airlift and passport

[AmyLee]

if you have to be airlifted from the ship for medical reasons do you need a passport? I was asked this question a few days ago and I did not have a answer for them, Thanks

[paul929207]

I would think not, but people traveling with you will have difficulties trying to fly home without one.

[kitty9]

YES !!!!! My mom fell and broke her hip and was flown directly to Ft Lauderdale via a private medical jet. When we landed at the Executive Airport in Ft Lauderdale, before we were allowed off the jet, a US Custom's and Immigration Officer came on board and checked our passports. If we didn't have them, we would have had to procure some kind special temporary passport or gotten special permission from the State Department to return to the US.

[sail7seas]

Get a passport.

Anyone who wishes to travel out of their home country, in this day and age, should have a passport. It makes no sense to put yourself in such a compromising position. It is a cost of travel. U.S. passports are good for ten years. What do they cost now? Something like $100? That's $10 a year. If you need to save a bit longer before you can take your cruise and have a passport, then wait a little longer and go with peace of mind. What kind of vacation if you are stressing do you have proper travel documents. :confused:

IMO

 

 

 

[notentirelynormal]

Get a passport.

Anyone who wishes to travel out of their home country, in this day and age, should have a passport. It makes no sense to put yourself in such a compromising position. It is a cost of travel. U.S. passports are good for ten years. What do they cost now? Something like $100? That's $10 a year. If you need to save a bit longer before you can take your cruise and have a passport, then wait a little longer and go with peace of mind. What kind of vacation if you are stressing do you have proper travel documents. :confused:

IMO

 

 

I could be wrong, but it sounded more to me that they were asking about actually taking the passport with them on the medvac, not just having one. I have to say, I wouldn't think to run back to the cabin and grab the person's passport while they were fighting for their life.

[AmyLee]

This wasn't a should we get or not get a passport discussion it was a question that was asked out of curiosity that a person in out party had when we was discussing insurance, I know about what is required and what limits BC and passport cards have vs passports. I just didn't know how it was in a medical situation and being airlifted from the ship, Thanks for all your responses

[wrp96]

I could be wrong, but it sounded more to me that they were asking about actually taking the passport with them on the medvac, not just having one. I have to say, I wouldn't think to run back to the cabin and grab the person's passport while they were fighting for their life.

 

 

It takes time to arrange the medivac. Usually while they are waiting for the helicopter to arrive, someone (either a cabin mate or a staff member) is sent back to the cabin to retrieve basic necessary items like a passport.

[AmyLee]

I could be wrong, but it sounded more to me that they were asking about actually taking the passport with them on the medvac, not just having one. I have to say, I wouldn't think to run back to the cabin and grab the person's passport while they were fighting for their life.

 

Actually I hadn't thought about that aspect of it, but that is a very good point. Thanks I will have to include that in the discussion

[AmyLee]

It takes time to arrange the medivac. Usually while they are waiting for the helicopter to arrive, someone (either a cabin mate or a staff member) is sent back to the cabin to retrieve basic necessary items like a passport.

 

ok that makes sense. Also sorry about the choped up replies, I'm on dial-up and it takes a bit to see them,

[sail7seas]

I could be wrong, but it sounded more to me that they were asking about actually taking the passport with them on the medvac, not just having one. I have to say, I wouldn't think to run back to the cabin and grab the person's passport while they were fighting for their life.

 

It takes time to arrange the medivac. Usually while they are waiting for the helicopter to arrive, someone (either a cabin mate or a staff member) is sent back to the cabin to retrieve basic necessary items like a passport.

 

If there is no traveling companion to gather valuables/passport etc, someone from ship's crew will secure valuables and retrieve passport, credit cards, insurance papers, the few necessities the patient may need in order to provide for their care when they arrive at receiving hospital.

 

We have (too many times ) seen crew pack guests' suitcases when they are debarked from the ship prior to the end of the cruise.

[Hlitner]

The OPs question takes on a different dimension if its a closed loop cruise and the person never had a passport (they only used a birth certificate). Legally they are not permitted to enter the US without a passport if they enter via air (or any other way than the original cruise). The more likely scenario in the Caribbean is that they are evacuated off the ship at a port (such as St Maarten) and then cannot be flown back to the states until they arrange to get a passport (this can take several days and cost a lot of money). It is much easier (and faster) to replace a lost passport (or one accidently left on a ship) then it is to get a passport issued for somebody who has never applied. This is why we continue to recommend that anyone leaving the USA on a cruise have a valid passport...even if it is a closed loop cruise.

 

Hank

[phish tales]

I could be wrong, but it sounded more to me that they were asking about actually taking the passport with them on the medvac, not just having one. I have to say, I wouldn't think to run back to the cabin and grab the person's passport while they were fighting for their life.

