Going ashore with documents and sail and sign card security

[Sue Do-Over]

I have a copy of my passport page. It is laminated with contact paper to an index card that lists my travel companions and my medical alerts, plus a contact number for someone at home.

 

If I were injured or unable to speak for myself, I'd sure hope that someone could use that to help get me prompt medical treatment, reunite me with my husband and contact someone at home.

 

We keep them in money belt/pockets -- they are designed to dangle from your belt inside your pants, not on an itchy elastic strap or necklace. We find them to be VERY comfortable -- it hangs behind your front pants pocket, so it is easy to check on (pat-pat).

[Budget Queen]

"They" are the US State Department and experienced travellers. I have participated in many threads involving "take your passport ashore or keep it in the safe" and posters have quoted the State Department as recommending that one keep their passport in the safe unless they need to carry it and the vast majority of cruisers who participate in such threads leave them in the safe. This is definitely one of those questions where your answer may not be my answer and that's perfectly fine.

 

Maybe, you can link this recommendation direct from the state department?

[sparks1093]

Maybe, you can link this recommendation direct from the state department?

 

 

 

As I said, others have posted the info from the state department's site.

 

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

[Shak]

I have a public wallet and a private wallet. In the public wallet I keep the items I need for the day that includes by cruise card. A cruise card can easily be replaced if lost or stolen.

 

My private wallet is only for emergency and I keep it in a secret pocket of my pants or a money belt (neck or waist). The private wallet is only for emergency and is never shown in public. I keep a spare credit card, documents, and some spare cash in it. Like many I leave my passport in the safe on the ship.

 

Shak

[BenjiRodney]

I only take my Passport book off if I am getting a stamp for it, I have in Canada and Barbados.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[lady_cruiser]

Any tips? I know you have to take your sail and sign card everywhere (I heard lanyards are a good way of keeping track of them). Of course we're taking passports but do we take them ashore while in ports? What does everyone do to make sure their personal documents and sail and sign card are secure while cruising and while in port.

 

We use something called a wrist bracelet. Of course if you are a man I wouldn't suggest doing it. It holds our license, seapass card, a credit card and some dollar bills (for tips). The beads on the wallet goes on the outside so it looks like you are wearing a bracelet and the wallet part goes on the inside of your wrist against your body. We even use it when running short errands around town, like to the grocery store. Here's a picture of one...

 

You can find it by goggling "bracelet mate". I think the company's name is Carnale or something like that. Its been awhile since I ordered one.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Passport stays on ship, cruise card in back pocket. (In the unlikely event of it being stolen or lost, replacements can be arranged without undue inconvenience.

[dsrdsrdsr]

I ALWAYS have my passport in an inside zippered area of my purse. I don't remove it and move it to a safe or anyway else. It is "secure". My passport always goes with me. All it will take is one incident needing it, and nobody would ever not be without it again.

I can't really think of any incident that you would need a passport onshore, apart from missing the boat. And even then, you kow where it is so it's just one more inconvenience on top of the already-big inconvenience of being without a ship.

 

Someone mentoned being arrested - but the chances of being arrested, in circumstances where they'd let you go if you had a passport but not if you only had a copy, are surely very remote indeed.

[mapsmith]

The passport does NOTHING if it is in the safe on the ship. Looking at the US Department of State website, in most cases, if you are getting off the ship they recommend that you do take your passport with you.

 

I could find no specific statement that the US Department of State says to keep the Passport in the safe while you are off the ship.

 

If you have emailed the signature page or other documentation to yourself and take that information to the local US Embassy or Consulate if you miss the ship, it MAY allow you to repurchase a replacement Passport to allow you to complete your trip. But you will have to pay the fee for a replacement Passport. (about $110 per person) just a warning.

 

We always take the passports along when leaving the ship. You are in a foreign country in most cases so you will need something.

 

We however, may sometimes leave them on the ship when visiting US territories since we can fly with Driver's Licenses to and from US and the Territories (Puerto Rico, USVI).

