Necessity to carry Passport

[K32682]

Have any of you afriad of having your passport stolen, ever been pickpocked of any item?

 

If not, why are you so worried about your passport?

 

Again, unless you show it to everyone, how would a thief even know you had it on you? And anyway, they would rather have your cash, number 1, followed by your credit cards number 2.

People who get their pockets picked in my experience tend to lack situational awareness, get drunk where they shouldn't or select a mode of carry that makes them vulnerable.

 

And in the event someone sticks a pistol in my face and demands my passport the chances of being shot are less if I turn over my passport than some creased and tattered photo copy.

[cruisemom42]

People who get their pockets picked in my experience tend to lack situational awareness, get drunk where they shouldn't or select a mode of carry that makes them vulnerable.

 

 

Wow, nice generalizations there.

 

Pickpocketing in Europe is pretty sophisticated. I'm a well-seasoned traveler and have traveled on my own for years. Still, I was pickpocketed in Barcelona -- wallet stolen without my suspecting a thing from a zipped bag that was over my shoulder and under my arm. Yes, they are pretty darn good at it. I was situationally aware, had not had any alcohol and wasn't anywhere I shouldn't be. (Actually was on my way to the Picasso museum in the heart of the gothic city in Barcelona....)

 

If you read the European ports of call boards here on CC with any regularity, you'll find I am not alone. On almost every Mediterranean cruise I've taken (10+) I run across someone who was pickpocketed -- and sometimes more than one 'someone'.

[sparks1093]

Have any of you afriad of having your passport stolen, ever been pickpocked of any item?

 

If not, why are you so worried about your passport?

 

Again, unless you show it to everyone, how would a thief even know you had it on you? And anyway, they would rather have your cash, number 1, followed by your credit cards number 2.

 

Here's a question for the other side- have any of you afraid of missing the ship and afraid of the crew not giving your passport to the port agent actually missed the ship and not have your passport given to the port agent?;) (And I don't think "fear" is the motivating factor for most people. They look at the situation and make the decision that works for them based on their personal situation.)

Edited August 3, 2018 by sparks1093

[Hlitner]

Somebody mentioned being asked to show your passport. We have traveled extensively for over forty years and visited more than 100 countries. Other then in Russia (where you must always carry your Passport) I can only recall 3 or 4 times (in 40+ years) where we were asked to show our Passports....while on a cruise. And one of those was when trying to change money...which is no longer an issue thanks to ATMs. The other Passport requests were when we rented cars which is no longer an issue since we just carry a copy of our main Passport page which rental car agencies will accept. They only want to copy the key Passport information on to their computer file and the copy works fine for that situation. Another time when you may need a Passport is if you are checking into a hotel in certain countries. But this is not an issue for a Port day while on cruises.

 

The simple bottom line is that you have to make a choice when it comes to risk. Is the risk of losing or having your Passport stolen greater then the risk of problems if you do not carry your Passport? IMHO the risk of losing or having a Passport stolen is greater and a far more serious problem. Over the years we have personally talked to folks who have had their Passports lost or stolen (while on cruises) and its not a pretty thing. But we have yet to meet anyone who got into real trouble for not carrying their Passport (except for the few countries like Russia that have a strict requirement).

 

Hank

[Floridiana]

To the op: On a Caribbean cruise, leave your passport in your cabin's safe. (exception is Cuba). On other cruises, the ship will either keep your passport, let you keep it and tell you when to take it ashore, tell you when to hand it back to the ship. We have experienced variations of that and were always informed what to do. No worries.

 

For picture id, I think Bermuda wanted one in addition to the ship card which does not have a picture. The ship told us when we needed one. We used our driver's license.

[K32682]

Wow, nice generalizations there.

 

Pickpocketing in Europe is pretty sophisticated. I'm a well-seasoned traveler and have traveled on my own for years. Still, I was pickpocketed in Barcelona -- wallet stolen without my suspecting a thing from a zipped bag that was over my shoulder and under my arm. Yes, they are pretty darn good at it. I was situationally aware, had not had any alcohol and wasn't anywhere I shouldn't be. (Actually was on my way to the Picasso museum in the heart of the gothic city in Barcelona....)

