Showing Drivers license to get back on ship

[Cruisin' Chick]

I just returned from the R/T 14-day cruise to Hawaii and we had to show photo ID along with our cruise card to the port authority at all of our stops. Even if you were on a Princess bus tour they would come aboard your bus and check everyone before the bus could proceed into the sceured area. After getting past that, boarding the ship just required the cruise card.

This was done at all the Hawaii ports and our stop in Ensenada.

 

~

Tracy

 

It was the same for our Hawaiian cruise in 2005.

[rubylou77]

we will be in St Thomas, St Maarten, and Grand Turk next week - i assumed that my US driver's license would be sufficient - do you think so?

[Pia1913]

Princess is docking at Crown Bay in St. Thomas where they will definitely be asking for your driver's license. I know, because they gave me a hard time when I didn't have it. Maybe Havensight isn't doing it, but Crown Bay is.

[fifties chick]

On our very recent South Pacific cruise, we were told that photo copies were not enough..it had to be the real deal..original passports or DL and in NZ the passport even for kids..In French Polynensia the ship took our passports and held them until we were out of their waters..a lot of passengers were not too happy with this..I say, their country, their rules..not a lot you can do if you want to visit..

[Pam in CA]

In French Polynensia the ship took our passports and held them until we were out of their waters..a lot of passengers were not too happy with this..I say, their country, their rules..not a lot you can do if you want to visit..

There are quite a few countries that REQUIRE that passengers turn in their passports so they can review them before the ship arrives in port. Not sure why people would be upset as this is required; Princess has nothing to do with it. If they object, they should tell the local authorities what they think of it and chances are, they'll have an unscheduled stay in that country beyond what the ship has planned.

[cruisegal101]

There are quite a few countries that REQUIRE that passengers turn in their passports so they can review them before the ship arrives in port. Not sure why people would be upset as this is required; Princess has nothing to do with it. If they object, they should tell the local authorities what they think of it and chances are, they'll have an unscheduled stay in that country beyond what the ship has planned.

 

Last year on our QE2 Med cruise, all US citizens' passports were held by the ship from the time we left Southampton until the night before we returned to Southampton. My traveling companion was quite upset that they had the passports for the entire two weeks--I figured it was SOP.

[caribill]

Let's face it, the cruise card is really not a good ID for the port authorities. They never look close enough at it in order to be sure that the correct voyage number is on it.

 

Only a picture ID with a matching name and a picture that resembles the holder is good enough ID to prevent unauthorized persons for entering the restricted area.

 

For what it is worth, the Princess security people also do not check the voyage number when they allow you to proceed to the gangway. (I know this because I have covered the voyage number with my finger and have never been asked to allow the voyage number to be seen.)

 

Only when you insert the cruise card into the ID machine when entering the ship is would an invalid cruise card be detected.

[MBP&O2/O]

And if you are a Brit with a non photo ID licence then your options are somewhat limited. .

http://www.hmso.gov.uk/copyright/guidance/gn_20(old%20format).htm

states

The British Passport (the Passport) is subject to Crown copyright protection under section 163 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This means that it may not lawfully be reproduced without the prior permission of the Controller of HMSO, an official who as Queen's Printer and Queen's Printer for Scotland manages Crown copyright on behalf of Her Majesty under the terms of Letters Patent. HMSO's Licensing Division administers Crown copyright on behalf of the Controller.

Photocopies of the personal details page of the Passport may be made, for the purposes of record keeping only, by the following persons:

• the holder/owner of the Passport;
  
• notaries, solicitors, banks and government departments;
  
• a person or institution subject to the requirements of the Money Laundering Regulations, or a person certifying that identification checks required under these Regulations have taken place.
  

These photocopies must be in black and white only so that they cannot be mistaken for an actual Passport page. Notarised or certified photocopies of passports are not acceptable as proof of identity. Only the original document may be used as evidence of identity; but a photocopy may then be made to record the fact that identification checks have taken place. Such photocopying may be undertaken for these purposes without applying for a licence or paying a fee.

So I suppose that a B&W copy is not a reproduction so may not be viewed as suitable ID ?

I'll carry my passport if ID may be required.

Mike

 

 

[Pam in CA]

Last year on our QE2 Med cruise, all US citizens' passports were held by the ship from the time we left Southampton until the night before we returned to Southampton. My traveling companion was quite upset that they had the passports for the entire two weeks--I figured it was SOP.

It's not SOP; it's done only when required by one or more countries, and the length of time your passport is held depends on the itinerary and the country with the requirement. I've been on cruises where I've had my passport held, returned to me, and held again. It all depends on the itinerary and the countries you're visiting.

 

FYI, if you're cruising the Med, I believe whether your passport is held or not depends on your embarkation port and the Schengen Agreement, which is a treaty among most (but not all) of the countries in Europe to eliminate border passport inspections. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement) If you embark in Southampton, it is not part of the treaty so if you go from Southampton to Barcelona, for instance, your passport will be taken and inspected by Spain during the sea days before arrival. This treaty is also why, if you fly from Rome, for example, to Heathrow before flying to the US, you will have to go through British Immigration and Security again before flying to the US. If your connecting flight is through Paris (CDG), you won't as Italy and France are part of the Schengen Agreement.

[nomars_girl]

It's never a good idea to go anywhere without identification anyway. You should always carry a photo ID whenever you leave your house.

[westcoastguy]

No secondary ID is required. I think most people bring their driver license to rent a Scooter, some establishments will ask for secondary id to rent beach equipment etc.

 

Your in a third world Country. I would recommend carrying a Passport at all times. Most Americans never had to before, those that get asked by Island Authorities think the Cruiseline will come to their rescue. Good Luck!

 

Once off the Ship your on your own.

 

I was never ask for ID except for my Cruise Cabin Id picture Card.

[AndyTheK]

We always carry our passports whenever possible. our Government Issue Photo ID is not only not in English, but is not even in the Latin alphabet!