Passports off ship

[Letacraig]

Is there any reason to keep a passport with you on excursions in st marten and st Thomas other than a copy of the passport and a drivers license?

 

thank you

[Colo Cruiser]

Just now, Letacraig said:

Is there any reason to keep a passport with you on excursions in st marten and st Thomas other than a copy of the passport and a drivers license?

 

thank you

No. In the Caribbean I don't even take a copy.

Just a Gov't issued ID will suffice.

[wheezedr]

1 hour ago, Letacraig said:

Is there any reason to keep a passport with you on excursions in st marten and st Thomas other than a copy of the passport and a drivers license?

 

thank you

You have just begun the 1000+ thread on the question of passports in port.  Be prepared for answers justifying both sides and potentially some nasty exchanges, although they will not necessarily be directed at you.  I will join the no you do not need your passport club, but leave you to sort out the other responses.  Have fun.

[JF - retired RRT]

We've never taken our passport of the ship in the Caribbean, South America, Mexico, Polynesia. I carry copies, but never used them.

[antsp]

As long as you keep them in your cabin safe, then no. 

Edited March 14, 2019 by antsp

[Kiwicruiser25]

Sorry for jumping in on the above question. We are travelling the Med. Dubai to London.
I believe the ship keeps your passport, which I have no problem with. But I have NO other form of photo ID as my PP is in maiden name. To late to arrange anything else. Will I be able to leave and board the ship again with only a photocopy of my Passport?

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, Kiwicruiser25 said:

Sorry for jumping in on the above question. We are travelling the Med. Dubai to London.
I believe the ship keeps your passport, which I have no problem with. But I have NO other form of photo ID as my PP is in maiden name. To late to arrange anything else. Will I be able to leave and board the ship again with only a photocopy of my Passport?

Yes. If you need your passport in a particular port (for instance if the local authorities need to see it), then the ship will return the passport before arrival.

[Potstech]

6 hours ago, Kiwicruiser25 said:

Sorry for jumping in on the above question. We are travelling the Med. Dubai to London.
I believe the ship keeps your passport, which I have no problem with. But I have NO other form of photo ID as my PP is in maiden name. To late to arrange anything else. Will I be able to leave and board the ship again with only a photocopy of my Passport?

 

Does your state mot provide a drivers license like ID for those that need one but do not drive?  That should be sufficient to get onand off the ship in those ports.

[ontheweb]

6 hours ago, Kiwicruiser25 said:

Sorry for jumping in on the above question. We are travelling the Med. Dubai to London.
I believe the ship keeps your passport, which I have no problem with. But I have NO other form of photo ID as my PP is in maiden name. To late to arrange anything else. Will I be able to leave and board the ship again with only a photocopy of my Passport?

Would a photocopy of the passport in your maiden  name work if you also had your marriage certificate?

 

Granted it was a LONG time ago and not in that area, but DW once used birth certificate plus marriage license as identification. (Granted this was well before 9/11 and all the changes to travel that that brought.)

[famski740]

I keep passports in safe and I use a Real ID State Drivers license and my wife (since she is disabled and doesn't drive) uses a Real ID State ID card with no problems.

 

Your problem my be in the name.  Since your old passport has your maiden name, what name will your cruise card have on it?  Your document for access through security at the gate is going to require the same name on both documents.

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by famski740

[AF-1]

If the ship announces to take passports or photo ID onshore than I will. I carry my wallet with me anyway so that has my drivers liscense in it

[Colo Cruiser]

7 hours ago, Kiwicruiser25 said:

Sorry for jumping in on the above question. We are travelling the Med. Dubai to London.
I believe the ship keeps your passport, which I have no problem with. But I have NO other form of photo ID as my PP is in maiden name. To late to arrange anything else. Will I be able to leave and board the ship again with only a photocopy of my Passport?

You don't have a drivers license or any gov't photo ID?

It does not matter if it is in your married name.

They don't crosscheck names entering the terminals.

Just have your Cruise Card and an ID.

I don't think we have ever taken our passport or a copy ashore.

[eclue]

We have laminated copies of our passports and drivers licenses which we carry when on shore.....Never take the original.....leave in ship safe overseas and in Caribbean.

[Potstech]

Agree we never take our passport with us. Photo of iton our phones and photo on Google drive if that is ever needed.

[Letacraig]

Thanks to all

[USCcruisecrazy]

Not only do you not need to take your passport off the ship, if you have a Drivers License and your birth certificate, to sail in the Caribbean you don't even need a passport at all!  Been there and done that!

