Ahoy, Tina!
Welcome aboard planDisney! This is perfect that you are planning ahead and giving yourself some extra time to figure out a backup plan just in case those passports don’t arrive in time. Planning ahead like this always reminds me of Woody making sure the whole toy crew is accounted for before heading out on a big adventure.
If the passports for you and your crew arrive a few weeks prior to your sail date, that is perfectly fine and will still give you enough time to
complete your Online Check-In, which can be completed up to one day prior to your cruise departure date. One thing to keep in mind is that some Guests like to complete their Online Check-In as soon as their window opens so they can secure the earliest
Port Arrival Time available. If you’re waiting on passports, you might not be able to check in right away, which could mean a slightly later arrival time at the port. That said, even with a later arrival time, you’ll still step aboard ready to kick off your vacation like a hero entering the kingdom at just the right moment.
While I cannot guarantee your passports will arrive sooner than expected, I will say that we have had good luck the last few times we submitted ours, and they arrived much quicker than the original estimated processing time. It felt a bit like waiting for Genie to pop out of the lamp, wondering when that magic moment would finally arrive.
Now, I’m guessing that you and your crew are US citizens and will be sailing out of one of the
Florida departure ports for a closed-loop sailing since you are a Florida resident. With those assumptions, if you have not already submitted your birth certificates with your passport application, you can typically use an original state-issued birth certificate (no copies) along with a physical government-issued photo ID as an alternative to passports. If you have any kids 15 years of age or younger, they will not need the photo ID and can sail with just the birth certificate. Having these documents available can also allow you to complete your Online Check-In as soon as your window opens. It’s a great backup plan that helps keep your vacation plans sailing smoothly.
I hope this helps you feel confident that having your passports arrive a few weeks before sailing will still keep your plans moving forward without missing a beat. With a solid backup plan in hand and your documents ready, you’ll be setting sail with the confidence of someone who knows the course ahead.
Sea ya real soon as springtime magic carries us from one adventure to the next,
Dustin