Actual Passport - on shore during excursion

[Underwatr]

I rented a car in Southampton, UK in June. Luckily I didn't need my passport (just my US license), because it was in my safe like always.

[Kate P.C]

Ship card and any type of ID is sufficient.

[angie7911922]

Always bring your passport with you on a cruise. But only bring it with you ashore if the local laws of the country you visiting will require it. This information will be given onboard. If for any reason you are not able to be back onboard and you are "left" behind, the cruise line will have a port agent waiting at the pier for you. They will help you either catch the ship in next port or getting you home.

If you are cruising outside of USA or CAN most probably the cruise line will keep the passport for you. The main reason for this is just for your comfort. Every port of call will start with an immigrations inspection. As passenger you normally will not be involved and the officers will take care of this. This is an extremely important procedure and without out the clearance of the immigration, the passengers CANNOT leave the ship. So back to why they keep the passports for you.... what would you prefer in the morning, having a nice leisurely breakfast or getting up early to go in a line to show the immigration your passport? And also, can you imagine this one passenger that kept their passport is not waking up on time and is delaying the whole process (and you are waiting to go out and explore)..

I always bring a photo copy of my passport and an additional ID, like a drivers license with me.

[CarolinaGirl2010]

I take mine with me onshore just in case.

[Pierlesscruisers]

On 7/30/2019 at 3:39 PM, BandBWCsmom said:

Forgive me if this is redundant to all of you that answer these questions, but it appears the state department says you should always take your actual passport on shore during an excursion. It also appears that the cruise line says a government issued ID (license) is sufficient with your sign and sail card. 

 

What do most of you do? take the real passport on shore? 

 

One additional thing that you might want to consider when going ashore, especially if you are going on an excursion that is not purchased through your ship, is to always take a copy of the daily newspaper that is probably printed out by your ship. Somewhere in that paper will probably be a listing for the ship's agent in that port along with how to get in touch with him/her. The reason I say this is that if somehow you are late returning to the pier for some reason, you will know how to get in touch with that agent and they will, at a minimum, be able to help you resolve your problem of how to recover from your unfortunate situation and may have also been given your passports/travel documents by the ship when it became obvious that you were not going to get back in time to sail with the ship.

 

At a minimum, what I would recommend if you do not take your passport with you when you leave the ship, that you at least take a photocopy of the photo page of your passport with you when you leave the ship. The reason for that is that I have been told that having a copy of that page may make it much easier to get a replacement passport made at the local US Embassy office than if you don't have such a copy.

 

Hopefully, however, you'll never have to be in a position where you can test out this theory to see if it's correct! 😀

 

Tom