Carrying your passport while in European ports

[wander]

aaerobear,

Thank you for the information.

[RedmondCruiser]

[quote name='aaerobear']I have been an airline crew member for more than 40 years and i can say that it is definitely possible to fly home without a passport. It isn't easy or fast, but it can be done. The passenger must be able to give details of his/her passport (ie. number, etc) and has to fill out an affidavit, the information will be given to the purser of the flight to the US in an envelope and the passenger will be met upon arrival in the US by an Immigration official and they will be escorted to an office for further processing. (having a photocopy definitely helps in this process)

It is very time consuming and a real pain but it can be done. I have had to be responsible for many of these type of passengers over the years.

When we are on cruises or in a foreign city, we never take our passports with us (just as a matter of habit) but we do carry a color photocopy that is laminated.

We have ever had a problem and keep our fingers crossed that we won't in the future.[/quote]

[SIZE=3]Thank you for the clarification. Its nice to hear from someone with expirience on the subject. Since we always take a photo copy of our passport ashore I was beginning to feel like a voice in the wilderness. Did make one change, at your suggestion, to make color copies rather than the black and white. [/SIZE]

[wander]

In the early 60s I can remember the first time in Europe (land trip) when each hotel required us to leave our passports with them until we left. Was I ever nervous for the first few hotels, then I adjusted. After several trips there, most hotels stopped this requirement.

Then came the first cruise when the ship held our passports, giving us copies. Nervous to say the least, but I adjusted. Now that is not a problem. When you cruise to multiple countries outside of the EU, like some in Asia, Africa and South America, the local immigration folks want to see each passport, frequently without the passenger present. (Some countries what you with the passport.) I can tell you, as a cruiser you certainly save time in line if they look at them without the passengers present Ask a World Cruiser about this!

In my cruising days I have never heard of the ship losing or misplacing someone's passport (not saying this does not happen, but have never heard or read of this happening. I HAVE known people on two of my cruises who had their passports stolen while on shore - NOT by pickpockets but by more serious assailants who knew the likely places people carry passports (and usually money) under their clothing.