embarcation question

[beita123]

ia silversea like seabourn that embarcation procedures, check in, picture taken,etc...take place on board?

[57 varieties]

It varies. Usually there is a welcome table on the pier where passports are collected but photos are taken at Reception once on board these days.

[Randyk47]

Is it correct to assume Silversea will be holding our passports while we're on the Med cruise next March?

[bobndee]

Is it correct to assume Silversea will be holding our passports while we're on the Med cruise next March?

 

They held our passports when we were in the Med last year. I assume that hasn't changed.

[Emtbsam]

Yes, I believe it is standard that they hold passports. When we renewed our passports, we also applied for a passport card that we carry when we go onshore.

[Randyk47]

Yes, I believe it is standard that they hold passports. When we renewed our passports, we also applied for a passport card that we carry when we go onshore.

 

We thought about getting the passport cards but noticed that they're really meant for land and sea travel between Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Also noticed that they're not for international air travel. Kind of makes me wonder if they're really worth it for Europe. I guess they're a good form of identification but we don't travel to Canada and Mexico by land at all and so far our regular passports have been sufficient for basically a once a year Caribbean cruise.

[CanadianKate]

We've made colour copies of the main page of passport and take that ashore with us.

 

When in US ports, we also carry our NEXUS cards.

 

With Silversea, when we were in countries that required people to carry legal ID, we were handed our passports back before going ashore and had to turn them in when we returned to the ship.

[CASHIPman]

 

When in US ports, we also carry our NEXUS cards.

 

 

I LOVE Nexus and Global Entry!

[Randyk47]

Living in Texas the NEXUS card has little to no value to us but we did research the Global Entry program. Sounded really good and very interesting until we found out we'd have to be interviewed in Dallas which is a good five hour drive from San Antonio. Our only other option would be to try to schedule an interview in between flights as we have to fly through Dallas out or in to San Antonio but coordinating that seemed just too much. We decided it wasn't worth it.

[CASHIPman]

Living in Texas the NEXUS card has little to no value to us but we did research the Global Entry program. Sounded really good and very interesting until we found out we'd have to be interviewed in Dallas which is a good five hour drive from San Antonio. Our only other option would be to try to schedule an interview in between flights as we have to fly through Dallas out or in to San Antonio but coordinating that seemed just too much. We decided it wasn't worth it.

 

If you travel internationally frequently it's well worth the effort. Last year we were flying Acapulco-Houston-Chicago, clearing USA formalities at Houston. The lines for the staffed immigrations desks were well over an hour long but with Global Entry we just used a kiosk and were in the baggage hall in minutes, even before our bags were there!

Once we picked up our bags we were faced with a hugely long line for Customs clearance but because we had Global Entry we were permitted to use the, I think, crew line and again bypassed the masses.

 

What would normally have been a tight connection became one where we could have a bite to eat before continuing northbound.