 

On shore, they are usually in my front pocket. On the Beach, one or the other will stay with our possessions while the other is in the water.

 

Passports are possibly the most valuable thing that you will have when on foreign soil. Going off the ship without them is like taking no money with you. And a picture of your passport is like a picture of the cash that you left on board.

 

I know that people will disagree with me, but those are simply the facts.

Edited May 18, 2014 by mapsmith

[John Bull]

The passport does NOTHING if it is in the safe on the ship. Looking at the US Department of State website, in most cases, if you are getting off the ship they recommend that you do take your passport with you.

 

I could find no specific statement that the US Department of State says to keep the Passport in the safe while you are off the ship.

 

If you have emailed the signature page or other documentation to yourself and take that information to the local US Embassy or Consulate if you miss the ship, it MAY allow you to repurchase a replacement Passport to allow you to complete your trip. But you will have to pay the fee for a replacement Passport. (about $110 per person) just a warning.

 

We always take the passports along when leaving the ship. You are in a foreign country in most cases so you will need something.

 

We however, may sometimes leave them on the ship when visiting US territories since we can fly with Driver's Licenses to and from US and the Territories (Puerto Rico, USVI).

 

On shore, they are usually in my front pocket. On the Beach, one or the other will stay with our possessions while the other is in the water.

 

Passports are possibly the most valuable thing that you will have when on foreign soil. Going off the ship without them is like taking no money with you. And a picture of your passport is like a picture of the cash that you left on board.

 

I know that people will disagree with me, but those are simply the facts.

 

I was intrigued by your assertion that in most cases the US State Dept recommends taking your passport off the ship, and other contributors' references to US State Dept advice that you take your passport with you.

Can you or those others please post a link to that advice?

'Cos I can't find any State Dept advice either way. :confused:

 

Plenty of advice from other websites that your passport should be left in your hotel safe when not required, which I guess is much the same as leaving it in the safe in your cabin - with the one major difference that if you return to your hotel later than planned, you are unlikely to find that it has sailed away without you. ;)

 

But there is State Dept advice that you should make two copies of your passport, leave one at home & have one with you on your trip abroad, to facilitate a replacement etc. And that's very much in line with all advice from all sources, the only difference being opinion on whether the original or the photocopy should be the one you leave in the safe

So with respect, you are wrong to dismiss the value of copies.

 

I'm firmly with the majority who leave their passport in the cabin safe, as per my previous post.

You & I disagree, but it's just a matter of opinion & what a traveller feels comfortable to do, because there are pros & cons.

 

JB :)

[Stratheden]

Try being an non USA or Canadian (I am a bit confused about what happens with them) and go on excursion to the Yukon from Skagway.

 

You will need your passport to enter Canada and then once again to re-enter the USA.

 

Not all CC members are from North America doing closed loop cruises. ;)

[Erik101]

Of all the Caribbean cruises I've been on, I've only taken my key card and drivers license and this goes for thousands of other cruisers who tour the islands. Someone mentioned a passport will be handy if you get arrested. What the ****??!! If you get yourself arrested while on the islands, then not bringing your passport is not the issue....your stupidity is!

Edited May 18, 2014 by Erik101

[dsrdsrdsr]

We always take the passports along when leaving the ship. You are in a foreign country in most cases so you will need something.

Why will you need something? I've spent probably a year of my life in foreign countries, and very rarely have I carried a passport or driving licence.

 

Passports are possibly the most valuable thing that you will have when on foreign soil.

Exactly. Of course, if you have a piece of jewellery worth over $10,000, that will be the most valuable thing you have with you. Should you take that ashore as well as your passport? The fact that pickpockets love passports is not a good reason to carry it with you.

 

 

 

Going off the ship without them is like taking no money with you. And a picture of your passport is like a picture of the cash that you left on board.

 

I know that people will disagree with me, but those are simply the facts.

