+ Good news for cruise passengers, passport free

Following an exclusive investigation by Travel News Update (with the help of the Home Office!) the six-month embargo for passengers boarding on only British Isles trips may well be withdrawn by cruise companies.

As things stand for any cruise departing a British port the ship operators demand all boarding to hold an eligible passport with at least six months validity.  

It turns out this is a self-imposed rule and is not required if the ship is only visiting British and Irish ports, as confirmed by the government department.  

The Home Office is emphatic with this response to an enquiry which was dealt with speedily.

“A British national presenting a British passport in the UK does not require six months validity.”

This ruling is a real bonus to the industry and will save any embarrassment at the port and may also attract customers who are without passports, or whose did not meet the so-called ‘six-month’ rule.  Some sort of photo ID will still be needed such as a driving licence or travel card.

Cruise lines expected to benefit from this ruling, if they change their boarding arrangements for British Isles only trips, include Ambassador, Carnival, Fred Olsen, MSC, NCL and Saga.

In the meantime Passport Office staff have started a five-week walkout as part of a bitter civil service dispute – with union members and the Home Office at odds about how much disruption it will cause to holidaymakers' summer plans.

THE BACKGROUND

It’s a question of ‘Who You know’.

TNU's Editor-in-Chief Malcolm Ginsberg is a long-time cruise advocate and (together with wife Linda) is taking his family on a British Isles cruise at the end of July.

All the operators say passengers need a six-month valid passport and he warned his offspring.

The passport of little Abagail Ross (10) needs renewing in October, but in June is going with mother Sharon to Prague.  With Union disruption currently affecting the Passport Office, Sharon would have no guarantee of a new passport in time for the Czech trip.  And by July, October is less than six months away.

Malcolm asked the cruise company for special dispensation, only to be told that they don’t set the rules, but it’s the port.  The port then said it was the Passport Office (a division of the Home Office). Enquiries at a very high level at the Home Office (it’s a question of ‘Who You know’) confirmed the rule did not exist, it’s just hearsay, but that the cruise company would probably want an ID.

If you have a passport that has less than six-month validity, or don’t even have a passport, and you fancy a cruise that sticks to British/Irish waters, challenge the company and tell then to read TNU! (www.travelnewsupdate.co.uk/article/222). Hopefully all the cruise operators will update their boarding instructions and save a lot of hassle.

www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport

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READERS' COMMENT

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Susan Home, Portsmouth

What about the elderly, such as yours truly (81) who does not any longer have one but would like a longer trip, and will not get off visited ports. Except perhaps Gibraltar.