Have passport , bring birth certificate?

[cruznluvr]

We just received our passports for DH, myself & DD. Is it still necessary to bring birth certificates with us as extra ID or are the passports enough for us & our toddler?

[crusinmama06]

You don't need to bring your birth certificates but bring your drivers' license. In some ports when getting back on the ship, guards from the country you are in ask for your cruise pass and a photo ID. It's easier to throw your DL in a lanyard with your cruise card than to pull out a passport.

[Dr_DNA]

I would not bring my birth certificate along; just the passport.

 

As far as bringing ID into the ports, I've often wondered what others bring with them into port. If you leave your passport on the ship and God forbid miss your ship, wouldn't you need your passport to fly to the next port?

[cruznluvr]

You don't need to bring your birth certificates but bring your drivers' license. In some ports when getting back on the ship, guards from the country you are in ask for your cruise pass and a photo ID. It's easier to throw your DL in a lanyard with your cruise card than to pull out a passport.

Yes, we will definitely carry our DLs as photo ID when we are in ports.

Cruisinmama -Do you also carry photo IDs of your kids when in port? Do they ask for photo ID for kids? Guess I'm just nervous this time since we've never cruised with our DD before & want to make sure I bring the right documents.

[crusinmama06]

Yes, we will definitely carry our DLs as photo ID when we are in ports.

Cruisinmama -Do you also carry photo IDs of your kids when in port? Do they ask for photo ID for kids? Guess I'm just nervous this time since we've never cruised with our DD before & want to make sure I bring the right documents.

 

Kids under a certain age (I think it's 16) do not need photo ID's in port.

 

And I understand your concern. I still have the photo ID that I got for my oldest when she was a baby on her first cruise. Now I know better. ;)

[cruznluvr]

Kids under a certain age (I think it's 16) do not need photo ID's in port.

 

And I understand your concern. I still have the photo ID that I got for my oldest when she was a baby on her first cruise. Now I know better. ;)

Great! That makes me feel better. Once less thing I have to worry about bringing with us:) Thanks for the info!

[crusinmama06]

Great! That makes me feel better. Once less thing I have to worry about bringing with us:) Thanks for the info!

 

You're welcome! :D

 

Hey how's the weather looking down there for this weekend? We arrive in Tampa on Sunday. You better have some sunshine for me. I am in dire need of sunshine.

[abba_dabba_doo]

I'm confused.....so you do or don't need to show your passport when getting off/on the ship while in port? I thought this was the whole point of us having to get passports.

[crusinmama06]

I'm confused.....so you do or don't need to show your passport when getting off/on the ship while in port? I thought this was the whole point of us having to get passports.

 

 

When you get off the ship, they run your card through their computer to let them know you are off the ship. When you get back on the ship, all you need to show to the port security is your DL and cruise card. Then when you are physically stepping on the ship, they will put your cruise card into the computer. (Your picture is linked to the cruise card. Your picture is taken when you board)

 

Now with that being said, MANY people still take their passports with them just in case something happens, (Like if they miss the ship), and they need to fly home. Others take photo copies of their passports and store the originals in the cabin safe.

 

Also, check the ship's newletter and MAKE SURE you don't need a passport when you leave the ship. As fast as things are changing...I can only tell you what our experiences have been.

[Terpnut]

I'm confused.....so you do or don't need to show your passport when getting off/on the ship while in port? I thought this was the whole point of us having to get passports.

A passport is a government-issued document that is internationally accepted as a form of identification and citizenship. It is commonly required to traverse international borders however in most Caribbean countries, they don't check passports to enter. However a passport will be required, for example, if you should ever need assistance from your local consulate or embassy, or if you should miss the ship, to book air travel home (you will definitely need it to reenter the US)!

 

Thus, in my opinion, you should always carry your passport whenever travelling or visiting a foreign country. I'd leave all the other documents and IDs at home. Remember, as a US national travelling in a foreign land, your US passport is your ONLY official document for identification and citizenship. You never know when you might need it for emergencies. As a side bonus, you will already have photo ID for reboarding.

