do we leave our passports on the ship?

[r&rfraz]

we will be cruiseing with a large group to mex. riv in may and have a question. we will have a mix of passports and birth cert. for our documentation. do we lock them in the safe in our rooms or do we take them ashore with us. i know you do not need them to get back on the ship, but what if there is some kkind of emergency on shore or (heavan forbid) someone in the group misses the ship. i have heard both answers from friends (take them ashore, leave them in the safe). i don't want to have to worry about keeping track of them on shore but the flip side of that is what good are they to us on shore if they are locked in the cabin safe. thanks in advance for your help!

[paul929207]

If someone misses the ship, Princess will get their passport and leave in with the ship's agent.

[Host Kewlguy]

We leave the passports in the safe and take copies of the passport off the ship with us. Never had a problem showing the copy to security or anywhere else.

[MemphisShamrock]

I would never leave American soil without my passport! Always carry it with you!

[navybankerteacher]

The odds are that you will not need your passport ashore, so you do not want to risk having it stolen or lost- leave it in your safe. But, just in case you miss the ship you will need something, so you shopuld always have a color photocopy of your passport with you. In emergency, it will expedite getting a replacement when presented at a US consulate -- not as good as the real thing, but it will help in the unlikely case you are stranded.

[STARFISH*4]

we take ours with US...i think you are going to find this TOPIC divided...ones that will INSIST to Leave IT in your cabin and ones to INSIST YOU TAKE IT...you have to DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS BEST FOR YOU;)

[msmayor]

The odds are that you will not need your passport ashore, so you do not want to risk having it stolen or lost- leave it in your safe. But, just in case you miss the ship you will need something, so you shopuld always have a color photocopy of your passport with you. In emergency, it will expedite getting a replacement when presented at a US consulate -- not as good as the real thing, but it will help in the unlikely case you are stranded.

 

Wherever you are, wherever you go, you risk the loss or theft of your passport. Carrying it through the airport on your way to the port it can happen...I don't see any more risk carrying it off the ship.

 

For me personally, I can't understand why someone would go through the trouble and expense of obtaining a passport and then not carrying it with them while in a foreign country where it might be needed. Yes, a copy will expedite getting a replacement...but why even worry about that?

 

As for the cruiseline getting you your passport if you leave it and then miss the ship? Are they going to search your room to see if its there? What if you've left it in the locked safe? I doubt they would purposely seek out your passport and leave it with the agent, and quite frankly that's pretty risky in itself. Leave YOUR passport with a stranger? What's to stop the agent or anyone else at the port from taking it and claiming it was never left?

[kitty9]

Some cruise lines take and keep your passport for the entire cruise, and they almost always take and keep the passports of the non-US citizens. I've even had my passport taken and kept for cruises to Alaska, Canada/New England. If the cruise line feels I don't need my passport at the ports, neither do I.

[JLC@SD]

If someone misses the ship, Princess will get their passport and leave in with the ship's agent.

 

I have read this a few times and I wonder.....if they missed the ship, someone breaks into their room, rummages about to find the necessary passports......leaves the room.........and guess what......they are at sea.

 

So.......does a helicopter pick the passports up.......:D:confused::rolleyes:

[BIG_Steve]

If you can confirm WITH THE PURSER ON YOUR **SHIP** that they can and will remove the passport from your safe and leave it at the dock if you miss the boat, then I would leave it in the safe or with the Purser.

 

If they look at you like you have a horn growing out of your forehead, then you have a decision to make.

 

1) Are you more concerned about losing the PP due to theft or carelessness at port?

 

2) Are you more concerned that something unknown may cause you to miss the ship, and cause you difficulties getting home?

 

I have read first hand accounts here (by people not personally known to me) that having all their information with them (copy of passport) made things only slightly easier to get a replacement, but did not make it any faster for them then it did for their friends who had missed the ship with NO passport. In their particular case, they cursed the fact that they left the PP on the ship, because no PP was waiting with the dock agent. Of course, if their PP had been pick-pocketed, but they made their departure, they would have cursed the fact that they took the PP off the ship.

 

So, there probably is no "best" answer. In our case, we figure we got the PP for a reason, and it wasn't to watch it sail away without us.

[BIG_Steve]

I have read this a few times and I wonder.....if they missed the ship, someone breaks into their room, rummages about to find the necessary passports......leaves the room.........and guess what......they are at sea.

 

So.......does a helicopter pick the passports up.......:D:confused::rolleyes:

 

I think for lines that will leave the PP, they check the Database when it's time for the gangplank to come up.

[broberts]

I think for lines that will leave the PP, they check the Database when it's time for the gangplank to come up.

 

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of a case where a cruise line entered a cabin, jimmied a safe, removed the passports and got them to the shore-side agent all in the half hour between must be aboard time and actual departure?

