Passports and ports

[Partyanimal79]

when you go to different islands do you have to bring your pass port and clear customs like you would do if flying in and out and get your pass port stamped.

[celebrity]

when you go to different islands do you have to bring your pass port and clear customs like you would do if flying in and out and get your pass port stamped.

 

If you are referring to the Caribbean, you don't need your passport. You will need your sea pass and photo ID to get back on the ship. Not sure about other ports.

You don't go through customs at the ports of call. That's a one time thing at disembarkation.

[BaumD]

As said, in the Caribbean, they don't check or stamp passports. In Europe, the ship may hold your passport and the local officials come on board and check them. Depends on the country and your nationality. Only a few places actually have you go thru a personal passport check. St Petersburg russia was one place.

[keesar]

Celebrity discourages you from taking your passport ashore in the Caribbean. On our last cruise, someone had their passport stolen. You usually only need your SeaPass card and photo id to clear the port security gate when you return. Many ports only look at your SeaPass card but it is a good idea to take a photo id like a license. When you enter the ship, you only need the SeaPass card at their security stop.

[macruisefan]

Celebrity discourages you from taking your passport ashore in the Caribbean. On our last cruise, someone had their passport stolen. You usually only need your SeaPass card and photo id to clear the port security gate when you return. Many ports only look at your SeaPass card but it is a good idea to take a photo id like a license. When you enter the ship, you only need the SeaPass card at their security stop.

 

I have seen nowhere where Celebrity or any other line takes a position on this. Furthermore, I would be surprised if Celebrity or any other line were to take a position that is in direct contradiction to the Department of State's advice.

 

There is no settling this argument. Some people believe the risk of losing the passport while ashore is somehow greater than the risk of needing it and not having it. The reality is that in most ports (particularly the Caribbean), both of these scenarios are incredibly unlikely. However, those who are afraid of losing their passports love to tell scare stories about people losing their passports. The reality is it's a personal choice. But to say the cruise line has a policy is absurd. They do state that taking it is not required, but NOWHERE do they "discourage" it.

[jconeil]

Not in the Carib. But other ports, I bring a copy of my passport with me. Of course, you can't travel with that, but it makes it a whole lot easier to get another one when you miss the ship.:eek:

[Lsimon]

We've never had a need to present or show our passport on any cruise although I've read reports here on Cruise Critic from some who did have to show theirs. We've stopped in a couple ports in Europe where we were told we were required to take our passport but we never had to show them to anyone.

 

The negative about leaving your original passport behind is that if you should miss the ship for any reason you will not be able to fly without either first obtaining a new passport or making some sort of other emergency arraignments. A copy might help speed up the process a little but it will not allow you to fly across borders.

 

We usually carry our passport in Europe and do so in a hidden money belt type pocket underneath our clothing to lessen the chance of loss or theft.

 

In the Caribbean we've never taken our passport - in large part because we're almost always going to the beach or doing a day sail and don't want them to get wet nor need to leave them with our dry clothes.