Do you take your passport when leaving the ship?

[negc]

Count your blessings:

 

So in your travels you are saying you have never

encountered young begging children who stick their hands into your pockets, beggars who surround you from all sides and tug at your clothing, A woman with a dehydrated infant or a deformed person distracting you begging for money while their accomplice is hoping you will make a wrong move, being bumped, felt up and down in a crowded metro, a vendor who short changed you?

 

My passport stays where it is save and generally that is not with me:) if I can help it.

 

Well we know that you have insured that your passport will be safe, but we should probably worry about your safety. I guess my priorities are out of whack since I would be more concerned about my personal well-being than guaranteeing that a replaceable paper document is safe and secure back onboard the ship.:rolleyes:

[mickeysgal]

I won't add my 2 cents worth regarding the passport, being so many have advised you already, but I would like to advise you to take the daily Cruise Compass with you so that you have the local Port Agent's address and phone number incase you have a problem or are stranded.

It's usually found on the bottom of the first page of the Compass.

 

Excellent advice.

 

We're planning a Med. cruise and I most certainly would keep our passports with us at all times. How we're going to keep them secure on us to prevent pickpocketing...I don't know. Haven't figured the best way to do this yet, but we will not be getting off a ship in a foreign country without official documents on us, i.e. our passports.

[albean99]

We just came back from a cruise which stopped in Cozumel, Roatan, and Costa Maya. The cruise staff recommended just taking picture id and not our passports so that's what we did. It seems to me there's a higher risk of losing it, having it stolen, or damaging it while on excursions or sightseeing than needing it while onshore. The cards sound like a great idea and I may look at it in the future.

[sea-cruise]

Excellent advice.

 

We're planning a Med. cruise and I most certainly would keep our passports with us at all times. How we're going to keep them secure on us to prevent pickpocketing...I don't know. Haven't figured the best way to do this yet, but we will not be getting off a ship in a foreign country without official documents on us, i.e. our passports.

This link might be helpful to you. There are many wide security pouches sold that will accomodate a passport.

Happy traveling! :)

http://www.kevincoffee.com/money/guide_to_security_belt_and_pouches.htm

[BeccaH]

We just came back from a cruise which stopped in Cozumel, Roatan, and Costa Maya. The cruise staff recommended just taking picture id and not our passports so that's what we did. It seems to me there's a higher risk of losing it, having it stolen, or damaging it while on excursions or sightseeing than needing it while onshore. The cards sound like a great idea and I may look at it in the future.

 

 

 

The problem with trying to use a passport card in place of your passport is that a passport card is not valid for air travel outside of the US. It is acceptable for Land and Sea travel, but if you get stuck in some Jamaican jail cell, hospital, stranded in a rental car on the side of the road, or missed getting on your ship in time... if you need to fly to the next port, or back home, the passport card will not do it for you. Eventually, you could clear the red tape, but it's not the same as showing your passport.

 

We were going to get the passport cards... but then realized, they weren't really that helpful.

[Charles4515]

I can't believe that no one is commenting on my great (:)) idea!

 

If you already have a valid passport, you can get a passport card from the US passport agency, for $20, good for cruising Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean. It is the size of a drivers license, so easy to carry around. Like having and extra copy of your passport that is real and official. We'll leave our Passport books locked in the safe in the cabin.

 

These cards obviously won't work for other places like Europe, but for the kind of active and wet excursions that one might take on a Caribbean cruise, a passport card is, to me, a perfect alternative to a paper copy of a page from your passport book.

 

The passport card is a waste of money if you have a passport. It is only good to enter the US from land or sea ports. It was meant to facilitate the frequent travel of U.S. citizens living in border communities. It is not good for air travel.

 

In the Caribbean when you go ashore all you need is a drivers license. You don't need your passport on you. It is best to keep the passport on the ship.

[satxdiver]

The passport card is intended for the sole use of citizens who travel by rail, bus or automobile to Canada or Mexico. It is used to establish residency in the USA. If you are going to Mexico and you travel beyond the border tourist area, you will need a Mexican visa. I do not know if they will accept your passport card or demand a passport.

