Passports witheld on Carnival Destiny.

[newbie21]

The May 7 cruise, Barbados to Barbados, we were unaware that on embarkation our passports would be witheld by Destiny, returned to us after compulsory disembarkation in San Juan.

 

I joked that what if the ship sinks, I would like to have my passport on me! Seriously, I was so proud when I got my first British passport in 1962, I have carried it in my wallet ever since, using it as my ID.

 

I have read some posts in these threads, where posters would have liked to have their passport with them onshore at any port of call, especially if they miss the ship.

 

Many of us were concerned about this procedure, simply being told it's the rules, so just accept it.

 

In my current passport, note 6 says: "It should not be tampered with or passed to an unauthorised person".

 

I trust Carnival are authorised to do what they did. Any opinions anyone?

BTW, we all had a great time, and the ship did not sink!

[dan40]

The May 7 cruise, Barbados to Barbados, we were unaware that on embarkation our passports would be witheld by Destiny, returned to us after compulsory disembarkation in San Juan.

 

I joked that what if the ship sinks, I would like to have my passport on me! Seriously, I was so proud when I got my first British passport in 1962, I have carried it in my wallet ever since, using it as my ID.

 

I have read some posts in these threads, where posters would have liked to have their passport with them onshore at any port of call, especially if they miss the ship.

 

Many of us were concerned about this procedure, simply being told it's the rules, so just accept it.

 

In my current passport, note 6 says: "It should not be tampered with or passed to an unauthorised person".

 

I trust Carnival are authorised to do what they did. Any opinions anyone?

BTW, we all had a great time, and the ship did not sink!

 

You still drinking the same vile whine? This and your other post about immigration, why are you so upset?

 

Carnival or any other cruiseline doesn't give 2 hoots in hell about your passport or about running you off the ship for immigration. They do what the authorities tell them to do and if they are told to collect passports from non US citizens, they do.

Go to immigration.gov and complain there.

 

Dan

[ruskatab]

Have you never cruised before? Its like when you cruise from the bahamas to St. Thomas. Everyone has to go through immigration. All this information is in your documents and Carnival isnt the only cruiseline to do this, they all do. I guess it would be a pain if you hadnt planned on leaving the ship for an excursion but it has to be done. Im sure Carnival gave you back your passport didnt they?

[newbie21]

Thank you both for your responses, unfortunately my question has not been answered. Are Carnival authorised to do this? I was not the only one who was uncomfortable about it, and other posters in this website have expressed the same concerns.

 

BTW, it did not spoil my trip. For the third time, I say I had a great time. I have travelled greatly in my time, and these experiences are part of the joy of travelling. It was my first cruise, and I learnt a lot. I consider myself as a reasonably discerning person, accepting that we get what we pay for, and always making a joke about any mishaps.

 

I regret to say that the majority of the passengers on board the Carnival Destiny were not very discerning. They were treated like cattle, and often behaved so. Destiny was catering for me, for which I am most appreciative. Notable was the unbelievable queue at the dining room doors before they opened, always on time, yet there were lovely relaxing bars right there, where I sat and listened to live music. The cattle, sorry passengers, preferred to push against the doors as if they had never been fed for a week!

 

Fortunately I have, in my travels, got used to these Internet fora, so flame me as much as you like. I may not respond, so please do not get upset about that. I mostly have other things to do.

[Pegs222]

You still drinking the same vile whine? This and your other post about immigration, why are you so upset?

 

Carnival or any other cruiseline doesn't give 2 hoots in hell about your passport or about running you off the ship for immigration. They do what the authorities tell them to do and if they are told to collect passports from non US citizens, they do.

Go to immigration.gov and complain there.

 

Dan

 

Is this the same whiner that did not want to go on any excursions but "they" had the gall to pull him off "his" ship?

 

Your right they take all non US pax Passports, just the thing they do.

[Pegs222]

Thank you both for your responses, unfortunately my question has not been answered. Are Carnival authorised to do this? I was not the only one who was uncomfortable about it, and other posters in this website have expressed the same concerns.

 

BTW, it did not spoil my trip. For the third time, I say I had a great time. I have travelled greatly in my time, and these experiences are part of the joy of travelling. It was my first cruise, and I learnt a lot. I consider myself as a reasonably discerning person, accepting that we get what we pay for, and always making a joke about any mishaps.

 

I regret to say that the majority of the passengers on board the Carnival Destiny were not very discerning. They were treated like cattle, and often behaved so. Destiny was catering for me, for which I am most appreciative. Notable was the unbelievable queue at the dining room doors before they opened, always on time, yet there were lovely relaxing bars right there, where I sat and listened to live music. The cattle, sorry passengers, preferred to push against the doors as if they had never been fed for a week!

