HELP! PASSPORT!!

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OrangeChipper

1,000+ Posts
So it appears that the passport lines are beyond jammed. The normal 10 week process is taking 14 weeks plus right now.

Which means I won't get mine in time for my JULY cruise. We tried contacting the passport agency and they aren't even taking calls right now.

So, do we even need a passport for a CRUISE?

Thanks!
 
I just received mine, as I'm going to Mexico on the 9th. Go to a Post Office and have them expedite the process. If I recall correctly, it costs an additional $56. I received mine in 6 or 7 days.

And yes, you do need a passport for Mexico.
 
I just received expedited service and it took 3 weeks. My wife's expedited service in Jan. took about 5 weeks. I don't know about cruises but you definitely need a passport to St. Maarten and other non-US caribbean countries.
 
You only need one if you are flying into another country. I would check with the cruise line to be sure though. They should have something on their website.
The Link
 
Talk to a travel agent and they should be able give you names of companies who expedite passports. I got mine in three days but it will cost somewhere around $150-$200. I used a company in San Fran that my company's travel agency recommended.
 
passport is onlu needed on international flights. Cruiseline will take your birth certificate.

I will pay for your cruise if that is not the case!

(Disclaimer) I will not pay for your cruise if this is not the case.


Pike
 
You definitely need one now for flights into Mexico.

Pike will pay for your cruise if that is not the case.
 
Pike is arranging a hornfan's cruise.
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I just did a cruise in April out of Galveston and we had the same issue....

If you are leaving from the US and returning to the US by car, boat or foot, US immigration will not require a passport until Jan 2008. In order to fly, you are required to have a passport as of Jan 07.

If your cruise leaves out of San Juan, you are having to fly and you need a passport.

We did not need our passports in any of the countries we visited to get on/off the ship.

The risk comes in that if you get sick or have an emergency along the way and need to fly back (or miss your flight and your boarding at the embarkation port and have to fly to catch up with the ship) you will not be able to get on a plane without the passport.

When we were in our "two weeks of travel" window, we called the 1-800 nbr for the passport agency. We told them when we were leaving, and they put an expedite on our passport. I then followed up 4 days later with a second call. We got the passport the next day. Calling your congressman when you are within your 2 week window seems to work, too... If you go this route, a couple pieces of advice... Don't offer that you're going on a cruise, just say international travel... Also, you might want to pad your departure date by a day or two... They promise to get you your passport by your departure date. But, obviously, if it gets delivered at noon of your departure day, it won't help...

Good luck!
 
I just called the passport office, 1-877-487-2778, and their message now states that you can use your photo ID plus the confirmation information on their website to travel certain places internationally.
 
Only because I run a poker cruise company can I say that most of what has been said on this thread is untrue, while what is true is 100% accurate. If going anywhere by any means outside of Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean, you'll need a passport. Anything within those (cruise, plane, etc.) and you're fine with TWO forms of government-issued ID (birth certificate and drivers license). Just make sure you get your birth certificate (you can get it in a matter of an hour off E. 7th in Austin) and you should have no issues.

As far as getting a passport, you should have one anyway. So go ahead and apply now if you haven't. The three weeks to get an expedited passport is a pipe dream right now. You're looking more at 5-6 weeks for expedited PPs, 12-14 for regular. Getting a "mule" or going to the Houston passport office downtown yourself are much faster ways to get a passport, but either require more money or more time. Might as well plan ahead so you're set when the next traveling opportunity comes along.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies.

My issue... They have my birth certificate (it was needed to get my passport) And that thing took 4-6 weeks to come in. (i'm in houston.)

So I'm hoping that just the proof of applying for a passport and my DL will be enough.
 
How exactly does going to the Houston passport office speed up things? I'm not traveling to Mexico till August 15th but i'd much rather drive to Houston to get it faster than paying expedited fees just so I am not stressing....
 
i believe you can get one the next day if you go directly to the the houston office. i had a flight on a friday, went the wednesday before, and picked up my passport the morning before my flight
 
My kids' passports have already taken 12 weeks. Is there a way to speak with a person to expedite things? I have called their number about 50 times at all hours and after wading through the prompts for 10 minutes it says all operators are busy and to please try your call again later.
 
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