Passports or copies when going ashore?

We're going on our first cruise, a Med flycruise on Oceana, in a couple of weeks and intend to take copies of our passports as advised on here.

Are there any ports where we have to take the original ashore with us or is a matter of personal choice?

What do experienced cruisers do?

Venice is one where you will be stopped if you don't have your passport. Photocopies will not suffice. From memory, a driving licence (with photograph) was acceptable as an alternative.

Since this happened to friends, I now apply it to all Italian ports.

Hope you enjoy your first cruise; Oceana is my favourite of all the P&O ships.

Never take my passport ashore now since my husband had his stolen unless specifically told to do this on the ship's advice at the time of disembarkation at any particular port. Usually they say that you need some form of identification only. Always use some other form of identification, for example driving licence , bus pass.

I take a photocopy of the passport page with our photos on, in my handbag, at all ports.

I would only take the actual passport if one was told to. Otherwise passports live in the cabin safe.

Reading the other poster, we have been to Venice twice and I cannot remember what I did either time.....probably so overwhelmed with the scenery I forgot other bits.

Hi Doughty3. always good to have some ID with you - also remember to take the ship's phone number ashore - you never know if you may have a problem and have to contact the ship.

We are on Oceana this Wednesday - finished work yesterday and now winding down. Can't wait:)

It many EU countries it is illegal not to carry some form of photo ID. A driving licence will normally do. For those who don't bother, myself, friend and sister received a hefty fine in Spain from the Guardia Civil a couple of years ago for not having it.

We do not have photo id driving licences . Never changed from the green paper ones . Especially since I read that the photo ones have to be changed every 10 years..too long a gap for me to remember to renew.

We do not have bus passes (not old enough). Nearest we have is the 2 together railcard and copies of the photo page of the passport.

Never had any problems anywhere...I know things maybe changing ,but they hadn't when we cruised in July to the Fjords.

We carry photocopies of our passports, they are reduced to business card size and laminated. They actually look really official, as well as on cruises we have used them all over Spain in various official capacities. They cost 3euros each to be produced in the local photocopy shop.

As you quite rightly say English Lady. Unless specifically told, the passports live in the cabin safe as do the bank cards and money . We only go ashore with the minimum needed, you just can't be too careful especially in the larger ports.

Never had any problems anywhere...I know things maybe changing ,but they hadn't when we cruised in July to the Fjords.

We had never had problems anywhere either, until 2013 in Venice when our friends were stopped and prevented from boarding. It took about an hour to sort it out and involved Italian Police contacting the Pursers Desk, who then had to send a representative outside.

There's a first time for everything!

We're going on our first cruise, a Med flycruise on Oceana, in a couple of weeks and intend to take copies of our passports as advised on here.

Are there any ports where we have to take the original ashore with us or is a matter of personal choice?

What do experienced cruisers do?

We had taken photocopies to carry with us, but for Barcelona were told we had to carry our actual passports. We queried this, but were told the Spanish police were insisting upon it, which annoyed me given the persistent problem which they know they have with pickpockets and distraction thefts. We were fine, but at least one set of pax we saw was not allowed to disembark by the Spanish authorities because they weren't carrying passports.

We had taken photocopies to carry with us, but for Barcelona were told we had to carry our actual passports. We queried this, but were told the Spanish police were insisting upon it, which annoyed me given the persistent problem which they know they have with pickpockets and distraction thefts. We were fine, but at least one set of pax we saw was not allowed to disembark by the Spanish authorities because they weren't carrying passports.

That's really strange as we have disembarked many times in Barcelona for the day and never once had passports checked and we never take our original Passports with us, as you quite rightly say Barcelona especially La Rambla is rife with pickpockets (sadly to say) . Even being British and living in Spain we don't carry our original passports . On the odd occasions of being asked for ID our laminated copies have always been accepted.

It may depend on whether the previous port was outside a Shenghan country.

Hi, yes we have to show our passports in Venice,(2012) and in Dubrovnik on the courtesy bus into town centre was boarded by a Guard (with gun) to check

before exiting the Cruise Port Gates, it was announced over the speaker system as we docked am sure there was a couple of ports on this coast but

sorry cannot remember the other ones.

Mrs Blue Sky.

From my experience, you will be told (repeatedly) by the cruise director and the daily information letter, what ID you need to carry ashore. More annoying to me is when we must turn our passports in for inspection by immigration by some countries. Nothing you can do about that though.

We got of the Oceana on Wednesday, forgot to take our passports out with us in Venice, however, my driving license and boyfriends debit card were sufficient ID !

PS that was the only port we were asked for ID on our 7 day Genoa to Venice trip