Passport Question
 

I have been torn bettween using my current Passport for my next cruise.
I am cruising April 2011 and My passport expires August 2011. Something about a passports that expire within 6 months.
I called my travel agent who says I should renew my old one but Carnival says not to renew. But I talk to someone else who warns me the the port authoroty won't except it if it whitin 6 months of expiring. Or I can just bring my birth certifacate and I.D. I am not sure what to do. Should I just renew it. Any suggetions would be helpful. Thanks Ed Earl

I think to be on the safe side, I'd go ahead and just renew it. Now, I have a question.....a passport is good for 10 years, it should be good to the day before it expires, right? If your drivers license expires, you have til that actual date to get a new one, what is it with passports anyway??

Just get a new one, especially if you do plan on traveling at some point, then you will be ready to go and no hassles.

I think I'd go ahead and renew the passport. I wouldn't want to take the chance of not being able to board the ship :shock: ! The rules could change at any time the way things are these days.

Donna, I'd like to know why a passport is only good for 9 1/2 years, too. Is it only ship's that have that requirement, or is it all kinds of travel?

A lot of countries want you to have a passport valid for more than 6 months after your arrival to that country. Its to allow for any unforeseen circumstances. Would be very annoying to say the least if you end up somewhere and then your passport expires before you head home. Its mostly a CYA thing.

But then, at the 10 year mark, someone would be in the same boat and then we would say "Why not 11 years?" :-D

I dont think the 6 month rule applies to Caribbean islands especially when going there via a cruise.

Think about it, you can go with a birthcertificate and drivers license but not a passport that is still valid?

If an unforseen thing happened in a country where you'd be there more than 6 months with a birth certificate, then what?

Doesn't make sense to me.

Bill

Wow.. 10 yrs? You guys are spoiled.. here in Canada a passport is only good for 5 yrs (4 1/2 then)..

Yeah, passports issued to people 16+ are 10 years. 15 and under you get 5 years. My last passport book was issued when I was 15, so its long since expired. I got my passport card in 09 cuz that was all I could afford at the time. Now looking to renew my passport book, but can't find out anywhere online if I have to apply in person again ... since I applied in person for the passport card.

Thanks to everyone
 

I would like to thank everyone for there input. I will just renew it. Thanks again. Ed