Lost my passport the day before we sail :(

[BayouGirlUSA]

In July 2010, we went on our first cruise EVER to Alaska. My husband won this trip and we had to go through a travel agent in Connecticut. As I was planning this trip, I asked the agent on several occassions about documentation needed for this Alaskan cruise through email. I am a planner. She told me I did NOT need a passport. So happy-go-lucky-first-time-cruiser said OK and went on my merry little planning way.

 

Fast forward to cruise time. Excited beyond belief standing in line at the pre-cruise hotel where the nice Princess people get you all squared away before you are taken to board the ship. They ask "Passport"? And I say "we don't have passports". They say "Certified Birth Certificate"? I say "NO" with a dreadful dropping feeling in my stomach. My heart started beating really fast and thought I may have a full-on anxiety attack.

 

Long story short...the "head lady in charge" came and talked to us. After close to tears conversation and my voice shaking uncontrollably, she had us sign this affidavit and sent us on our way to the Golden Princess to enjoy the sights and sounds of Alaska. Needless to say, we now have PASSPORTS!

[zimmerjulie]

Hoping, hoping that they made it on the cruise.

[bplazo]

Hope you made it. I am so paranoid with losing things that I brink my passport, drivers liscense and birth certificate.

[jcamille]

For future reference, you should always travel with the following telephone numbers with you:

 

1) U.S. State Dept. in Wash DC - they issue the passports, they can help you in an emergency. 1-202-663-2654, 1-202-501-4444, 1-888-407-4747.

 

The State Dept. also has a Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) where you can register all of your information when you are traveling out of the country, so should an emergency arise, they have your itinerary, how to reach you, your passport number, emergency contacts in the U.S., etc. You can register on their website.

 

2) U.S. Office of American Citizens Services - Washington, DC -1-202-647-5225, 1-202-647-5226 - also provides emergency services to U.S. citizens.

 

3) Both of your state's U.S. Senators phone numbers - they have local offices in your state and offices in D.C. Their number one priority is constituent services, especially in election years. They can help you get a new passport in as little as 3 days. You fed ex everything to them in Washington, DC, they walk your passport application through the State Dept. and then Fed Ex it to you.

 

I always make it a point of traveling with several photocopies of my passport and driver's license and an original copy of my birth certificate too.

 

I hope the OP made it on the ship. I think NO news is GOOD news!

[capp]

For future reference, you should always travel with the following telephone numbers with you:

 

1) U.S. State Dept. in Wash DC - they issue the passports, they can help you in an emergency. 1-202-663-2654, 1-202-501-4444, 1-888-407-4747.

 

The State Dept. also has a Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) where you can register all of your information when you are traveling out of the country, so should an emergency arise, they have your itinerary, how to reach you, your passport number, emergency contacts in the U.S., etc. You can register on their website.

 

2) U.S. Office of American Citizens Services - Washington, DC -1-202-647-5225, 1-202-647-5226 - also provides emergency services to U.S. citizens.

 

3) Both of your state's U.S. Senators phone numbers - they have local offices in your state and offices in D.C. Their number one priority is constituent services, especially in election years. They can help you get a new passport in as little as 3 days. You fed ex everything to them in Washington, DC, they walk your passport application through the State Dept. and then Fed Ex it to you.

 

I always make it a point of traveling with several photocopies of my passport and driver's license and an original copy of my birth certificate too.

 

I hope the OP made it on the ship. I think NO news is GOOD news!

 

This is excellent information and advice. Should be made a sticky!:)

[peg013]

For future reference, you should always travel with the following telephone numbers with you:

 

1) U.S. State Dept. in Wash DC - they issue the passports, they can help you in an emergency. 1-202-663-2654, 1-202-501-4444, 1-888-407-4747.

 

The State Dept. also has a Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) where you can register all of your information when you are traveling out of the country, so should an emergency arise, they have your itinerary, how to reach you, your passport number, emergency contacts in the U.S., etc. You can register on their website.

 

2) U.S. Office of American Citizens Services - Washington, DC -1-202-647-5225, 1-202-647-5226 - also provides emergency services to U.S. citizens.

 

3) Both of your state's U.S. Senators phone numbers - they have local offices in your state and offices in D.C. Their number one priority is constituent services, especially in election years. They can help you get a new passport in as little as 3 days. You fed ex everything to them in Washington, DC, they walk your passport application through the State Dept. and then Fed Ex it to you.