[southerngoose]

I decided to carry my US Passport card with me.   Admittedly, you can't fly using a card, but it is an official government document proving citizenship.  I just put it in my shoe, in case it becomes necessary.    I struggle with the "ship leaves without me and I have no passport" concern, then there's the "what if my passport is stolen while out and about" concern and my only "balance" is to leave the passport safe on the ship and take the card with me.  

 

One thing I learned from a guy who traveled internationally on business in high risk areas - robbers rarely check your shoes.   So I put enough cash to get a taxi to the consulate and my passport card and a spare credit card (2 shoes = plenty of room under the insole, I can't even feel it)

[MauiLvrs]

5 hours ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

Not only do you not need to take your passport off the ship, if you have a Drivers License and your birth certificate, to sail in the Caribbean you don't even need a passport at all!  Been there and done that!

Unless you have to fly home...

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, southerngoose said:

   I struggle with the "ship leaves without me and I have no passport" concern, then there's the "what if my passport is stolen while out and about" concern and my only "balance" is to leave the passport safe on the ship and take the card with me.  

The ship staff will find your passport in your cabin whether it is in the safe or not and turn it over to the port agent before departure.

[Daniel A]

In response to OP's question, No passport needed for St Thomas, USVI if you are a US citizen.  So don't take the US Passport off the boat with you.  Besides, nobody is going to give you a hard time about leaving the island and getting onboard the ship as long as you have your ship's card with you.  My last trip, nobody  from St Martin was checking passports....

[Hlitner]

19 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Yes. If you need your passport in a particular port (for instance if the local authorities need to see it), then the ship will return the passport before arrival.

Not always!  We recall one cruise (think it was on HAL) where a couple we met, would not get off the ship unless they had their Passports.  At one port, the Passports were kept onboard (with the Purser) to be reviewed by the local authorities during the day.  That poor couple had to wait until after lunch to get their Passport returned and missed out on all the possible excursions.

 

Hank

[Thrak]

7 hours ago, southerngoose said:

I decided to carry my US Passport card with me.   Admittedly, you can't fly using a card, but it is an official government document proving citizenship. 

 

I also have a passport card. I always have it in my wallet but leave my regular passport in the safe onboard. I have to renew my passport soon (after our cruise in May) but probably won't renew the card. It's an extra expense and not really necessary.

[Aus Traveller]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Not always!  We recall one cruise (think it was on HAL) where a couple we met, would not get off the ship unless they had their Passports.  At one port, the Passports were kept onboard (with the Purser) to be reviewed by the local authorities during the day.  That poor couple had to wait until after lunch to get their Passport returned and missed out on all the possible excursions.

 

Hank

Maybe you misunderstood my post.🙂 I said

" If you need your passport in a particular port (for instance if the local authorities need to see it), then the ship will return the passport before arrival. "

 

My comment refers to the scenario where passengers have to go through passport control on shore. I can think of a few ports where this happens. In those circumstances, the ship will always give the passports back (if they had them in the first place).

 

The people you reference chose not to leave the ship without their passports. When the ship keeps passengers' passports, it is often (or usually) so the local authorities can process the passports during the day.

[Hlitner]

11 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Maybe you misunderstood my post.🙂 I said

" If you need your passport in a particular port (for instance if the local authorities need to see it), then the ship will return the passport before arrival. "

 

My comment refers to the scenario where passengers have to go through passport control on shore. I can think of a few ports where this happens. In those circumstances, the ship will always give the passports back (if they had them in the first place).

 

The people you reference chose not to leave the ship without their passports. When the ship keeps passengers' passports, it is often (or usually) so the local authorities can process the passports during the day.

Now you have me thinking of the few places where we truly had to carry our Passports off the ship.  Russia quickly comes to mind, where passengers have to clear Passport control every time they leave and return to the ship.  I also think we had to carry our Passports in some Chinese ports.   Over the years we have probably been to around 200 ports on our many cruises and those times when we truly had to carry our Passports was far and few between.  There are also some places, such as the EU, where technically folks should carry their Passports (there is a requirement to carry ID) but many of us ignore that regulation in favor of leaving our Passports in a secure place (such as a  cabin safe)   Another scenario that has routinely happened to me is a request to see my Passport when I am renting a car (I do this in many ports).  But over the years I found they really do not care if I show them a Passport or a copy (they simply want their own copy of the main Passport page).

 

Carrying Passports is always a "hot button" issue here on CC with plenty of experienced travelers on both sides of the issue.  We choose not to carry ours unless it is absolutely necessary, but we have friends that prefer to always carry theirs.  We simply advise folks that if you do carry your Passport (or any other valuable) to make sure it is carried in a very secure manner.

 

Hank

[Kate P.C]

ID is enough. Don't take your passports out for safety reasons.