Passport?

[broberts]

There is no "consensus." Everyone does their own risk/benefit analysis. The risks/benefits have been discussed repeatedly in numerous threads. Make your own decision and not give a fig what anyone else does.

 

As a data point, unless required by local law to be on my person, my passport stays with the ship's immigration officer, or in my stateroom safe or hotel room safe. In the age of the internet, a photocopy is just a piece of paper - but if it makes you feel better, do take one along.

 

Well said.

 

My personal preference is to carry my passport at all times in a foreign country. In the Caribbean however, I will leave it in the safe if I'm going snorkeling or plan to spend time on a beach.

[Tracik]

Personally no way I'm not taking it. It will do me no good sitting in a safe. People claim that if something happens they will leave it for you, but I have never once heard of this confirmed to have actually happened. I'm a responsible adult and will keep my passport with me safely at all times while in foreign countries.

 

I agree with this. What if something was to happen while on shore? I will have mine with me.

[GottaKnowWhen]

That's one of the reasons we are contemplating leaving our passports at home since they aren't required for our cruise. Kind of an extension of the "leave it in the safe cause it's safer" school of thought.

 

 

I personally would far rather have my passport be stolen than to lose my birth certificate. My one copy of the latter is in the safe deposit box at the bank at home. Passport goes with me, may stay in the safe at ports where my enhanced drivers license is recognized. I would not carry the passport when heading for a beach or snorkel day. And I prefer Dos Equis with my popcorn. Bud Light is for heathens.

[Shorex]

I personally would far rather have my passport be stolen than to lose my birth certificate. My one copy of the latter is in the safe deposit box at the bank at home. Passport goes with me, may stay in the safe at ports where my enhanced drivers license is recognized. I would not carry the passport when heading for a beach or snorkel day. And I prefer Dos Equis with my popcorn. Bud Light is for heathens.

 

You can easily get as many official, certified copies of your birth certificate as you want. Use VitalChek or get them from directly from the original issuing government agency. Birth certificates are easily replaceable with less paperwork than replacing a passport.

[sparks1093]

I personally would far rather have my passport be stolen than to lose my birth certificate. My one copy of the latter is in the safe deposit box at the bank at home. Passport goes with me, may stay in the safe at ports where my enhanced drivers license is recognized. I would not carry the passport when heading for a beach or snorkel day. And I prefer Dos Equis with my popcorn. Bud Light is for heathens.

 

That's the lovely thing about personal preference, everyone gets to do what is best for them.

[john watson]

That's the lovely thing about personal preference, everyone gets to do what is best for them.

 

This is true except when it comes to travel regulations. If you attempt to cruise to parts of the world that require you to be in possession of your current valid passport and necessary visas you are going to feel you have made a mistake by turning up with just a driving licence. Some ports of call will require you to take the passport ashore otherwise you will be turned back by the authorities to reboard the ship.

 

Regards John

[sparks1093]

This is true except when it comes to travel regulations. If you attempt to cruise to parts of the world that require you to be in possession of your current valid passport and necessary visas you are going to feel you have made a mistake by turning up with just a driving licence. Some ports of call will require you to take the passport ashore otherwise you will be turned back by the authorities to reboard the ship.

 

Regards John

 

Yes, personal preference only applies if one has a valid choice and that was the case in the coversation that I was having.

[zoncom]

A stolen US passport can bring up to $10,000. on black market.They remove your photo, attach one of the bad guys, resell. Bad guys are US felons and illegal foreign nationals who also do not qualify for citizenship and never will. Learned all this while standing in line at PP office in Miami years ago.So keep it in safe. Enough bad guys in US already.

[broberts]

A stolen US passport can bring up to $10,000. on black market.They remove your photo, attach one of the bad guys, resell. Bad guys are US felons and illegal foreign nationals who also do not qualify for citizenship and never will. Learned all this while standing in line at PP office in Miami years ago.So keep it in safe. Enough bad guys in US already.

 

Years ago ones picture was simply glued onto a passport page and then a stamp was applied across the picture and page. At some point later, the page was laminated. These days the entire page is actually printed, picture and all.

 

There have been a great number of production enhancements that make it very difficult to forge or alter current passports. With the introduction of e-passports forgers will have an even more difficult time. At least for a while.

