Passport Dilemma

Corwin

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
I just booked a last minute VGT fare on the Magic that goes from Oct 27 - Nov 3.

My concern is that our passports (mine and my wife's) expire just a few days after the end of the cruise. :eek:

Now the cruise only goes to the Bahamas. I have checked and rechecked that U.S. citizens' passports only need to be valid for the duration of the trip, not six months afterward. In fact, we just got off an Eastern Caribbean cruise in May that included the same stop at Castaway Cay, and our passports were less than 6 months away from expiring.

I don't want to renew our passports yet, because you have to send in your old passport for the renewal, and I don't want to be worrying that the new passports won't arrive in time. I don't particularly want to have to pay the express fees, either.

One concern is that the cruise itinerary might change unexpectedly (like due to a hurricane). I think it's unlikely they would extend a cruise past 7 days, though, right? However, with it being a closed-loop cruise that originates in the U.S., we could always bring a copy of our birth certificates along just in case, I suppose.

I don't want to invite trouble where there is none, but I am a little nervous about this.

Just to throw another issue into the mix, I have a trip to Canada planned for the third week of February, so I need to renew my passport as soon as we get back. This is more than three months after we get back, so I should be fine, except for the fact that I just heard today that another government shutdown is possible by the end of the year. :rolleyes:
 
I just booked a last minute VGT fare on the Magic that goes from Oct 27 - Nov 3.

My concern is that our passports (mine and my wife's) expire just a few days after the end of the cruise. :eek:

Now the cruise only goes to the Bahamas. I have checked and rechecked that U.S. citizens' passports only need to be valid for the duration of the trip, not six months afterward. In fact, we just got off an Eastern Caribbean cruise in May that included the same stop at Castaway Cay, and our passports were less than 6 months away from expiring.

I don't want to renew our passports yet, because you have to send in your old passport for the renewal, and I don't want to be worrying that the new passports won't arrive in time. I don't particularly want to have to pay the express fees, either.

One concern is that the cruise itinerary might change unexpectedly (like due to a hurricane). I think it's unlikely they would extend a cruise past 7 days, though, right? However, with it being a closed-loop cruise that originates in the U.S., we could always bring a copy of our birth certificates along just in case, I suppose.

I don't want to invite trouble where there is none, but I am a little nervous about this.

Just to throw another issue into the mix, I have a trip to Canada planned for the third week of February, so I need to renew my passport as soon as we get back. This is more than three months after we get back, so I should be fine, except for the fact that I just heard today that another government shutdown is possible by the end of the year. :rolleyes:
While you can take the cruise with your current passport, and do a renewal after you get back, I prefer to have plenty of time on my passport when traveling.

It's your call - an expedited passport would arrive in time for the cruise, as long as you do it fairly quickly. Or just wait and do it when you get back.

From what I've seen, government shutdowns don't typically affect passport processing.
 
I would renew one right a way I think there is an express option
 
you don't need a passport at all to cruise to the bahamas. bring your birth certificate as a backup but you're probably fine
 


you don't need a passport at all to cruise to the bahamas. bring your birth certificate as a backup but you're probably fine
^^^This. Your primary need for the passport would then be an emergency return flight to the US. If this should occur, it would most likely be while your current passports are still valid.

Enjoy your cruise.
 
We had to renew our dd's passport during the last govt shutdown. We DIDN'T pay for the express option and we got it back in 3 or 4 weeks. I'd take copies of the birth certificates for this cruise and renew the passports when you get back.
 
You don’t even need passports for it, so having them expire that soon isn’t going to matter. Cruises are much different than flights, when it comes to ID.

Govt shutdowns haven’t stopped passport processing in the past. There are always warnings because it can close some offices, but there are many offices.
 


We booked last minute as well for this exact cruise Magic October 27th (well about a month ago). We sent away for our granddaughter's passport on Sept 4th and got it back in 9 days with expedited service. We did it all right at our local post office. I prefer to have our family travel with passports....even for our 5 month old granddaughter. We are in the NY area.

Good luck with your decision

MJ
 
the only things that shut down when the government shuts down are things that are funded through the yearly budget... anything funded in other ways stays running.
 
For me, if it would be expiring a few weeks after returning home ok, but a few days... I would feel more comfortable to get a new one before leaving. But that is me, I like to be prepared for anything.
 
I would also feel better expediting a new passport if I was in your situation. Just because you don’t technically need a passport valid for 6 months to go to the Bahamas doesn’t guarantee you won’t get hassled by a customs agent. When I was in college I went to London for spring break with some friends. This was right when electronic tickets started being used and this was the first flight I ever had one. When we got to London the customs agent asked to see my return ticket and I explained that I had an electronic ticket so I didn’t have a physical ticket to show. He either didn’t know what that was or he didn’t believe me because he kept hassling me and threatened to deny me entry! He eventually let me through but it was pretty stressful even though everything I did was technically right And legal!
 
I just had to renew my son's passport (or get a new one really as they don't renew kids passports). It took 4 weeks and 2 days to get it back. While I wouldn't NOT expedite it in your case if you do choose to get a new one, you theoretically could take a gamble.

I, personally (as a very risk averse person) would probably do what you said, use your almost expired passports, take your birth certificates just in case, and then renew when you get back. Three months should be plenty of time to renew a passport, even if there were a government shutdown.

Have fun!
 
I'm going on this cruise as well (our first!) and we booked about a month ago. My wife's passport and my own needed to be renewed, and we needed to get one for our kiddo. We did expedited service and our kiddo's was back to us in 8 days from drop-off (passport appointment was on a Tuesday, passport arrived on my desk the following Wednesday). Ours took longer, but had complications. Even with the complications, mine was back in 2 weeks (to the day), and my wife's in ~3.5 weeks. So if you do expedited, you should get them back with plenty of time to spare.
 
I just booked a last minute VGT fare on the Magic that goes from Oct 27 - Nov 3.

My concern is that our passports (mine and my wife's) expire just a few days after the end of the cruise. :eek:

Now the cruise only goes to the Bahamas. I have checked and rechecked that U.S. citizens' passports only need to be valid for the duration of the trip, not six months afterward. In fact, we just got off an Eastern Caribbean cruise in May that included the same stop at Castaway Cay, and our passports were less than 6 months away from expiring.

I don't want to renew our passports yet, because you have to send in your old passport for the renewal, and I don't want to be worrying that the new passports won't arrive in time. I don't particularly want to have to pay the express fees, either.

One concern is that the cruise itinerary might change unexpectedly (like due to a hurricane). I think it's unlikely they would extend a cruise past 7 days, though, right? However, with it being a closed-loop cruise that originates in the U.S., we could always bring a copy of our birth certificates along just in case, I suppose.

I don't want to invite trouble where there is none, but I am a little nervous about this.

Just to throw another issue into the mix, I have a trip to Canada planned for the third week of February, so I need to renew my passport as soon as we get back. This is more than three months after we get back, so I should be fine, except for the fact that I just heard today that another government shutdown is possible by the end of the year. :rolleyes:
Personal experience- Mailed in passport application on Sept 4. Did not expedite. Received a email today that it had been printed and put into the mail today. Shipped priority mail and will arrive by Sept 28. I’m thinking by the 26th or 27th.
 

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