Passport question

[judyjudy999]

I was having a discussion with my boyfriend concerning bringing your passport with you when you leave the ship. I've always left mine in the safe in my room, taking only my ship ID card with me. My boyfriend and I don't agree on this matter as he thinks the passport should go with you. Any thoughts on this subject would be appreciated.

[stanford's girl]

A piece of advice that I learned on these boards is make 2 copies of your passport face page before you sail. You leave your passport in the safe and take one copy with you when in port. You don't want to be in a foreign port without proof of citizenship. Hopefully you will never need it. You will have an extra copy if something happens to the first. I always take my ship ID also.:)

[Andee]

If you miss the ship, I believe you'll need your real passport to travel between countries. I don't think a copy will do it.

[Cotton]

Take your passport with you when you leave the ship. (You can leave a copy in the safe.) If you are asked for your passport on foreign soil, a copy may not be considered legal, and I've heard horror stories than can result. My passport goes wherever I go.;)

[montana20024]

Here is one for you, we are Canadian, and the ship takes our passport from us as soon as we book in and we don't get it back till we leave, so what are Canadians suppose to do, ? this is a question that I have yet to be answered...a copy is the only thing we can bring with us, we have been on 4 cruises and we I go ashore, I have my Sign and Sail card and my drivers licence...

Can anybody help?

[springtxbill]

When you go in port you can get the number of the ships agent and if an emergency arises he can contact the ship and they can get your passport to you. It is also good to have this number in case you are running late from an excursion and can call and let the ship know and they may wait a short while for you, or he can help you catch up with the ship.:)

[98Charlie]

Lived 2 years in W. Berlin before the Wall came down when DH was in the military. Have traveled through Europe via car back then and several times since 1996. Always, and I mean always, had my passport with me when I traveled - not locked up in a safe somewhere. For decades a passport has been considered a universal identity card.

 

When we are on cruises, our passports are locked in the safe while we are on ship and are with us while we are exploring off ship in port cities. Copies of our passports are back in our cabin, in our suitcases as well as in our safe.

 

If you do a search of these boards you will see this discussion come up every once in awhile as well as discussions regarding the need for passports for cruises in general.

 

If you search passport threads a bit further you can find horror stories of pax who missed their ship while in foreign ports - for health reasons - accidents involving vehicles, etc., or from just plane not tracking time correctly. One story comes to mind where a couple were stranded in Roatan, Hondurus because they missed the ship due to their own fault. Their passports were safe - locked up in the safe safe in their cabin - and the ship was on its way to the next port. Took them days and a bunch of dollars to catch up with the ship and their passports.

 

On another note: in today's world of unsteady politics and terrorism, I really wouldn't want to be caught off ship in a foreign port without my real passport in hand in the event an act of terrorism or political uprising affected either the port city or my home country. A photo copy of my passport just might not work in that scenerio.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Dianne

[sueknirk]

On our foreign cruises, our passports have always been help by the ship staff. We have only had copies . Never a problem. We usually book ship tours and have never been late for the ship. We carry drivers license and ship's cruise card. Check with the purser when you board the ship for their recommendation. I have two copies of our passports. Also bring copies of our credit cards.

[kitty9]

In this day and age of terrorism and illegals trying to get into the US, passports are gold in the hands of anyone who wants to steal yours when you take them off the ship. In 40 cruises, I've never taken my passport off the ship, except when it's required, like in Russia and Vietnam. There's absolutely no need to take them with you on a tour, especially if you're going to a public beach or any place like that where people are waiting to steal your stuff. A color copy of the information page is all you need, even if you miss the ship and need to get to the next port---the US consulate or embassy can get an emergency passport for you with just the color copy of the information page (this happened to a friend on mine on a cruise in Asia). The local agent is there to assist you IF that should happen, and if you're careful, one should never miss the ship.

 

As to the story of the people who had emergencies and had to leave the ship, if you read carefully, these stories were about passengers who DIDN'T have a passport in the first place---all they had were their birth certificates, so the warning about needing a passport in those cases didn't matter because they didn't have one in the first place.

[cruzincurt]

On one of our cruises we shared a dinner table with a couple from England. He was concerned not having his passport while in Mexico. He went to the purser and demanded their passports back and got them, with the stipulation to return them prior to arriving back in the US.

 

His point was that the cruise line had no business to hold them as the ship was now in international waters.

 

We take our original passports on shore. That's what they are for; official identification in a foreign country. Also take a credit card, another form of picture ID, your travel insurance card, and the name and phone number of the ship's agent at that port. Of course you will need your ship ID to log back aboard.

[98Charlie]

Back to the OP's original question.

 

As an American tourist, I will not leave a ship without my original passport on my person as long as I am cruising through ports close to home. Have never cruised overseas, South America, Europe, Asia,m etc., but in the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera - original passport goes with us or we don't get off the ship. If we cruise other areas mentioned, same rule will reply. Passport goes where we go or we won't go there.

 

I really like the idea of coming home at the end of a trip. :D

Dianne

[greatam]

Kitty9 is very correct in stating that American passports are worth gold. Especially if you are a generic looking American.

 

In Lima, February 2005, one of my business colleagues asked if I had my passport on my person. I said no, it was in the hotel safe. He was visibly relieved.