 

The passport is recognized as a legal citizenship identification by all nations on this earth. It is the only document that all countries will accept. While you may be very punctual in returning to the ship, you may encounter conditions beyond your control and miss the ship. If you rent a car and are involved in an accident with a native irregardless as to who was at fault, the police will be called and you will find yourself at the local police station. Amazingly they will only speak in their native tongue (usually Spanish) and will demand cash to cover damages and/or fines. It happens on a regular basis when pax get into trouble with the local establishment.

 

If you go to the airport without a passport for a flight into the USA, you must have a valid unexpired passport. The passport information for all airline pax must be transmitted to the US government before the airline is allowed into USA airspace. If anyone on board is on the "do not enter" list, the airline will be denied entry into the country. It has happened several times when airlines have had to land in Canada or return to their origination. After 9/11 the people demanded that the borders be secured and now they are. We have to live with the new regulations.

 

If you do not have a passport and want to fly home, you will have to go to the nearest US embassy/consulate to get a temporary one in person during normal working hours unless it is a medical emergency. They will have to verify that you are who you claim to be before issuing the temporary passport which could take hours even days. It simply is not worth the hassle.

 

You should always carry a photocopy of your passport in a separate location such as your bags and leave one at home with relatives/friends. It will expedite getting a temporary passport from the US Embassy/Consulate in person of course! It cannot be use in lieu of your actual passport.

 

I have had a passport for decades. When I step foot on foreign soil, I have it with me.

[Tucker in Texas]

I'm one of those that leaves the passport in the safe. I figure the odds of me needing it ashore are a lot less than the odds of me losing it.

 

When I have to carry a purse or something larger than a fanny pack to hold touring information like guide books, maps, etc., I have a "decoy" wallet in it with a little bit of money, worthless credit cards, pictures of friends grandchildren I get at Christmas, expired driver's license (which I use for photo ID to get on and off the ship), etc. I, also, have an expired passport in the purse. I am hoping that if I get mugged or purse snatched, the thief will not figure out he has a booty full of "nothing" until he has gone one direction and I have gone the other. My real money, credit cards, passport, etc. are in a neck bag which I attach to my bra strap and let hang down my side (sometimes it pays to be "hippy") so there will not be a "tell tale" cord around my neck. Husband carries a decoy wallet, too, but treats it as if it is the "real" thing--i.e. not in his rear pocket but in a front pocket with rubber bands wrapped around it. He has a "secret pocket" that attaches to his belt and hangs inside his pants.

 

Tucker in Texas

[Ggrrl1]

A family friend had her passport stolen on her flight into Rome (she left it on her seat when she went to the restroom). To make a long story short, she was detained at the airport for 2 days before being deported. Yes, she had a copy of it and she was in a major city with an embassy, but it was a weekend.

 

Getting a new passport is not easy, but not having it with you can be catestrophic. I have travelled fairly extensively internationally and my passport stays with me the same as my wallet does. That means that I don't carry it on ship, but I always carry it off with me. I guard it the same way that I would guard any valuable possession.

 

In most countries, your US Driver's License carries about as much weight as a student ID. You passport is your only valid form of identification.

[ken_nyc]

Just wondering if your passport is necessary on shore excursions or if it's better to leave it in your cabin and carry a photocopy? What might you need it for other than (god forbid!:eek:) if you miss returning to the ship and have to fly to the next port? What about other I.D. like a Driver's Licence? Should you carry it with you or leave it behind?

 

Thanks!!

We take our passports with us all of the time and keep a set of copies in the cabin safe and a set at home. I believe if you miss the ship it will be no headache with your original passport rather than a copy.

[land lover]

Well we know that you have insured that your passport will be safe, but we should probably worry about your safety. I guess my priorities are out of whack since I would be more concerned about my personal well-being than guaranteeing that a replaceable paper document is safe and secure back onboard the ship.:rolleyes:

 

Did you say replaceable document? Then why keep the original with you?

