Terryd444 Posted January 15, 2014 #1 Share Posted January 15, 2014 On our first Oceania cruise last year I was horrified to have my British Passport taken at check in. I did not give them my 'Green card' as that would have really freaked me out! I was not aware this would happen and had quite a long discussion with the powers that be behind the desk. My DH was fine as he has US Passport, his we locked up in our safe. Of course I had to give in, and Oceania was nothing but polite over the whole incident and even came to our cabin later to reassure me again that this was their required policy. Fortunately I had made a copy of both, which we then kept with us when we toured ports....just in case as we did some CC sponsored touring with Roll Call members. All went well. However we both have a few health concerns and I can't help but wonder - what if something happened in one of the ports? How would we get our Passports if we needed them? At this point I can't remember what they told me last year...I was a bit healthier then and not so worried... Has anyone heard any stories they can share? Thanks! Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEESRE Posted January 15, 2014 #2 Share Posted January 15, 2014 As a fellow Brit we too found that Oceania ask for our passports. I was watching a programme on the TV recently and it said if a cruise line asks to have your passport you are not oblidged to give it to them. You only need to give them a copy of your passport. Not sure if they would agree to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted January 15, 2014 #3 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Oceania has taken our passports on every cruise. As a citizen of the US I don't see a problem as they can get to them at any time if the need be for any emergency. We too always have two copies with us so no biggie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarpeian Rock Posted January 15, 2014 #4 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Does O take all passports or only non-US passports? What is the explanation for taking them? In the event if a shipboard emergency and evacuation, it's hard to believe that someone would be tasked with passport retrieval, thus leaving a lot of undocumented people in lifeboats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #5 Share Posted January 15, 2014 On our last cruise,Med, we were given back our passports soon after embarkation as we not going outside of the EU i.e no border control agencies were going to be boarding the ship to check passports. On other cruises, including other cruise lines, our passports have been kept for inspection by border control agencies. Our ships' boarding/security cards have been our 'passport' to show to the local authorities when reboarding the ship after excursions etc. If here is a problem, they know where we've come from...i.e. the ship and they also know that the ships's passengers have had the passports checked before anyone was allowed to disembark. Although photocopies give you peace of mind, I don't know if they carry any weight off the ship......hope I don't need to find out:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted January 15, 2014 #6 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Although photocopies give you peace of mind, I don't know if they carry any weight off the ship......hope I don't need to find out Having a Color Photocopy (that is an important distinction, by the way) puts one on the fast track to obtain an almost instant replacement from the State Departement. -but you'll have to buy me a drink to find out how I know that :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted January 15, 2014 #7 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Does O take all passports or only non-US passports? What is the explanation for taking them? The immigration officials in different countries/ports board the ship - ostensibly to check the passenger manifest (and foreign passports) but in reality to have a good breakfast :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willidc Posted January 15, 2014 #8 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I'm sure there is a very good reason for this, but it does seem to vary with the sailing. In July 2012 on Riviera, our passports were taken at checkin (both US) and we did not see them until we needed to retrieve them in the main lobby at either Israel, Egypt or possibly both (cannot remember). The rest of the cruise, we did not have our passports. I believe this was true of all passengers and not just US passengers. On our next sailing which was a B2B in the Med (also leaving from Barcelona as the first cruise did), we were all ready to turn over our passports as we had 9 months prior. We were told that we were going to keep our passports for those sailings. We were on a tour with a British couple who also had their passports with them, so it appeared that theirs were not taken either (or if they were, they retrieved them for the tour---I didn't ask). For the Baltic, we felt that perhaps our passports would be taken due to the length of time we would be in port at SPB, but we had our passports with us again for the entire sailing as did a couple from Mexico that we met. So, not sure what the criteria is for either holding or taking of the passports at checkin. It doesn't appear to be ship particular, nor does it seem to be dependent on 'country of issue' on our sailings. As I said, there must be a valid reason for what they do and perhaps I will ask next month and report back if I find out anything 'official'. :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted January 15, 2014 #9 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Having a Color Photocopy (that is an important distinction, by the way) puts one on the fast track to obtain an almost instant replacement from the State Departement. -but you'll have to buy me a drink to find out how I know that :D Thanks for that important information. Drinks any time on us! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louby-Lou Posted January 15, 2014 #10 Share Posted January 15, 2014 On our last Oceania cruise our passports were taken. We were told that if anyone missed the boat (literally) their passports would be given to the agent in the port to make it easier for the pax to get to the next port - which may be in another country. Don't know if this is true or not but sounded good to us ;). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #11 Share Posted January 15, 2014 The immigration officials in different countries/ports board the ship - ostensibly to check the passenger manifest (and foreign passports) but in reality to have a good breakfast :D I agree with the breakfast theory...It's amazing just how many officials are needed sometimes to check the documentation:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #12 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Having a Color Photocopy (that is an important distinction, by the way) puts one on the fast track to obtain an almost instant replacement from the State Departement. -but you'll have to buy me a drink to find out how I know that :D Maybe where you're from, but does that hold force in the rest of the World:eek::D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted January 15, 2014 #13 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Maybe where you're from, but does that hold force in the rest of the World:eek::D Anywhere that we have an Embassy, yes The World has gotten a lt smaller in some ways.