Here's Why You Don't Take Your Passports Off The Ship

[msbptg]

Try catching a last-minute international flight between two nations, neither of which you are a citizen by flashing your New Jersey driver license and then get back to me.

 

Why would you need to fly anywhere?

[A Sixth?]

Why would you need to fly anywhere?

 

Because the scenario is you have missed the ship, don't have your passport with you, and plan on eventually returning home or to the ship.

[CI66774]

My two cents - I think everyone has to make their own, personal decision with respect to what docs they carry off the ship (unless the ship mandates certain things, of course). I think the point of the OP was that it can happen, it has happened, and it's best to take whatever precaution you (individually) are comfortable with. I'm not going to pass judgment on someone who does or doesn't take their passport with them, has a photo copy, etc. :)

[trcy]

So....lets say the bus was late instead of being robbed.......and the ship sailed without you......and you need a passport to get to the next stop.........now what.........:rolleyes:

 

Your xeroxed copy of your passport will be helpful to remember what your passport looks like........the one you do not have.........that you now need.....;)

 

If it's a ship excursion and the tour runs late they wait for you to come back. They don't sail without you.

[swsfrail]

So you think that 5 minutes before the ship sails without you on it, someone from security will go to your cabin, open your safe, retrieve the passports, and give them to the port agent...all BEFORE the ship sails? I have my doubts about that.

 

Don't be ridiculous! Boarding typically is cut off 1 hour prior to departure. This gives security, the only staff who can get into your safe, ample time to retrieve a passport for the one or two people who are late. This isn't rocket science! If the people show up after the cutoff, AND the captain allows them on the ship, they will be handed their passports at the security checkpoint at the end of the gangway. This is exactly what happened to people we know, so I am not making up emotional statements to support my opinion like someone here has done. :rolleyes:

[NancyIL]

Don't be ridiculous! Boarding typically is cut off 1 hour prior to departure. This gives security, the only staff who can get into your safe, ample time to retrieve a passport for the one or two people who are late. This isn't rocket science! If the people show up after the cutoff, AND the captain allows them on the ship, they will be handed their passports at the security checkpoint at the end of the gangway. This is exactly what happened to people we know, so I am not making up emotional statements to support my opinion like someone here has done. :rolleyes:

 

The all-aboard is usually 30 minutes prior to departure time, and boarding isn't "cut off" at that time. I was waiting for my 20-year-old son to return to the ship in Oslo last May, and getting worried because he didn't have his passport or a credit card with him. He strolled up to the ship about 20 minutes prior to departure time, with me anxiously waiting for him off the ship. Security people told me the ship wouldn't wait, but they also didn't retrieve our passports.

[A Sixth?]

Don't be ridiculous! Boarding typically is cut off 1 hour prior to departure. This gives security, the only staff who can get into your safe, ample time to retrieve a passport for the one or two people who are late. This isn't rocket science! If the people show up after the cutoff, AND the captain allows them on the ship, they will be handed their passports at the security checkpoint at the end of the gangway. This is exactly what happened to people we know, so I am not making up emotional statements to support my opinion like someone here has done. :rolleyes:

 

I'm not making this up.

 

I was the very last passenger aboard in St Thomas once, and once aboard, the gangway was pulled, and within five minutes we were untiring and on our way. :eek:

 

Once in Greece, the ship was held up for a good fifteen minutes past schedule departure from Mykonos as crew actually searched by scooters the streets for two little old ladies. The cheers when they got aboard was something and I don't think they understood how close they were to missing the ship.

 

So it's a "your mileage may vary" issue by the looks of it. :cool:

[FM]

We usually leave our passports in the safe, UNLESS otherwise directed by the cruise line.

 

I remember one port where this couple was swarmed by all these kids ... my DW spotted an attempt by one of those little urchins trying to lift the guy's wallet ... she yelled out at them and they scooted away. Unfortunately we heard later that day, another couple was not so fortunate and lost their id/credit cards they had on them. On another cruise, a couple had left their travel bag at a restaurant that had their passport in it ... by the time they realized it and returned to the restaurant, it was gone.

 

It looks like to each their own is the motto regarding passports ...

