Ship left now what?????

[elcuchio24]

One of the guys I went to flight school with flys around the virgin islands, he'll be able to buy a beach house in a couple years from all the $$ he's made making special trips for people who've missed the ship.....bring your wallet....

[billie5]

Maritime rules assign a set collection of cabins to a specific lifeboat. I am quite certain none of the ship's sofas have been assigned to a lifeboat. Thus the problem with planning to sleep on a sofa if no cabin is available! :)

Bill

[dustyroad]

sorry too say you will have to stand on the dock and wave goodby to the ship. then it is up too you too get to the next port it will be stopping at. i have found very reliable tour guides for my cruises but sometimes for your peice of mind you might want to stick with the ships tours. they wont leave without you untill you get back. i have done both and have been very happy with the tour each time. have a great time on your cruise and memorable tours in your ports :)

[viaggi_per_mare]

[quote name='serene56']In the Fun Times will be an emergency number for each port- youwill call that number--- (for what reason? I have no idea)

Do NOT book any excursions that take most of your port time. (cozumel into Tulum is one example)[/quote]

Every time we cruise to Cozumel, someone has a problem with getting back to the ship. We mostly book Carnival excursions for the piece of mind, but we will venture out on our own in certain ports and to certain places. Off on your own ON the island of Cozumel is pretty safe. As mentioned, Tulum is on the mainland with many of the other places people mistakenly believe are actually on Cozumel. They require a very bumpy and rocky ride to the mainland on the ferry (at least 30 minutes). Even if you arrive at the ferry dock with plenty of time to spare, there will be thousands there, many times from multiple ships docked in Cozumel. The line to get back to Cozumel itself can and often is your biggest problem. Therefore anything not on Cozumel itself, I would always book through Carnival. There is often a "safety net" here though, as the "official tours" are also having trouble getting everyone back to Cozumel and since they have to wait for the Carnival tours, often you can benefit, although we choose not take that chance.

[5o'clocksomewhere]

[quote name='viaggi_per_mare'][B]Every time we cruise to Cozumel, someone has a problem with getting back to the ship[/B]. We mostly book Carnival excursions for the piece of mind, but we will venture out on our own in certain ports and to certain places. Off on your own ON the island of Cozumel is pretty safe. As mentioned, Tulum is on the mainland with many of the other places people mistakenly believe are actually on Cozumel. They require a very bumpy and rocky ride to the mainland on the ferry (at least 30 minutes). Even if you arrive at the ferry dock with plenty of time to spare, there will be thousands there, many times from multiple ships docked in Cozumel. The line to get back to Cozumel itself can and often is your biggest problem. Therefore anything not on Cozumel itself, I would always book through Carnival. There is often a "safety net" here though, as the "official tours" are also having trouble getting everyone back to Cozumel and since they have to wait for the Carnival tours, often you can benefit, although we choose not take that chance.[/quote]


In Cozumel the people that are late getting back are on the bar stool excursions;)

[nrdsb4]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Ask any bartender in St Thomas and/or Tortola.

Things seem to be pretty loose between USVI and BVI. The US dollar is even the legal currency in BVI - no foreign exchange fees. :)[/quote]

We were staying on St. John and did and excursion which went into the BVI's by catamaran for only a few hours. We weren't included in the "loose" policy and were required to produce a passport.

But we weren't locals, either.

[nrdsb4]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']In an emergency, passports can be had in less than 24 hours and replacements are easier.[/quote]


It might work out that way, but not necessarily.

[FONT=arial][SIZE=2][COLOR=black][quote name='CalmCruiserNC']As someone who has actually experienced this, I can assure you it can be VERY difficult to get back into the USA. My wife and I were robbed in Europe while we were on the way to the airport for the trip to return home. We lost our passports in the process but thought if we just go to the airport and fly home we can explain things to the US authorities and show our driver's licenses and all would be well. In fact, we were denied boarding, had to go to the police to make a report and get a printed copy of the incident report, then travel over 4 hours to the nearest American Embassy, convince the guards there that we were American enough to be allowed into the place, [COLOR="Red"][B]wait in line, wait in a different line, answer over an hour's worth of questions, pay a nearly $100 fee each for an expedited emergency passport, wait another 48 hours while it was processed and then ... FINALLY ... got to go back to the airport, pay a huge penalty fee for the new tickets home, but made it back the USA ... a full three days later than planned ... spending nearly $2000 in extra expenses. [/B][/COLOR]

So, to the OP, if you step onto foreign soil, you should definitely have your passport with you. If you get stranded for any reason, you certainly don't want to go through what we did trying to get another.[/quote][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[spleenstomper]

Yes, you have to go to an American Embassy to get replacement passports to be allowed back into the county.