 

Not to say that passports are not lost or stolen. But presuming one immediately reports the event, risk of identify theft using the document is minimized. In fact a lost or stolen BC or drivers license poses a much higher identity theft risk as they are not nearly as carefully monitored.

Edited February 6, 2016 by broberts

[WupperAV]

Name the countries. I have been around the world and most countries will confiscate your Passport aboard ship until you return. China, Vietnam, etc come to mind. You may retain a copy of your passport in your possession for the US Embassy to make it easier. In Italy the motel put it in a safe and you get it back when you check out.

[Shmoo here]

Name the countries. I have been around the world and most countries will confiscate your Passport aboard ship until you return. China, Vietnam, etc come to mind. You may retain a copy of your passport in your possession for the US Embassy to make it easier. In Italy the motel put it in a safe and you get it back when you check out.

 

16 cruises here and the only cruise where we had to hand over our passports was for a portion of our river cruise in Europe.

[WupperAV]

Well. In China and Vietnam they confiscate them. In Italy they put them in a safe at your motel.

[Flatbush Flyer]

That's the lovely thing about personal preference, everyone gets to do what is best for them.

 

 

What some folks think is "best for them" isn't always "what is best for them."

[sparks1093]

What some folks think is "best for them" isn't always "what is best for them."

 

Maybe, maybe not, but neither one of us gets to decide that for them nor does their choice affect us.:)

[Flatbush Flyer]

Maybe, maybe not, but neither one of us gets to decide that for them nor does their choice affect us.:)

 

 

While it is true that we don't get to decide for them, others' choices (related to cruises or otherwise) often affect us in negative ways. Look at how much enacted law in the US is a necessary reaction to sometimes epidemic poor judgments among segments of the population.

 

For cruise examples, look at the effect of poor health choices like smoking and how it translates to some cruise lines' catering to smokers by not having more restrictive policies, which in turn subjects others to their second hand smoke. Consider the algorithmic effect of those who decide to try to use rum runners to cheat the cruise line out of alcohol profits, which cause prices to rise for all.

 

Here's a timely cruise example: even the pros make bad choices that impact passengers. Despite plenty of accurate weather warnings that any seasoned mariner would consider/react with great concern, Anthem passed on the storm warnings. Certainly the captain and deck officers had the right and duty to make a decision. But, that decision definitely was a bad one for passengers.

 

Back to passports: Mass market cruise lines, rather than doing the obviously right thing for passengers by requiring/collecting passports (in terms of convenience for all concerned once onboard, e.g., customs clearances without disturbing passengers) avoid losing sales to non-passport holders OR taking responsibility for any required review by visited port authorities. That can impact the journey of passport carrying passengers if the wrong occasion occurs.

 

Again, bottom line is that, while we should be very thankful that we live in a country where reasonable choice is the rule, there is often a negative cost for many due to the poor choices of a few.

[broberts]

...Back to passports: Mass market cruise lines, rather than doing the obviously right thing for passengers by requiring/collecting passports (in terms of convenience for all concerned once onboard, e.g., customs clearances without disturbing passengers) avoid losing sales to non-passport holders OR taking responsibility for any required review by visited port authorities. That can impact the journey of passport carrying passengers if the wrong occasion occurs....

 

A very narrow view of what is "right".

 

Is it "right" that some may not be able to cruise simply because another decides that more than the legally required documentation must be used?

 

Is it "right" that cruise lines take on significant additional liability by holding passports?

 

Is it "right" that cruise lines incur additional operating costs for collecting, storing, guarding, and distributing passports when not required by law?

 

Is it "right" that there will be those seriously inconvenienced and/or who will suffer financial loss as a result of the inevitable errors/losses that will occur when others collect and store their passports?

 

Is it "right" that individuals loose the ability to decide for themselves simply because another believes he/she knows better?

[Flatbush Flyer]

A very narrow view of what is "right".

 

 

 

Is it "right" that some may not be able to cruise simply because another decides that more than the legally required documentation must be used?

 

 

 

Is it "right" that cruise lines take on significant additional liability by holding passports?

 

 

 

Is it "right" that cruise lines incur additional operating costs for collecting, storing, guarding, and distributing passports when not required by law?

 

 

 

Is it "right" that there will be those seriously inconvenienced and/or who will suffer financial loss as a result of the inevitable errors/losses that will occur when others collect and store their passports?

