Missing ship - in jail - what happens????

[mom22tinks]

Yes, things happen. That's precisely WHY I always take my passport. Yes, it can be stolen or lost. So can a camera, purse, wallet, cash or credit cards. A passport is just one more valuable item that must be handled with a little common sense.

 

I don't take ALL my credit cards ashore with me. I don't take ALL my cash with me.

 

We always take round-trip cruises that return to the original port, so we technically don't need a passport at all. I take a certified copy of our birth certificates AND a passport. When we go ashore, the PP goes with us and the BC stays in the cabin.

 

If we miss the ship, flying home or to the next port of call is going to be MUCH easier with a passport than without. If I should lose the passport, I still have the BC In the cabin to get through US Customs/Immigration at the return port.

 

A passport's entire reason for existing is for international travel. To leave it locked in the shipboard safe seems to me to be defeating the whole purpose of having a passport. You don't need it to return to the US by sea. You DO need it to return to the US by air or by ground transportation. If I'm standing on the dock, or in a Mexican hospital and need to fly home or to the next port, having my passport in the safe doesn't do me any good. I don't want the hassle of finding the port agent. If I have it in my pocket, that's one less problem.

 

IMHO, if you're going to leave a passport locked in the cabin safe, you might as well not waste the money to get one, because you won't need it if you're on the ship when it returns to its port of origin. If you need to fly home, you don't need the hassle of trying to contact the embassy or consulate for alternate travel documents.

 

YMMV.

 

In the same regard, I wonder if it would be worthwhile to take a photocopy of your passport of the ship and leave the original in teh safe?

[Jess777]

Does anyone travel with two passports? One to keep with them on shore in case one misses the ship and another in the cabin safe if the other gets stolen?

[Ken076]

In the same regard, I wonder if it would be worthwhile to take a photocopy of your passport of the ship and leave the original in teh safe?

 

Next to worthless, as stated several posts prior! I believe the Passport card is not useable for airline flights, therefore equally worthless. ken

[Dirtbleed]

so was this the same as the 'ship time' ?

Yes.

[Dirtbleed]

Well at least he went to the TA with you.

After the ship left he was of no use to us. We knew we were on our own and were prepared to make our own arrangements at our expense. His only usefullness was to notify the ship we were enroute while it was still tied up at the wharf. At least let the Captain make a judgement call on whether or not to wait the 15 minutes we needed. He never actually told us if he notified the ship which leads me to believe he did not.

[Dirtbleed]

A ship is scheduled to sail at 5:30. Can it delay that sailing time? Maybe, maybe not. It may incur a considerable charge for a delayed sailing. Will the late boarding pax be willing to pay that overtime charge? HIGHLY UNLIKELY!!

 

When the ship is scheduled to leave at 5:30, does the ship announce to the pax. "Kindly be back on board, oh about 5:29 or 5:35." NO, that is not what happens. They tell us, "The ship WILL sail at 5:30! Be on board NO LATER than 5PM." Sometimes they say we should be back on the ship at 4:30 for a 5:30 sailing.

 

Don't make it and blame the ship and the port agent,,,hmmmmm.

 

It says right in my post I don't blame RCCL. But I do blame the port agent for not doing his job and at least notifying the ship we were enroute. Then at least the Captain has the information and can make a judgement call. If the port agent won't notify the ship then what the hell is his job?

[nrdsb4]

Does anyone travel with two passports? One to keep with them on shore in case one misses the ship and another in the cabin safe if the other gets stolen?

 

 

Are you talking about people with dual citizenship (holds a passport from 2 different countries)? Or are you talking about having 2 US passports?

[mudscraper]

In the same regard, I wonder if it would be worthwhile to take a photocopy of your passport of the ship and leave the original in teh safe?

As worthwhile as photocopying a few $50 dollar bills and leaving the cash in the safe.

 

 

Rich

[Trplnckl]

Does anyone travel with two passports? One to keep with them on shore in case one misses the ship and another in the cabin safe if the other gets stolen?

Pretty sure you are not allowed to have two US passports. To get a new one you have to surrender the old one.

[nrdsb4]

Pretty sure you are not allowed to have two US passports. To get a new one you have to surrender the old one.

