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Recent cruisers - Need Seapass and Passport??


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It has been some time since I was on RCCL and I don't remember the policy. Do you only need your SeaPass to board the ship at each destination? When we were on Disney last year, we were required to present both our passes and our passport to get on and off the ship every time. Thanks in advance...I looked on the website and in the forum but didn't see the answer.

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GENERALLY all you'll need is your sea pass, but if you DO need ID, they'll tell you in the Cruise Compass the night before. When that's the case, I just bring my driver's license and leave my passport safely locked in the safe.

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It has been some time since I was on RCCL and I don't remember the policy. Do you only need your SeaPass to board the ship at each destination? When we were on Disney last year, we were required to present both our passes and our passport to get on and off the ship every time. Thanks in advance...I looked on the website and in the forum but didn't see the answer.

No... You will only need your Seapass to get back onboard in each port..We usually have our DL with us but it has never been necessary..Always leave your passport locked in inroom safe....Enjoy your cruise

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Ashland, at two of our three Liberty ports, the Compass DEFINITELY said to also bring EITHER a form of ID or proof of citizenship. But as Lucky said, no one EVER looked at anything but the sea pass card.

The Compass usually always says that.."As I said" we usually bring our DL but have never had to show it......"Never" a good idea to take your passport on shore with you..even in Russia you are only to have a copy of the first page......

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The Compass usually always says that.."As I said" we usually bring our DL but have never had to show it......"Never" a good idea to take your passport on shore with you..even in Russia you are only to have a copy of the first page......

The problem with that advice is it doesn't cover you if you miss the ship. Even from the Caribbean, if you fly back to the US you're supposed to have a passport to enter the country. I don't think a copy will do much good. All you need to do is run into a strictly-by-the-book customs agent and you are in for the hassle of a lifetime.

 

We have never been asked for our passport when re-boarding the ship (except possibly in Egypt - I seem to remember we had to show it getting off and back on, but I'm not positive), but I would truly hate to miss the ship and be stranded in a country without my passport. I admit I am lax about that in the Caribbean, but anywhere else, I carry my passport and a copy of my wife's and she does the opposite. That way if, God forbid, we get stranded AND one of us loses our passport, we will still have one original and one copy to show authorities. That is just much more comforting to me than having 2 copies (or nothing).

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The problem with that advice is it doesn't cover you if you miss the ship. Even from the Caribbean, if you fly back to the US you're supposed to have a passport to enter the country. I don't think a copy will do much good. All you need to do is run into a strictly-by-the-book customs agent and you are in for the hassle of a lifetime.

 

We have never been asked for our passport when re-boarding the ship (except possibly in Egypt - I seem to remember we had to show it getting off and back on, but I'm not positive), but I would truly hate to miss the ship and be stranded in a country without my passport. I admit I am lax about that in the Caribbean, but anywhere else, I carry my passport and a copy of my wife's and she does the opposite. That way if, God forbid, we get stranded AND one of us loses our passport, we will still have one original and one copy to show authorities. That is just much more comforting to me than having 2 copies (or nothing).

Yikes..miss the ship.....and be stranded..:eek:........Then do you think showing a "copy" and one "real passport" that you "both" would be able to leave, If this was a strictly-by-the-book agent ??

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Honestly, I'm not being critical, I just don't understand why anyone would question whether they must/should/need to keep their passport on their person at all times when in a foreign country!:confused: It seems I only run across this question on cruise forums, which is soooo curious to me. It's like cruisers think their home country is the ship, therefore if the passport is on the ship - I'm OK!

 

Bottom line - A passport is legally required in a foreign country - that's why we must have them. Several local authority branches in foreign countries have the legal right to require any foreigner to present his/her passport at any & all times - in some countries, they don't even worry about "legal" right. Besides that, USA laws do not apply in foreign countries - in other words, quoting USA rights(!) does not work. A foreign traveler can & may be immediately taken into custody when unable to present proper ID - a passport - not a photocopy, not a driver's license.

 

Besides, what if the foreign cruiser misses the ship due to an accident or delay....or a challenge by the authorities? What foreign government will accept a 'copy' as adequate ID - or a driver's license from another country? None will, not even the USA. The foreigner will not be allowed to board a plane in order to leave the country & catch up with the ship or to go home.

 

Do cruisers think the captain will turn around & bring back the passport? The most he/she will do is to stick the passport in the mail at the next port.

 

So, if one is delayed in a foreign country, this is what happens - the American Consulate/Embassy will advise that they do not/can not issue passports. But they will assist in obtaining a replacement from the USA, i.e., give the stranded USA traveler the forms to complete & to be mailed back to the USA issuer. The appliction forms will be marked as 'expedite', hopefully, but it will probably take at least 2 weeks, & quite possibly much longer to receive the passport replacement. During that time, of course, the stranded traveler must pay all of his/her expenses, i.e., food, lodging. Then of course, if employed, there is the loss of income. If prescription medication is needed, there is that problem & expense, on & on.