 

Fortunately I have, in my travels, got used to these Internet fora, so flame me as much as you like. I may not respond, so please do not get upset about that. I mostly have other things to do.

 

They have answered your questions in this thread and the other one you put up. What more information do you need? The US can pull your Passport if they want, end of discussion. How much plainer can that be? It is not personal. They have every right to do this. How many times and or ways are you going to ask the same question?

 

For someone that "I say I had a great time" you sure complain a lot.

[Ms Belvedere]

I haven't read your other thread through to see if anyone quoted the documents provided to you before sailing or not. In the Welcome Aboard, Things to Know Before You Sail booklet, page 5, paragraph 7: "On occassion, non-US citizens and US Alien Residents may be asked to surrender their Passport and/or Alien Resident Card at time of embarkation. These documents will be returned upon completion of the immigration inspection at the time of debarkation."

[newbie21]

My question in this thread still has not been answered. Let me add a little more from my British Passport:

 

"This passport remains the property of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and may be withdrawn at any time. It should not be tampered with or passed to an unauthorised person."

 

So my question is, do Carnival have that authorisation from Her Majesty's Government? I guess they do, but perhaps I should write to Carnival for documentary confirmation of their application to Her Majesty's Government for authorisation, and confirmation of its approval.

 

Or perhaps the British Government do not give a damn either. Ah well, such is life! Happy sailing!

[G'ma]

Thank you both for your responses, unfortunately my question has not been answered. Are Carnival authorised to do this? I was not the only one who was uncomfortable about it, and other posters in this website have expressed the same concerns.

 

BTW, it did not spoil my trip. For the third time, I say I had a great time. I have travelled greatly in my time, and these experiences are part of the joy of travelling. It was my first cruise, and I learnt a lot. I consider myself as a reasonably discerning person, accepting that we get what we pay for, and always making a joke about any mishaps.

 

I regret to say that the majority of the passengers on board the Carnival Destiny were not very discerning. They were treated like cattle, and often behaved so. Destiny was catering for me, for which I am most appreciative. Notable was the unbelievable queue at the dining room doors before they opened, always on time, yet there were lovely relaxing bars right there, where I sat and listened to live music. The cattle, sorry passengers, preferred to push against the doors as if they had never been fed for a week!

 

Fortunately I have, in my travels, got used to these Internet fora, so flame me as much as you like. I may not respond, so please do not get upset about that. I mostly have other things to do.

 

If you are such a seasoned traveler, you know there are places in the world, countries everywhere that require your passport be turned over. To directly answer your question, "Yes", Carnival is authorized to hold your Passport when instructed to do so by Immigration and Passport Control.

[Pegs222]

My question in this thread still has not been answered. Let me add a little more from my British Passport:

 

"This passport remains the property of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and may be withdrawn at any time. It should not be tampered with or passed to an unauthorised person."

 

So my question is, do Carnival have that authorisation from Her Majesty's Government? I guess they do, but perhaps I should write to Carnival for documentary confirmation of their application to Her Majesty's Government for authorisation, and confirmation of its approval.

 

Or perhaps the British Government do not give a damn either. Ah well, such is life! Happy sailing!

 

Dense that is the only word I can think of when talking to you. You really do not get it do you? How many ways or times do you need the same information given to you? The US has every right to take your Passport, end of discussion.

[yst347]

My question in this thread still has not been answered. Let me add a little more from my British Passport:

 

"This passport remains the property of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and may be withdrawn at any time. It should not be tampered with or passed to an unauthorised person."

 

I must admit I am a bit confused. You seem to have given a close reading to your passport. Since a similar reading of the cruise contract says you may be required to surrender your passport, why would you have proceeded with the trip without "Her Majesty's Government" authorizing you to do so?

[bobcan]

The US has every right to take your Passport, end of discussion.

 

Since when did the US have the right to take your passport in foreign territory. The OP stated that the cruise began in the Barbados, British territory the last time I checked. I agree that your government has the right once the ship enters US waters but not before.

 

And nobody has actually answered the OP's question since you have all been too intent on flaming him. Unfortunately, I am unable to answer his questions but I shall certainly do a little research and see if there is a proper answer

[zqvol]

Thank you both for your responses, unfortunately my question has not been answered. Are Carnival authorised to do this? I was not the only one who was uncomfortable about it, and other posters in this website have expressed the same concerns.

 

BTW, it did not spoil my trip. For the third time, I say I had a great time. I have travelled greatly in my time, and these experiences are part of the joy of travelling. It was my first cruise, and I learnt a lot. I consider myself as a reasonably discerning person, accepting that we get what we pay for, and always making a joke about any mishaps.

