Passports

[hawkeye3d]

One experience got me wondering. Short version, we were in Amsterdam coming back from a private tour. Main route blocked, traffic accident. Secondary route, same story. Now on city streets at 5PM in traffic. Got near the dock, bumper to bumper traffic, and we could see the ship and the tug. Man are we late. Security out the window, we are almost thrown on board.

:eek:

So if you do miss a sailing and the ship has your passport. What happens to your passport ? Turned over to the port agent ?

We now always carry the port agent info with us and our motto for getting back early from private tours is “remember Amsterdam”.

[sail7seas]

We have never personally experienced it but I have been told if guests do not return to the ship, security will go to cabin and check to see if passports are in safe. If they are, they will be given to Port Agent for him/her(?) to give to the late guests.

 

NEVER go ashore in any port without the contact information for Port Agent. If you get back late enough the Agent has left, if you have his telephone and address, you can contact him. That information is always on the sheet giving local information/map for the port. Take it with you.

 

Happy you just made the ship. That must have been very nerve wrecking.

[RuthC]

We were very, very late leaving Juneau last year. I was sitting on Lower Promenade, watching the proceedings, and saw someone carry a passport off the ship, and hand it over to one of the people pacing around. I was close enough to see it was a passport.

It was at that point that someone came running to the gangway, cleared security, and the gangway was raised behind him.

Yes, passports are taken off and left with the agent.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you did make the ship.

That is one reason why we stick with the ship's excursions.

[KirkNC]

Glad you did make the ship.

 

That is one reason why we stick with the ship's excursions.

 

And you pay dearly for the peace of mind.

 

We also take a copy of the daily port info since it has the port agent information.

 

Kirk

[YXU AC*SE]

I won't leave a ship without my passport in my possession. Scott.

[jtl513]

I won't leave a ship without my passport in my possession. Scott.

Likewise, except when the ship insists on holding it, as on our East Med cruise. My only other exception: I don't take it to HMC! :)

[LynnTTT]

Why would you not take your passport with you? When off the ship you are no different than any other tourist in that country and I think most countries require you to carry proof of nationality. The "ship" is not required to protect you in the event of an incident. If you are involved in an accident, you will need that proof of nationality

[Donald2313]

I'm having a bit of a confusion issue. Our first cruise was to Alaska. The only time we took our passports off the ship was during the train ride into Canada - and we were told we needed our passport. We did not put them in the cabin safe - but we kept them in our "very important stuff" bag.

 

Our next cruise is the 11-day partial canal transit on the Zuiderdam. It sounds like we should keep them in the cabin safe - since that is where others would expect to find them. That makes sense.

 

So, when you stop in ports you go through the ship security - but no customs. Is that right?

 

I thought we were suppposed to have our passports anytime we weren't on US soil - maybe not.

 

There is risk whether we take it or leave it.

[jhannah]

There is risk whether we take it or leave it.

That's true. But IMO the much greater risk is to not have your passport in your possession while in port. On occasion a tourist is involved in an accident causing injury, or becomes ill to the extent of requiring hospitalization. Getting home after missing the ship is quite problematic without a passport. Most authorities will require you to obtain a replacement before you can board an aircraft. If there's no U.S. Consulate nearby, you're in a world of hurt.

 

Alaska is somewhat different for an American citizen since it's the United States. But even then you would have to be sure your flight went straight to the U.S. and didn't connect in Canada.

 

The "don't carry" argument is that you could lose it while ashore. This is also a valid argument. Most of us misplace or lose our wallets or purses maybe once or twice in a lifetime, so this is not a good argument for me to leave my passport on the ship.

[eh2zed]

There is really no right or wrong about taking your passport ashore; just a lot of diverse opinion. Unless required to by the country being visited we do not take it ashore. We do take a photocopy and while it won't get you a replacement it does have the key information on it to help you out. We always, always take the port agent info. If you miss the ship the port agent marries you back up with your passport. More and more cruises now embargo youyr passports so that suggests the authorities are OK with not having them ashore except in a few countries where you get them back.