 

A waist money belt will adequately protect one's passport from pickpockets. The waist money belt should be placed DEEP INSIDE one's underpants. If not deep inside underpants, the belt could become unbuckled or broken & slip out the slacks/shorts leg, landing on the sidewalk without the traveler noticing. A money pack with a string/strap around the neck is not adequate - the strap can be seen & cut. A band wrapped around an arm, leg, or ankle is not adequate; could become loose & drop thru clothing. Carrying in a pocket or purse is not safe. In a bra is not safe - can slip out.

 

Please travel smart & safely.

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Yikes..miss the ship.....and be stranded..:eek:........Then do you think showing a "copy" and one "real passport" that you "both" would be able to leave, If this was a strictly-by-the-book agent ??

 

The issue is not leaving, it is arriving back in the US. Unless you are in Cuba or Iran, the country you are leaving could care less.

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It has been some time since I was on RCCL and I don't remember the policy. Do you only need your SeaPass to board the ship at each destination? When we were on Disney last year, we were required to present both our passes and our passport to get on and off the ship every time. Thanks in advance...I looked on the website and in the forum but didn't see the answer.

While the above posters work out their differences:D

Your seapass is required and an Id is always recommended in ports in case of emergency I always carry My DL and Major credit card just in case

There is also a passport card you can carry for North American Travel

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While the above posters work out their differences:D

Your seapass is required and an Id is always recommended in ports in case of emergency I always carry My DL and Major credit card just in case

There is also a passport card you can carry for North American Travel

Yes...Seapass,DL & Credit Card agree... But what is a passport card ?...... We were told in Russia just a copy of our passport would be all that is required ?? Do you know if this incorrect ??

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Yikes..miss the ship.....and be stranded..:eek:........Then do you think showing a "copy" and one "real passport" that you "both" would be able to leave, If this was a strictly-by-the-book agent ??

Nope. I just feel that at least one of us would have less problems with authorities in the foreign country. But we would be better off than someone with nothing but a seapass card and a driver's license or a copy of a passport (that is not official in anybody's eyes - all it will do with the American embassy/consulate is give you the passport number, but in a situation like that, every little bit helps).

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Steve, I don't believe any airline will allow passing thru security & boarding a plane going to the USA without showing a passport at checkin. No way. Therefore, you won't leave that country, unless one land travels between foreign countries - which does no good even it can be accomplished, except perhaps catch up with the ship - perhaps. And then there is always the risk of a challenge by local authorities.

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To actually board the ship you will just need your SeaPass card. However, at the discretion of local authorities you may need to present photo id to gain access to the cruise terminal / pier area.

 

If I recall correctly I've always had to show photo id in Nassau, St Maarten and San Juan; sometimes in St Thomas. Don't recall other ports. While photo id requirements can be loose in foreign ports, e.g. Nassau & St Maarten, passports are readily accepted while DLs are either rejected or come under heavy scrutiny.

 

You probably can, and I know those who have, get away with just your SeaPass card in busy cruise ports. Especially if you are female ;). But you are going to get hassled.

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I'm curious. . . to all the people who are firmly on the "always carry your passport while in port" side: what do you do if you are on a cruise and the ship keeps your passport? We have been on several cruises when we were required to surrender our passports at check-in and they were not returned until the last day. This was the case on our "Around the Horn" cruise last year, we did not have access to our passports until the last sea day.

Sherri:)

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Nope. I just feel that at least one of us would have less problems with authorities in the foreign country. But we would be better off than someone with nothing but a seapass card and a driver's license or a copy of a passport (that is not official in anybody's eyes - all it will do with the American embassy/consulate is give you the passport number, but in a situation like that, every little bit helps).

Best of luck..and hope no one ever has to deal with this situation...Yikes !! What a story that could become..Happy cruising !!

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To actually board the ship you will just need your SeaPass card. However, at the discretion of local authorities you may need to present photo id to gain access to the cruise terminal / pier area.

 

If I recall correctly I've always had to show photo id in Nassau, St Maarten and San Juan; sometimes in St Thomas. Don't recall other ports. While photo id requirements can be loose in foreign ports, e.g. Nassau & St Maarten, passports are readily accepted while DLs are either rejected or come under heavy scrutiny.

 

You probably can, and I know those who have, get away with just your SeaPass card in busy cruise ports. Especially if you are female ;). But you are going to get hassled.

One more good reason to be a "female"....;) Hummm does this work only if it's a male agent or ?????

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Yes...Seapass,DL & Credit Card agree... But what is a passport card ?...... We were told in Russia just a copy of our passport would be all that is required ?? Do you know if this incorrect ??

Pasport card is good for North American Travel

I think Russia is over in Europe:D

The copy is so you will have your passport # for replacement in case of emergency

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I'm curious. . . to all the people who are firmly on the "always carry your passport while in port" side: what do you do if you are on a cruise and the ship keeps your passport? We have been on several cruises when we were required to surrender our passports at check-in and they were not returned until the last day. This was the case on our "Around the Horn" cruise last year, we did not have access to our passports until the last sea day.