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #14 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Anywhere that we have an Embassy, yesThe World has gotten a lt smaller in some ways.... :rolleyes: You know what I meant :D Some of us don't get our passports from the 'State Department' Depending on where we are from ..... We get them from 'Her Majesty's Passport Office'.....not from Her Majesty herself, but I hope that you get my drift:D Don't think they are impressed with photocopies...colour or otherwise,:D but of course I may be wrong:) do you know otherwise...drinks depending on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted January 15, 2014 #15 Share Posted January 15, 2014 :rolleyes: You know what I meant :D Some of us don't get our passports from the 'State Department' Depending on where we are from ..... We get them from 'Her Majesty's Passport Office'.....not from Her Majesty herself, but I hope that you get my drift:D Don't think they are impressed with photocopies...colour or otherwise,:D but of course I may be wrong:) do you know otherwise...drinks depending on this. British Passports don't have the embedded watermarks that enable American Passports to be replaced so quickly, but copies are often used as proof that an individual held a previous Passport, something that I understand might take weeks, otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #16 Share Posted January 15, 2014 British Passports don't have the embedded watermarks that enable American Passports to be replaced so quickly, but copies are often used as proof that an individual held a previous Passport, something that I understand might take weeks, otherwise. Well, when we meet up for this drink, you'll have to show us you embossed Passports. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terryd444 Posted January 15, 2014 Author #17 Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) Well, thank you for all the replies so far, what a very interesting discussion. Our trip last year too us around the Eastern Carribean, so we were in several jurisdictions. It was only mine that was taken but my husband recalls that we were told it was immigration rules for the ports we were entering. Sounds like the breakfast theory is spot on. Next trip is the Western Caribbean, so I will watch a bit more carefully from my extended (yippee) balcony to see I can spot them boarding...most mornings will find me with coffee and croissants out there while DH scopes out more hearty fodder on higher decks! I have to leave room for afternoon tea...dreaming about it already! Please update if anyone finds out the official rules! I will certainly ask more questions this time around, last time I was in outraged British shock, you can imagine! That's when I knew Oceania was going to be good because they handled me sooo appropriately in front of large crowds of people! Terry PS. I want to meet up for this drink too... Edited January 15, 2014 by Terryd444 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #18 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Well, thank you for all the replies so far, what a very interesting discussion. Our trip last year too us around the Eastern Carribean, so we were in several jurisdictions. It was only mine that was taken but my husband recalls that we were told it was immigration rules for the ports we were entering. Sounds like the breakfast theory is spot on. Next trip is the Western Caribbean, so I will watch a bit more carefully from my extended (yippee) balcony to see I can spot them boarding...most mornings will find me with coffee and croissants out there while DH scopes out more hearty fodder on higher decks! I have to leave room for afternoon tea...dreaming about it already! Please update if anyone finds out the official rules! I will certainly ask more questions this time around, last time I was in outraged British shock, you can imagine! That's when I knew Oceania was going to be good because they handled me sooo appropriately in front of large crowds of people! Terry PS. I want to meet up for this drink too... :p You didn't throw a wobbler in front of everyone did you?:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terryd444 Posted January 15, 2014 Author #19 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Ha! I might have been a bit over the top....was in a wheelchair that day after chemotherapy treatments...I think I pushed myself up out of the chair and then I pulled my wig off and threw it at them....no maybe it was a silk scarf that I tore off my head....it's a bit of a fog...chemo fog, yeah that was it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 😍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted January 15, 2014 #20 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Whether your passport is taken and when it is given back is port/country-specific and different on every cruise. On some O cruises our passports have been held the entire time. On another we got them back mid cruise and were told to carry them when going off ship. On the last cruise, the Caribbean, we got to keep them almost the entire cruise. Like others, we carry color photocopies of our passports. Even we have them in our possession, we leave them in the safe and take the copies with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted January 15, 2014 #21 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Ha! I might have been a bit over the top....was in a wheelchair that day after chemotherapy treatments...I think I pushed myself up out of the chair and then I pulled my wig off and threw it at them....no maybe it was a silk scarf that I tore off my head....it's a bit of a fog...chemo fog, yeah that was it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 😍 Blimey:eek: must remember not to upset you:D Yes we'll blame on the drugs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted January 15, 2014 #22 Share Posted January 15, 2014 On our last Oceania cruise our passports were taken. We were told that if anyone missed the boat (literally) their passports would be given to the agent in the port to make it easier for the pax to get to the next port - which may be in another country. Don't know if this is true or not but sounded good to us ;). This is indeed true. One of my patients became ill in Barcelona and had to be taken to the hospital. The ship (not Oceania) sailed, but her passport and that of her companion were left with the port agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted January 15, 2014 #23 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I would not be too concerned get anything more 'offical' when on board. I have found the answer can vary sometimes depending on which 'official' is asked. pacheec018 has given good info - when it happens can vary As Louby_Lou wrote the port agent is your contact if you need your passport. If you know you will be late getting back to ship on time contact the port agent to let them know and start arrangements - there is lots to do and the sooner the process to get you re-united with the ship the better. We always take the port agent info with us whenever you leave ship. We EACH take a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted January 18, 2014 #24 Share Posted January 18, 2014 In my experience, it depends on the countries. Sometimes you need to show your passport after leaving the ship, sometimes numerous officials check the passports against the ship's manifest without passengers present, sometimes you just need the ship card with you and nobody cares except the crew who checks you in at your return. In one case - Costa Rica - a small boat came out with lots of people including a spouse. In Guadeloupe, the officials had to stay in the port buildlng and the ship sent coffee and sweet rolls, probably lunch, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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