 

the passport you paid for should be used. we carry ours with us. what the h##l good does it do back in your room in this emergency case. you bought it to use...USE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[njhorseman]

the passport you paid for should be used. we carry ours with us. what the h##l good does it do back in your room in this emergency case. you bought it to use...USE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Use it for what? The Department of State recommends you keep your passport locked up in your hotel safe (in this case your ship is your hotel) unless you're required to carry it with you. There are relatively few countries visited by cruise ships that require you to carry your passport ashore. On some itineraries the ship is actually required to hold passengers' passport so they can be inspected by local authorities early in the morning when the ship arrives in port.

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html

 

...Carry the minimum number of valuables, and plan places to conceal them. Your passport, cash and credit cards are most secure when locked in a hotel safe. When you have to carry them on your person, you may wish to put them each in a different place rather than all in one wallet or pouch...

[phish tales]

Use it for what? The Department of State recommends you keep your passport locked up in your hotel safe (in this case your ship is your hotel) unless you're required to carry it with you. There are relatively few countries visited by cruise ships that require you to carry your passport ashore. On some itineraries the ship is actually required to hold passengers' passport so they can be inspected by local authorities early in the morning when the ship arrives in port.

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html

 

...Carry the minimum number of valuables, and plan places to conceal them. Your passport, cash and credit cards are most secure when locked in a hotel safe. When you have to carry them on your person, you may wish to put them each in a different place rather than all in one wallet or pouch...

 

nihorseman, i do not want to do the passport debate with you. we all do what we want with our passports. apparently you don't cruise very much, but if you traveled as much as my wife and i do, you never know when and where an emergency can occur. we stay prepared. our passports are with us. you keep yours safely locked away. to each his own. i just hope you or the ones you are traveling with never have an emergency where you miss the ship. good luck to you and happy cruising Mr nihorseman..

[sail7seas]

If you do not return to the ship on time, most will send Security Officer to your cabin to (hopefully) find your passport in the safe. It is given to the ship's Port Agent to present to you. You should never go ashore without contact info for the Port Agent. Their name, address and telephone are printed on shore info everyday. Every port has an Agent.

 

[njhorseman]

nihorseman, i do not want to do the passport debate with you. we all do what we want with our passports. apparently you don't cruise very much, but if you traveled as much as my wife and i do, you never know when and where an emergency can occur. we stay prepared. our passports are with us. you keep yours safely locked away. to each his own. i just hope you or the ones you are traveling with never have an emergency where you miss the ship. good luck to you and happy cruising Mr nihorseman..

 

Apparently you're wrong, because I've taken somewhere around 35 cruises.

 

Apparently you also don't know that I owned a travel agency for a number of years, and part of that job is to give clients the best possible guidance on passport requirements, among many other things.

 

Apparently you also think you know more than the U.S. Department of State.

 

Apparently you are also unaware that in the case of an emergency if you contact the ship's port agent, they can arrange to retrieve your passport from the ship's safe.

[cherylandtk]

OK, everyone calm down a minute. A few facts are in order here:

 

1. Ship officers do NOT routinely go to your room and get the passport out of the safe 'just because you did not check back onboard'. They WILL do this if a) you call and ask them to or b) the local country requires your passport on your person. Caribbean destination do not require (b).

 

2. Having an actual passport is the fastest way home. Having the documents necessary to get one (BC and ID) is faster than having a copy of a current passport. But the real time determinant is the nature of the emergency. Missing the ship is not an emergency. Flying in a med transport back to the US is usually not an emergency or life-threatening case. Medevac to a local hospital is usually the most emergent, possibly life-threatening situation.

 

3. What everyone does with their passport while traveling is up to them. The State Dept. advice to leave the passport in the hotel safe presumes the hotel does not go anywhere, or burn down or blow up in a hurricane. If your hotel (ie ship) is likely to not be in the same place tomorrow then you might want to consider whether it is riskier or not, TO YOU, to take the passport with you in a money belt. Factors include where you are going, what you are doing, the risk of loss or theft in the country you are in and your personal comfort level. The choice is yours, hopefully to be made in an intelligent, adult, rational manner.

 

LBNL, to the OP: Flying back to the US from a foreign location in private medical transport does require a passport in most cases. It also requires a doctor's release that the patient is stable and safe to fly. Medevac, in most situations means that there is a medical emergency requiring transport to the closest medical facility that can handle the condition. It is not transport back home in most cases. In medevacs, passports or ID are not usually requested up front, but there may be a lot of paperwork to fill out later.

 

I am not sure if you meant medical transport back to the US or medevac, but the two situations are handled a bit differently depending on nature of the emergency and the country(s) involved.