 

If you are renewing your passport, they do send the old one back to you. My daughter just renewed hers even though it won't expire until May 2011. She had to do this because she is going to study abroad next fall, and they said her passport will not have 6 months left on it by the end of her semester.

 

-So she has two US passports which both appear to be valid. But I'm thinking the old one has been entered into the "system" as invalid. We won't test it to see, lol.

 

Also, if you claimed you had "lost" your US passport and got another one, you would appear to have two valid passports. Again, I'm thinking when they scan the bar codes, it would pop up that you had reported one of them lost.

 

The last scenario I've read about where you actually could have 2 valid US passports is if you work and travel for the US gov't and you have had your passport stamped in one country and then need to go to another country which won't allow you in their country with your passport stamped from that "undesirable" country (for example, if you tried to enter Israel with a new stamp from Syria, you'd possibly be denied entry). The US gov't might then supply you with a "clean" passport. I just read about that the other day, and have no idea how accurate that is.

[shof515]

Pretty sure you are not allowed to have two US passports. To get a new one you have to surrender the old one.

 

i think that poster means the passport card and passport book

[Luv2Travelnow]

Pretty sure you are not allowed to have two US passports. To get a new one you have to surrender the old one.

You are allowed to have two US passports. People do it all the time.

 

However the 2nd passport is only good for 2 years. I read a thread on flyertalk.com that had more details from a couple of weeks ago.

[nrdsb4]

You are allowed to have two US passports. People do it all the time.

 

However the 2nd passport is only good for 2 years. I read a thread on flyertalk.com that had more details from a couple of weeks ago.

 

The situation I just described above (needing to enter a country but having a stamp from another country which could keep you out of that country) was one situation I read about that could get you approved for a 2 year passport in addition to your other one. But it was a message board, and you know there is a lot of misinformation on the internet, so I don't know for sure.

[nrdsb4]

You are allowed to have two US passports. People do it all the time.

 

However the 2nd passport is only good for 2 years. I read a thread on flyertalk.com that had more details from a couple of weeks ago.

 

Okay, I found a link which explains it. I don't know that this is done "all the time," and you can't do it just because you feel like it.

 

http://bern.usembassy.gov/second_passport.html

 

Passports

 

Applying for a Second U.S. Passport

 

Current regulations reflect the long-standing policy of the Department of State that no person should be in possession of more than one valid, or potentially valid, U.S. passport at any time unless specifically authorized by the Department of State.

The issuance of a second valid passport should be considered an exception to the regulations, and is to be approved on an individual basis only where justified. The second valid passport may not be limited geographically, i.e., for travel in only a few countries. It will be limited in time, valid for a period of two years. Thereafter, a new passport must be applied for; second valid passports are no longer extendable.

To apply for a second valid passport, the applicant will need to submit the following documents in person:

 

• Completed passport application form DS-82
  
• Bearer's currently valid U.S. passport
  
• A written request from applicant's company or organization explaining why a second valid passport is needed
  
• A signed statement from the bearer attesting that the second valid passport will be surrendered to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate when the need for it has ended
  
• Two Photographs. Passport photograph requirements are strictly enforced.
  
• Passport fee: $75.00 or CHF 82.50 The fee can be paid in cash in either currency. No personal checks are accepted. At the Embassy in Bern, traveler's checks in US dollars and major credit cards are accepted with a valid passport for identification.
  

[Luv2Travelnow]

More links on having a second US passport:

 

http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/how-to-get-a-duplicate-us-passport/

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1054109-getting-new-passport-when-current-one-hasnt-expired-yet.html

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/middle-east/1036628-israel-2nd-us-passport-have-paper-stamped.html

 

Cheers.

[Brighton Line]

I have a Passport and a Passport Card, the Card is only used for my land crossings into Canada. I just do not carry my Passport into Canada and found the card is very simple to use, in and out of the wallet. Worth the extra $20 or so when you apply for both at the same time.

FWIW

[cawagner]

A ship is scheduled to sail at 5:30. Can it delay that sailing time? Maybe, maybe not. It may incur a considerable charge for a delayed sailing. Will the late boarding pax be willing to pay that overtime charge? HIGHLY UNLIKELY!!

