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ID question when in port


safulton79
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If I make a colored photocopy of my driver's license and laminate it can I use this to get on/off the ship in port. I was hoping to not have to take my real liscense off the ship for less chance of losing it. The ports we are going to is Amber Cove, San Juan, Grand Turk and St. Thomas

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The last time we were in St. Thomas (October 2015) the ship's newsletter reminded passengers that a government ID was required to reboard the ship and they were checking. At another port (Domenica I think but am not sure) did the same.

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Read the ship's newsletter/information the evening before to see what you need to take ashore in addition to your cruise card, sometimes nothing, sometimes a government issued ID (i.e. driver's license), some foreign ports require the passport. What you don't need, leave in your cabin's safe.

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I would suggest taking your passport. This will allow you to travel by plane without any problems should something happen and you miss the ship.

I would have to disagree with this. I and many other's prefer to only take our passports when absolutely necessary...so far for us that has only been in Russia but I'm sure there could be other ports that it's also mandatory. The ports the OP will be visiting are not on this list.

 

However do whatever you feel more comfortable taking ashore with you.

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If I make a colored photocopy of my driver's license and laminate it can I use this to get on/off the ship in port. I was hoping to not have to take my real liscense off the ship for less chance of losing it. The ports we are going to is Amber Cove, San Juan, Grand Turk and St. Thomas

 

That would not work. The ports that want ID require a government issued ID, not a copy of one.

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The last time we were in St. Thomas (October 2015) the ship's newsletter reminded passengers that a government ID was required to reboard the ship and they were checking...

 

Exactly, same for us. One time, we had left the ship quickly and didn't take our photo ID off the ship in St. Thomas. We were delayed getting on as they were checking.

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Just take your DL! Its the same size as your ship's card. You do NOT need your passport in ports while on a cruise. Don't bother laminating stuff...just take your ID...you should ALWAYS be carrying ID....what if you get over-run by an mule, or bus....someone needs to know who you are!

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Just take your DL! Its the same size as your ship's card. You do NOT need your passport in ports while on a cruise. Don't bother laminating stuff...just take your ID...you should ALWAYS be carrying ID....what if you get over-run by an mule, or bus....someone needs to know who you are!

 

Do you EVER stop and read your posts before you submit them? Good Lord woman.

 

Your blanket statement that passports are never needed in ports is patently false. What is true is that they are not USUALLY needed, unless specified by the local immigration officials.

 

And when was the last time a cruiser as rendered incapable of communication by a mule.? What drivel.

 

OP, you are no more likely to lose your DL on a port excursion than you are at home. Just take it with you, and secure it on your person.

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I would suggest taking your passport. This will allow you to travel by plane without any problems should something happen and you miss the ship.

 

No - it should stay in the ship's safe

 

Should you wind up missing the ship, Security will have checked the safe for passports and turned them over to the port authority.

 

I would rather lose my DL than my passport

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Do you EVER stop and read your posts before you submit them? Good Lord woman.

 

Your blanket statement that passports are never needed in ports is patently false. What is true is that they are not USUALLY needed, unless specified by the local immigration officials.

 

And when was the last time a cruiser as rendered incapable of communication by a mule.? What drivel.

 

OP, you are no more likely to lose your DL on a port excursion than you are at home. Just take it with you, and secure it on your person.

 

CB is a "One post wonder" she only opens a thread one time, post some crap and never returns..

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If I make a colored photocopy of my driver's license and laminate it can I use this to get on/off the ship in port. I was hoping to not have to take my real liscense off the ship for less chance of losing it. The ports we are going to is Amber Cove, San Juan, Grand Turk and St. Thomas

 

Would you accept a photocopy if someone showed it to you? I would not...

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I would suggest taking your passport. This will allow you to travel by plane without any problems should something happen and you miss the ship.

I agree. Carrying your passport resolves all doubt about your identification and its acceptability in a foreign country. If you have an emergency carrying it with you eliminates any delay or doubt whether ship's security can get the document to you.

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If the initial poster wants to make a cy and laminate his/her DL because he/she is concerned about losing the "real" one, I seriously doubt he/she would want to carry around his/her passport. It's doubtful either will get lost or stolen, but if it's one or the other, I'd rather have the DL go missing than my passport. Unless we are told by the cruise line to take our passports with us ashore we NEVER do.

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I agree. Carrying your passport resolves all doubt about your identification and its acceptability in a foreign country. If you have an emergency carrying it with you eliminates any delay or doubt whether ship's security can get the document to you.

 

If you do miss the ship, Security will get the passport, if its in your room safe, to port authority, not if.

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Security MAY get your passport and give it to the port agent.

 

It is not guaranteed.

 

You choice, your level of concern.

 

I travel a lot internationally. I carry my passport.

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Security MAY get your passport and give it to the port agent.

 

It is not guaranteed.

 

You choice, your level of concern.

 

I travel a lot internationally. I carry my passport.

 

Nothing in life is guaranteed. :D There is also some chance that you could miss the ship because a mugger stole your passport and you’re sitting in the police station waiting to file a report. I travel a lot internationally too, and I don’t take my passport out of the safe unless I am required to.

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Security MAY get your passport and give it to the port agent.

 

It is not guaranteed.

 

You choice, your level of concern.

 

I travel a lot internationally. I carry my passport.

There is no consensus on the issue. There are people who fret about losing or having their passport stolen and those of us who believe in the benefits of having it with us at all times when in a foreign country. I've never had a passport stolen but have needed mine when not expected.

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There is a difference between travelling a lot on land, moving from one hotel to another in countries where the hotel writes down your passport information etc. and being on a cruise where my cabin has a safe and I return daily to this very cabin. On a cruise, I follow the ship's directive of what id to take ashore. I can't imagine hanging out a beach with my passport and worry about it. What I take ashore is the daily program with the port agent's information - just in case.

 

I have been on cruises

where the ship kept the passport and did the immigration process without the passengers, (most frequently),

where we were handed the passport before we went ashore and the local immigration officer collected each passport in a box that was returned to the ship (Abu Dhabi),

where we had to carry the passport on the entire excursion (St.Petersburg, Russia),

where the ship made copies of the passport which were stamped together with the passport. The ship then retained the passport and gave us the copy (Shanghai),

where the immigration process was done in the ship's theatre. We entered on one side where a crew member gave us our passport, then we went through immigration and walked out on the other side of the theater and gave the passport back to another crew member (Brisbane, Australia).

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I never carry my passport unless there is a specific official requirement to do so. The downside of losing/being robbed of my passport far outweighs any tenuous benefit of carrying it around with me.

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using Forums mobile app

 

We agree 100%. Between 2002 and 2012 my DH was traveling extensively internationally in Europe and the Far East and often times meeting with US Embassy staff. In many cities he was warned specifically to carry only a copy of his passport because the original was worth so much money to pickpockets. That's what we still do today unless required otherwise by the local authorities.

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We agree 100%. Between 2002 and 2012 my DH was traveling extensively internationally in Europe and the Far East and often times meeting with US Embassy staff. In many cities he was warned specifically to carry only a copy of his passport because the original was worth so much money to pickpockets. That's what we still do today unless required otherwise by the local authorities.

Embassy people will do that because they are the ones who have to replace a lost passport. Less work for them if you carry a photocopy.

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