Misplaced passport right before a cruise - can I disembark?

[hidden_relic]

Been finding a lot of different information on this, most of it is YEARS old.

Short details:
US citizen
closed loop from Ft Lauderdale

 

I misplaced my passport, and I need to see if it's worth the cost/hassle of getting an expedited emergency passport.

 

Other ports of call I'm ok with proof of citizenship/photo ID to enter
St Thomas (US virgin Islands)
Princess Cays (Bahamas)

Am I going to be stuck on the ship in St Maartin while the hubby goes onshore to do things? Or will I be able to get off?

(i know... life will be hell if we end up missing the ship without a passport, it's a risk)

[rjrpar]

M

2 hours ago, hidden_relic said:

Been finding a lot of different information on this, most of it is YEARS old.

Short details:
US citizen
closed loop from Ft Lauderdale

 

I misplaced my passport, and I need to see if it's worth the cost/hassle of getting an expedited emergency passport.

 

Other ports of call I'm ok with proof of citizenship/photo ID to enter
St Thomas (US virgin Islands)
Princess Cays (Bahamas)

Am I going to be stuck on the ship in St Maartin while the hubby goes onshore to do things? Or will I be able to get off?

(i know... life will be hell if we end up missing the ship without a passport, it's a risk)

Never been asked for a passport to get on/off a ship in the Caribbean in 20 cruises

[hidden_relic]

15 hours ago, rjrpar said:

M

Never been asked for a passport to get on/off a ship in the Caribbean in 20 cruises

Pretty sure you gave the cruise line your passport at boarding and they gave a copy on to the port authorities.

[EatonDoolittle]

1 hour ago, hidden_relic said:

Pretty sure you gave the cruise line your passport at boarding and they gave a copy on to the port authorities.

 

This sounds like some typical  Facebook nonsense rumoring.

 

I agree with @rjrpar, passport is used when you board at the departure home port. After that, nobody cares, put it in the safe. This is for the Caribbean. 

[hidden_relic]

18 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

 

This sounds like some typical  Facebook nonsense rumoring.

 

I agree with @rjrpar, passport is used when you board at the departure home port. After that, nobody cares, put it in the safe. This is for the Caribbean. 

But i don't have the passport...

And yes, cruise ships do pre-clear with immigrations to help smooth the process of getting people on and off.

[ksp819]

Was just there last week.  All the cruise line will tell you to bring ashore is a picture ID and they didn’t even ask for it when returning to port. You do not need a passport.

[melodyina]

On 6/15/2023 at 3:10 PM, hidden_relic said:

Been finding a lot of different information on this, most of it is YEARS old.

Short details:
US citizen
closed loop from Ft Lauderdale

 

I misplaced my passport, and I need to see if it's worth the cost/hassle of getting an expedited emergency passport.

 

Other ports of call I'm ok with proof of citizenship/photo ID to enter
St Thomas (US virgin Islands)
Princess Cays (Bahamas)

Am I going to be stuck on the ship in St Maartin while the hubby goes onshore to do things? Or will I be able to get off?

(i know... life will be hell if we end up missing the ship without a passport, it's a risk)

US Customs will not let you board the ship without a passport on file.  Doesn't matter if you are going to US ports or not. If you have your passport number or a copy, enter that in on your Princess information.  Princess feeds/shares US Custom the info prior to boarding.  I have always had my passport inspected both embarking and disembarking at FLL cruiseport, but not at any cruiseport stops.  I do hope you find your passport, and I would at least have documentation that you applied for a replacement or passport card. 

[princeton123211]

On 6/16/2023 at 12:15 PM, EatonDoolittle said:

I agree with @rjrpar, passport is used when you board at the departure home port. After that, nobody cares, put it in the safe. This is for the Caribbean. 

Your passport information is provided by the cruise line to all countries you are entering on the cruise. Just because you don't physically show it to them each time you disembark doesn't mean that you haven't been reviewed by each island you are visiting to figure out if you are admissible or not. 

 

[princeton123211]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:28 AM, ksp819 said:

You do not need a passport.

This is false. 

[ksp819]

15 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

This is false. 

How is this false?  The OP is on a closed loop US sailing bringing a birth certificate and photo ID.  No passport is needed.  Just did this exact cruise with the same information.  No passport needed.  Preferred yes, but not needed.

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, ksp819 said:

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

 

How is this false?  The OP is on a closed loop US sailing bringing a birth certificate and photo ID.  No passport is needed.

Of course you can bring an original birth certificate and photo ID on a closed loop cruise but you do nothing to qualify that in what you said. If you read through what you wrote in this thread you are basically saying to someone who doesn’t have a passport that “no, you don’t need a passport” which is incorrect and misleading.

[ddaz]

If you can board the ship with a certified embossed birth certificate and photo ID, then you don't need a passport.  If the cruise ship requires a passport to board, then you need a passport.  I believe that the only destination which requires a passport is Panama.

[Susan in Maine]

Don't rely on this information. Check with your cruise line's website for this specific information.

[tabby50894]

On 6/15/2023 at 3:10 PM, hidden_relic said:

Been finding a lot of different information on this, most of it is YEARS old.

Short details:
US citizen
closed loop from Ft Lauderdale

 

I misplaced my passport, and I need to see if it's worth the cost/hassle of getting an expedited emergency passport.

 

Other ports of call I'm ok with proof of citizenship/photo ID to enter
St Thomas (US virgin Islands)
Princess Cays (Bahamas)

Am I going to be stuck on the ship in St Maartin while the hubby goes onshore to do things? Or will I be able to get off?

(i know... life will be hell if we end up missing the ship without a passport, it's a risk)

Can you update what happened?

[hidden_relic]

Was able to board/disembark with no issues in July of 2024.

Would highly recommend using a passport instead.

There is a separate boarding line when you get on the cruise, and a separate line for re-entry back at the port.

[TTEllis]

Get a US Passport regardless, how difficult can it be? A passport eliminates any misunderstanding, how much is that worth trying to get back in the country?

Figure it out.

[hidden_relic]

11 minutes ago, TTEllis said:

Get a US Passport regardless, how difficult can it be? A passport eliminates any misunderstanding, how much is that worth trying to get back in the country?

Figure it out.

***** happens.

Passports are the best option to travel with.

But for a closed loop cruise from the US, and you can afford to tell work you're going to be late coming home, it's a calculated risk.

I found my passport about 2 hours after we got back from the cruise, in the pile of papers I looked through multiple times in trying to find it.