Xuenou > Travel > Woman left £3,198 out of pocket after lesser-known passport rule ruins cruise holiday
Woman left £3,198 out of pocket after lesser-known passport rule ruins cruise holiday
Woman left £3,198 out of pocket after lesser-known passport rule ruins cruise holiday,EXCLUSIVE: Christine Bentham, 67, from Wales, was to board a Baltic cruise at Southampton with her husband and family, but was turned away as her passport was over 10 years old

Woman left £3,198 out of pocket after lesser-known passport rule ruins cruise holiday

A woman who was heading off on a cruise from Southampton with older family members says she was denied boarding due to lesser known passport rule.

Christine Bentham, 67, from Llandudno, North Wales, had made her way to Southampton Ocean Terminal with her husband, John, 76, and her brother and sister-in-law, both 74. However, despite having checked in online 10 days earlier she was told her passport was invalid.

Christine had been excited for her Baltic cruise – and had even checked that her passport definitely had the six months of validity left to travel to Europe. However, she ended up £3,198 out of pocket when she was turned away.

READ MORE: Bargain hunter's last minute holiday deal lands luxury cruise for £10 a night

This was because her passport was over 10 years old despite not being expired – so she did not have nine years and six months of validity left on the document which is required.

In this photo illustration, a new dark blue colored British passport held in a travellers hand with holiday suitcase. (Photo by: Peter Titmuss/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Passports must be under 10 years old (Image: MGN Titles)
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    Cruise ships at Ocean Terminal Southampton

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    Christine questions why she was able to get a boarding pass when she entered her passport details in the system – and says that she was also allowed to travel in February when she did not have three months still remaining on the validity period.

    She alleges that they was a "total lack of care" at the port terminal, where they were stuck 227 miles away from home, with no vehicle.

    Speaking about the passport rules she said: "It has been extremely upsetting and I am meeting people everyday that don't know or understand the changes, both younger as well as older people. I tell people every day to help to spread the information and several people have already appreciated the situation that they could have found themselves in had I not informed them.”

    Cruise ships at Ocean Terminal Southampton
    Cruise ships at Ocean Terminal Southampton (Image: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

    Passport guidance for travel is detailed on the Passport Office website which states: "Firstly, travellers will need to have at least six months left on their passport.

    "Secondly, any extra months on a passport over 10 years may not count towards the six months needed. A passport may have extra months if the holder renewed their previous passport before it expired."

    Daily Star contacted P&O Cruises and the Home Office for comment.