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How do you carry your passport etc.. on excursions?

ahutchins9

By ahutchins9,
in First Time Cruisers

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paul929207

paul929207

Posted
Posted
how do I find out what ports require you to carry them? We will be going to Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman.

If you have to carry your passport ashore, the cruise ship will tell you so. You will not be allowed off with out it.

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Half Pint

Half Pint

Posted
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how do I find out what ports require you to carry them? We will be going to Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman.

 

You won't need them at those ports. We carried a back pack with our wallets in them (I didn't bother with a purse and just took my wallet along).

 

I did keep a color copy of our passports in the backpack, though...just in case. :)

 

The actual passports were in the safe in our cabin.

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redridinghood

redridinghood

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on all our cruises we took our passports off in port with us, I lost my seapass in St Martin recently and had to show the passport to get back on the ship, the security there told us to NEVER take our actual passports off the ship with us but to take photocopies with us and leave passports in the safe.

Wonder why they don't make this common knowledge when you board?

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paul929207

paul929207

Posted
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Also, only carry the money and credit cards you will need. Do not carry everything. If you have mastercard, visa and american express, leave two in your safe. As for money, you can't know exactly how much you will need, but if you have a credit card, I would plan to use that if you make a big purchase and take enough for known expenses and an extra $50 or $100 for extras.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted (edited)

Keep your passport locked securely in your cabin safe. You do need some kind of picture ID in some of those ports so we usually take our drivers license. In fact, since my state lets us keep our expired drivers licenses we usually take those along and use them as ID. We get off the ship with the old license, cruise card, one credit card and cash. We have a waterproof fanny pack (you can google "Splash Caddy") where we keep those items. We keep those on our person even when swimming, snorkeling or diving.

 

Hank

Edited by Hlitner
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KirkNC

KirkNC

Posted
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We will be going on our first cruise in August. I was wondering what is the best way to carry your passport, ss card, id, money etc..... when you get to port?

 

We bought a wallet from Rick Steves chat has a cord and goes around your neck and under our shirt.

 

Kirk

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ardnassac79

ardnassac79

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I've been to all but Belize. I've only ever carried my driver's license and my ship card (and money...:)). Leave the other documents in the safe. Don't even bring your SS card--no need for it.

 

I'm not 100% sure but I think Carnival requires you to take your S&S card - they scan it when you leave the ship and come back. I've never take my passport off the ship, but think I will be making photocopies of them for my next cruise. If for some reason you miss the boat when you are in a diff country, you will need it to get back into the US!

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Half Pint

Half Pint

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I'm not 100% sure but I think Carnival requires you to take your S&S card - they scan it when you leave the ship and come back. I've never take my passport off the ship, but think I will be making photocopies of them for my next cruise. If for some reason you miss the boat when you are in a diff country, you will need it to get back into the US!

 

You are right. Carnival requires your SS card to get off the ship and back on. It is swiped when you leave and when you come back onboard.

 

That's how they know who has left and who has (or has not) returned. ;)

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  • 1 month later...
LittleMissS

LittleMissS

Posted
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Hlitner...love the idea of using an old license! Just had my license renewed, so I can use that as my photo ID. Does anyone know if AAA takes photo IDs? (Would like to have one without my current address on it...in case I should lose it while traveling abroad. I guess I'm overly paranoid...)

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Scorpiorose

Scorpiorose

Posted
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Leave your passport on the ship. I want to shout that!! Take picture ID and your sail pass. You can bring a copy of your passport if you want. Your passport is to valuable to lose.

 

and I want to shout...TAKE you passport with you!!! It's a hotly debated issue but it's a PASS PORT, as in a pass in and out of port, I always take mine in case of an accident or missing the ship. If you lose it, the embassy will replace it.

 

It's the ONLY internationally accepted form of ID, take it with you and wear it under your clothing like your credit cards, other id and money.

 

This is not a given, this is why ships can't and don't tell you not to take it. It's a personal choice UNLESS the ship takes them away from you, I guess they do that in some ports then you have no choice.

 

Know the risks advantages and disadvantages of both situations and then research it on various travel sites and their advise. Then make your own decision.

 

I wouldn't want to tell someone to leave it, then they miss the ship, can't get a flight out, or an accident, and oh the problems. This happened to my aunt....and things happen....beyond your planning and you miss the ship.

 

Research and make a choice for youself, don't take just what ppl say on these boards, that is all opinion.

 

Good luck!

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Scorpiorose

Scorpiorose

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...and conversely, if you take it and its stolen....

 

...and my opinion counts as well, it's an opinion I've made for myself which lots of research.

 

You should look at both sides, research and make a choice. It could change too, depending on the port.

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amancuso

amancuso

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On my last cruise (and only cruise so far), Carnival instructed us to leave our passports on the ship. I will say, after almost getting stranded in Jamaica, I will be taking ours with us when we leave the ship this time around.

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Slo_Pokey

Slo_Pokey

Posted
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Thank you ScorpioRose, my thoughts exactly. I would not go anywhere outside of the continental US without my passport, be it a cruise port or not, even though there is a risk of it being stolen. I want to have my passport in case, for whatever reason, the boat leaves me and I need to get home without waiting days or weeks to prove that I am a US citizen.

I see why some would want to leave it safely on board, but I'm just not comfortable with that.

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