That last bit isn't a fact. It's nonsense. For one thing, you do need cash on shore, wheras except in unlikely emergencies you don't need a passport. For another, a photocopy of cash is useless, a photocopy of a passport isn't.

[mapsmith]

"NOTE: Be aware that Caribbean cruises that begin and end in the U.S. (closed loop cruises) do not require that you travel with a valid passport. However, should you need to disembark due to an emergency and you do not have a valid passport, you may encounter difficulties entering or remaining in a foreign country. You may also have difficulty attempting to re-enter the United States by air because many airlines will require a valid passport before allowing you to board the aircraft. As such, we strongly recommend that you always travel abroad with your valid passport."

 

From http://travel.state.gov/_res/rss/CSIs.xml

 

This is the Country specific notifications page. It lists Aruba as a country that now requires either a passport or a passport card for Cruise Ship passengers. The listing also includes Turks and Caicos, because "the nearest passport facility is over 500 miles away" in Nassau. And to get to Nassau from Turks and Caicos requires a flight to Miami, where you would need to present your passport in order to continue to Nassau. Or you can take a ferry which might take several days.

 

Sint Martin is also listed as requiring a passport or passport card (French side)

 

So, reading the State Department information, there is no where that they suggest leaving the passport in the safe on the ship.

 

You went to the trouble and expense of obtaining a passport and don't want to use it?

[John Bull]

Looking at the US Department of State website, in most cases, if you are getting off the ship they recommend that you do take your passport with you.

 

I could find no specific statement that the US Department of State says to keep the Passport in the safe while you are off the ship.

 

.

 

 

So, reading the State Department information, there is no where that they suggest leaving the passport in the safe on the ship.

 

You went to the trouble and expense of obtaining a passport and don't want to use it?

 

You've repeated your assertion that there's no specific advice from the US State Dept to leave a passport in the safe, yet you didn't take the opportunity to back-up your own assertion that in most cases they recommend taking it off the ship with you.

Can you please rectify that with a link to that recommendation.

 

And it's worth bearing in mind that some of us, including dsrdsrdsr, need our passports in order to fly to places like the Caribbean. And we'd rather not have to swim home just because a passport went missing on a shore trip when it could have been left in the cabin safe. ;)

 

JB :)

Edited May 19, 2014 by John Bull

[Shak]

A few years ago I used to feel it was better to take your passport ashore until I read a news story that a person was denied back on the ship after he was mugged onshore and his passport stolen. One day a similar thread on this subject was started and while I couldn't find the exact article I did post my memory of it. Wouldn't you know that someone (jocap) on that ship confirmed by recollection.

 

jocap also related that the ship had some stranded passengers passports delivered to the port in Gibraltar. I have also read other first hand accounts over the years of the ship retrieving passports from the room of stranded passengers and leaving them with the port authorities.

 

After weighing the advantages and disadvantages of carrying my passport or leaving it on the ship I concluded it was more likely that I would loose or have my passport stolen then missing the ship.

 

I also signed up for the State Department Step Program. This program allows you to enter your passport information as well as emergency contact information. You can also download their app that will give you information countries you may visit as well as the location of the US consulates and embassies.

 

Shak

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1604678&page=3

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/step.html

[dsrdsrdsr]

You went to the trouble and expense of obtaining a passport and don't want to use it?

I want to use it for its proper purpose, which is getting me into and out of various countries. I certainly don't want to use it on shore, because if I need it, it means something's gone wrong.

[dwjoe]

The debate about taking passports ashore vs leaving it in the safe has been debated many times on Cruise Critic.

 

A former consular officer once posted that by far the most common reason for emergency passport issuance was theft/loss/damage as opposed to other reasons. To me, this says that the risk of theft/loss of the passport ashore is considerably higher than missing the ship. So that is a good reason for leaving it in the safe IMO and taking other photo ID ashore.

 

Also, if you are certain to need the passport to fly home, like on a European cruise, it again makes sense to leave the passport in the safe unless required by local law.