That's why Carnival will try to find your passports in your safe and leave them with the pier authority so you can have your passports.

I think SS meant replacements are "easier" to get than your first passport. "Easier" meaning "easier to replace rather than start paperwork for your first passport"... (since some people don't cruise with a passport since they aren't required in a closed loop cruise beginning and ending in the US).

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='nrdsb4']We were staying on St. John and did and excursion which went into the BVI's by catamaran for only a few hours. We weren't included in the "loose" policy and were required to produce a passport.

But we weren't locals, either.[/quote]

I'll go out on a limb and guess that you were on a legitimate, organized, excursion not willing to risk their business and not any one of a zillion individuals with small craft.

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='nrdsb4']It might work out that way, but not necessarily.

[/quote]

All the more reason to NEVER take your passport off the ship. I think the odds are higher you will lose it or have it stolen than you missing the ship, but you might be an anomaly.

The steps to follow should you find your passport gone are posted and straight forward:
[url]http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1197.html[/url]

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='spleenstomper']
I think SS meant replacements are "easier" to get than your first passport. "Easier" meaning "easier to replace rather than start paperwork for your first passport"... (since some people don't cruise with a passport since they aren't required in a closed loop cruise beginning and ending in the US).[/quote]

Exactly - you are already in the system.

[dan40]

There was a thread on here about a group that missed the ship in Mexico. Coz maybe? They got a car to drive south to the next port. Don't remember why they did a rental. But it was a long, long littany of problem after problem as they chased and chased and missed and missed the ship all through Central American. Break downs, hold ups at border crossings, getting lost etc. As I remember they spent the entire cruise driving all over Central America.

[billie5]

Have others observed the striking irony in CalmCruiser's post. He reports all the problems he had replacing his passport after it was stolen by a robber in a foreign port, and then concludes: "[B]if you step onto foreign soil, you should definitely have your passport with you[/B]". And he is not being humorous. It seems to me he really doesn't see the irony.

Everyone needs to consider the odds on their own, but pickpockets have become a common enough presence in so many tourist locations, that I always leave my passport on the ship when I can, even though I take many private tours. Of course, I don't take private tours which get me back at the last minute. By my calculation, the odds of losing my passport to a robbery exceeds the odds of my missing an embarkation.

Bill

[noblepa]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']All the more reason to NEVER take your passport off the ship. I think the odds are higher you will lose it or have it stolen than you missing the ship, but you might be an anomaly.

The steps to follow should you find your passport gone are posted and straight forward:
[URL]http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1197.html[/URL][/quote]

[quote name='billie5']Have others observed the striking irony in CalmCruiser's post. He reports all the problems he had replacing his passport after it was stolen by a robber in a foreign port, and then concludes: "[B]if you step onto foreign soil, you should definitely have your passport with you[/B]". And he is not being humorous. It seems to me he really doesn't see the irony.

Everyone needs to consider the odds on their own, but pickpockets have become a common enough presence in so many tourist locations, that I always leave my passport on the ship when I can, even though I take many private tours. Of course, I don't take private tours which get me back at the last minute. By my calculation, the odds of losing my passport to a robbery exceeds the odds of my missing an embarkation.

Bill[/quote]

Of course, it is possible that a passport may be stolen. So may credit cards, cameras, purses and cash. Most people take all of those things ashore with them. A passport is just one more valuable item that must be handled with care.

The entire reason for the existence of a passport is to facilitate travel to/from/between foreign countries. To me, leaving it locked in the cabin safe is no more useful than leaving it on the kitchen table at home.

Its true that many ports, especially in the Caribbean, do not require that you show a passport. That's if all goes well. To me, a passport in this situation, is a little like travel insurance, or any other kind of insurance. It is an unnecessary, annoying expense until you need it. Then, you REALLY need it, and nothing else will do.

Right now, and for the foreseeable future, passports are not required to return to the US from closed-loop cruises. Why even get a passport? Just use your BC, which you already have. Even if you have to write to the state you were born in for a duplicate, they typically only cost $20 or less.

