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Photocopy of passport?


SnowManBob
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Generally yes, unless you are required to have a visa for that country, which is not the case for the typical Carnival customer on the typical Carnival itinerary.

 

You do however need to bring *some* form of government issued ID (e.g., driver license) ashore. So if you had no other such ID you would still need to bring your passport ashore.

 

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For all of my cruises to the Caribbean, I had to take my room key and a government issued ID when I got off at the different ports. I do not think a photocopy of a government issued ID would work. I always used my driver's license, although sometimes didn't have to show it. I always had to show at least my room key.

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I heard that it is OK to just bring a photocopy of your passport to shore for cruise stops. Is that correct?

 

I carry my smart phone always which has photos of my wife's and my passport and ID's on it. I have not cruise the Caribbean in over 20 years so not sure how the cruise lines handle passports. But on my Asian, Australian and Europe cruises the cruise line collects and holds all passports until the end of the cruise.

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I made a copy of my passport info page, at 75% of original size and laminated it. This makes it credit card sized.

 

I have used that, for my wife and I, in all of the ports I have cruised to without any issues.

 

Cozumel, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay, Belize, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk, Bermuda, Nassau, Freeport, and Amber Cove.

 

I'm not saying you should do the same, but I've had no issues so far.

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For the Caribbean I have a shoulder bag that I use for cruise port days. I leave a photo copy of our passport in a zipped pocket so if something happens I have the information handy (if the ship is going to leave you behind I have seen for myself they empty your safe for you and give contents - which would include our passports - to the dock master to give to you.)

In my pocket I carry my cabin key card and driver license for getting on and off the ship in ports of call.

This isn't what everyone does but it's acceptable for Caribbean ports and I feel comfortable with my passport safely in the cabin safe.

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I carry my smart phone always which has photos of my wife's and my passport and ID's on it. I have not cruise the Caribbean in over 20 years so not sure how the cruise lines handle passports. But on my Asian, Australian and Europe cruises the cruise line collects and holds all passports until the end of the cruise.

 

Which cruise line? Did more than one cruise line do this? Why do they feel the need to take them? Would you have been denied boarding/kicked off the ship if you refused to give up your passport? I don't trust anyone other than my mother to hold onto my passport.

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The only purpose to have a copy of your passport is to show it to a consulate to assist in getting a replacement if something happens to the original. It has no official standing as an official document and shouldn't work in any other instance. Of course the consulate would be able to issue you a replacement without your having a copy, so it's entirely up to you whether you want to have a copy of it or not.

 

As for having your passport with you in port that's a personal decision and you need to do what you feel comfortable doing.

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I think the only time on any cruise in any port I have taken my passport with me was for "official" reasons in Monaco where I was told I needed to take my passport with me to get into the casino. As it happens, they would have been fine with a photocopy. (They also said I'd need a jacket and tie, which was certainly not the case..... All they want to make sure is they don't fleece their own in the casino and insist there are enough foreigners around to do that to!)

 

I wouldn't carry my passport with me for ID in my home country or any other other than where it needs to be shown at the airport, boarder or specifically requested getting on the ship for example. In fact the only thing I would probably ever have with me I could use as photo ID is my train pass (which I wouldn't have abroad). Even my Drivers license doesn't have a photo. (Camera's weren't invented when I passed my test! lol)

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The only purpose to have a copy of your passport is to show it to a consulate to assist in getting a replacement if something happens to the original. It has no official standing as an official document and shouldn't work in any other instance. Of course the consulate would be able to issue you a replacement without your having a copy, so it's entirely up to you whether you want to have a copy of it or not.

 

As for having your passport with you in port that's a personal decision and you need to do what you feel comfortable doing.

 

Off subject.... My wife is from Morrisville, VT and I lived all over Vt for 17 years.

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Interesting subject. We are booked for a Mediterranean cruise in August and it never occurred to me that the cruise line might take our passports. I do have a color copy of one page from my passport. It is laminated and actually looks like that page was torn from the passport and laminated (it wasn't BTW). My sister offered to do it for me and I thought it might be a good idea. Maybe DH should get that done too. It's not as good as the passport itself but if I had to go to a consulate in another country it sure would go a long way towards proving my citizenship.