 

Either way, it is a good idea to take a credit card ashore with a reasonably high credit limit. If you get stuck ashore, it will come in very handy.

Edited May 19, 2014 by dwjoe

[swsfrail]

So, reading the State Department information, there is no where that they suggest leaving the passport in the safe on the ship.

 

It is there. Several people on past threads have posted the link and I have gone to it. Suffice it to say that the advice to leave your passports in your safe unless needed is indeed real.

 

Based on your stubborn refusal to believe anyone who is telling you this advice is real, it is clear that you would not change you position even if a State Department official sent you a personal letter telling you that is what they recommend. You would still insist on taking unnecessary chances by having your passport with you at all times.

 

Bottom line, pointing out the link to that information would be a wasted effort on our part. I am not going to waste my time finding it for you, because it will be ignored.

[dwjoe]

This is the Country specific notifications page. It lists Aruba as a country that now requires either a passport or a passport card for Cruise Ship passengers. The listing also includes Turks and Caicos, because "the nearest passport facility is over 500 miles away" in Nassau. And to get to Nassau from Turks and Caicos requires a flight to Miami, where you would need to present your passport in order to continue to Nassau. Or you can take a ferry which might take several days.

 

Sint Martin is also listed as requiring a passport or passport card (French side)

Thanks for the link.

 

The State Dept info lists the following territories as requiring either a passport or passport card for sea travelers:

St Maarten and St Martin

Aruba

Bionair

Curacao

St Eustatius

 

Not sure if that's definitive regarding cruise ship pax, but I'm glad that I have both a passport and passport card. I will keep the passport book in the safe and go ashore with the passport card.

[mapsmith]

It is there. Several people on past threads have posted the link and I have gone to it. Suffice it to say that the advice to leave your passports in your safe unless needed is indeed real.

 

Based on your stubborn refusal to believe anyone who is telling you this advice is real, it is clear that you would not change you position even if a State Department official sent you a personal letter telling you that is what they recommend. You would still insist on taking unnecessary chances by having your passport with you at all times.

 

Bottom line, pointing out the link to that information would be a wasted effort on our part. I am not going to waste my time finding it for you, because it will be ignored.

 

Still waiting for a cite from the State Department. As I posted, there are specific examples on the State Department Website stating that either a Passport or Passport Card is needed for Cruise Ship Passengers for Aruba, St. Martin (french Side) and most of the other Netherlands Antilles Islands. It was also strongly suggested for Turks and Caicos. Looking over various pages on the State Department Website, I found absolutely NO statement that the Passport should be left on the ship.

I think that the citation that you are referring to was not the Official State Department Site but possibly a link to a cruise ship site that said to leave it in the safe.

 

I don't plan on needing the Passport, but having nearly missed a ship because of a private excursion that thought we left a half hour later, I am not planning to have to spend $500 for a new Passport from an embassy and then spend the additional costs to fly somewhere else to get said replacement passport.

 

So until someone can specifically link to a US State Department Page that says it is safer to leave the Passport on board, I will continue to carry it ashore in non-US ports. To do so would be irresponsible, no matter what you think.

[swsfrail]

Still waiting for a cite from the State Department. As I posted, there are specific examples on the State Department Website stating that either a Passport or Passport Card is needed for Cruise Ship Passengers for Aruba, St. Martin (french Side) and most of the other Netherlands Antilles Islands. It was also strongly suggested for Turks and Caicos. Looking over various pages on the State Department Website, I found absolutely NO statement that the Passport should be left on the ship.

I think that the citation that you are referring to was not the Official State Department Site but possibly a link to a cruise ship site that said to leave it in the safe.

 

I find it insulting that you are now telling me that either I can't read or can't figure out where I am reading it. And I'm getting pretty tired of you refusing to believe what we are telling you.

 

I don't plan on needing the Passport, but having nearly missed a ship because of a private excursion that thought we left a half hour later, I am not planning to have to spend $500 for a new Passport from an embassy and then spend the additional costs to fly somewhere else to get said replacement passport.