I

f you really want to talk about personal safety..... In some of the countries and at the times I have traveled it might be best not to have identification that I am an American citizen.

 

As I said before, each to his own.

 

I'll take my changes without it if I have a secure place to keep imy passport while I am touring.

[Newtrek]

We had a friend that was cruising on the AOS and didnt take his passport with him when he went ashore in Aruba. He was bar hopping and missed the ship. When he went to the authorities, the said to him "this is not the U.S. you know" and it took him 2 days of red tape to catch up with the ship. He was lucky to have a credit card on him and could buy a few clothes, a hotel room and a plane ticket to catch up with the ship. The other people with him were freaking out cause there was no way of knowing what happened until he caught up with the ship 2 days later.

My husband and I decided that it was worth it to take our passports with us when ever we leave the ship, we are just careful that they are protected from theft.

[Spudhunter]

We never take our passports off the ship. We keep them locked in the safe onboard, and take photocopies with us. We are too afraid of them being lost or stolen, so we figure a photocopy will be good enough, if we need it while on shore.

 

We also do the same thing with our cash.;)

[pseudoswede]

In addition, if you fear your passport being stolen from your person while on-shore, make a color scan of your passport and store it securely online--i.e., Yahoo! Briefcase. That way, you can find the nearest internet cafe and print out a copy for reference when going to the US Embassy/Consulate.

[aqhacruiser]

We always take our passports into ports with us. We leave copies of passports, credit cards and ID in the safe:)

[abridalmaven]

Make a copy of your passport and leave THAT in the safe. What possible good is a passport to you if it is locked in a safe when you are elsewhere?:confused:

A copy is useless to you at a port.

Always carry it with you. Otherwise, why bother with one at all?

I tell you some people do not begin to undestand that. On our cruise last year we were on an excursion bus in Croatia. To very nasty women were arguing with the border guards that came on our bus and asked to see our passports. They stated all they needed to show were their copies. Well the bus was sent back to the ship and they were ordered to get off the bus and get them or the tour would not proceed. They held the tour back by 1/2 an hour and did not understand why the rest if us were unhappy.

[abridalmaven]

We never take our passports off the ship. We keep them locked in the safe onboard, and take photocopies with us. We are too afraid of them being lost or stolen, so we figure a photocopy will be good enough, if we need it while on shore.

 

We also do the same thing with our cash.;)

Get a slash proof bag. A copy is NOT good enough.

[Paul65]

Despite the very strong, and sometimes emotional, opinions on both sides of this question, the real answer is that it really doesn't matter that much. If you don't take it with you and the unlikely happens to make you miss the ship, there might be a little extra hassle, but chances are either the local US embassy or local authorities of the country you're visiting will be able to confirm your status as a cruise passenger and help you get the documentation you need. Most governments of places the cruise lines visit are not that interested in being hostile toward the tourists who visit there.

 

On the other hand, if you carry the passport with you, and it gets lost or stolen, you'll again have a little extra hassle when you get back at the end of the cruise, but it won't be the end of the world.

 

Either way, you have some down side. I'm one who does NOT generally bring it with me. It's a very low chance that I'll need it in the ports, and it's 100% chance that I'll need it at the final debarkation. In the unlikely event that something bad ever happens in a cruise port, because I didn't have my passport, I'll let you guys know, so some of you can have your I-told-you-sos.

[negc]

Did you say replaceable document? Then why keep the original with you?

I

f you really want to talk about personal safety..... In some of the countries and at the times I have traveled it might be best not to have identification that I am an American citizen.

 

As I said before, each to his own.

 

I'll take my changes without it if I have a secure place to keep imy passport while I am touring.

 

Yes, I said replaceable since that what it is. Most documents are replaceable, though going through the replacement process can sometimes be time consuming or difficult. I just think that being more concerned about the safety of a document than your own safety is a bit misguided. While there is certainly risk in some countries if you identify yourself as an American citizen, it is probably just as risky if not more so to travel in such countries without your passport. In most of the countries that will be visited during a cruise, being identified as a US citizen is not a high risk.