Sherri:)

 

 

I make two copies of our passports before leaving home. When I am in a foreign port, the passport stays in the safe and the copy goes with me.

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When I renewed DD's passport, I got both the book and card. I'm never completely comfortable leaving the ship without my passport, but also don't like the idea of carrying it -the size alone makes it less practical for me to carry.

 

With the card, I'm hoping, if stranded the trek home will be just a bit easier. Supposedly she can travel on just the card when we cruise to the caribbean, but since it's not good for air travel, we got both.

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Sherri, can't speak for others, but I would be very uncomfortable with my passport being taken away. I've never been on such a cruise; don't know if I would take such a cruise. I can't think of any justification for a cruiseline doing so.

 

Is such a practice still in existence in today's world, or is this a past practice? If still done, I'm surprised that travelers accept such a condition. I'm surprised a cruiseline would still have such a policy & possibly chase away paying customers.

 

What does that ship do if a passenger refuses to relinguish their passport? Is it no cruise then?

 

I guess the big question is - what does a passenger do who misses the ship? Does the cruiseline reimburse him/her for the lodging/food/other expenses while waiting for a passport replacement? It wasn't the passenger's fault that he/she did not have the passport.

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Honestly, I'm not being critical, I just don't understand why anyone would question whether they must/should/need to keep their passport on their person at all times when in a foreign country!:confused: It seems I only run across this question on cruise forums, which is soooo curious to me. It's like cruisers think their home country is the ship, therefore if the passport is on the ship - I'm OK!

 

Bottom line - A passport is legally required in a foreign country - that's why we must have them. Several local authority branches in foreign countries have the legal right to require any foreigner to present his/her passport at any & all times - in some countries, they don't even worry about "legal" right. Besides that, USA laws do not apply in foreign countries - in other words, quoting USA rights(!) does not work. A foreign traveler can & may be immediately taken into custody when unable to present proper ID - a passport - not a photocopy, not a driver's license.

 

Besides, what if the foreign cruiser misses the ship due to an accident or delay....or a challenge by the authorities? What foreign government will accept a 'copy' as adequate ID - or a driver's license from another country? None will, not even the USA. The foreigner will not be allowed to board a plane in order to leave the country & catch up with the ship or to go home.

 

Do cruisers think the captain will turn around & bring back the passport? The most he/she will do is to stick the passport in the mail at the next port.

 

So, if one is delayed in a foreign country, this is what happens - the American Consulate/Embassy will advise that they do not/can not issue passports. But they will assist in obtaining a replacement from the USA, i.e., give the stranded USA traveler the forms to complete & to be mailed back to the USA issuer. The appliction forms will be marked as 'expedite', hopefully, but it will probably take at least 2 weeks, & quite possibly much longer to receive the passport replacement. During that time, of course, the stranded traveler must pay all of his/her expenses, i.e., food, lodging. Then of course, if employed, there is the loss of income. If prescription medication is needed, there is that problem & expense, on & on.

 

A waist money belt will adequately protect one's passport from pickpockets. The waist money belt should be placed DEEP INSIDE one's underpants. If not deep inside underpants, the belt could become unbuckled or broken & slip out the slacks/shorts leg, landing on the sidewalk without the traveler noticing. A money pack with a string/strap around the neck is not adequate - the strap can be seen & cut. A band wrapped around an arm, leg, or ankle is not adequate; could become loose & drop thru clothing. Carrying in a pocket or purse is not safe. In a bra is not safe - can slip out.

 

Please travel smart & safely.

 

As I read your post, I'm thinking........."check, check, check". Thanks for saving me the time and all the typing! :D

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I'm curious. . . to all the people who are firmly on the "always carry your passport while in port" side: what do you do if you are on a cruise and the ship keeps your passport? We have been on several cruises when we were required to surrender our passports at check-in and they were not returned until the last day. This was the case on our "Around the Horn" cruise last year, we did not have access to our passports until the last sea day.

Sherri:)

 

I had just this problem last October cruising around Australia, and I was plenty peeved about it.

 

To answer your question, I take a copy of my passport (and now will always have my DL, which is not very useful in a foreign country, but at least is a picture ID). Wherever my passport ISN'T, my copy of it IS.

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pcur, to partially answer your question...In all the traveling I've done, I've ALWAYS been told to carry a copy of my passport (which I really never bothered to do either) and keep the original one safe (more or less, haha) in the hotel. If I was mugged or simply lost my purse, I'd be quite SOL since my passport would be gone. However, the chances of getting a catastrophic injury and missing the ship, in my eyes, are slim to none.

 

I spent five months with five other Americans living and working in Shanghai. You better believe that I didn't go to that job, nor to bars at night, with my passport on me.

 

I was working in Germany and our passports were taken away from us for well over a week so we could get Russian visas. No one had a problem with this because no one went to work carrying their passports, surrounded by people who could SO easily steal them.

 

Even in cRaZy communist China, no "authority" ever ran up to me and insisted on seeing my passport.

 

And all of THAT is why I never carry my passport in lovely St. Thomas, lol.

 

:)

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