• 
   
  
• Would a passport help expedite matters if you had to fly to the next port if you missed the ship ... yes, if you have flight options available. But I have heard stories of people catching a taxi or hiring a car instead to get to the next port ... not sure if this is true or not ... it would be interesting to hear from someone who actually has been left behind at a port what they did ...
  
• Would you not try to contact a cruise line representative first to let them know you were left behind at a port ... or even an embassy representative ... or your travel insurance representative ... to seek any assistance to help resolve the pickle that you are in, whether it would be getting to the next port of call or even flying home
  
• And then, would the cruise line not assist in reuniting you with your belongings INCLUDING your PASSPORT and valuables in your safe ... the cruise ship should be aware of who has been left behind if the ship had to leave
   
   
   
  

It’s a matter of risk.

• If having your passport with you provides one with peace-of-mind, then go for it ...
  
• For myself, I am comfortable in knowing that in case I was robbed, mugged or pick-pocketed ... however rare those situations may be ... that I would have the most important piece of identification back in my stateroom.
  
• Also I would not be in a frenzy if I accidentally lost or was robbed of my DL, cruise card and credit card while in port... in THIS situation, at least I would still have the option of having my passport.

 

I think the overall issue is how to manage your identification while travelling. Never ever go into port with all of your ID and Credit cards in case an unfortunate situation befalls you. Whether you take your passport or not with you into port is your decision.

[gmros]

Very helpful to read people's point of view on passports. I really don't have a strong opinion one way or the other. I usually take my passport with me in ports. I like the thrill of trying to get it stamped :p

 

I do water activities most, if not all the time. So I have a dry bag where I put my stuff including passports (or photocopy as other people suggest). I figured if someone is gonna rob me, they won't bother sorting through my bag, they'll just take my whole bag. It wouldn't matter much if I have my original passport or photocopy, they would both be stolen anyway. It's nice to know that the cruise line takes your passport from your cabin and leave it in port when you don't get to the ship on time. But I know I can't rely on that. So I figure, if I was robbed, I'm pretty much screwed either way.

 

I got a lot of great tips from CC threads like this. I keep a copy of my passport and other photo identification online and in my cabin. I also make sure that I have my passport# in memory and the phone#s of my family back home just in case I need them to contact them.

[negc]

Don't be ridiculous! Boarding typically is cut off 1 hour prior to departure. This gives security, the only staff who can get into your safe, ample time to retrieve a passport for the one or two people who are late. This isn't rocket science! If the people show up after the cutoff, AND the captain allows them on the ship, they will be handed their passports at the security checkpoint at the end of the gangway. This is exactly what happened to people we know, so I am not making up emotional statements to support my opinion like someone here has done. :rolleyes:

 

Not sure where you are getting your information from, but the deadline on our recent cruise was thirty minutes prior to departure and, in actuality there were guests who strolled casually up to the gangway and boarded about ten minutes prior to the scheduled sailaway after which the gangway was quickly pulled in and we began to pull away from the dock. I saw no evidence that there was anyone at the pier waiting with documents in hand for those late arrivals so I wouldn't count on it happening if you were late in returning. It may well occur, but I wouldn't place a big bet on it. Plan on being back to the ship well before the scheduled time of departure and the whole passport debate becomes moot.

[SweetGG]

One other note re passports. The OP who stated they scan their passport and upload to their Yahoo account. I too believed that was a great idea (which of course would necessitate using your Iphone for wireless data, or a computer), until I discovered how unsafe these email sites really are. (yahoo, gmail etc). What you might do instead is copy your passport number onto your yahoo email server, and then folks at home or your embassy could expedite a temp if necessary.

And to the OP who commented once I spoke they would know I'm American....... they would be mistaking my accent...I'm not. :)

Have cruised many many times. The cruise lines only kept our passports twice in

Alaska, and once 2 days out from Southampton. Passports were handed to us, we proceeded thru Customs onboard the ship, stamped and kept our passports. Med cruises never kept our passports.

In Europe:

If you are booking a car rental on shore, you will need your passport.

If you are exchanging money in a bank on shore, you will need your passport.

If you are purchasing expensive jewelry with a credit card, you will need your passport.

If you are checking into a hotel, you will need your passport. No the hotels no longer keep your passport.

[boogs]

I saw no evidence that there was anyone at the pier waiting with documents in hand for those late arrivals so I wouldn't count on it happening if you were late in returning.

