taking your passport off the ship

[MellieInWI]

For our upcoming cruise we bought a nerdy looking zipper wallet/pouch that you wear around your waist. Inside there are two plastic, waterproof pouches to keep id/passport/money/etc. in. They're apparently great if you want to take your actual passport with you and not leave it on the beach while you go in the water.

 

It was about $20 and we ordered it from Magellans.

[alexkrn46]

On both cruises we were on, our entire familiy had to surrender our passports on embarkation, and did not get them returned to us until the last day. That was mandatory. I thought that was really weird, but thats the way it was.

Obviously, at that time we didn't need them to get on and off the ship at ports.

 

I think that was due to the fact you weren't American, never had to use a passport to get off the ship and that includes Europe.

[cruzincurt]

Very shortly, driver licenses in some States will not qualify as Federal ID. The passport is your document of citizenship when visiting a foreign country.

[laseiber]

But try to get a driver's license using your passport as ID doesn't fly in PA.

[Canuk Cruisers]

Being non-US citizens, NCL held our pasports for us but neither RCL nor CCL did. We left them in the safe and took some form of photo ID (drivers licence, school ID, etc) along with our Sea Pass and never had problems.

 

I heard that if you are unfortunate enough not to make it back to the ship prior to departure they will page for you (in case somehow you made it back) or a relative. If they don't find you someone from the ships security will enter your room and gather your passport and leave it with the port authorities.

 

I don't know if anyone else has heard of this and can either validate or discount it?

[TPKeller]

Please folks, stop posting that you were required to show your passport at any time during a US originated Caribbean or Mexican cruise! It just ain't so!

 

There are many threads on these boards which run this whole subject well into the ground. Passports for US citizens, sailing on US-originated Caribbean or Mexican cruises are not required!

 

You were most certainly told to provide your Seapass card along with a Photo ID, prior to reboarding the ship. And for you, your Photo ID may very well be your passport. But it could not have been a requirement to show a passport, since every week, thousands of passengers are sailing the Caribbean without a passport! If this were indeed the case, the ships would be coming back half empty! :eek:

 

Please stop saying things that are not true...

 

Theron

[Sue L]

Please folks, stop posting that you were required to show your passport at any time during a US originated Caribbean or Mexican cruise! It just ain't so!

 

There are many threads on these boards which run this whole subject well into the ground. Passports for US citizens, sailing on US-originated Caribbean or Mexican cruises are not required!

 

You were most certainly told to provide your Seapass card along with a Photo ID, prior to reboarding the ship. And for you, your Photo ID may very well be your passport. But it could not have been a requirement to show a passport, since every week, thousands of passengers are sailing the Caribbean without a passport! If this were indeed the case, the ships would be coming back half empty! :eek:

 

 

 

Please stop saying things that are not true...

 

Theron

Nicely put Theron, I think too many people assume that "government issue ID" only means passport but a driver's license is fine too!

[TPKeller]

Nicely put Theron, I think too many people assume that "government issue ID" only means passport but a driver's license is fine too!

Thanks... I'm sure people mean well, but there are folks who read these boards and take what they read seriously... I'd hate for someone to decide not to cruise based on incorrect information.

 

Theron

[WhiteSoxFan]

When we cruised last year our sea pass card did not have our picture on it.:confused:

 

We bring our passports with us anyway.

 

Denise

 

I should have been more specific. Your picture does not appear on your seapass but when you board and they insert your seapass in the card reader your picture comes up on the screen the security people are looking at. After reading more post I realize that the ID is not to board the ship but is required by the local authorities for access to the pier.

[falcon5travels]

Lesson Learned!. I will always carry my passport with me when going on shore and a copy is to be kep at elsewehere in case you need an emergency duplicate!!! When my 18 y.o. dd went to Greece last year, the Chaperon was required to carry all the kids passport at all times. Good thing, because, the ship they were on sank and if she didnt have them with her, getting home would have been a nightmare, as no one below deck three was allowed to go to their cabins.

[MakinGold]

I agree, what if you don't have a passport. Last cruise I was on was two years ago but what's the need of a passport when your seapass card has your picture on it? We are going in a couple of weeks and I would like to see if this is the norm.

 

On the Voyager, the port info only said to bring your seapass and a picture ID. They never actually asked to see the picture ID on reboarding.

[pcur]

We ALWAYS carry our passports with us EVERYWHERE we go away from home. We use them in U.S. airports, and on all our cruises. That way we don't have to figure out what photo ID is needed where: the passport is OK for all occasions.

 

I keep them in a neck purse under my clothes, and pull it out when we need them.

 

DH has his DL with him, usually, because it's in his wallet. But, the wallet stays on the ship, too. I take all the money and credit cards in the neck purse, too. No pickpockets to worry about.

[TPKeller]

I should have been more specific. Your picture does not appear on your seapass but when you board and they insert your seapass in the card reader your picture comes up on the screen the security people are looking at. After reading more post I realize that the ID is not to board the ship but is required by the local authorities for access to the pier.

