Regarding passports.....

[shayelle]

We have been on 10 cruises, but all Carribean and Mexico. We have never taken our passports off the ship with us on excursions. We are doing the 10 day Med on Equinox. Do we take our passports with us when we leave the ship? This pick pocket thread got me concerned about walking around with passports. I realize if something happens and we miss the ship we will have issues without our passports so am I assuming we have to have them. I am going to buy a Pacsafe bag but still a little concerned.

 

Thanks!

[Denny01]

Many people, including us, take a copy of our Passport and not the actual one. We leave it in the safe, and on some cruses, depending on ports, the ship may take the passport and keep them.

 

Den

[Cruise Junky]

I never take mine off the ship. I have a photocopy with me and a copy scanned onto my Ipad.

[Aloha 1]

I never take mine off the ship. I have a photocopy with me and a copy scanned onto my Ipad.

 

How did you scan a copy to your iPad?

[ghstudio]

If you have a scanner, just scan the information page on to your computer and mail it to yourself. Then just get that mail message on the ipad.

 

I always put a copy of my passport under the lining of my suitcase as well (look for a zipper)...just in case.

[Jobeth66]

We just came back from the Med and we took our passports with us every time we left the ship. I left copies & our passport cards in the safe. If you're stopping in Dubrovnik, you /must/ have a photo id with you in order to leave the port area. Passport is the safest bet.

 

Be smart about where you keep them - I had a cross-body bag where the top folded over, and there was an internal zipper pocket. That's where they went. If anyone tried to pick-pocket me, they would've had to have gotten a hand against my body to get into the flap where the exterior zipper was, get that unzipped, then find the interior pocket, unzip it, and get the passports out. Not likely.

 

Sure it was a risk if I got held up and my entire bag was stolen, but I felt that was a very low risk - and if anything happened while we were in port, I didn't have to worry about not having my passport. Especially when so many of the ports are a not inconsequential distance from the actual areas you're going to be seeing (Livorno and Civitivecchia, especially).

 

If for some reason I missed the ship, I wouldn't have to go all the way back to the port and find the port agent to get my stuff - I had it with me and getting to the next port would be much, much easier.

 

I would never leave the ship without my passport, if I was in a foreign country. In Alaska, that would be different.

[Cruise Junky]

How did you scan a copy to your iPad?

 

What GHStudio said :) I do it with our cruise docs too.

[Flying-Dragon]

We have been on 10 cruises, but all Carribean and Mexico. We have never taken our passports off the ship with us on excursions. We are doing the 10 day Med on Equinox. Do we take our passports with us when we leave the ship? This pick pocket thread got me concerned about walking around with passports. I realize if something happens and we miss the ship we will have issues without our passports so am I assuming we have to have them. I am going to buy a Pacsafe bag but still a little concerned.

 

Thanks!

 

We just did the TA to Rome on Equinox and then a B2B eastern Med back to Rome. We left the passports on board but carried colour photocopies in our camera cases ashore. The ship collected the passports for the Greece-Turkey segment to simplify ship clearance in and out of these countries which are apparently not part of the same treaty agreements as the rest of Europe.

[CruisinManiac]

On our Equinox cruise, May 16-27, the ship kept our passports beginning when we checked in and up until the last sea day. We had a copy, but did not take it with us.

[jcrandle]

We just did the TA to Rome on Equinox and then a B2B eastern Med back to Rome. We left the passports on board but carried colour photocopies in our camera cases ashore. The ship collected the passports for the Greece-Turkey segment to simplify ship clearance in and out of these countries which are apparently not part of the same treaty agreements as the rest of Europe.

 

While Greece is a Schengen agreement country (the technical term for the European countries that permit cross border travel without passports), Turkey is not, so if your ship traveled to Turkey then to Greece, passport issues would be involved. From another Schengen country to Greece, there should be no problems, but the local authorities are VERY familiar with the laws and regulations, as well as the cruise lines.

[kitty9]

Many cruise lines take, and keep, your passports for the duration of your cruise. So, if the cruise line doesn't think you need your passports, then that should be enough proof that you really don't need your passport when leaving the ship. Unless you stop in a country where it's mandatory to keep your passports on your person, such as Russia, you don't need to take them off the ship.