 

When the ship is scheduled to leave at 5:30, does the ship announce to the pax. "Kindly be back on board, oh about 5:29 or 5:35." NO, that is not what happens. They tell us, "The ship WILL sail at 5:30! Be on board NO LATER than 5PM." Sometimes they say we should be back on the ship at 4:30 for a 5:30 sailing.

 

Don't make it and blame the ship and the port agent,,,hmmmmm.

 

If you do one of the "ship's excursions" they will wait for you..right? We booked 2 excursions through the ship and the excursion time says it ends the time the ship is supposed to leave...sure hope they wait

[dan40]

If you do one of the "ship's excursions" they will wait for you..right? We booked 2 excursions through the ship and the excursion time says it ends the time the ship is supposed to leave...sure hope they wait

 

The "word" is that the ship WILL wait for ship excursions. I do not do ship excursions so I have no personal experience. And have never missed a ship doing non-ship excursions. But we don't do any that would be questionably close!!!

[imsulin]

There have been cases where the ship does NOT wait for you if your ship-booked shore excursion does not make it back in time. They will wait for a certain period of time, and then must leave (due to hourly port charges and time needed to make it to the next scheduled Port). It's rare, and is usually due to accidents/mechanical failure/weather involving local land or water transportation. The cruise line contracts with local tour companies for ship-booked shore excursions, but aren't the owners of them. There have been several posts about this on CC over the years. Generally, the cruise line will assume responsibility for getting you to the next Port to meet up with the ship, but there can be snags in that process. Just so you know.

[nybugdrinker323]

There have been cases where the ship does NOT wait for you if your ship-booked shore excursion does not make it back in time. They will wait for a certain period of time, and then must leave (due to hourly port charges and time needed to make it to the next scheduled Port). It's rare, and is usually due to accidents/mechanical failure/weather involving local land or water transportation. The cruise line contracts with local tour companies for ship-booked shore excursions, but aren't the owners of them. There have been several posts about this on CC over the years. Generally, the cruise line will assume responsibility for getting you to the next Port to meet up with the ship, but there can be snags in that process. Just so you know.

are they any topics about the carnival ship excursions that people have had bad experience with?

[Traveler353]

are they any topics about the carnival ship excursions that people have had bad experience with?

 

 

For every complaint about a certain excursion or even cruise there will be hundreds even thousands that had a great time. I take all reviews with a grain of salt. Some people hate every minute of every day even when they are having the time of their life.:D

[cawagner]

There have been cases where the ship does NOT wait for you if your ship-booked shore excursion does not make it back in time. They will wait for a certain period of time, and then must leave (due to hourly port charges and time needed to make it to the next scheduled Port). It's rare, and is usually due to accidents/mechanical failure/weather involving local land or water transportation. The cruise line contracts with local tour companies for ship-booked shore excursions, but aren't the owners of them. There have been several posts about this on CC over the years. Generally, the cruise line will assume responsibility for getting you to the next Port to meet up with the ship, but there can be snags in that process. Just so you know.

 

:eek: one more thing to worry about now!

[Kurbanfan]

Does anyone travel with two passports? One to keep with them on shore in case one misses the ship and another in the cabin safe if the other gets stolen?

 

Sure.......someone with extreme paranoia......

[Kurbanfan]

Do people really think that if they didn't have their passport they would be able to get back U.S. ? I cannot believe they are this nieve. Get a clue folks.......

 

On some of those small islands it might take days to get a flight off.....most only have a few if that a day and already are booked full.....probably just about the same time it takes to replace a passport;)

[Brighton Line]

There have been cases where the ship does NOT wait for you if your ship-booked shore excursion does not make it back in time. They will wait for a certain period of time,

 

This happened 15 years ago but on RCCL Monarch of the Seas in 1995 we left port, and turned around to meet up with a boat (bigger then a tendor) that brought back 15 passangers from a ship sponsored excursion that the bus broke down.

 

The Captain appeared to be a bit upset about it. He made two annoucments about how we were turning around and then how we are special RCCL passangers having cruised "x" miles more than anyone else on this itinary also about how it is important to be back by the specified time. They even taped an additonal paper arrow circle to the map that showed our route. LoL

 

So in this instance we didn't wait but we went back to get em!!