For now, my plan is this for Caribbean, closed loop cruises. I will take BOTH our passports and our birth certificates. The PP goes ashore. The BC remains locked in the cabin safe. If the PP is lost or stolen, we can still return to the US using our BCs. If we miss the ship, whether our own fault or some unforeseen accident, we can fly home or to the next port of call.

I think it is foolish to leave a PP locked up, in the very situation it is designed for. If we miss the ship, having to find an embassy or consulate and request an emergency passport is just one less hassle in an already very stressful situation.

Paul

[paulandfran]

[quote name='viaggi_per_mare']Every time we cruise to Cozumel, someone has a problem with getting back to the ship. [/quote]

Many of them lose track of time after meeting their new friends Carlos and Charlie. :D

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='noblepa']

I think it is foolish to leave a PP locked up, in the very situation it is designed for. If we miss the ship, having to find an embassy or consulate and request an emergency passport is just one less hassle in an already very stressful situation.

[/quote]

I think it is both foolish and irresponsible to do as you suggest, but you are free to learn from your own mistakes. I have cruised all over the world and St Petersburg, Russia was the only port I took my passport off the ship and that was only because it is required by law and you have to show it to exit the port.

[SeaBrz]

[quote name='chickie_mite']Fake my death and stay on the island???? :D :D :D[/QUOTE]

Thanks for all the chuckles in this thread, and Chickie, yours actually caused snorted wine on the screen.

So here's my feedback, which has changed much over the years:

One of the most unexpected perks I discovered after I was finally able to afford balcony cabins was the entertainment of watching late returning cruisers racing for the gangway. If we find in the morning that we have docked with one of our balconies on the pier side, we actually plan a pre-dinner Cocktail Party for the "event." Like others have mentioned, the majority of these frantic guests are not from any late returning excursion, but based on the staggering, are just people that spent too much time at the dockside bars. Ninety-nine percent of the people make it in time (huffing and puffing), but we have seen two groups of people at different ports that actually didn't make it on-board, and we truly felt sorry for them.

As for passports, I always locked mine in the ship cabin safe, too, but things changed after 9/11/01. I was in Europe that day (business trip), and the fact that I had my passport in my purse made a huge difference. I was welcomed immediately into the US Embassy quarters and my return plane flight home was prioritized on U.S. air carriers. My coworkers got the same treatment, but it was hours after they returned to our hotel and finally made it back. I will NEVER step into a foreign country without my U.S. Passport on my person, but it will not be in my purse or backpack.

My opinion on ship-sponsored excursion packages versus dealing directly with the locals: If you have not taken at least five cruises, book excursions directly with the ship. While you are on those excursions, talk to others and find out how/where they booked theirs. It took me a decade to realize that I was on the same excursion with others that booked directly with the tour company and had saved lots of money. My group books many high-energy excursions, but we have not booked through the ship excursion desk in over five years and have saved hundreds of dollars. We have always arrived at least an hour or more before the ship sail time. Do thorough research in the Port Of Call boards here and pick a highly recommended local tour agent. These guys/gals have worked hard for the kudos and they are not going to let their rep be tarnished by getting people back too late to the ship.

Just my 5 pesos ...

[tiyana4]

[quote name='dan40']Probably [B][COLOR=red]the dock workers would be taking pics of you on their cell phones while they were cracking up and pointing at the fool in the water[/COLOR][/B]. One of them might, not likely, but might think to call someone since he has his cell in his hand. But, most likely some old fisherPERSON would row out in a really stinky, but leaky, boat and hit you with a oar!:eek::D:D[/quote]

OMG, this is HILARIOUS!!!!!

[salty dingo]

[quote name='KROBI']I will be taking my first cruise this December. If you are on a tour, not booked through Carnival, and the ship leaves before you get back,what do you do?????:confused:[/quote]
You wonder why you did not tell the tour operator that you were a cruise passenger and had to be back by 4 PM.

All the cruise tours know when to get you back and they always do.

People do not miss the boat because they booked a cruise tour - they miss it because they go to a bar and get drunk, or go out exploring on their own and lose track of time.

[LRene]

[quote name='noblepa']The entire reason for the existence of a passport is to facilitate travel to/from/between foreign countries. To me, leaving it locked in the cabin safe is no more useful than leaving it on the kitchen table at home.[/quote]

Amen.