[Donald2313]

Where do you find the Port Agent information? And, thanks for your help!

[RuthC]

Where do you find the Port Agent information?

If there's a map distributed for the port, the kind listing out a few attractions and lots of shops, it will be on that. If no map is distributed, it will be in the daily program.

[YXU AC*SE]

Likewise, except when the ship insists on holding it ...

 

I've never had that present itself as a problem. A quick visit to the Purser, and you can pick it up for the day with the proviso to return it upon re-boarding.

 

Using Eastern Med itin as example, we went on shorex to Giza which was about 200 km over, well let's just say 'interesting' roads from where the ship was ported in Alexandria. The airport (CAI) is ~225km away from the port. If for whatever reason I need to leave the country for some sort of emergency back home, I don't think I'd want to be burning seven plus hours in travel time trying to find a port agent who may (or may not) have my passport -- especially when I know that there are limited flights (direct or otherwise) ex CAI back to North America. And that seven hours doesn't account for crazy Egyptian traffic either. My passport better in my pocket with my credit cards and the rest of my personal ID. Of course, YMMV.

 

Scott.

[Kween Karen]

On the trips I have been on the ship has collected the passports and keeps them.........they then do the "country entry" thing without the passenger present. I turn my passport over when I check in and don't see it again until a few days before the end of the voyage. They also leave a little wallet size card on the bed that has the port information on one side and the currency conversion on the other side. I carry a photo copy of my passport with me.....not sure that would do any good but at least it would be a place to start.

[travelinjones]

The Prinsendam often keeps passengers passports on Europe cruises to speed immigration in ports.

 

It wasn't a big deal last summer when we got our 14-Day Celtic Circle cruise for an overnight in Dublin (in a hotel.) We talked with the front office ahead of time.

 

They put our passports early in the immigration pile and then we got them to take off with us.

 

Generally, we carry a PDF copy on our smart phone, and a paper copy, but if we are doing something unusual, we request our passports from the front desk.

[world~citizen]

...The "don't carry" argument is that you could lose it while ashore. This is also a valid argument. Most of us misplace or lose our wallets or purses maybe once or twice in a lifetime, so this is not a good argument for me to leave my passport on the ship.

 

Its not a question of losing it as much as it is of having it stolen. Yes, it happens and some ports are a good deal worse than others. (St. Petersburg Russia for example.) I think in Russia they require you to take your passport though.

 

If the ship has your passport in their safe, for my money, thats the best as passports are normally transferred to the port agent if you don't return to the ship.

 

I don't know what happens if it is in your safe.

 

Thats just my opinion.

 

Smooth sailing...

[Globaliser]

I don't know what happens if it is in your safe.

The ship can very easily open your room door and the room safe.

 

For me, the choice is this:

• If I take my passport ashore and I'm robbed of it or have it stolen by a pickpocket, it's gone for good. And I bear in mind that tourists are always targets for thieves, wherever you go.
• If I don't take my passport ashore, then if something happens I know where the passport is. It's still safe, and it can be vouched for. Possession of a passport is not an invariable requirement for international travel, as those of my friends who've travelled internationally (and crossed immigration borders) without a passport after having lost one (usually on business travel) can verify.

[jtl513]

On the trips I have been on the ship has collected the passports and keeps them.........

We've only had it done once, on the East Med. On that itinerary I think it's Greece that requires it to be done. On our Baltic cruise we had our passport collected for about 12 hours, before entry to St Petersburg. I think you go to more exotic places!

They also leave a little wallet size card on the bed that has the port information on one side and the currency conversion on the other side.

What ship was that? I've never seen one of those.

I carry a photo copy of my passport with me.....not sure that would do any good ...

Not much. If you happened to be in a port with a US Embassy they could get the number from it to speed issuing a new one, but that's about it.