How long do I need left on my passport to go on a cruise?

Apply early for your passport, or make sure your current one will be valid at least six months beyond your travel dates and has two or more blank pages. Your cruise company may also require you to have a passport even if U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not.



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Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of travel. In addition to required documents stated below, guests must contact the appropriate embassy or consulate of the countries they will be visiting for specific travel documentation requirements.

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U.S. citizens 16 and older If you're a U.S. citizen age 16 or older on a closed-loop cruise without your passport, you will need a government-issued photo ID like a driver's license that has your photo, name and date of birth.

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Immigration officials will often come onboard cruise ships to check documentation and the process of keeping the passports centrally makes it much easier and faster for the cruise line and passengers.

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A valid passport is required; visas are required where they apply. This includes Europe, Asia, Central and South America. For additional passport information, visit www.travel.state.gov. Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise.

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More often than not, the answer is no. U.S. citizens don't need a passport if the cruise starts and ends in the same U.S. city. This is known as a closed-loop cruise. That said, some may require a passport if you want to disembark at ports in any Caribbean destination.

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Carnival offers many Caribbean cruise options including sailings that depart and return to U.S. ports like Baltimore, Norfolk and New Orleans. These don't require a passport as they are closed-loop sailings.

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As a general rule, passports must be valid for six months beyond the date the traveler will exit the United States. However, the United States has signed agreements with a number of countries to waive this requirement.

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Despite these international stops, only open-loop sailing requires a passport for all travelers. For U.S. citizens, closed-loop sailing typically doesn't require anything more than personal identification, like a state-issued driver's license, and a birth certificate proving citizenship.

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In Asia, nations like China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand enforce this rule. South American countries like Brazil, Venezuela and Bolivia also need a passport that's good for six months.

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While cruising with a passport is always recommended, it's not required by law in certain circumstances. Closed-loop cruises from U.S. ports that visit Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico are part of an international agreement that allows U.S. citizens to cruise without a passport.

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Depending on your itinerary, the ship may collect your passport to speed up the clearance formalities at each port of call. We suggest you bring with you a few photocopies of your passport's personal page which includes the picture, and that you carry one of these photocopies with you each time you leave the ship.

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If you're a United States citizen going on a “closed loop” cruise, you'll only need to present: Government issued photo identification. Proof of citizenship (an original or copy of your U.S. birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization)

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