 

 

 

Is it "right" that individuals loose the ability to decide for themselves simply because another believes he/she knows better?

 

 

Thanks for making my original point: What some folks think is "best for them" isn't always "what is best for them."[

[OCruisers]

I have both a passport book and a passport card. The passport card is the size of a credit card and thus very easy to carry. The passport book stays in the safe.

 

We do the same.

[sparks1093]

While it is true that we don't get to decide for them, others' choices (related to cruises or otherwise) often affect us in negative ways. Look at how much enacted law in the US is a necessary reaction to sometimes epidemic poor judgments among segments of the population.

 

For cruise examples, look at the effect of poor health choices like smoking and how it translates to some cruise lines' catering to smokers by not having more restrictive policies, which in turn subjects others to their second hand smoke. Consider the algorithmic effect of those who decide to try to use rum runners to cheat the cruise line out of alcohol profits, which cause prices to rise for all.

 

Here's a timely cruise example: even the pros make bad choices that impact passengers. Despite plenty of accurate weather warnings that any seasoned mariner would consider/react with great concern, Anthem passed on the storm warnings. Certainly the captain and deck officers had the right and duty to make a decision. But, that decision definitely was a bad one for passengers.

 

Back to passports: Mass market cruise lines, rather than doing the obviously right thing for passengers by requiring/collecting passports (in terms of convenience for all concerned once onboard, e.g., customs clearances without disturbing passengers) avoid losing sales to non-passport holders OR taking responsibility for any required review by visited port authorities. That can impact the journey of passport carrying passengers if the wrong occasion occurs.

 

Again, bottom line is that, while we should be very thankful that we live in a country where reasonable choice is the rule, there is often a negative cost for many due to the poor choices of a few.

 

Not a big fan of the Big Brother approach, sorry. I fail to see how someone not having their passport can impact the journey of a passport carrying passenger. The main stream lines enforce the regulations that are in place, they don't impose their own standard on the passenger (and I believe every one of them who has a passenger who is traveling sans passport sign a document acknowledging the risks involved). The regulations give travelers choices when it comes to travel documents in certain situations.

 

I have many neighbors who have to drive into Canada on a regular basis and they have passport cards or EDLs because it's the only kind of foreign travel they do, but you would have them spend money on a document they don't need. Some of them also have the option of sailing on cruises and may use those same documents for that purpose. Some people can only cruise on closed looped cruises, for any number of reasons, and if they decide that using their birth certificates and government IDs is the way to go then that is entirely up to them. They don't pose a risk to the national security (the finding by DHS that led to the exception) and they only face a slight risk themselves, and that risk is a delay in returning home in certain situations.

 

(I will not bother to respond to the non-passport portion of your post since they are too off topic.)

[broberts]

Thanks for making my original point: What some folks think is "best for them" isn't always "what is best for them."[

Obtuse.

[DAllenTCY]

Cruise lines collect passports for your convenience more that any other reason.

David

[h3yitsvictoria]

I bring my passport with me when I get off at a port. I wouldn't want to risk getting stuck on an island without my passport.

[john watson]

Cruise lines collect passports for your convenience more that any other reason.

David

 

Yes, it means the passengers do not get disturbed generally. On the rare occasions where a cruise line, e.g. Princess, collects your passports is that they are calling at foreign ports, e.g. Taiwan and the authorities there like to see some of them. I do not know the exact procedure but am hazarding a guess that the country gets a list of passenger's names beforehand. Any that nation wants more information on, the first step is the authorities boarding will request to see the original passport. That passenger may next be interviewed.

 

This would not be appropriate for a round trip out of Los Angeles to Hawaii. In this case the cruise line will simply follow US regulations. This may make it easier to travel for some people who have not got a passport or do not wish to take their passport with them.

 

Regards John

[WupperAV]

I get to choose all the time. If my wife goes out of town she will let me stay up til 9 and watch movies. Until I go married I did not know what I liked to eat, now she says,"You won't like that." I once thought I was wrong but she told me I was mistaken.

[travkesa]

You can easily get as many official, certified copies of your birth certificate as you want. Use VitalChek or get them from directly from the original issuing government agency. Birth certificates are easily replaceable with less paperwork than replacing a passport.

 

This is true unless you were born overseas (but an American citizen). Getting my passport took 3 weeks, getting my birth certificate, 3 months.

 

I had this question as well so thanks OP for asking. :)