 

I always make it a point of traveling with several photocopies of my passport and driver's license and an original copy of my birth certificate too.

 

I hope the OP made it on the ship. I think NO news is GOOD news!

 

Thank You! I printed out your post for my travel folder so we always have it!:)

[jcamille]

For future reference, you should always travel with the following telephone numbers with you:

 

1) U.S. State Dept. in Wash DC - they issue the passports, they can help you in an emergency. 1-202-663-2654, 1-202-501-4444, 1-888-407-4747.

 

The State Dept. also has a Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) where you can register all of your information when you are traveling out of the country, so should an emergency arise, they have your itinerary, how to reach you, your passport number, emergency contacts in the U.S., etc. You can register on their website.

 

2) U.S. Office of American Citizens Services - Washington, DC -1-202-647-5225, 1-202-647-5226 - also provides emergency services to U.S. citizens.

 

3) Both of your state's U.S. Senators phone numbers - they have local offices in your state and offices in D.C. Their number one priority is constituent services, especially in election years. They can help you get a new passport in as little as 3 days. You fed ex everything to them in Washington, DC, they walk your passport application through the State Dept. and then Fed Ex it to you.

 

I always make it a point of traveling with several photocopies of my passport and driver's license and an original copy of my birth certificate too.

 

I hope the OP made it on the ship. I think NO news is GOOD news!

 

Replying to my own post....

 

I also go online and find the telephone numbers of each U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate in whatever foreign countries I will be in and add those to my phone as well. You NEVER know when you may need help in a foreign country and having someone who speaks English and is in the same city and same time zone can be very reassuring.

[TryingCruising]

Replying to my own post....

 

I also go online and find the telephone numbers of each U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate in whatever foreign countries I will be in and add those to my phone as well. You NEVER know when you may need help in a foreign country and having someone who speaks English and is in the same city and same time zone can be very reassuring.

 

THANK YOU! We leave the end of this week, and I never even thought of taking these numbers along with me. I really appreciate you sharing this information.

 

I hope the OP is enjoying the cruise with her family! Fingers crossed...

[bmlovell]

This happened to my husband as we were about to check in at port he was able to get a copy of birth certificate from town born in his brother picked it up faxed it (the town clerk had to fax it) or if you have someone pickup a copy of your cert birth certificate and has a notary fax) and rcl who we were cruising with last year had a notary give if official raised seal. We had a wonderful trip . If u r in a closed loop cruise nil can do the same for you .call them get that birth certificate.

[bmlovell]

This happened to my husband as we were about to check in at port he was able to get a copy of birth certificate from town born in his brother picked it up faxed it and rcl who we were cruising with last year had a notary give if official raised seal. We had a wonderful trip . If u r in a closed loop cruise nil can do the same for you .call them get that birth certificate.

[jaja]

I really hope all went well..

[KateLovesCruising]

Hope it all worked out for the OP and shes cruising and enjoying a pina colada... she needs it after this!

[lotsofkids]

 

I always make it a point of traveling with several photocopies of my passport and driver's license and an original copy of my birth certificate too.

 

This is excellent advise! Have copies in your hand-carry on as well as checked baggage.

[goose30]

OP must be devastated. Never came back to tell us the happy ending or any ending at all.

[terriberri268]

I am no news is good news and she is enjoying her cruise right now.

I hope to hear in a week about her wonderful vacation that got off to a rocky start.

[sparks1093]

OP must be devastated. Never came back to tell us the happy ending or any ending at all.

 

I think we will get the ending when the ship returns to Seattle when she tells us what a great cruise she had.

[GSLMOM]

Hope it all worked out for the OP and shes cruising and enjoying a pina colada... she needs it after this!

 

She can enjoy a pina colada but she probably needed a shot of tequilla!!!

[beachchick]

Don't be so certain;) here's what getyouhome.gov says (emphasis added):

 

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents."

 

In any event it's worth a shot if all else fails and it costs the price of a fax. I'd rather show up with a copy of my birth certificate than nothing at all. (And the same rule applies when our kids go on a field trip to Canada with their school and we always give them copies of their birth certs, not the originals.)

 

That's always been required to be a certified copy, not a fax or other non-official copy. They can't accept a fax or other non-official document because it's much too easy to forge something like that. It must be certified and not even a hospital certificate of live birth will suffice.