[cruznluvr]

You're welcome! :D

 

Hey how's the weather looking down there for this weekend? We arrive in Tampa on Sunday. You better have some sunshine for me. I am in dire need of sunshine.

Hah! I'll see what I can do.. Actually, Sunday looks good, supposed to be sunny w/ high of 79. Good thing you're not coming here today. We had bad storms here last night & now it's cloudy & a chilly 54 degrees.

Enjoy your time here!

[crusinmama06]

A passport is a government-issued document that is internationally accepted as a form of identification and citizenship. It is commonly required to traverse international borders however in most Caribbean countries, they don't check passports to enter. However a passport will be required, for example, if you should ever need assistance from your local consulate or embassy, or if you should miss the ship, to book air travel home (you will definitely need it to reenter the US)!

 

Thus, in my opinion, you should always carry your passport whenever travelling or visiting a foreign country. I'd leave all the other documents and IDs at home. Remember, as a US national travelling in a foreign land, your US passport is your ONLY official document for identification and citizenship. You never know when you might need it for emergencies. As a side bonus, you will already have photo ID for reboarding.

 

This is great advice. But I have a quick question, what if you are going to a beach excursion...where would you store your passport?

 

Having it stolen in another country is the one reason I keep it locked up in the ship's safe.

[Terpnut]

This is great advice. But I have a quick question, what if you are going to a beach excursion...where would you store your passport?

 

Having it stolen in another country is the one reason I keep it locked up in the ship's safe.

I'm always trolling the passport threads making this point: my only priority is my own personal well-being and safety--not my passport's well-being or safety. The consequences of not having my passport when I might need it far outweighs any potential hassle of having to replace my passport if it is lost or stolen. IOW, the possibility or risks of having my passport lost or stolen is not a reason to not carry your passport.

 

A passport is an official document that the State Dept advises that you carry with you when you are overseas. Would you not carry your driver's license when you drive because you might lose it or have it stolen? Of course not, because you are required to have it when you drive. You must present a valid license if asked for it by a law enforcement official. Same goes for a passport. And remember, a photocopy of your passport is useful only for expediting it's replacement if you should lose it, but the photocopy is NOT a substitute for the original passport for official and important purposes. It will not serve as official identification of any kind, it will not get you help from the consulate, it will not get you a flight home if you need it, and it will not allow you to reenter the US in an emergency. If we could all use photocopies of authentic documents, then I'd also be driving while carrying a photocopy of my driver's license, and using photocopies of my credit cards. Of course, none of this can be done.

 

In summary, a passport is not some "special" document that should be coddled and protected at the expense of your own best interests. It is NOT used just for reentering the US so you can just leave it on the ship. As an official personal travel document, it should be carried religiously on your person, like your driver's license in the US, so you have it to provide official documentation of your identity and citizenship when you really need it. If you elect to leave your passport locked up in a stateroom safe when you go ashore in the Caribbean, you should understand the risks of being without the protections of that passport.

[crusinmama06]

I'm always trolling the passport threads making this point: my only priority is my own personal well-being and safety--not my passport's well-being or safety. The consequences of not having my passport when I might need it far outweighs any potential hassle of having to replace my passport if it is lost or stolen. IOW, the possibility or risks of having my passport lost or stolen is not a reason to not carry your passport.

 

A passport is an official document that the State Dept advises that you carry with you when you are overseas. Would you not carry your driver's license when you drive because you might lose it or have it stolen? Of course not, because you are required to have it when you drive. You must present a valid license if asked for it by a law enforcement official. Same goes for a passport. And remember, a photocopy of your passport is useful only for expediting it's replacement if you should lose it, but the photocopy is NOT a substitute for the original passport for official and important purposes. It will not serve as official identification of any kind, it will not get you help from the consulate, it will not get you a flight home if you need it, and it will not allow you to reenter the US in an emergency. If we could all use photocopies of authentic documents, then I'd also be driving while carrying a photocopy of my driver's license, and using photocopies of my credit cards. Of course, none of this can be done.