[CathyCruises]

For the record, I would NEVER risk taking my passport off the ship unless expressly told to do so by ship's personnel. I do take color copies and also keep a copy in the lining of my suitcase, AND email a copy to myself--but the real thing stays in my safe!

 

I have had too many things stolen from me, just wouldn't risk something that difficult to replace.

[Jo and Rob]

It is actually a legal requirement in countries such as France to have your passport or identity card with you. On a recent cruise on P&O the border control officials boarded our shuttle bus and asked to see all our passports much to the horror of some passengers. The passengers without passports (there were only about 6 on our bus) had to give in their names and then the officials looked at the ships print out of the passenger list to check they were genuine. They were asked to make sure they had their passports with them in future.

 

We take colour copies which we leave in the safe and I have a photograph of the photo page on my iphone.

[Keith1010]

We have been on 10 cruises, but all Carribean and Mexico. We have never taken our passports off the ship with us on excursions. We are doing the 10 day Med on Equinox. Do we take our passports with us when we leave the ship? This pick pocket thread got me concerned about walking around with passports. I realize if something happens and we miss the ship we will have issues without our passports so am I assuming we have to have them. I am going to buy a Pacsafe bag but still a little concerned.

 

Thanks!

 

Never take the passport off the ship. The only time we do so is if it is a legal requirement as the previous poster mentioned. In 95% plus of the cases it is not a legal requirement. We believe that the chance is far greater that we will lose our passport or it will be stolen than any benefit from needing it. We do take a copy with us. A copy is not valid but we take it with us in the event that we needed to obtain a new passport as this would speed up that process.

 

Often the cruise lines hold the passports but if they don't we keep our locked in our cabin safe.

 

Keith

[jodie84124]

How did you scan a copy to your iPad?

 

We have a program called 'Air Sharing' and I can transfer all kinds of docs that I've downloaded off the computer into my iPad. I have maps, port information, my cruise docs, airline tickets, etc. Very convenient.

 

Jodie

[DeltaOne]

How did you scan a copy to your iPad?

 

Scan (or otherwise) make the document in to a PDF. Email the PDF to yourself. Once in the Mail app on the iPad or iPhone tap the email attachment and add it to the iBook app. (The iBook app is free if you don't have it.)

 

You can also sync the document when the iPad or iPhone is attached to your computer, but the email way is easier.

[Cruise Junky]

Scan (or otherwise) make the document in to a PDF. Email the PDF to yourself. Once in the Mail app on the iPad or iPhone tap the email attachment and add it to the iBook app. (The iBook app is free if you don't have it.)

 

You can also sync the document when the iPad or iPhone is attached to your computer, but the email way is easier.

 

There's also tons of free PDF reader apps.

[CathyCruises]

It is actually a legal requirement in countries such as France to have your passport or identity card with you. On a recent cruise on P&O the border control officials boarded our shuttle bus and asked to see all our passports much to the horror of some passengers. The passengers without passports (there were only about 6 on our bus) had to give in their names and then the officials looked at the ships print out of the passenger list to check they were genuine. They were asked to make sure they had their passports with them in future.

 

We take colour copies which we leave in the safe and I have a photograph of the photo page on my iphone.

 

I have traveled extensively in France and have never ever been asked for a passport once I have cleared customs. In numerous port stops there, the ship has never advised us to carry passports ashore. I am not sure of the circumstances of your incident, but I maintain that you are far more likely to lose your passport or have it stolen when you are off the ship, than you are to actually need the document.

 

When I had my brand new $1000 camera stolen in Costa Rica, the police said, "good thing it wasn't your passport" and indicated that there was a premium paid for those on the black market.

[jimzgoldfinch]

I have traveled extensively in France and have never ever been asked for a passport once I have cleared customs. In numerous port stops there, the ship has never advised us to carry passports ashore. I am not sure of the circumstances of your incident, but I maintain that you are far more likely to lose your passport or have it stolen when you are off the ship, than you are to actually need the document.

 

When I had my brand new $1000 camera stolen in Costa Rica, the police said, "good thing it wasn't your passport" and indicated that there was a premium paid for those on the black market.

 

Hi,

The following extract was taken from Franceguide website.