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Hopefully you don't take ALL of your credit cards. What if they are lost are stolen and your passports (I assume 1 pp) are not? What would you do in the next port?[/quote]

No, not all my credit cards but generally two - my preference of AmEx and a VISA depending on the countries that I'm in. For example, in Mexico, the AmEx stays in the safe because it's not accepted there. Also, since the DH and I both have cards on each account, we take ONE set off and leave the other person's in the safe. AmEx for example has different card numbers even on the same account.

Our passports are always on us on foreign soil. A robber will have to find them first which might mean having to strip the DH and I doubt they'll take the time to do so. :eek: Trust me, they aren't going to get "lost". A copy of the passport as well as a copy of the front and back of every credit card is stored on my laptop (p/w protected) or in the safe when the laptop stays home.

We also had to surrender our passports on the Greek/Turkey cruise and it made us all very uncomfortable in the ports where we didn't have them. To each his own but I'm coming home or flying to where ever I want....with my passport.

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='LRene']
We also had to surrender our passports on the Greek/Turkey cruise and it made us all very uncomfortable in the ports where we didn't have them. To each his own but I'm coming home or flying to where ever I want....with my passport.[/quote]

I'm never nervous and don't sweat the small stuff. I don't like carrying lots of unnecessary documents and things.

[nrdsb4]

[quote name='billie5']Have others observed the striking irony in CalmCruiser's post. He reports all the problems he had replacing his passport after it was stolen by a robber in a foreign port, and then concludes: "[B]if you step onto foreign soil, you should definitely have your passport with you[/B]". And he is not being humorous. It seems to me he really doesn't see the irony.

Everyone needs to consider the odds on their own, but pickpockets have become a common enough presence in so many tourist locations, that I always leave my passport on the ship when I can, even though I take many private tours. Of course, I don't take private tours which get me back at the last minute. By my calculation, the odds of losing my passport to a robbery exceeds the odds of my missing an embarkation.

Bill[/quote]


He didn't respond to this thread, I quoted him. I quoted him not as ammo in the tired old "bring your passport with you/leave it in the safe" argument, but simply in response to a comment suggesting that getting a replacement passport could be done in as little as 24 hours. In his situation, it did not happen so easily. It took a few days, and several thousand dollars of unplanned expenses to replace his passport and get home.

If I remember correctly, he posted that story initially in response to another post saying if you miss the ship and don't have your passport, it's an easy fix getting back into the country. It was not an argument addressing the odds of anything happening to your passport while in port.

[billie5]

Thanks, nrd. I understand (Please tell me that nrd doesn't stand for "nerd":))

If you lose cash to a thief, no big deal (as I learned in Barcelona). If you lose your camera, even worse (as I learned in Hawaii, but entirely through my own fault), but still not a disaster. If you lose a credit card, also no big deal as long as you have a backup (although have not yet quite had that experience). But losing a passport is a vastly bigger problem.

It is, IMO, downright silly to compare the threat of losing a passport with the threat of losing cash, credit cards, or a cameras.

I've traveled to more than 100 countries, carried a passport with lots of added pages in pouches attached to my sweaty body when appropriate (always less than comfortable and a downright burden when you strip for swimming). But I never carry it for a routine port stop in a friendly country. As I have written, the discomfort and threat of loss exceed the few cases where not having it would be a problem -- and certainly never has arisen.

I believe the difference in how individuals approach the question of whether or not to always have the passport with one really comes down to one's risk aversion. Some people concentrate on worst case scenarios, and their own comfort level dictates that they guard against it. No argument is likely to affect their approach, nor should it. Others concentrate on risk assessment (in this case not only that the risk is very low, but that the potential loss, if it occurs, is not all so terrible) and decide to protect their passport on the ship. Especially on a cruise, one should choose what gives comfort.

Bill

[nrdsb4]

LOL, no, the "nrd" doesn't mean nerd.

I just wanted to make it clear that the poster I quoted wasn't involved in this particular debate-I should have said that better when I quoted him.

[5o'clocksomewhere]

[quote name='nrdsb4']He didn't respond to this thread, I quoted him. I quoted him not as ammo in the tired old "bring your passport with you/leave it in the safe" argument, but simply in response to a comment suggesting that getting a replacement passport could be done in as little as 24 hours. In his situation, it did not happen so easily. It took a few days, and several thousand dollars of unplanned expenses to replace his passport and get home.

If I remember correctly, he posted that story initially in response to another post saying if you miss the ship and don't have your passport, it's an easy fix getting back into the country. It was not an argument addressing the odds of anything happening to your passport while in port.[/quote]

A few days probably allowed them to find a flight home.....