 

In summary, a passport is not some "special" document that should be coddled and protected at the expense of your own best interests. It is NOT used just for reentering the US so you can just leave it on the ship. As an official personal travel document, it should be carried religiously on your person, like your driver's license in the US, so you have it to provide official documentation of your identity and citizenship when you really need it. If you elect to leave your passport locked up in a stateroom safe when you go ashore in the Caribbean, you should understand the risks of being without the protections of that passport.

 

Ok, another question. Let's say that the passport is stolen on the beach (playing in water, it happens...lol). How hard is it going to be once we get back to the US on the ship? (Of course, maybe if they don't let me back into the US then at least I get to stay on the ship, bonus :D )

 

No seriously, I am trying to work this all out in my mind.

 

So if it is stolen in port...then what's next?

 

And why do I remember traveling with my family who are British citizens and the cruiseline actually took their passports from them and gave them copies of the passports? Is that practice still done?

[calikak]

We bought a waterproof passport wallet for just such an occassion. We pre-tested it in our bathtub (not with the passport but with other pieces of paper, of course!) and it works great. I think I bought it at a local travel store, but I'm sure you could find one on the internet. I hang it around my neck and/or stuff it in the top of my swimsuit while swimming. It holds cash too, so I dont' have to worry about leaving it on the beach.

[crusinmama06]

We bought a waterproof passport wallet for just such an occassion. We pre-tested it in our bathtub (not with the passport but with other pieces of paper, of course!) and it works great. I think I bought it at a local travel store, but I'm sure you could find one on the internet. I hang it around my neck and/or stuff it in the top of my swimsuit while swimming. It holds cash too, so I dont' have to worry about leaving it on the beach.

 

Very cool. Thanks! I will look for one :D

[2112]

To add to the passport/no passport discussion. I used to take my passport everywhere with me while I travelled. It never left my moneybelt unless I was scuba diving/rafting or something like that. I don't anymore. Since I am always very careful to be back on the ship in plenty of time, I think the risk of losing, damaging or having my passport stolen is greater than me being late to the ship. There are also contingency plans by the cruise line in the event you miss your ship (take your paper's newpaper information along). Also, before you go, scan your passport information page and e-mail it to yourself. That way if you do loose your passport, you can get the information that way. It is a major hastle replacing a lost, damaged, or stollen passport, and I don't think people think about that enough. My wife's passport was stollen in China and not only is getting a replacement difficult, your replacement passport will only be good for a short amount of time and then you have to send in your passport for an extension (and every time you go through a countries immigration you have to point out that the passport's extension is in the back - and every once in a while they hold you while they check with a supervisor). Even when I have carried my passport in a money belt, I've had problems like getting the passsport soaked with sweat and going through immigration later in the day became a potential issue. To each his own, but I have had enough close calls in my travels to 65 countries that I don't take it with me if I don't need it that day.

 

And to answer the OP's question, if you have passports, leave your birth certificates at home. Also to the OP, if you would like to have your passport stamped by immigration in each port, give your passport to the ship's purser and they will take care of doing that for you when the ship clears the counties immigration.

[Onessa]

No need to bring BC with a passport.

 

We leave our passports in the cabin when we are in port but we do carry color copies of the inside page (with picture and all of the important info). I also have it in an encrypted Word doc on my email account. If I am stranded somewhere, I have access to enough information to at least "get the ball rolling" with the closest embassy or councelet (sp??)

[Terpnut]

Ok, another question. Let's say that the passport is stolen on the beach (playing in water, it happens...lol). How hard is it going to be once we get back to the US on the ship? (Of course, maybe if they don't let me back into the US then at least I get to stay on the ship, bonus :D )

 

No seriously, I am trying to work this all out in my mind.

 

So if it is stolen in port...then what's next?

