Cruise Planners Agents Prepared for Expected Surge in Passport Demand

The number of Americans applying for passport renewals is surging this year and is expected to increase through 2018, causing delays in the renewal process. Cruise Planners travel advisors have access to the largest and most well-established travel visa and passport company in the world to assist clients with obtaining the proper travel documentation during this time.

"Cruise Planners’ travel advisors help travelers with an easy way to process passports and documents accurately and swiftly," said Vicky Garcia, COO of Cruise Planners. "At Cruise Planners, we partner with the right companies to equip our agents with the tools needed to be efficient full-service travel agents." 

This backlog in passport renewals is the result of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which came into effect in 2006, requiring U.S. citizens and legitimate international travelers to present passports when returning by air from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The surge of passports issued in 2006 are now reaching their 10-year expiration, resulting in an estimated 18 million new passports and renewals expected to be issued this year.

Processing time for renewals is estimated to be six weeks this year, an increase from last year’s four-week average. Cruise Planners now offers expedited passport and visa processing without requiring in-person appointments. Your Cruise Planners travel advisor is able to help process paperwork and apply for any visas that may be needed for your travels. Adults requesting a passport for the first time must submit an application and $135 fee in person at selected post offices, courthouses, or other designated agencies. 

“If your passport expires in the next year or two, we recommend starting the renewal process months in advance, not just weeks,” Garcia said. “This way when an international vacation opportunity arises, you aren’t held back by paperwork issues. Right now, there are great last-minute airfare rates to parts of Europe, so starting the process early also prevents extra fees for expedited services.”

Travelers may be able to circumvent passport requirements when traveling on closed-loop cruises departing from and returning to the same U.S. city. However, Cruise Planners always recommends travelers carry a passport when visiting international destinations for identification and emergency purposes. Cruise Planners also has a Passport Vault within its mobile application so clients can access a virtual copy of their passport from anywhere in the world.

“We make it easy for travelers to explore the world,” said Garcia. “Passport assistance is just one more service we proudly offer our valued clients.”