 

Perhaps it is because the holder of the passports was at the security screening point, not on the dock. Unless you have x-ray eyes, you would not be able to see what transpired inside the bowels of the ship from your vantage point somewhere above. :D

[celebritydave]

Well, since last May/June at least. We were on a P&O cruise from Southampton to Venice & back, including a call at Dubrovnik. We arrived at Gruz quaysides, got off the ship and into the shuttle bus for the ride to the edge of the old town. The coach drove across the quayside forward to the secure dock gate and stopped. At this point a Croatian immigration/border authority person got on the coach and walked down it, checking that everyone had a passport - we'd been advised on board that we had to take them. On ur bus everyone had them, so after she'd checked that everyone at least had them in their hands, she got off and waved the coach through. However I heard (from another passenger) that on another bus a couple of passengers didn't have theirs: they had to get off the bus before it was allowed though the gate. The passengers then had to go back to the ship: they weren't allowed into Croatia without their passports.

 

This happened to me last November - they looked at everyone's passport on the bus..

 

Dave

[smeyer418]

One other note re passports. The OP who stated they scan their passport and upload to their Yahoo account. I too believed that was a great idea (which of course would necessitate using your Iphone for wireless data, or a computer), until I discovered how unsafe these email sites really are. (yahoo, gmail etc). What you might do instead is copy your passport number onto your yahoo email server, and then folks at home or your embassy could expedite a temp if necessary.

And to the OP who commented once I spoke they would know I'm American....... they would be mistaking my accent...I'm not. :)

Have cruised many many times. The cruise lines only kept our passports twice in

Alaska, and once 2 days out from Southampton. Passports were handed to us, we proceeded thru Customs onboard the ship, stamped and kept our passports. Med cruises never kept our passports.

In Europe:

If you are booking a car rental on shore, you will need your passport. No your drivers license alone is fine(although some countries require an international drivers license)

If you are exchanging money in a bank on shore, you will need your passport. no a copy is fine

If you are purchasing expensive jewelry with a credit card, you will need your passport. you drivers license is fine as well even if they are giving to you duty free all they need is your passport number from the copy.

If you are checking into a hotel, you will need your passport. No the hotels no longer keep your passport. a copy will do in most places

 

well this may have been your experience its not the rule. see in red above...

[maxsales]

Don't be ridiculous! Boarding typically is cut off 1 hour prior to departure. This gives security, the only staff who can get into your safe, ample time to retrieve a passport for the one or two people who are late. This isn't rocket science! If the people show up after the cutoff, AND the captain allows them on the ship, they will be handed their passports at the security checkpoint at the end of the gangway. This is exactly what happened to people we know, so I am not making up emotional statements to support my opinion like someone here has done. :rolleyes:

 

Sorry but you are being way to empathetic about things you are not qualified in. Normal return time is 30 minutes prior to sailing. If you arrive closer to departure time the "Captain" doesn't have to let you on, you can simply board like everyone else, security may give you the evil eye. No one will be waiting with your passport.

 

We were on a ships tour that arrived back late, literally at the scheduled departure time, the head of security meet our tour bus and pleaded with everyone to hurry. He even arranged a wheel chair for some slow walkers. No one had our passports. Nor did the captain meet us to low us back on board.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[boogs]

We were on a ships tour that arrived back late, literally at the scheduled departure time, the head of security meet our tour bus and pleaded with everyone to hurry. He even arranged a wheel chair for some slow walkers. No one had our passports. Nor did the captain meet us to low us back on board.

 

You were on a ship's tour. You had no need to be concerned. The ship will wait for you. One of the benefits of taking a ship's tour. This is a different situation than people going off on their own.

[cruise kitty]

For me, it depends on the port. If you're on a TA, & it's the last day before the crossing, I'd have my pass port with me in my neck wallet, just in case.

 

Of course, on many itineraries, you'll be handing in your pass port when you check in, & won't get it back till the end of cruise, especially if you're visiting Turkey, so the point is rather moot.

[SweetGG]

well this may have been your experience its not the rule. see in red above...

 

I respectfully disagree with all your thoughts. These have always been my experiance travelling abroad which is extensive. I'm only trying to provide accurate info here nothing more.