 

"All U.S. and Canadian citizens, including infants, need a valid passport to enter France. Visas are not required for American and Canadian visitors staying in France for up to 90 days.

 

It is mandatory in France to carry some form of identification at all times. If you lose your passport, the nearest U.S. Consulate will issue Americans a limited-validity replacement if travel is imminent, or a full-validity passport if further travel is not within two weeks. When in France, please carry a photocopy of your passport separately from your passport."

 

"For citizens of European Union countries, a current valid identity card is sufficient. However, if you are a citizen of an other country, a passport is obligatory, with a visa for certain countries.

British passport holders can travel to France until the expiry date of their passport."

 

Trust this helps

 

Jim

[CathyCruises]

Thanks for the info. I assume that a color copy of our passports, which we always carry, would count as 'some form of identification'. Obviously if it was an issue, the ship would be sure to tell the passengers to carry their actual passports ashore.

[Cruise Junky]

Funny France is usually the port stop where I'll have my passport..SHOPPING :) VAT REFUND :) :)

 

But on numerous land trips we don't carry it around unless popping into Monaco ;) That being said, we've never been stopped so I can't address what would be acceptable identification.

[Keith1010]

I have traveled extensively in France and have never ever been asked for a passport once I have cleared customs. In numerous port stops there, the ship has never advised us to carry passports ashore. I am not sure of the circumstances of your incident, but I maintain that you are far more likely to lose your passport or have it stolen when you are off the ship, than you are to actually need the document.

 

When I had my brand new $1000 camera stolen in Costa Rica, the police said, "good thing it wasn't your passport" and indicated that there was a premium paid for those on the black market.

 

I am one who always believes in keeping the passport on the ship.

 

But I did want to point out that there are ports of call we've been to in France (not all but some) where we were required to carry our passports.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Thanks for the info. I assume that a color copy of our passports, which we always carry, would count as 'some form of identification'. Obviously if it was an issue, the ship would be sure to tell the passengers to carry their actual passports ashore.

 

We carry a copy as well but that is to facilitate getting a new passport if something went wrong.

 

A copy though really does not count as an acceptable form of identification.

 

Keith

[DiamondDiva]

We too just did the Equinox 11 day out of Rome, and as stated by Cruise Maniac, the ship required all of us to give them our passports for the duration. There was a simple and organized way to collect them back on our last sea day.

 

We, however, always carry a photcopy of our passports with us, along with our daily money, in an under-clothing carrier, "just in case" when off the ship. I traveled in a group once in Spain when a member had his pocket picked (actually his fanny pack sliced off of him in a crowd) and had his passport and money taken. He had no copy of his passport with him on his person or in the hotel and it was a much longer wait for him to get a new one and resume his journey later. He almost was unable to return home-he had his airline ticket in that lost fanny pack as well! We also leave a second photo copy in the ship room safe.

 

If I have carried the passport on a land tour or another circumstance, I have always kept it in an under-clothing carrier, figuring if someone got to that, I had more problems than a stolen passport.

[Lsimon]

We always carry our passports with us at Europe ports. I carry our passports, extra cash and a backup credit card in a hidden wallet/money belt. You can find lots of styles of these on Amazon or websites that sell travel accessories. I picked out one that is comfortable and worn under my clothing. As a side issue this also means I only carry basic spending cash, and maybe one credit card, in my travel wallet limiting any damage a lost or stolen wallet will cause.

 

While a copy of a passport might suffice in some minor situations it will not get you through anything difficult and will not get you on an airplane or across boarders if something happens and you miss the ship or have an emergency off the ship. If we had an accident or otherwise missed the ship I'd hate to have to wait for the next day and spend it at the US Embassy working on getting some sort of replacement passport or alternate travel documents while precious time was wasting away.

 

I also keep a color copy of our passport in our cabin safe and small copies in our wallets when we travel. This is in case something happens to the original or if for some reason the ship needs to hold our originals. While I realize this might a bit technical for some I also scan our passports and the backs of our credit cards with the card company contact information and put these in a password protected file that I both email to myself and keep on my iPhone.

 

i will say that in the Caribbean we do not carry our passports - this is largely due to the fact that we're usually doing some sort of water based activity so there is no good way to keep them dry. We do carry a copy in the bag we use to carry our towels and things and have the electronic backup described above.