 

Again you are ignoring what everyone is telling you, that the cruise line will retrieve your passport and turn it over to the port officials for you when you finally arrive. People have reported that this is what happened to them, and if you ask any ship officer, they will agree. Are you calling them liars?

 

So until someone can specifically link to a US State Department Page that says it is safer to leave the Passport on board, I will continue to carry it ashore in non-US ports. To do so would be irresponsible, no matter what you think.

 

You just said in your last paragraph: "I will continue to carry it ashore in non-US ports. To do so would be irresponsible, no matter what you think." It appears that you don't know what you are talking about because you just contradicted yourself.

 

The majority of people and travel experts agree that the true responsible action is to keep your passport safely secured at home or in your room safe if you are not required to have it on your person. The State Department has also recommended the same action, as several people have reported to you. Yet you refuse to believe anything unless you see it for yourself. Apparently to you we are all fools, are confused, or are liars.

 

So just continue to believe that we don't know what we are talking about. As the brilliant astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson once said about scientific fact: "When something is true, it is no longer subject to your opinion. It’s true whether or not you believe it." Believe what you want. You have every right to be wrong.

 

"Trying to convince a doubter of the facts is like trying to push a rope uphill - it will always result in futility." That is my quote. I am done with you.

Edited May 20, 2014 by swsfrail

[jcl410]

Alll -

 

If the State Department says that a passport is "needed" for a specific country that means that the Immigration officials require it to be allowed to enter the country. While touring in a country there isn't a need to carry it.

 

 

Whether or not passports are checked individually is up to each country.

Once the ship is cleared, there is no further requirement to carry your passport while in the country. I know from personal experience (oct. 2013) that Aruba does NOT do individual checks of passports, either on board or on shore.

 

Now, I can think of one shore excursion in the Caribbean that requires a passport.... If you take a boat from St. Thomas to the British Virgin Islands you will need your passport with you.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[John Bull]

As I posted, there are specific examples on the State Department Website stating that either a Passport or Passport Card is needed for Cruise Ship Passengers for Aruba, St. Martin (french Side) and most of the other Netherlands Antilles Islands. .

 

Errr, no, that's not what you said in your earlier post.

What you said was "in most cases, if you are getting off the ship they recommend that you do take your passport with you."

That's not me being pedantic over words - If taking a passport ashore is required, that's a given, it needs no "recommendation" from the State Dept.

So, with greatest respect, your earlier post was incorrect & misleading.

 

Now onto something I'm not sure of my ground, but it's perhaps worth raising the question......................

Govt websites, T/As, and even embassies of the countries involved, are often guilty of painting passport & visa requirements with a broad brush & failing to mention on their websites the dispensations to cruisers on port-of-call visits.

As recently as last November no passport was required to visit St Maarten (either Dutch or French sides), and the State Dept makes no mention of port-of-call dispensations for other places I've visited more recently & where again passports were not required.

So is the State Dept giving out information about NEW requirements for Aruba, St Maarten etc, or simply failing to mention that port-of-call dispensation?

I'm not saying one way or the other, I'm just asking.;)

Makes no odds to me, I have to cruise with my passport anyway.

But some US citizens planning or booked on a closed loop cruise which includes those ports may not even have a passport.

Has anyone any experience of visiting those places in the past few weeks?

Were you required to take your passport ashore?

 

Edited on seeing JCL's concurrent post.

JCL's October experience at Aruba mirrors mine at St Maarten.

Has there been a later policy change?

 

JB :)

Edited May 20, 2014 by John Bull

[LA_CA_GAL]

Still waiting for a cite from the State Department. As I posted, there are specific examples on the State Department Website stating that either a Passport or Passport Card is needed for Cruise Ship Passengers for Aruba, St. Martin (french Side) and most of the other Netherlands Antilles Islands.

 

I have been to St. Martin on cruises numerous times and I have never needed my passport for St. Martin, and never took it with me when there.

 

Have things changed recently?