 

beachchick

[DKAL]

I think we will get the ending when the ship returns to Seattle when she tells us what a great cruise she had.

 

I hope so!

 

Maybe when she calmed down a bit, she was able to find the passport.

[TravelWise101]

No passport required to enter Canada.

 

From the Canadian Border Services web-site:

 

 

 

• United States citizens do not need to carry a passport to enter Canada however they should carry proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate) as well as photo identification.
  

Do you have Birth Certificate?

 

Years ago we were given a hard time at the boarder (US side coming back from Canda) because we did not have passports. We've always traveled with them since (many trips back and forth Canada/US). And I thought two years ago I remember reading that they are now "required" to get into Canada. Also remember reading that if you have a DUI, Canada will not let you enter (not sure if that's true or not but I don't mind repeating it to my adult children - smirk).

[sparks1093]

That's always been required to be a certified copy, not a fax or other non-official copy. They can't accept a fax or other non-official document because it's much too easy to forge something like that. It must be certified and not even a hospital certificate of live birth will suffice.

 

beachchick

 

Maybe, maybe not (my own experience suggests not), and proper planning would dictate that one bring a certified copy to avoid any snags, but as I've said in the OP's situation I'd much rather show up with a faxed copy of a birth certificate than with nothing at all.

[ColinIllinois]

This thread reminds me of the one a while back where a guy couldn't remember what cruise line or ship his parents were on and he was trying to figure it out on the boards because he had to pick them up. He couldn't even remember what NYC area pier it was. Everyone kept following the thread wondering if he ever found them.

 

Anyone else remember that? It was a hoot.

 

Hope everything worked out for the O.P. of this thread.

[LOWTYD]

Years ago we were given a hard time at the boarder (US side coming back from Canda) because we did not have passports. We've always traveled with them since (many trips back and forth Canada/US). And I thought two years ago I remember reading that they are now "required" to get into Canada. Also remember reading that if you have a DUI, Canada will not let you enter (not sure if that's true or not but I don't mind repeating it to my adult children - smirk).

 

Just an FYI for those who do not know:

Got this off the web.

Since June 2009, everyone from every country arriving in Canada by air, land and sea has needed a passport ( or equivilent travel document: NEXUS CARD, Enhanced Drivers License, US Passport Card )

 

I am hoping that no new is good as far as hearing from the OP. I truely hope they made the ship!:)

[Northerncheapo]

Jcamile...that is excellent advice. DH and I do the exact same thing as well as leave copies of all these documents with a trusted person at home.

 

You might get a chuckle from this...

 

We are Canadian. My 18 year old son was invited to go to a resort in Cuba last month with his girl friends family. My son doesn't always make the right choices and we were very aprehensive of allowing him to go, unsure what would happen if he was caught being stupid. After MUCH lectures and threats of what 'could' happen in Cuba if he was caught doing A, B, or C, we let him go. Our 19 year daughter is no dummy, on track to become a lawyer. We found out later that she printed off a google map of how to get to the Canadian Embassy in Cuba with instructions on top that said, "RUN LIKE HELL" !!

 

All turned out well (sometimes my son can surprise me) but we didn't know whether to laugh or cry at what his sister did :)

[njhorseman]

Just an FYI for those who do not know:

Got this off the web.

Since June 2009, everyone from every country arriving in Canada by air, land and sea has needed a passport ( or equivilent travel document: NEXUS CARD, Enhanced Drivers License, US Passport Card )

 

I am hoping that no new is good as far as hearing from the OP. I truely hope they made the ship!:)

 

That's not correct. Canada itself doesn't require a passport, and you can take a closed loop cruise leaving from the US that makes a port call in Canada under the same closed loop cruise exception to the passport requirement that governs cruises to other destinations in the Western Hemisphere.

 

Canadian requirements:

 

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/security-securite/admiss-eng.html#s1

 

If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to enter Canada. However, you should carry proof of your citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, as well as photo identification.

 

 

 

The US regulation is 22 CFR § 53.2 (b)(2) which reads as follows:

 

 

Quote:

Exceptions.

(b) A U.S. citizen is not required to bear a valid U.S. passport to enter or depart the United States:

 

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States; if the U.S. citizen is under the age of 16, he or she may present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;