[phish tales]

Apparently you're wrong, because I've taken somewhere around 35 cruises.

 

Apparently you also don't know that I owned a travel agency for a number of years, and part of that job is to give clients the best possible guidance on passport requirements, among many other things.

 

Apparently you also think you know more than the U.S. Department of State.

 

Apparently you are also unaware that in the case of an emergency if you contact the ship's port agent, they can arrange to retrieve your passport from the ship's safe.

 

like i mentioned, i do not want to do the passport debate. i surrender, you win. but at 35 cruises, to my wife and i you're still a baby. if i meet you on a rccl ship, i will buy you a drink in the concierge's lounge. (that's if you are allowed in) again happy cruising and fair seas..:):)

[Tedly]

OK, everyone calm down a minute. A few facts are in order here:

 

 

LBNL, to the OP: Flying back to the US from a foreign location in private medical transport does require a passport in most cases. It also requires a doctor's release that the patient is stable and safe to fly. Medevac, in most situations means that there is a medical emergency requiring transport to the closest medical facility that can handle the condition. It is not transport back home in most cases. In medevacs, passports or ID are not usually requested up front, but there may be a lot of paperwork to fill out later.

 

I am not sure if you meant medical transport back to the US or medevac, but the two situations are handled a bit differently depending on nature of the emergency and the country(s) involved.

 

I was the OP, I was logged in under my wife's name last night and didn't bother to change it. The question came up a few nights ago when we were looking at different insurance plans for our upcoming cruise that if you needed to be medevaced from a ship and you did not have a passport would they still take you or would you be stuck in middle of the gulf with no other options. I know that you are not allowed to enter the US by Air with a passport card and a BC and ID is only for closed loop cruises(starts and ends in same port). hopefully I've made the question a little clearer(probably not though, I'm not very good at explaining things) Thanks everybody

[cherylandtk]

... if you needed to be medevaced from a ship and you did not have a passport would they still take you or would you be stuck in middle of the gulf with no other options...

In this case, you would be so ill or injured that they have to get you to a hospital to save your life; tomorrow would be too late. So the passport is not an issue until it is time to get from the hospital to home.

[Tedly]

In this case, you would be so ill or injured that they have to get you to a hospital to save your life; tomorrow would be too late. So the passport is not an issue until it is time to get from the hospital to home.

 

Ok, thanks for the response, I believe that answered the question

[kitty9]

As I stated, I have first hand information on this, since my mom had to be evac'd off a Celebrity ship. They stabilized her in the medical center and she stayed there overnight. We had the choice of checking her into a local hospital in the next port of call, or chartering a private medical jet to take her back to the US. Of course, we chose the latter. Before they would even allow us on the jet, the pilot and on board nurse made sure we had passports. If we didn't, it would have meant a trip to the local consulate to get emergency permission to enter the US without a passport. Thankfully, we've had passports for years, so it wasn't an issue. This particular med evac company, based in South Florida, makes numerous trips to the Caribbean to pick up sick or injured travelers, and their biggest hurdle is the passenger who doesn't have a passport. When that's the case, they must get emergency permission to bring the patient back to the US without an emergency declaration of citizenship.

[cherylandtk]

The difference being that Darcie's Mom was stable, and cleared by a doctor to be either hospitalized locally or charter a medical transport.

[sail7seas]

OK, everyone calm down a minute. A few facts are in order here:

 

1. Ship officers do NOT routinely go to your room and get the passport out of the safe 'just because you did not check back onboard'. They WILL do this if a) you call and ask them to or b) the local country requires your passport on your person. Caribbean destination do not require (b).

<snip>

 

 

Actually, it's a little more common than you imply. It's not an unusual circumstance.

 

 

I still do not understand the need for this discussion at all.

Who still thinks it wise to travel outside the country without being in possession of a valid passport? :confused: WHY would you do that? :confused:

[Tedly]

As I stated, I have first hand information on this, since my mom had to be evac'd off a Celebrity ship. They stabilized her in the medical center and she stayed there overnight. We had the choice of checking her into a local hospital in the next port of call, or chartering a private medical jet to take her back to the US. Of course, we chose the latter. Before they would even allow us on the jet, the pilot and on board nurse made sure we had passports. If we didn't, it would have meant a trip to the local consulate to get emergency permission to enter the US without a passport. Thankfully, we've had passports for years, so it wasn't an issue. This particular med evac company, based in South Florida, makes numerous trips to the Caribbean to pick up sick or injured travelers, and their biggest hurdle is the passenger who doesn't have a passport. When that's the case, they must get emergency permission to bring the patient back to the US without an emergency declaration of citizenship.

 

What about a passport card, would that help get emergency permission? Again this is just for curiosity, I know your not allowed to fly with them but I wonder if they would work for emergency situations