 

I regret to say that the majority of the passengers on board the Carnival Destiny were not very discerning. They were treated like cattle, and often behaved so. Destiny was catering for me, for which I am most appreciative. Notable was the unbelievable queue at the dining room doors before they opened, always on time, yet there were lovely relaxing bars right there, where I sat and listened to live music. The cattle, sorry passengers, preferred to push against the doors as if they had never been fed for a week!

 

Fortunately I have, in my travels, got used to these Internet fora, so flame me as much as you like. I may not respond, so please do not get upset about that. I mostly have other things to do.

 

In a word YES.

 

There are many of the smaller cruise lines that take passports for all travelers on all voyages. It is no big deal.

[zqvol]

Dense that is the only word I can think of when talking to you. You really do not get it do you? How many ways or times do you need the same information given to you? The US has every right to take your Passport, end of discussion.

 

You are missing the point too. the US did not take his passport. That does not mean Carnival is not authorized, in fact they could, if they wanted to require ALL guests including US citizens to surrender their passports. Many of the small lines take everyones passports when you board and hold them for the whole cruise. It is no big deal.

[newbie21]

if I was the only one who had expressed concern about this Carnival contract provision (yes, I had read it) I might begin to think I was a bit off my rocker.

 

"Derbyshire born and Derbyshire bred, strong in the arm and thick in the head" is how it goes for my birthplace.

 

However, all of the UK residents I spoke to on the ship (they were doing a package which included a hotel in Barbados before and after the cruise) were saying the same thing, and two born and bred Barbadians didn't like having their UK passports taken off them. Other Barbadians seemed to accept and asked no questions. I accepted, but this does not mean I should not ask questions, certainly afterwards.

 

Many Barbadians do not like to ask questions, some still have a slave mentality, especially of the Americans, who "carry guns".

 

As a seasoned traveller I have always carried my British passport everywhere with me, and would only surrender it if I was arrested. On the Destiny I was just a happy-go-lucky traveller, not a suspected criminal.

 

I think many Americans are a little paranoid, and the reactions here to my posts seem to confirm this. 9/11 was awful, but awful things are happening all of the time, through natural evil as well as human evil. We have to pick ourselves up and get on with living, whilst we have the chance.

 

Re my other thread, but I may as well say so here, they might have had to carry me off kicking and screaming. Our waiter told us a tale that when some guests on another occasion had refused to get off, the whole ship was compounded and delayed.

 

I am not alone in this thinking, just sharing a few views I picked up on the cruise. Perhaps it is better we leave this now, and thank God that we did not meet in the whirlpool. However, I am sure you are great people, its just this anonamous forum that brings out the aggression in some of us.

[irishgirl]

I cruise with a girl from London every once in a while. She always has to surrender her passport and pick it up the morning of debarkation. That's partly why they are calling names in the morning you debark, either to pay up on your Sign & Sail or to pick up your passport.

 

It's nothing new, it's been done as long as I've been cruising. Any non U.S. Citizens must surrender their passport.

 

Judy

[yst347]

Since when did the US have the right to take your passport in foreign territory.

The United States Government didn't take his passport, Carnival Cruise Lines took his passport

The OP stated that the cruise began in the Barbados, British territory the last time I checked. I agree that your government has the right once the ship enters US waters but not before.

The United States government didn't exam his passport until the ship arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico...a United States possession

And nobody has actually answered the OP's question since you have all been too intent on flaming him.

You seem to be under the impression the OP is asking what right the government of the USA has to hold his passport. This isn't his question at all. Go back and read. He is asking what authority Carnival has to hold his passport.

Unfortunately, I am unable to answer his questions but I shall certainly do a little research and see if there is a proper answer

Carnival disclosed to him that he may be required to surrender his passport. If he didn't want to surrender his passport he didn't have to. He would have had to forgo the cruise, but he chose to cruise anyway. I don't understand his complaint at all.

[bobcan]

I cruise with a girl from London every once in a while. She always has to surrender her passport and pick it up the morning of debarkation. That's partly why they are calling names in the morning you debark, either to pay up on your Sign & Sail or to pick up your passport.

 

It's nothing new, it's been done as long as I've been cruising. Any non U.S. Citizens must surrender their passport.

 

Judy

 

Canadians are not required to surrender passports by Carnival and we are not U.S. citizens.

 

bob

[dan40]

This self proclaimed "seasoned traveler" reminds me of a guy a friend and I were talking with while visiting our home town after many years away. We were talking about traveling and he said that he had had an amazing life and had traveled all over. "Where?" we asked. "Everywhere," he answered, "Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, EVERYWHERE!"

 

Having one's passport collected when visiting a foreign country used to be near universal, and is still fairly normal.

 

This "seasoned traveler," is starting to sound trollish to me too.