 

I'm highly skeptical such an example exists, and here's why:

 

1. Crew & staff have much more important things to do in that period.
   
2. Without passenger approval entering the cabin & jimmying the safe would, I suspect, likely be illegal while the ship was docked.
   
3. A half hour probably isn't enough time to accomplish the task. And likely much less time than that would be available given the need to verify that the passengers were indeed not aboard. We've all heard the pages of unaccounted for people well past the cut-off.
   
4. Given how liability adverse cruise companies are why would they assume the liability of taking passports and giving them to a third party without the express permission of the passport owners?
   
5. The ship agent would likely charge the cruise line for holding the passports and insuring that they got to their rightful owners. I just can't see a cruise line assuming that cost with no expectation that the passenger would reimburse.
   

[BIG_Steve]

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of a case where a cruise line entered a cabin, jimmied a safe, removed the passports and got them to the shore-side agent all in the half hour between must be aboard time and actual departure?

 

I'm highly skeptical such an example exists, and here's why:

 

1. Crew & staff have much more important things to do in that period.
   
2. Without passenger approval entering the cabin & jimmying the safe would, I suspect, likely be illegal while the ship was docked.
   
3. A half hour probably isn't enough time to accomplish the task. And likely much less time than that would be available given the need to verify that the passengers were indeed not aboard. We've all heard the pages of unaccounted for people well past the cut-off.
   
4. Given how liability adverse cruise companies are why would they assume the liability of taking passports and giving them to a third party without the express permission of the passport owners?
   
5. The ship agent would likely charge the cruise line for holding the passports and insuring that they got to their rightful owners. I just can't see a cruise line assuming that cost with no expectation that the passenger would reimburse.
   

 

If you do a search, you should be able to find posts saying the lines got their passports. You will also find other posts that said the line did not.

 

And they don't Jimmie or pry the safe open. They have a master combo or a master enabled card to swipe in the reader. As far as the other legal concerns, my guess is that our contracts probably show somewhere that we forfeited those protections, rights, or whatever the correct term would be.

[kitty9]

You are absolutely correct on that, Big Steve. The previous occupants of our cabin didn't unlock their safe, why I don't know, and we had to call security and they were able to open the safe with no problem whatsoever.

[wayne_trisha]

We take a color copy with us ashore and leave the originals in the safe.

[msmayor]

It would not surprise me in the least if the day comes when a 'copy' of a passport is completely dismissed without even looking. As sophisticated as some computers and programs/printers have become, I'm sure its pretty easy to "create" a passport copy with your own information where no such passport exists.

[Travelcat2]

I strongly suggest you read a recent thread on this subject (sorry -- don't have time to search for it at the moment). The theft of passports is a huge business (U.S. passports are worth around $40,000). The Caribbean is particularly risky in terms of taking your passport with you. . . . Mexico less so.

 

Due to several recent warnings I have read recently, I purchased a leather cover for my passport so no one recognizes it as a U.S. passport.

 

It amazes me that mainstream cruise lines do not take your passports -- smaller luxury lines (and some larger ones) do. There is absolutely no problem with the American Embassy if you have a copy of your passport.

 

Note: I am not an alarmist and have traveled extensively around the world for over 20 years prior to starting our cruises in 2004. Just hoping you will take the advice from those of us who see cases of stolen passports all the time when traveling. Why risk it -- it just doesn't make sense.

[satxdiver]

To the OP you will need your passport if you have to fly back to the US. No exceptions but the US Embassy/consulate can get you a temporary passport. It is not cheap nor speedy though!

 

In most of the central American ports, we are rich Americans and an easy target. Yes they will steal you passport, but also your money, credit cards, valuables, etc. Therefore you need to protect your passport just like you protect your other valuables. Don't flash it just like you do not flash a big role of USD. It is not a big deal. When you need your passport which is the only acceptable means of ID in foreign countries, having it in the stateroom safe is of no good. Copies of your PP are only valuable at the US Embassy/consulate in getting a replacement in less time, but sometimes measured in days. Leave it in your safe AYOR.

 

When my feet are on foreign soil, my PP is in my pocket and secured just like my money and credit card(s). If I need it, I have it. The rest of the world has been carrying PP for decades. It is new to the US though since we had a loose policy on crossing the borders. That time is over.

 

As for the stateroom safe, the ship personnel do not have to "break" into the safe. They use a master code or card. Several years ago I forgot the code to open my safe. I called security who came to my room and opened the safe for me. I had to sign papers that I had requested them to open it and that nothing had been removed. With the code type safe, it really is not that secure. Anyone knowing the code can open the safe in any stateroom. Loose lips work. The card is more secure since you have to have it or a duplicate making it less likely to be compromised.

