US Passport Card accepted ...

[chenj78]

Just booked the Symphony from Miami to Labadee, Haiti / Philipsburg, St Martin / San Juan, Puerto Rico. Has anyone tried to travel to Labadee or Philipsburg with just a US Passport card?  Trying to avoid bringing our passports if possible. Thanks!

[Grandma Dazzles]

Problem with a passport card is that you cannot use it for flying.  If you have a passport you would be better off bringing it in case of an emergency need to fly.  

[Illbcruzn4life]

21 minutes ago, chenj78 said:

Just booked the Symphony from Miami to Labadee, Haiti / Philipsburg, St Martin / San Juan, Puerto Rico. Has anyone tried to travel to Labadee or Philipsburg with just a US Passport card?  Trying to avoid bringing our passports if possible. Thanks!

 

You can do this cruise using the passport card or just a birth certificate and govt issued ID but as Grandma Dazzles says you wouldn't be able to fly home if there is an emergency.

 

I would just take the passport.

[Clarea]

30 minutes ago, chenj78 said:

Just booked the Symphony from Miami to Labadee, Haiti / Philipsburg, St Martin / San Juan, Puerto Rico. Has anyone tried to travel to Labadee or Philipsburg with just a US Passport card?  Trying to avoid bringing our passports if possible. Thanks!

 

A passport card is sufficient for a closed loop US based cruise.

[Rasvar]

I use the passport card all the time on the closed loops from Florida.  I usually have the full passport in my carry on and leave it in the room safe just in case.  Passport card just easier for check in and departure to me.    

[sandy toes]

Rasvar, exactly!

Passport is there if needed and the PC makes things very easy. 

[island lady]

I show the book passports at check in, and to Customs at disembarkation.  Otherwise they go in the safe for the entire cruise.

 

We also take our passports cards, which are what we use in ports for picture ID.  Fits easily in my pocket.  

 

In case of emergency, crew knows to check your safe for your passports.  

[grinningimm]

20 hours ago, island lady said:

In case of emergency, crew knows to check your safe for your passports.  

The crew can get in a safe?  I can see how this might be true on a combination safe, but not one that uses a card with a magnetic stripe.  Neither option makes me feel great about the security of the safe.

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, grinningimm said:

The crew can get in a safe?  

Of course, I bet many folks leave the ship at the end of the sailing with the safe locked or they lose their card or for other reasons the crew needs to be able to get into the safe. 

[Ourusualbeach]

16 minutes ago, grinningimm said:

The crew can get in a safe?  I can see how this might be true on a combination safe, but not one that uses a card with a magnetic stripe.  Neither option makes me feel great about the security of the safe.

Not all crew would know how, just those that would need to.  On boarding day on one cruise our safe was locked.  They sent someone up to open it.

Edited January 20, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[kerryincork]

Do you mean you all ready have a passport (book) but don't want to take it (leave it at home)?

 

And want to use your passport card instead?

 

If you do have a full passport I don't understand why you would want to leave it at home🤔

 

I am not a US citizen so never an option of not travelling with passport.

 

If you are concerned you don't have to take the passport off the ship, your driving licence will suffice getting on and off the ship.

 

[time4u2go]

11 minutes ago, kerryincork said:

Do you mean you all ready have a passport (book) but don't want to take it (leave it at home)?

 

And want to use your passport card instead?

 

If you do have a full passport I don't understand why you would want to leave it at home🤔

 

I am not a US citizen so never an option of not travelling with passport.

 

If you are concerned you don't have to take the passport off the ship, your driving licence will suffice getting on and off the ship.

 

I was wondering the same thing.

[LeeW]

1 hour ago, grinningimm said:

The crew can get in a safe?  I can see how this might be true on a combination safe, but not one that uses a card with a magnetic stripe.  Neither option makes me feel great about the security of the safe.

Yup.  But when ours has gone into test mode or the battery died it took a security officer to access it and we had to be present.  Special device was connected, plus a master password on the device.

[Rasvar]

Passport card is size of drivers license.  Just easier to carry.  Valid for driving across border between Canada or Mexico.  Also valid on closed cruises starting and ending in US in Caribbean.  For me, when cruising, just easier to deal with check in and customs by having my card in wallet instead of fumbling with the book.  That said, I usually have it with me just in case.  But I use it instead of drivers license when in ports also.  I leave that in the safe too.  Less hassle if I lose passport card when in port than drivers license.

[Clarea]

20 minutes ago, Rasvar said:

Passport card is size of drivers license.  Just easier to carry.  Valid for driving across border between Canada or Mexico.  Also valid on closed cruises starting and ending in US in Caribbean.  For me, when cruising, just easier to deal with check in and customs by having my card in wallet instead of fumbling with the book.  That said, I usually have it with me just in case.  But I use it instead of drivers license when in ports also.  I leave that in the safe too.  Less hassle if I lose passport card when in port than drivers license.

 

Also nice when you need to show an ID and don't want to reveal your home address.

[island lady]

19 hours ago, grinningimm said:

The crew can get in a safe?  I can see how this might be true on a combination safe, but not one that uses a card with a magnetic stripe.  Neither option makes me feel great about the security of the safe.

 

The safe has a program (on all the ships I have been on anyway) that you preset your four digit number.  That locks and opens the safe.  And yes, believe me ...the crew can get in the safe (has happened to me when the safe was acting up).  They have to document it well, and is not just any crew member, but only select ones authorized to do so.  

[island lady]

16 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Also nice when you need to show an ID and don't want to reveal your home address.

 

Ah...something I never thought of.  Leave it to you Bob to think of that.  🙂 

 

Yes, we enjoy taking our passport card off ship versus drivers license.  One excursion we booked going from Alaska to Canada...we were most happy to have it.  Would not have worked with drivers license.  

Edited January 21, 2019 by island lady