Do you carry your passport in port?

[Jolimont]

We don't take our passports to shore. If there were any issues with local authorities (which has NEVER happened to us) our cruise card would be enough to explain where our passports are. Theft of loss of passport is a big deal, we don't want to take any chances. There are some ports where having your passport on your person is mandatory (St Petersburg, Russia) so we comply there, but no need for them most places.

[jormot]

I have heard that if you bring your passports to shore they will stamp them. Is this correct?

[mrpayroll]

I have heard that if you bring your passports to shore they will stamp them. Is this correct?

You have to find a place that will do this. Not like every business does it.

[bguppies]

Why have a passport if you are not going to carry it with you?

 

This question makes zero sense to me every single time it comes up....

 

I leave my drivers license in the safe, but no way am I going ashore in any foreign country, without my passport.

 

Leave the copies in the safe, in case you get robbed.(what are the odds, million to one?)

 

On a Caribbean cruise, you only need your passport to re-enter the US upon debarkation.

But if anything happens while ashore, you'll need that passport in your cabin to get back into the US via land or air.

 

Bill

[bguppies]

I have heard that if you bring your passports to shore they will stamp them. Is this correct?

 

Have done it myself at every port I have been to except Cozumel. (haven't found the office yet)

 

Bill

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

Yes, my family & I always bring our passports when we get off the ship just in case of an emergency. We use our passports as a form of ID as well & keep them safe in a bag that I carry.

[CeleBrat]

Why have a passport if you are not going to carry it with you?

 

This question makes zero sense to me every single time it comes up....

 

I leave my drivers license in the safe, but no way am I going ashore in any foreign country, without my passport.

 

Leave the copies in the safe, in case you get robbed.(what are the odds, million to one?)

 

Bill

 

Ditto! I don't understand it either. You NEED your passport in port, should an emergency pop up. Having it locked in the safe on the ship won't do any good, and the copies, laminated or not, are worthless.

 

CeleBrat

[DaDivaMom]

We take ours. We travel frequently, all over the world both land and cruise vacations. We have been stopped several times, at least once (Honduras) on a cruise port stop; and asked to show our passports. When a police officer with a machine gun wants to see my passport then I'm really glad I have it to show him! We had taken a boat from Roatan to a smaller Bay island to deliver some supplies we had brought and our faces were not known on the small island so they stopped us. Granted an unusual situation but one of the reasons we always keep our passports on us.

 

Your individual comfort level may vary but for me it will be on my person.

[skyscanr]

We take ours with us when ever we leave the ship. We have passport wallets to carry them in and if we are going into the water we have water proof wallets that we wear.( We never leave anything onshore or a snorkle boat other then our outer garments and shoes

[kicia]

The purpose of a passport is to prove your identity. We use ours all the time as identification, even when we fly domestically. We take ours with us whenever we leave the ship. Do you only take copies of your driver's license? Credit card? Cash? Of course not, because that would be worthless. The same applies to passports. There is no more reason that your passport would be lost or stolen than any of the above. Americans in general are not as travel savvy as people from other parts of the world where passports are a part of life. Americans that travel a lot will carry their passports. It's not that big of a deal to carry but can save a lot of hassle if you need it.

[98Charlie]

Yes, you can get it replaced after you get home, but first you have to go through US Immigration. That is the main reason you need original documents - to get back into the US. We leave ours in the safe and take copies ashore.

1. If you leave your passport in the safe and have to return to the US you will be able to use your copies and have the embassy or consulate get the paperwork straightened out for you to go home.
   
2. If you lose your passport while ashore the same scenario will hold true when you return to the US.
   

The question is: Where would you rather be without your original, in a foreign country or on US soil?

 

Really it is up to each persons level of comfort so there is no right or wrong. Even if you wind up in a foreign country with no identification the embassy/consulate will eventually get things worked out. (Of course I wouldn't want to be in that position:eek:)

 

Charlie

[DocF]

We always carry our passports when going ashore. In many non-Caribbean countries, the local authorities will not allow you back on the ship without it. The whole purpose of having a passport is that it is the universal identification used in all nations of the world. If you are worried about losing it or having it damaged, get one of the cases which has a lanyard. DW and I use these and have not had any issues with loss or damage.

 

Doc

[barbsie8]

We are from Montreal and if we leave the ship for any reason we take our passports with us ....you just never know.

 

We also take copies, we leave a set with someone at home and we leave a set on the ship.

 

Barb

[cuyahoga11]

There is no need for a passport to get on or off the ship in the US on a closed loop cruise, so what is the point of having one if you are not going to use it on foreign soil:confused:

[bguppies]

There is no need for a passport to get on or off the ship in the US on a closed loop cruise, so what is the point of having one if you are not going to use it on foreign soil:confused:

 

To be able to fly or drive home if you miss the ship or get injured while in port.

