Cruise passenger forced to pay for emergency passport despite voyage never leaving the UK

Exclusive: A passenger had to spend £177 on an emergency replacement passport or be denied boarding

Expensive document: Chris Wych on board MSC Virtuosa with the £177 replacement passport (Theresa Wych)

A passenger on the only current cruise operating in the UK was forced to make a weekend trip to Liverpool passport office to acquire a new travel document – even though he was seeking to travel only between Hampshire and Dorset and had a passport valid until late November 2021.

Chris Wych and his wife Theresa, from Manchester, had paid £898 for a four-night voyage from Southampton starting on Monday 24 May on board MSC’s Virtuosa.

Because of Covid restrictions on cruising, only UK domestic cruises are currently permitted.

The voyage spends a day in Portland at the southern tip of Dorset before returning to Southampton.

While the ship spends some time in French waters, she is not allowed to call at any ports outside the UK.

Even though no calls abroad are planned, MSC insists that passengers have passports valid for six months beyond the end date of the cruise.

Mr Wych was warned in advance he would not be allowed on board because his passport expired on 26 November – two days short of six months after the domestic cruise ends.

To avoid being denied boarding, he spent Saturday travelling to the Liverpool passport office and had to pay £177 for an on-the-day replacement travel document.

A spokesperson for the cruise firm said: “We can confirm that the present requirement of a fully valid UK passport for all British guests wishing to book one of our UK voyages is in line with requirements we have received from Border Force UK.”

But a Home Office spokesperson said: “This is not Border Force guidance and this guidance has not been given to MSC Cruises by Border Force.

“If cruise ships are staying in UK waters then passengers would not need six months validity on their passports.”

The Department for Transport (DfT) makes no stipulations on documentation for domestic cruises. Similarly the UK Chamber of Shipping Framework for UK Cruise Operations during Covid-19 for passengers gives no mention of a need for passports.

Theresa Wych said: “Customer service has been very disappointing, especially given that we are ‘diamond’ members in their loyalty scheme.”

MSC’s demands are at odds with at least one other operator. A Viking spokesperson told The Independent: “As is standard across the travel industry, passports are the preferred form of ID.

“For our UK domestic voyages, in the unlikely event someone does notify us that they do not have a passport, then we will discuss what other form of identification they may have available. We will try to find a reasonable solution.”

Even with a passport, passengers are not allowed ashore at Portland unless they are part of an organised tour, costing upwards of £43.

DfT rules mean cruise passengers are not allowed to mingle with locals in Dorset.