 

And why do I remember traveling with my family who are British citizens and the cruiseline actually took their passports from them and gave them copies of the passports? Is that practice still done?

I agree that losing or having your passport stolen is a very legitimate concern or problem. That photocopy of your passport will certainly expedite getting a replacement. Or maybe the photocopy will get you some consideration with DHS. I really don't know.

 

But, for me, losing my passport while laying on the beach and having a hassle reentering the U.S. is NOT my biggest worry. My biggest worries are:

 

- What if I am in a situation where a local official demands proof of identity and/or citizenship? For example, what if I am detained by local police for some reason and thus will need official ID?

- What if I miss the ship for whatever reason and need to arrange a flight home?

- What if I need a flight through another country that also requires a passport to enter?

- What if there is a problem where I will need the assistance or help from my U.S. consulate or embassy staff?

- What if I or someone in my party has a medical emergency and someone is incapacitated in a local hospital? The ship is long gone and you are stranded with no ID and no way to get home.

 

These are just a few real-world examples of why you need to have your passport. Look around--you're not vacationing in Florida or California, and you DON'T have the protections of U.S. law.

 

As for the cruise lines taking passports from certain nationals, this is done to expedite their administrative dealings with a specific country's immigration and border control. Personally I would never surrender my passport to anyone, but in many cases, certain nationals apparently are forced to surrender their passports to cruiselines, hotels, etc. during their stay. Obviously, this is done to make life easier for the cruise line or hotel but it's definitely not in the best interests of the individual whose passport is taken.

 

Anyhow, I'm not trying lecture anyone but rather just trying to have you consider that there are real drawbacks and possible consequences to leaving that passport safely in the stateroom safe. :)

[Cruizingwithtoddlers]

Also to the OP, if you would like to have your passport stamped by immigration in each port, give your passport to the ship's purser and they will take care of doing that for you when the ship clears the counties immigration.

 

I did not know this, too cool. I will do that on our next cruise!

[FloridaLaura]

Thank you for the wonderful info on passports, it makes sense to take it with us while in port just in case something does happen. I will email myself a scanned copy to have just in case our passports get lost or stolen. Thanks again

[Terpnut]

Thank you for the wonderful info on passports, it makes sense to take it with us while in port just in case something does happen. I will email myself a scanned copy to have just in case our passports get lost or stolen. Thanks again

I scan and digitize ALL our family's important documents: passports, social security cards, driver's licenses, birth certificates, credit cards, marriage license, and photos (in case someone gets lost or kidnapped and you need additional photos for ID purposes). Because email access can never be guaranteed, I carry all these electronic copies in my phone (either internal or external storage), on a small storage card (e.g. SD, CompactFlash or MemoryStick card) either in your camera or separately, and/or on a USB flash drive. If you consider any of the information to be sensitive, make sure to encrypt the data. I use all of these methods but recommend, at a minimum, using whichever device or card you will carry on your person (e.g. in a purse or pocket) so you will have them when you need it.

[Soccer Mom 96]

Hi! I just wanted to add some information about passports and birth certificates. I am a travel agent and encountered this yesterday while making a reservation for clients. This family traveling is a blended family...dad, mom, dad's child from first marriage, mom's child from first marriage, and child together. Four of the five passengers have the same last name...the only one with a different last name is the mother's child from her first marriage. That child has her father's last name (as would usually be the case). The representative indicated that BOTH the mother and this child would need to bring Passport AND birth certificate so that the familial relationship could be established. Otherwise there is no official way to confirm that the child actually "belongs" to her. The mother's passport is now in her new married name. This is in addition to the notarized letter from the child's birth father allowing the mother to take the child out of the country that I had already advised them to get. The cruise line rep actually said there have been instances in which a child was denied boarding because the familial relationship couldn't be proven. This obviously does not address instances in which a child is traveling with friends and no parent...that's an entirely different topic.

 

Some might argue that this is overkill but it certainly makes sense. I hope this helps you make your decision.

 

Soccer Mom