Yep, the ship checks your ID using the picture they took when you first boarded the ship.

 

It's an interesting completion of the story... I can't find it documented anywhere explicitly, but the whole WHTI is designed to increase security of travel in all areas. I believe that the recent increase in efforts to validate ID before you enter the secure area (this is where the local authorities need to see your Photo ID, since they don't have access to the ship's computer system) is a part of the DHS efforts to increase security in the whole Western Hemisphere, and is a part of the very reason that they believe cruise ships that originate and terminate in the US are low risk enough that they have postponed the passport requirement, the imposition of which would be a financial detriment to the industry.

 

From page 36 of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, I found:

 

A. U.S. Citizen Cruise Ship Passengers

 

Because of the nature of round trip cruise ship travel, DHS has determined that

when U.S. citizens depart from and reenter the United States on board the same cruise

ship, they pose a low security risk in contrast to cruise ship passengers who embark in

foreign ports.

 

Although round trip cruises may stop in foreign ports (e.g., some east coast

cruises stop in the Caribbean and some cruises in the Pacific Northwest may include land

excursions in Canada), there are reasons why U.S. citizens aboard these cruises pose a

low security risk. First, on round trip cruises, passengers who depart from the United

States would have their documents checked both when they depart from the United States

and when they return to the United States. Under current Advanced Passenger

Information System (APIS) requirements, the cruise lines are required to check the

accuracy of the travel documents for all departing passengers. The passenger information

is transmitted to CBP well before the return of the cruise ship.

 

While on the voyage, the cruise lines also check the identity of passengers as they

return to the ship at various ports of call along the voyage. CBP has worked with the

cruise lines to establish proper security protocols for these voyages and will continue to

work with the cruise lines on security protocols in the future. [Emphasis is mine]

 

When the cruise ships return to the United States, CBP officers examine the

documents of the incoming passengers as they would for other cruise passengers.

Because of the advanced passenger information supplied to CBP upon departure and

because of CBP's ability to check this passenger data against the information supplied by

passengers upon return to the United States, the security risks associated with allowing

U.S. citizens to use the documents described below are low.

This is why I would not be surprised if passports are never required for these cruise passengers.

 

Theron

[aqhacruiser]

double

[aqhacruiser]

Again

[aqhacruiser]

Please folks, stop posting that you were required to show your passport at any time during a US originated Caribbean or Mexican cruise! It just ain't so!

 

There are many threads on these boards which run this whole subject well into the ground. Passports for US citizens, sailing on US-originated Caribbean or Mexican cruises are not required!

 

You were most certainly told to provide your Seapass card along with a Photo ID, prior to reboarding the ship. And for you, your Photo ID may very well be your passport. But it could not have been a requirement to show a passport, since every week, thousands of passengers are sailing the Caribbean without a passport! If this were indeed the case, the ships would be coming back half empty! :eek:

 

Please stop saying things that are not true...

 

Theron

 

We have been asked to show our ID which IS our passport in St. Maarten, Bermuda and in St. Thomas since Oct. at the check point before we get to the ship. You are correct, you CAN still use your drivers license with photo on it but they will not accept copies of passport or other ID. We always take our passports into port with us and leave the copies of passports and credit cards in safe. I've also been asked for my passport specifically not drivers license to use a credit card in St. Thomas in Nov. and in Dec. :)

[aqhacruiser]

This is posted on the RCCL website. Whether the goverment will require them by the summer or even sometime this year is anyones guess but RCCL is telling passengers this:)

Anticipated Implementation

 

October 1, 2007 - The departments of State and Homeland Security reestablished the valid passport requirements for air travel. Valid passports are required for air travel to / from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

U.S. lawful permanent residents will continue to be able to use their Alien Registration Card (Form I-551) issued by the Department of Homeland Security or other valid evidence of permanent residence status to apply for entry to the United States.

 

As early as Summer 2008 - A valid passport will be required for all sea and air travel. And subject to U.S. Government amendment, U.S. and Canadian citizens 15 or younger with their parents consent may cross the U.S./Canadian border by land or sea with a certified copy of their birth certificate.

[pcur]

That's what I thought, aqhacruiser, that a PICTURE of your passport won't help you, because it's not the official document. I know there was a thread a little while ago here about the new passport cards, but those appear to be only for re-entering the U.S.

 

That's why we just take the passport anywhere with us: no question about whether it's going to suffice, and I don't have to keep track of dates that laws and policies go in effect. I'm already there!

 

I can see an issue with people that do a lot of watersprorts, but they have waterproof passport holders now, too!

[TPKeller]

This is posted on the RCCL website. Whether the goverment will require them by the summer or even sometime this year is anyones guess but RCCL is telling passengers this:)

Anticipated Implementation

 

October 1, 2007 - The departments of State and Homeland Security reestablished the valid passport requirements for air travel. Valid passports are required for air travel to / from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

U.S. lawful permanent residents will continue to be able to use their Alien Registration Card (Form I-551) issued by the Department of Homeland Security or other valid evidence of permanent residence status to apply for entry to the United States.

