similar documentation).

[Toddcan]

I'm assuming you are American.

 

But, if you're Canadian: the current wait time for passports is 2 weeks if you pick it up, and 3-4 weeks to be mailed to you. If you have proof (airline ticket, cruise docs) that say you need it earlier, you pay extra, and it's available for pickup in 1 week.

[skuttduck]

It was nice to have it on our last cruise. I had to get mine because of our last two cruises to Europe. It appeared that since most people had passports, it was simplier to embark, and disembark the ship.

 

In fact I used the passports at the airport even for just flying domestic, and it seemed quicker there too.

 

Maybe we just had good luck.

[cherylandtk]

Fortunately, some cruise passengers will continue to be exempt from the passport requirement even after the final rule takes effect. Passengers on any "closed-loop sailing" -- an itinerary that begins and ends at the same U.S. port -- will not require a passport or other WHTI-compliant document in order to re-enter the U.S. They will, however, still need to present a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license) and proof of citizenship (a birth certificate, certificate of naturalization or similar documentation).

The thread might have been the sticky at the top of the Ask A Cruise Question forum; its long, but the last few pages have the most recent information

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=467948

 

Also, Carnival has updated their pages to reflect that passports are not needed on most cruises now or after 2009.

http://carnival.com/CMS/fun/cruise_control/EMB_travel_document.aspx

 

The 'some cruise passengers' is quite a large percentage, 92% if you believe the government. The only pax affected by the June 1, 2009 ruling implementation are the one-ways to or from US/Canada.

[lcpagejr]

Just returned from cruise on Miracle...Used BC's. Interestingly at check in Agent didn't even want to see our BC's (strange?/). Just looked at our licenses. When we returned...Custom agent asked fwhether we had BC's or Passports...Told him we had BC's...all he did was match up names on license to BC and we were on our way. Very quick. Then again...customs was inside the Miracle in the Atrium and they did not have access to a terminal to scan passports like they do in Florida, so in this case no time savings for having a passport.

[poobears]

Wow they are coming a lot faster this year than last. Last year we filed at the end of Jan and then all the delays hit. We finally got them the first part of May!

 

I have a passport related "?" If you have a passport do you need to take any other ID with you other than your DL? Do I still need to take my birth certificate or anything?

[lcpagejr]

Nope...Although you may want to take your license for ID purposes incase you decide to leave your passport onboard ship for safety purposes. For example if your in San Juan or St THomas...Passport isn't needed even if you miss ship so a DL would be all you would need to reenter ship.

[girltrips4ever]

I applied on May 2 for my two DD's passports and received them in 10 days (and that was even counting weekend days)! Very quick turn around.

[CanTex]

Expediting used to be worth it when the processing difference was a few weeks or more. It wasn't all that long ago (last year) when non-expedited processing was taking 6-8 weeks. Evidently they have finally caught up to the tremendous surge in applications that occurred as the passport requirements have progressively tightened over the last 2-3 years.

 

Also, if you're a naturalized citizen getting your first U.S. passport, going the expedited route can be worth it, if only for the peace of mind that you're doing all that you can to get it as quickly as possible. You have to send in your Certificate of Naturalization, and not having an official proof of citizenship for several weeks is rather unnerving (especially if you happen to be in southern California, where there are in-land document checks!)

[upstateny39]

I was told by the Carnival rep that I won't need a passport to leave NYC for the 5 night Canada cruise that returns to NYC...I would just need a certified birth certificate and a drivers license. I applied for a passport anyway today (just in case) but was surprised that they (post office) took my birth certificate with the application and said it would be returned with the passport. Now I'm really hoping my passport does come in a few weeks ( I didn't expedite) because I'm left without a birth certificate and won't be able to board without one of those forms of ID!