As I said, early on, I probably violate my own rule more often than not when I am in the Caribbean. It remains in my safe because I didn't think to bring it ashore with me.:)

[astrohip]

We also do the same thing with our cash.;)

Best post of the day. Thanks! :)

[shipshape sam]

Agree that is a great post! :)

 

Sounds like a good idea though especially if local vendors will accept the copies of the cash.;)

[jcl410]

It really does matter where you are cruising to. When I cruised in SE Asia in the 90's, all our passports where collected at the start of the cruise. We did not need, nor were we given a choice to have them, for most of the port calls.

 

However, in one country (I THINK it was Thailand.), we all had to obtain our passports from the purser to go ashore. As we returned to the ship the passports were collected again.

 

It would be curious to know what would have happened to the pax in an earlier post who missed the ship. Would having his passport made any difference? Would he have gotten back to the ship any faster with it?

 

On my net cruise, I hardly even need a passport; I'm on the Grandeur of the Seas from Baltimore. We stop in San Juan,PR, St. Thomas, samana, DR and Labadee. The DR is the only place a passport might be needed, but I'll be leaving it on the ship.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[satxdiver]

I tell you some people do not begin to undestand that. On our cruise last year we were on an excursion bus in Croatia. To very nasty women were arguing with the border guards that came on our bus and asked to see our passports. They stated all they needed to show were their copies. Well the bus was sent back to the ship and they were ordered to get off the bus and get them or the tour would not proceed. They held the tour back by 1/2 an hour and did not understand why the rest if us were unhappy.

 

For all those that are under the impression that a copy will be accepted, I hope they read your comment. In these days of increased security by everyone, copies are not even worth the paper they are printed on. Try taking a copy of your birth certificate and see how far you get!

 

There are many reasons to miss a ship such as traffic jams, loosing track of time or worse conflicts with the law and ending up in the police station. It can be as simple as a misunderstanding with a local merchant to get into trouble.

 

I would much rather explain to US authorities at the US port standing on US soil why I did not have a passport than try explaining to the ticket agent in a foreign country why I did not have my passport and need to buy a ticket to fly back to the US. In the former case, I have an excellent chance of being let go while in the latter case it will be simply tough luck since they have no other option per US regulations.

[BobBeaSea]

It really does matter where you are cruising to. When I cruised in SE Asia in the 90's, all our passports where collected at the start of the cruise. We did not need, nor were we given a choice to have them, for most of the port calls.

 

However, in one country (I THINK it was Thailand.), we all had to obtain our passports from the purser to go ashore. As we returned to the ship the passports were collected again.

 

It would be curious to know what would have happened to the pax in an earlier post who missed the ship. Would having his passport made any difference? Would he have gotten back to the ship any faster with it?

 

On my net cruise, I hardly even need a passport; I'm on the Grandeur of the Seas from Baltimore. We stop in San Juan,PR, St. Thomas, samana, DR and Labadee. The DR is the only place a passport might be needed, but I'll be leaving it on the ship.

 

Aloha,

 

John

 

Exactly! It matters where you are. For example, the Croatia example above involves one of the countries where you need to have your passport with you at all times. I have no doubt the ship's daily newsletter said the same thing - passports with you on shore, copies in the safe.

 

In the Caribbean, this is not a problem although the State Department recommends you have a copy of your passport with you while in St. Lucia. We wouldn't even be having this discussion if passports weren't required to fly home. This changes the game - if people think something may happen to them and might miss the ship's departure time, they should have their passports with them. All others proceed as per normal... :)

[K1200S]

For the longest time I never had a passport. Finally got one 3 years ago. It has remained in the cabin safe for the cruises I have taken since getting it. I even have a waterproof case for it and still leave it on the ship. On my next cruise it may come along on a couple of the excursions I will be taking.