Alaskan cruise and passport

My hiking friend Gary planned on going on an Alaskan cruise with friends of his when one guy dropped out. In the past I had mentioned an interest in going on a cruise so he asked if I wanted to come along. This way he would have someone to share the room and wouldn't have to pay a surcharge for having the room to himself.

Initially the cruise was in August so I said no as I would still have cattle then.

Then their cruise was changed to early September at the women's requests. I checked with Dan and he plans to take his cattle out and sell them by then. So I told Gary, yes.

Gary booked the cruise for us. The travel agent then mentioned passports were required as we had two stops in Canada. Gary thought I had a passport because of my previous travels. But my passport had expired since moving to Montana. Since passports were required, and I heard it took a long time to get one's passport, I told him to cancel me, or find another person to share the room, as I didn't want to chance not getting my passport in time.

Then Gary learned one of the women didn't have a passport either, was getting one, and would get it in time for the cruise. So I changed my mind again and said I would get a passport and go.

All I had to do was renew my passport. But then I learned there was 15 year window in passport renewals. 15 years from when one first got the passport, or 15 years from when it expired? It was 15 years and two weeks since I first got my passport. 2 weeks!

So I told Gary I would check with the passport people. I didn't want to try to renew my passport only to have it rejected, then have no time to get another passport.

I contacted the passport people via their 1-800 number and learned the 15 year window was from when the passport was issued. I was 2 weeks too late to renew my passport.

That meant I had to go to the post office and fill out an application. My old passport was good for proof of citizenship.

Today I rode my bicycle to the post office after the Picnic in the Park concert was over. I needed two passport photos. My old passport photos were of me from long ago, and I didn't recognize that person with long hair and a beard: a young person with hair. The post office took passport photos for $15. I rode over to Walgreen's where they took the photos for $7.99.

I filled out my passport application, wrote a check for $75 to the State Department, and another check for $25 to the Post office. When one renews a passport it only costs the $75 to the State Department and one sends their old passport directly to them. A new passport requires someone to look over your filled in application for $25 more dollars. Okay....

They promised I would get my passport in no more than four weeks. Plenty of time for my cruise.

Now let's see what else will be a hassle...

Also, because of mom's health, I am considering getting travel insurance for an extra $60. Supposedly it costs $50,000 to helicopter someone off a cruise ship.