 

Evidently, in South America, particularly Lima and BA, due to Islamic fundamentalist inflitration, Americans are being targeted for THEIR PASSPORTS. Going rate in the black market is $15-25,000. That is 5-8 years or more salary in a lot of South America.

 

And Americans are DEFINITELY being targeted for all kinds of scams in Mexico. Most are money rip-offs, but the college kids here in Arizona were specifically warned NOT to carry their passports around in Mexico during Spring Break. The State Department has issued many warnings for Cabo, Rocky Point, and almost all border towns and it is getting worse.

 

A color copy and extra pictures (which most everyone forgets) will get you an emergency passport in a very short period of time. For MY future safety, please leave your passport on the ship. I do not want to see YOUR passport name associated with a future terrorist. Thanks

[traveller99]

98Charlie - Me too. This stuff of "I may loose it, It may get stolen...". Once again, Do you carry a copy of your D/L and Credit Cards with you to drive and buy stuff at home?... I don't think so.

 

Side note- Japan requires you to carry the REAL THING!... and they're our friends!

 

YES - make copies and keep them in your stateroom safe, a copy to leave with a family member or friend at home and have a copy for a traveling companion to carry for you (seperate of their Passport AND do the same for them). ALWAYS keep your ORIGINAL Passport with you, if possible.

 

"...if an emergency arises he (the port agent) can contact the ship and they can get your passport to you..." - How, by dropping it from a helicopter flying overhead? The ship is gone, you're in Heaven know's where Guyana with a XEROX of you passport. Can you spell-Not a Worm and Fuzzy Feeling? We have to wake up, but we can have fun and ...ENJOY!

[traveller99]

Hi, greatam. What you say is quite true, but is for now.

 

As of January 1 , 2008, there is no choice - College Kids (not raised with an ouce of common sense, not to loose things) must carry a Passport to get back into the good 'ole US of A... End of coversation, Period. Mom and Dad can jump, rant and rave - No passport, No crosso the border.

 

"No crosso the border"

ps. sorry, I took Latin in HS and have no clue as to the translation! GAUL is NOT involved, however.

[greatam]

Hi, greatam. What you say is quite true, but is for now.

 

As of January 1 , 2008, there is no choice - College Kids (not raised with an ouce of common sense, not to loose things) must carry a Passport to get back into the good 'ole US of A... End of coversation, Period. Mom and Dad can jump, rant and rave - No passport, No crosso the border.

 

ASU and U of A DID not state NO Passports. They stated, 'Don't carry them around with you. Please leave in hotel safe'. Like you said, they loose things. But some adults on vacation are just as careless with their things on the beaches as college kids. I certainly feel much safer knowing my passport is locked in a hotel or ship safe. This is not only from a standpoint of being mugged, but knowing that my passport will not end up in a terrorist's hands. I see NO reason on earth to carry an original passport in most places Americans cruise-Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe.

[wrp96]

Not every town, island, etc. has an American consulate. When I went to Europe with a large group as a teen, our chaperons lost their passports, and the nearest consulate was 3 hours away. They lost a full day of the trip going to the nearest consulate to have their passport reissued. They were lucky they didn't lose them on one of the days we were traveling to the next country. Also, what do you do if it's a Sunday and the consulate is closed? When you are staying at a landbased hotel, you should leave your passport in the safe at all times. But a cruiseship can leave without you, if your passport is in your room's safe, how do you get to it if you missed the ship? Yes, you should always leave a copy of your passport back at home and carry one with you, but you should carry a passport with you if at all possible (might not be easy to do on a snorkeling trip, etc). My passport is carried in a pouch under my clothes making it harder to be stolen.

 

On my 2nd cruise, we had several people miss the ship in GC. Ran into some of their traveling companions 2 days later on the way back to Miami. They had just talked to the people left behind who were still trying to get home because they didn't have their passports, copies of their passports, or a credit card to buy plane tickets home.

[greatam]

On my 2nd cruise, we had several people miss the ship in GC. Ran into some of their traveling companions 2 days later on the way back to Miami. They had just talked to the people left behind who were still trying to get home because they didn't have their passports, copies of their passports, or a credit card to buy plane tickets home.

 

They were obviously unprepared. Their problems have nothing to do with keeping a passport on your person while off the ship.

[traveller99]

Hi, greatam, you are right. I will digress on my statement, I was premature... Yes, adults loose stuff too. (I see it every day where I work. "I forgot/lost/misplaced/the dog ate my... admittance pass:o ) CRS comes to mind:rolleyes:. We're in a point of personal preference, here. To Carry, or Not... I carry.

 

To all, At no time do I portend to give anyone a hard time, nor do I "pick" on anyone. This is a great site designed to bring questions, thoughts and information to the limelight. I will treat everyone as a traveling companion through the travails of our world as we know it and respect everyone's input... any questions, comments or letter of resignation? THANKS to all!;)

[cruzincurt]

If my passport is stolen from me, so what? That's homeland security's problem. They will issue me another one with a different number on it while they wait to capture the user of the old one.

[Sheffie]

We have never taken our passports off the ship with us. We snorkel and swim a lot and I don't want to leave my passport lying in my bag on the beach where someone can steal it! Maybe I'm foolish? I don't plan on missing the ship, and if I am detained due to medical problems I will have the ship deliver my passport, etc. to me.

 

JMHO.

 

Michelle