 

Driver's license ain't getting you back into the US by air or land.

 

Bill

[kingoftheicedragons]

The only time we have ever taken our passport off the ship was for our Alaskan cruise when we'd be crossing national borders and needed it. The cruise director on our first cruise was adamant in telling people to leave their passports in their room safes where they'd be, well, safe. The idea of making a copy of it for emergencies in port isn't bad, though.

[KruznKel]

Thought this would be a good topic- since I am on the fence about it, what are your opinions about bringing your passport into port vs. leaving it on the ship?

 

This has been discussed many times..:p I always take mine with me;)

[RWolver672]

To us, buying a passport and not taking it ashore is like buying license plates for a car and not putting them on it. I'm more paranoid about having something happen and need it when ashore than I am about somebody trying to steal it. I guard it just like I do my money, driver's license, social security card, etc.

[oliverweagle]

When in Nassau last year, my wife and son and I went to Atlantis for a day and also volunteered to take a friend's son there too. At the end of the day my son was lost in atlantis - and wife, myself and son of friend were anxious about missing the cruise ship. Wife had brought her and son's passport, I and son of friend did not have ours. End of story - son of friend and I head back to the ship as we do not have our passports and do not want to be stranded in Nassau, wife waits/looks for son. Last resort would be that they would be able to fly back to the states - one passport each, one credit card and the clothes they had with them! Turns out that son's "waterproof" watch not so waterproof after all! He found my wife 10 minutes after son of friend and I left for the ship. Guess what lesson we learned! - well two - buy better waterproof watch, don;t step off the ship without passport!:)

 

DaDivaMom - I saw your post about delivering supplies in Roatan. Was that to the orphanage? If so, would you please share your experience?

 

Thanks!

 

Ollie

[brnsnbrws]

I have taken a copy of my passport off ship and a copy at home as well. The real one stays onboard locked in the safe.

 

I think this is the what we will do.

[DaDivaMom]

Ollie:

 

Actually yes we took supplies to the orphanage and the local school but this particular trip we were taking them to a doctor on one of the smaller islands. The government now will not allow you to take off boxes or large suitcases unless arranged prior to the cruise as they want to tax things etc. We arranged with some of the crew(mostly dancers & entertainment staff as I knew one of the dancers on the Valor) getting off to carry prefilled tote bags for us and dump them in the prearranged taxi. We used Anthony from Viktor Bodden (he's a friend of ours). I have several friends who live on Roatan, a few who work at Clinic Esprenza so they helped us arrange a boat to take us over. We were taking donated medical supplies and equipment.

 

Our family did take school supplies and food stuff for one of the orphanages on a previous trip. I tried to take the rolling case off and that's when security stopped me and and said no go but he's the one who suggested smaller bags and even had the pursers desk give me three Carnival totes. That was on Legend.

 

If you send me an email I will hook you up with some folks if you would like to stop in for a visit. We've watched several of the children grow up as we go on land vacations for a several weeks at a time as well. Our friends just spent 6 weeks there helping the clinic get ready to be set up as a hospital status. It's a wonderful, magical group of islands and we love it.

 

My email is DaDivaMom at comcast dot net. Please note who you are in the subject.

 

Sorry for the Hijack y'all!:eek:

[med2cruise]

We take copies off of ship and leave originals on. We also leave copies of everything - credit cards and passports at home with someone.

[angel2wyld2]

May sound silly but, how do you make a copy of your passport? :o I would like a copy of mine. Thank You in advance. :)

[kicia]

Put the passport, picture side down in the copier, and push "copy". Color copies are best but the copies are for leaving on the ship, not to take with you.

 

Sorry - my husband said that is not what you were asking. So, you only need to copy the page with your picture and pertinent information and not the whole book. You can do that anywhere you can make copies.

 

Also, I make copies of our driver's licenses, passports, credit cards (front and back) and any other important info and put it on a thumb drive which I carry with us. That way if a wallet is stolen you still have the numbers and contact numbers with you.

 

Sorry to be snippy.

[angel2wyld2]

Put the passport, picture side down in the copier, and push "copy". Color copies are best but the copies are for leaving on the ship, not to take with you.

 

Sorry - my husband said that is not what you were asking. So, you only need to copy the page with your picture and pertinent information and not the whole book. You can do that anywhere you can make copies.

 

Also, I make copies of our driver's licenses, passports, credit cards (front and back) and any other important info and put it on a thumb drive which I carry with us. That way if a wallet is stolen you still have the numbers and contact numbers with you.

 

Sorry to be snippy.

Thank so much, this was very helpful. And now I'm taking your advice and copying everything! I appreciate the info.