 

If the ship is about to depart and you have not returned, security will go to your stateroom, open your safe and remove your PP, money and cc. They will then turn it over to the port agent to give to you. They do not "ransack" your room or search anywhere except the safe. Recall that they have the master code or card to open the safe.

[Philip217]

Wherever you are, wherever you go, you risk the loss or theft of your passport. Carrying it through the airport on your way to the port it can happen...I don't see any more risk carrying it off the ship.

 

For me personally, I can't understand why someone would go through the trouble and expense of obtaining a passport and then not carrying it with them while in a foreign country where it might be needed. Yes, a copy will expedite getting a replacement...but why even worry about that?

 

As for the cruiseline getting you your passport if you leave it and then miss the ship? Are they going to search your room to see if its there? What if you've left it in the locked safe? I doubt they would purposely seek out your passport and leave it with the agent, and quite frankly that's pretty risky in itself. Leave YOUR passport with a stranger? What's to stop the agent or anyone else at the port from taking it and claiming it was never left?

 

The only place that is absolutely guaranteed to be the safest place for your passport is the safe in your cabin - or the safe in the Purser's Office.

 

And yes, if you miss the ship, the cruise line will have their security staff unlock your safe, remove your passport, and give it to the port agent. We do it on my ship every week. The port agent signs a receipt for your passport and then uses it to process the paperwork to get you a visa that allows you to legally remain in the country.

 

Most passengers do not realize that the cruise line has negotiated a temporary tourist visa for you to visit the country you are in. That temporary visa is legally tied to your room key, and is valid only so long as the ship is in port. The moment the ship leaves without you, you are an illegal alien in a foreign country.

The ship's port agent is the one who is legally responsible for you and the only one able to get you the visa you need. The sooner he has your passport in his hands, the sooner you are legal again.

[JLC@SD]

And yes, if you miss the ship, the cruise line will have their security staff unlock your safe, remove your passport, and give it to the port agent. We do it on my ship every week.

 

And is this all done before the ship pulls away from the dock......

[broberts]

. . .If the ship is about to depart and you have not returned, security will go to your stateroom, open your safe and remove your PP, money and cc. They will then turn it over to the port agent to give to you. They do not "ransack" your room or search anywhere except the safe. Recall that they have the master code or card to open the safe.

 

Do you have personal knowledge of this? If so can you relate it please.

 

I simply find it very difficult to believe that ship personnel would enter a cabin, open a locked safe and remove some of its contents all without explicit permission or, quite frankly, reasonable cause (just because someone doesn't answer a page doesn't mean that they are not aboard).

 

And what would the ship do in the event that one of the cabin's passengers was aboard, but not in the cabin? Would the ship have to locate that person and get them to open the safe so that the passport could be removed?

[Gablin]

My preference (certainly not my advice to others - you are on your own!) is to carry my passport and my favorite credit card, plus some money, next to my skin when I am off of the ship. I also carry another credit card, a copy of my passport and $50 (or local currency =) easily accessible.

 

When I travel in foreign countries without the luxury of a cruise ship, I must carry my passport. I do not feel differently just because I am only in that country for a few hours.

 

If I am robbed of my passport in a port, obviously other really terrible things have happened, since I carry it next to my skin. I hope it never happens, and I hope that the US embassy will be able to help me if it does.

 

I am acquainted with a retired couple who were rescued at sea with no wallets, no money, no passports, nothing but the skimpy clothing on their backs. Today, a year after the event, they are fine. Their story is alarming, but it does illustrate what's important. Am I alive? Is there help for my situation? Can I get back home? Can I write a book about it later and make a lot of money? (Just kidding about the last - I don't think they have a book in the works.)

[cruiserbryce]

id and ship pass car are all you need...and your credit card if traveling with your wife:rolleyes:

[dkjretired]

we will be cruiseing with a large group to mex. riv in may and have a question. we will have a mix of passports and birth cert. for our documentation. do we lock them in the safe in our rooms or do we take them ashore with us. i know you do not need them to get back on the ship, but what if there is some kkind of emergency on shore or (heavan forbid) someone in the group misses the ship. i have heard both answers from friends (take them ashore, leave them in the safe). i don't want to have to worry about keeping track of them on shore but the flip side of that is what good are they to us on shore if they are locked in the cabin safe. thanks in advance for your help!

 

Ask yourself what the purpose of a passport is and remember that all it takes is once to be delayed, a medical emergency, accident etc. If you don't take your passport with you into a foreign country you are very, very foolish....I would much rather my passport being lost or stolen than being stuck in a foreign country without one...

[soozles]

I always take my passport off the ship. I have traveled all over Europe, and always carried my passport there too. Luckily, I've never had any problems. I don't want to take the risk of being stuck in a foreign country with no passport. I also scan a copy of my passport and email it to myself, so if I ever needed a copy, I could easily print it. Same for my credit cards, always have a copy in my inbox.