The OP re ship waiting for you is correct, no one has your papers. I'm sure you all remember that your sea pass card is all that you need to get back onboard when at a port. (unless you walk directly into the port area, you could be asked for passport, but even they usually only ask for a ships sea pass card)

I will agree that if ships tours are late, the ship does wait, but will interject here that I have witnessed two ships tours that were late and the ship did leave. The pax were transported to the next port stop via bus, and one group via train. There was much ado when it happened, but you have to remember the ship often has to make tides, etc & or get nicked with an extra port charge if it stays beyond the port time they have paid for. (which is usually a 24hr period).

[kitty9]

I always take my passport with me:eek:.......maybe I am lucky, dumb

or a little bit of both:o.....after cruising for the past 9 years and now

going on my first trip to the Med....I was not planning to leave my

passport on board the ship:confused::eek:....I always thought I need to take

it with me.

 

You may not have a choice, Lois. On some cruises they will take, and keep, your passport for the entire cruise. In all my 65 cruises, the only time I've taken my passport off the ship with me is when it's actually required by the country, such as Russia and Vietnam. Never have taken it off anyplace else.

[kitty9]

If it's a ship excursion and the tour runs late they wait for you to come back. They don't sail without you.

 

Not necessarily true. I've been on a few cruises where the captain had no choice but to leave the port without those on late ship tours. Just last year, a couple of ships left San Juan early because of a hurricane, stranding more than 500 people on the island. On another cruise, we left two tours because of tides and the ship had no choice but to leave or be grounded.

[Grumpy100]

On our cruise to the British Isles last year just about every port they told us we needed to take our passports and they never once asked to see them. I dont feel comfortable bring my original passport so i take a copy

[dzcruisers]

I always take my passport with me:eek:.......maybe I am lucky, dumb

or a little bit of both:o.....after cruising for the past 9 years and now

going on my first trip to the Med....I was not planning to leave my

passport on board the ship:confused::eek:....I always thought I need to take

it with me.

Hi Lois,

Are you doing the eastern Med? Last fall we did Amsteram to Istanbul and they took our passports when we got on in Amsterdam and returned them in Istanbul.. On our TA (2010) that left from Rome they took our passports when we checked in and we got them back after a few days. Actually I think when we finished the ports. Be very careful with your passport, it's worth a lot of money to some people.

I couldn't find my passport last time we came back into the USA. Customs took us into a separate room looked me up in the computer, asked some questions probably no one else could answer and then waved me through. I am sure they could do the same at an embassy when replacing a passport.

We never take our passports off the ship unless required. A drivers license and ship's card have always been what we needed.

[Lois R]

 

Hi Lois,

Are you doing the eastern Med? Last fall we did Amsteram to Istanbul and they took our passports when we got on in Amsterdam and returned them in Istanbul.. On our TA (2010) that left from Rome they took our passports when we checked in and we got them back after a few days. Actually I think when we finished the ports. Be very careful with your passport, it's worth a lot of money to some people.

 

I couldn't find my passport last time we came back into the USA. Customs took us into a separate room looked me up in the computer, asked some questions probably no one else could answer and then waved me through. I am sure they could do the same at an embassy when replacing a passport.

 

We never take our passports off the ship unless required. A drivers license and ship's card have always been what we needed.

 

Hi Dianne:) I am flying to Rome and we are doing Rome, Greece

and Turkey. I mentioned this thread to the folks on my roll call and

the experienced folks (who have done Europe many times) agree

with the folks on here who suggest leaving the real passport on

the ship and taking a copy with me in port. I also always carry my

driver's license but that is because I alway drive myself to the airport

before my cruises;)

 

Oh the itinerary is actually Rome-Rome....Naples, Sicily, Ephasus,

Athens, Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini.

[raineyo]

In the thread from that post, someone said 'it rarely happens (Meaning in Mexico, I assume'.

Not true! :( Many busses from here South have been robbed, and some of the people are missing after months!

 

Now that's some scary stuff!! MANY BUSES IN THE SOUTH ROBBED AND PEOPLE MISSING FOR MONTHS!! OMG!!:eek:

[Cupcrazy]

I never take my passport with me off the ship. I have never had a reason to take it. Once I get on the ship my passport and anything of value goes directly into the safe in my cabin. The Passport doesn't come out of the safe until I disembarkation morning.