 

As early as Summer 2008 - A valid passport will be required for all sea and air travel. And subject to U.S. Government amendment, U.S. and Canadian citizens 15 or younger with their parents consent may cross the U.S./Canadian border by land or sea with a certified copy of their birth certificate.

Yep, this has also been well covered in countless other threads... and about a great many things other than passports...

 

The cruise line stinks at keeping their web page updated with current policy. That shouldn't be a big surprise, you can't even get a consistent answer from Customer Service if you call them two or three times with the same question.

 

My conjecture is that a cruise line will never turn away a legally documented passenger... their policy will always conform to the law, despite what they may say on the web site. To do otherwise would be foolish, and expose them to the ire of the stockholders.

 

Please understand, I'm a huge fan of passports. I'm well into the life of my second one (ha ha, does that say how old I am?)

 

It is just simply not our decision to make for other people on whether they should spend that money when it is not a requirement. I am all for spelling out all the pros and cons of why they should get a passport, but providing incorrect information in that process is not something we should tolerate.

 

:)

 

Theron

[TPKeller]

We have been asked to show our ID which IS our passport in St. Maarten, Bermuda and in St. Thomas since Oct. at the check point before we get to the ship. You are correct, you CAN still use your drivers license with photo on it but they will not accept copies of passport or other ID. We always take our passports into port with us and leave the copies of passports and credit cards in safe. I've also been asked for my passport specifically not drivers license to use a credit card in St. Thomas in Nov. and in Dec. :)

That is a violation of the merchant's agreement with the credit card companies... you can report them, and if they don't comply, they can be barred from accepting credit cards!

 

How To Report Merchants For Requiring A Minimum Purchase Or Making You Show ID

 

Theron

[Dr_DNA]

But try to get a driver's license using your passport as ID doesn't fly in PA.

 

That's not ture. A Passport is listed as an "Acceptable Form of Identification" according to PENNDOT http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/fact_sheets/pub195us.pdf

[Dr_DNA]

I heard that if you are unfortunate enough not to make it back to the ship prior to departure they will page for you (in case somehow you made it back) or a relative. If they don't find you someone from the ships security will enter your room and gather your passport and leave it with the port authorities.

 

When visiting foreign ports of call, I would carry my passport. I might not have to, but I would.

 

I've often wondered what would happen if we didn't have our passports and we missed the ship. How would we get back to the states (or next POC) if we didn't have our passports. Can someone confirm our friend to the north's statement above. I seriously doubt that they would rummage through your room and things to find a passport that may or may not be there. In my mind, the best bet is to just keep it securely with you.

[GJClay]

I keep my passport with me in port at all times, thinking that this is the main reason I have it; for ID in other countries. I leave copies in the safe. I don't really participate in extensive water activities, so don't know what you do there, but would not feel safe without my passport on my person; but that's just me.

 

However, the prior post stating their passports were confiscated when boarding has me really confused.

[greatam]

 

However, the prior post stating their passports were confiscated when boarding has me really confused.

 

Some cruises collect (NOT confiscate) passports on boarding. This simplifies the immigration process when immigration officers board the ships. Happens on most South American and Asian cruises, on some European cruises.

 

Also, passports belonging to citizens of certain countries (Canada comes to mind) are also collected on certain Caribbean cruise. Depends on the country, the origin of the passenger and passport rules regarding those citizens.

 

Taking your USA passport off the ship is a BAD idea IMHO. I travel frequently to South America for business. On the black market, a US passport is worth up to $20,000. I have been offered $7,000 for mine in Peru. So they are worth GOLD and are used by terrorists, drug dealers and money launderers with frequency. A US or British passport is one of the most valuable documents floating around the world.

[AmoMondo]

This is a strange one for me as a Brit. Unless I only want to cruise around the UK (which I don't as I want to escape our weather) then having a passport is a must. My experiences with cruises have been varied - sometimes the ship takes your passport off you when you embark and gives it back to you the night before disembarkation (something to do with making immigration easier fro them) but in certain countries (Tunisia comes to min and Russia) you can't get off the ship without your passport or a temporary visa. In most EEC countries we only need our cruise card to get off and on the ship but I always take a copy of my passport with me, in case something happens and I don't make it back to the ship before it sails. conversely for Europeans bing in US waters is amongst the worse for us. When i was in the caribbean, we could just get off and on the ship with just our card and no formalities except when we were at St Thomas. US Customs and Immigaration had to come abord and every passenger had to take their passport to the officials in person to have it stamped and checked. They only sent 3 officials and with only one of them being speedy it took about 2-3 hours for all the passengers to be "cleared" before anyone was allowed ashore. The captain very kindly made the decision to sail 2 hours later or it really would not have been worth getting off the ship at all as we would have had so little time ashore by the time we queued for tenders to get off and then back.

 

The world is a very big and varied place with so many fascinating things to see and experience - so I'd say get a passport and go see and experience as much as you can of it!