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I made a copy of my passport info page, at 75% of original size and laminated it. This makes it credit card sized.

 

I have used that, for my wife and I, in all of the ports I have cruised to without any issues.

 

Cozumel, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay, Belize, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk, Bermuda, Nassau, Freeport, and Amber Cove.

 

I'm not saying you should do the same, but I've had no issues so far.

 

 

 

Do the same thing. The copy even worked in Getting a SIM card a few years ago in Rome.

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Which cruise line? Did more than one cruise line do this?
Depending on the itinerary, all cruise lines will do it if required.
Why do they feel the need to take them?
Immigration authorities in different countries have different requirements.
Would you have been denied boarding/kicked off the ship if you refused to give up your passport?
Maybe, maybe not, but you could be required to appear at 4 am on a port day when local immigration boards to inspect passenger documents.
I don't trust anyone other than my mother to hold onto my passport.
Maybe she will take your docs to immigration at 4 am. :cool:

 

Try not to worry about this...a ship of 3,000 pax, all of whom surrender their passports to facilitate immigration...except you...could flag you as someone to experience extra screening.

 

As mentioned, you will surrender your pp in the Med, Baltic, Asia, South America, etc. If you avoid those places you will be able to keep your passport with you.

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Which cruise line? Did more than one cruise line do this? Why do they feel the need to take them? Would you have been denied boarding/kicked off the ship if you refused to give up your passport? I don't trust anyone other than my mother to hold onto my passport.

 

 

 

Pretty much every premium/luxury line requires all passengers on all itineraries to produce and, most often, surrender (to the purser) a valid passport.

This is a win/win situation:

Firstly, the passport requirement leaves no question about what minimum ID you need to board. By surrendering it, your passport is secure and available to the purser at ports requiring document examination (without you needing to rise early or otherwise submit/retrieve your passport). It also stops non-savvy travelers from taking their passports ashore where they might be lost or stolen. Should you ever miss the ship, no need for purser to search for your passport to transfer to port agent to hold for you. If needed at a particular port, purser assures that you have it in hand, etc. etc.

Why do mass market lines not do this (all passengers on all itineraries)? They'd lose business from folks who don't have a passport and this is actually somewhat of an amenity meaning labor for the purser without charging you a fee.

What will happen if you refuse to surrender your passport? Read the T&Cs- you will be denied boarding. In addition, you will be reviled by your fellow passengers for holding up the check-in line.

 

 

 

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Edited by Flatbush Flyer
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Interesting subject. We are booked for a Mediterranean cruise in August and it never occurred to me that the cruise line might take our passports. I do have a color copy of one page from my passport. It is laminated and actually looks like that page was torn from the passport and laminated (it wasn't BTW). My sister offered to do it for me and I thought it might be a good idea. Maybe DH should get that done too. It's not as good as the passport itself but if I had to go to a consulate in another country it sure would go a long way towards proving my citizenship.

 

 

 

For a bona fide U.S. ID (good for everything but international air transit), get a passport card. It will even satisfy newer U.S. domestic air requirements for Real ID and/or Enhanced Driver's Licenses.

 

 

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The only reason I know of is to allow for a quicker replacement in a foreign country if you left your passport in your room safe on the ship and you missed the ship. Some info about copies listed here.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html

 

 

 

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Which cruise line? Did more than one cruise line do this?

 

All cruise lines will do a his depending on countries visiting

 

Why do they feel the need to take them?

 

It is required

 

Would you have been denied boarding/kicked off the ship if you refused to give up your passport?

 

Yes

 

 

I don't trust anyone other than my mother to hold onto my passport.

 

 

Than you won’t be traveling internationally

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I heard that it is OK to just bring a photocopy of your passport to shore for cruise stops. Is that correct?

 

Ouch - here we go with the "Passport Paranoia" again. Some even have the paranoia about loosing their Xerox copy of their passport. :confused:

 

Some ports require your Sign & Sail card plus photo ID to get back on the ship. A passport is not required to get back on the ship.

 

That said, those of us who do not suffer from passport paranoia have carried our passports on our person all over the world. Those with the paranoia MUST keep their passports locked in the cabin safe.

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