 

Dan

[bobcan]

The United States Government didn't take his passport, Carnival Cruise Lines took his passport

 

I should have been clearer on the point of the United States Government taking his passport, I understand that it is not them, I was in fact responding to a statement by another poster, who stated the US had the right to take the OP's passport.

 

 

 

You seem to be under the impression the OP is asking what right the government of the USA has to hold his passport. This isn't his question at all. Go back and read. He is asking what authority Carnival has to hold his passport.

 

No, I totally understand that the OP is asking what right the cruise line has in taking his passport.

Carnival disclosed to him that he may be required to surrender his passport. If he didn't want to surrender his passport he didn't have to. He would have had to forgo the cruise, but he chose to cruise anyway. I don't understand his complaint at all.

 

Many years ago when Carnival used to take Canadian passports on all cruises(a practice they have since stopped) no-one could explain to us what right they had to do it, we were told that that is simply the way it is.

 

 

bob

[newbie21]

I may not post in this thread again, but it's all adding to my cruise experience. However, I would like to acknowledge those of you who seem to have grasped my intention. Not to criticise, merely to ask. On this occasion after the event, because when we gave our passports to the ship's embarkation staff, we expected to get them back. It was a bit of a shock when they said they were keeping them for the US on entry into San Juan. Of course we agreed as we wanted to cruise.

 

I have acknowledged in the other thread that most of this was not knowing up-front, for which, I agree, I am mostly to blame. Destiny staff put themselves out to meet our concerns and did so fairly successfully, for which I am most grateful.

 

Carnival Destiny may not be quite the sort of cruise ship which would suit me best. It was my first cruise, and with more searching beforehand, I trust it will not be my last. Many thanks to all who have contributed to my thread and helped me understand a little more on what is going on in the cruise business.

[Snorkel2Much]

if I was the only one who had expressed concern about this Carnival contract provision (yes, I had read it) I might begin to think I was a bit off my rocker.

 

"Derbyshire born and Derbyshire bred, strong in the arm and thick in the head" is how it goes for my birthplace.

 

However, all of the UK residents I spoke to on the ship (they were doing a package which included a hotel in Barbados before and after the cruise) were saying the same thing, and two born and bred Barbadians didn't like having their UK passports taken off them. Other Barbadians seemed to accept and asked no questions. I accepted, but this does not mean I should not ask questions, certainly afterwards.

 

Many Barbadians do not like to ask questions, some still have a slave mentality, especially of the Americans, who "carry guns".

 

As a seasoned traveller I have always carried my British passport everywhere with me, and would only surrender it if I was arrested. On the Destiny I was just a happy-go-lucky traveller, not a suspected criminal.

 

I think many Americans are a little paranoid, and the reactions here to my posts seem to confirm this. 9/11 was awful, but awful things are happening all of the time, through natural evil as well as human evil. We have to pick ourselves up and get on with living, whilst we have the chance.

 

Re my other thread, but I may as well say so here, they might have had to carry me off kicking and screaming. Our waiter told us a tale that when some guests on another occasion had refused to get off, the whole ship was compounded and delayed.

 

I am not alone in this thinking, just sharing a few views I picked up on the cruise. Perhaps it is better we leave this now, and thank God that we did not meet in the whirlpool. However, I am sure you are great people, its just this anonamous forum that brings out the aggression in some of us.

This is not a U.S. paranoia issue. Take a Med cruise to Greece and/or Turkey on any EU based cruiseline, and US citizens will have to surrender their passports upon embarkation. Do they have the right to do it? Considering the fines they're facing if they fail to comply with immigration rules, you can comply, or not cruise.

 

Want to rent a motorcycle in Thailand? Give up your passport.

 

Is all this legal? Ask your consulate or try here: http:://www.foreign.gov.bb/

[yst347]

This is not a U.S. paranoia issue.

 

Like you, I felt the unmistakable whiff of "this is USA paranoia" in the OP's query. While I will confess a strong sense of agreement with this view as I find these requirements quite odious when balanced against the same administration that has done so little to restrict improper crossings along our southern border during these past seven years. What really bothers me though, is that it comes from someone holding a passport issued by "Her Majesty's Government". I cannot think of a western nation with more odious and paranoid laws than the UK. Whether MI5 spying, government cameras covering every inch of major cities 24/7, highway cameras tracking the movement of every "subject" etc, the UK has written the book on paranoia.

[Essiesmom]

It is not just cruise ships in foreign waters...I have had to surrender passport to hotels in foreign countries, too. It is the way of the world. When you BECOME that 'seasoned traveler' that you claim to be, you will know. Try a different cruise line next time, you will find it is the same. EM

[madge57]

OMG people give it up!! Yes they have the right to take your passport from you!!! They are authorized!!! Ok now are you happy????