 

If you read the European ports of call boards here on CC with any regularity, you'll find I am not alone. On almost every Mediterranean cruise I've taken (10+) I run across someone who was pickpocketed -- and sometimes more than one 'someone'.

This reinforces my point about mode of carry. A shoulder bag over your arm in Barcelona might as well have a sign that says "Steal Me!" Your wallet was stolen because you were wandering around a city known throughout the world for pick pockets and didn't take responsible measures to protect your possessions. It's the equivalent of going into shark infested waters with an open wound.

[cruisemom42]

This reinforces my point about mode of carry. A shoulder bag over your arm in Barcelona might as well have a sign that says "Steal Me!" Your wallet was stolen because you were wandering around a city known throughout the world for pick pockets and didn't take responsible measures to protect your possessions. It's the equivalent of going into shark infested waters with an open wound.

 

Oh, BS. People from Barcelona do not walk around with their money in their underwear. Or carry steel tanks as bags.

 

I took what were recommended by a local as responsible measures. (No camera, map or guidebook out, zipped bag carried cross body and under one arm.)

[maggie cruises]

Oh, BS. People from Barcelona do not walk around with their money in their underwear. Or carry steel tanks as bags.

 

 

 

I took what were recommended by a local as responsible measures. (No camera, map or guidebook out, zipped bag carried cross body and under one arm.)

 

 

 

You should have safety pinned the zippers

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Hlitner]

You should have safety pinned the zippers

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Absolutely right :). We have been posting (for years) about the benefit of large safety pins. Not only to pin zippers in a purse or backpack, but also to pin pockets. This technique has served us well over many decades or extensive travel.

 

Hank

[SRF]

Best thing you can do is BE AWARE.

 

I see tourists all the time with everyone looking at a map or a phone or otherwise head down and NOT LOOKING AROUND.

 

Even better, all in a circle, looking in, and bags behind the back (outside circle), and even OPEN.

 

REALLY people????

[K32682]

Oh, BS. People from Barcelona do not walk around with their money in their underwear. Or carry steel tanks as bags.

 

I took what were recommended by a local as responsible measures. (No camera, map or guidebook out, zipped bag carried cross body and under one arm.)

And yet you still got pick pocketed. A little thought and preparation would have prevented it. You were a piece of low-hanging fruit for a pick pocket and got plucked.

 

Did it ever occur to you that the "local" was setting you up?

[cruisemom42]

Did it ever occur to you that the "local" was setting you up?

 

Considering that that "local" was (and is) a colleague in our local offices in Barcelona, no.

 

Also, I did not have my passport with me, nor did I have all my cash nor every credit card. I had only what I needed to use that day.

 

I've done the same in many other places (and also in Barcelona on two visits since then) and have not had a problem.

 

Obviously, when I DO need to carry everything with me, I have a more secure method.

 

:rolleyes:

[K32682]

Considering that that "local" was (and is) a colleague in our local offices in Barcelona, no.

 

Also, I did not have my passport with me, nor did I have all my cash nor every credit card. I had only what I needed to use that day.

 

I've done the same in many other places (and also in Barcelona on two visits since then) and have not had a problem.

 

Obviously, when I DO need to carry everything with me, I have a more secure method.

:rolleyes:

You claim to have a "more secure method" but didn't use it in one of the most high risk cities for pick pockets? No wonder you were targeted.

[Keith1010]

I have not read the responses.

 

I am a believer to leave the passport on board because the risk of having it stolen or lost is far greater than any benefit.

 

If you are in a port that requires an official ID take your drivers license.

 

Keith

[Corby114]

Since I started cruising in 1983 I have never taken my passport off of the ship during a Caribbean sailing. On a few European sailings my family was required by the cruise line to take the passport with us when left the ship. I know that during a Baltic sailing in 2017 that stopped in St Petersburg, Russian Federation all passengers that were going on tours were required to show our individual passports when leaving the ship and going through Russian Passport Control.