Passport: Keep it on the boat for shore excursions?

[dwjoe]

Just one thing I don't get. You won't let anybody into your country with just some schmucky driver's license. They must have a passport. But you think other countries should honor your driver's license. Why is that?

Hi wassup, just wanted to pass along some information. A Canadian enhanced driver's license can be used to enter the US by land or sea (but not by air). Ontario is one of the four provinces that issue them.

[wassup4565]

I do thank you for that info dwjoe. But why would I bother to get an enhanced Drivers License? I have a drivers license and I have a passport, both excellent forms of ID. If I'm going to apply for anything else, I think it will be a Nexis card - it will get me across the border in my car so I can buy half-price butter, better cheese and better and cheaper clothes. Plus, I can use it on cruises.

 

As for the dangers of having a passport stolen in a foreign place, absolutely no one has posted here saying that has ever happened to them. Lots of people post that they fear this will happen. Is this an "urban myth?"

 

My passport is not the only thing I take ashore of value. I'm guessing cash and credit cards give a quicker reward to thieves, although I've never had anything stolen or pickpocketed, anywhere, in 25 years of traveling on several continents. Of course I don't leave my money and passport lying around on my towel while I go for a two-hour swim. I don't drink myself into a stupor while my purse lies open on the chair beside me in the bar.

 

Somehow people think this document they paid a lot for is some kind of artifact they must lock into a safe and never use. Do you lock your drivers license and credit cards in a safe? Do you leave all your cash in a safe? Of course not. Why is the passport different? You paid for it, use it. Keep it safe, don't leave it lying around, but use it.

[John Bull]

 

As for the dangers of having a passport stolen in a foreign place, absolutely no one has posted here saying that has ever happened to them. Lots of people post that they fear this will happen. Is this an "urban myth?"

 

.

 

It took me less than a minute to find 55,000 Canadian passport myths per year. :rolleyes:

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2013/10/21/high-number-of-canadian-passports-reported-stolen-or-lost/

 

JB :)

[wassup4565]

Thanks for that, John Bull. How many people had their credit cards stolen, or their cash stolen? Or, for that matter their drivers licenses or their health cards stolen?

 

Time for a new thread. Look for it on Ask a Cruise Question.

[sparks1093]

I do thank you for that info dwjoe. But why would I bother to get an enhanced Drivers License? I have a drivers license and I have a passport, both excellent forms of ID. If I'm going to apply for anything else, I think it will be a Nexis card - it will get me across the border in my car so I can buy half-price butter, better cheese and better and cheaper clothes. Plus, I can use it on cruises.

 

As for the dangers of having a passport stolen in a foreign place, absolutely no one has posted here saying that has ever happened to them. Lots of people post that they fear this will happen. Is this an "urban myth?"

 

My passport is not the only thing I take ashore of value. I'm guessing cash and credit cards give a quicker reward to thieves, although I've never had anything stolen or pickpocketed, anywhere, in 25 years of traveling on several continents. Of course I don't leave my money and passport lying around on my towel while I go for a two-hour swim. I don't drink myself into a stupor while my purse lies open on the chair beside me in the bar.

 

Somehow people think this document they paid a lot for is some kind of artifact they must lock into a safe and never use. Do you lock your drivers license and credit cards in a safe? Do you leave all your cash in a safe? Of course not. Why is the passport different? You paid for it, use it. Keep it safe, don't leave it lying around, but use it.

 

If I am not planning on using a credit card I leave it at home. If I am not planning on using cash I leave it in the bank. I don't have a passport yet, but when I get one I think that I may just leave it on the ship in the safe unless the port I am visiting actually requires it to be on my person. That is the critical issue right there- whether or not the port requires one to carry it.

[John Bull]

Thanks for that, John Bull. How many people had their credit cards stolen, or their cash stolen? Or, for that matter their drivers licenses or their health cards stolen?

 

Time for a new thread. Look for it on Ask a Cruise Question.

 

Compared to passports, without a doubt a great many more have had cash or cards lost or stolen. Ditto sea-passes, cameras, beach-towels, etc

Mainly cos the vast majority of those folks' passports were in their hotel or cabin safe at the time, but it's kinda difficult to buy a beer or a taxi ride without means of payment, difficult to take photos without a camera, difficult to get on or off the ship without a sea-pass.

The sums of money lost or stolen are small unless the traveller is stupid enough to take all his money ashore or carry all his money in one place when travelling from & to home. And we always keep a second credit card in the safe for such an event, not possible with a passport.

 

Yes, this thread has been done to death - mainly cos you've been sticking to your guns despite the overwhelming number of opposing opinions :p ;)

 

And yes, seen the new thread.

I'll try my best to keep out of it. :D

 

JB :)

[njhorseman]

It took me less than a minute to find 55,000 Canadian passport myths per year. :rolleyes:

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2013/10/21/high-number-of-canadian-passports-reported-stolen-or-lost/

 

JB :)

 

And a few seconds to find over 300,000 US passport myths in a recent year.

 

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/americanservices/?p=4012

[dwjoe]

I do thank you for that info dwjoe. But why would I bother to get an enhanced Drivers License? I have a drivers license and I have a passport, both excellent forms of ID. If I'm going to apply for anything else, I think it will be a Nexis card - it will get me across the border in my car so I can buy half-price butter, better cheese and better and cheaper clothes. Plus, I can use it on cruises.

 

As for the dangers of having a passport stolen in a foreign place, absolutely no one has posted here saying that has ever happened to them. Lots of people post that they fear this will happen. Is this an "urban myth?"

 

My passport is not the only thing I take ashore of value. I'm guessing cash and credit cards give a quicker reward to thieves, although I've never had anything stolen or pickpocketed, anywhere, in 25 years of traveling on several continents. Of course I don't leave my money and passport lying around on my towel while I go for a two-hour swim. I don't drink myself into a stupor while my purse lies open on the chair beside me in the bar.

 

Somehow people think this document they paid a lot for is some kind of artifact they must lock into a safe and never use. Do you lock your drivers license and credit cards in a safe? Do you leave all your cash in a safe? Of course not. Why is the passport different? You paid for it, use it. Keep it safe, don't leave it lying around, but use it.

Thanks for the response. FYI, I am a dual US/Canadian citizen.

 

Speaking of the Nexus card, I am thinking of getting one to speed access through the US/Canadian border. The only hassle for me is that it would require a trip to Canada for the security interviews and I live relatively far from the border. You are correct that the Nexus card can be used for cruising as it is a WHTI compliant document (like the enhanced drivers license), although it is probably rarely seen for that purpose.

 

I get your point that you paid for the passport, so why not use it for its intended purpose. But I would like to relate some information that was posted on cruisecritic by a former US consular officer. They stated that the ratio of stolen passports to emergency passports was approximately 4:1, implying that the probability of theft is considerably greater than other causes. Granted, that was for US Citizens, but I think Canadian experience will be similar.

 

I suggest this line of reasoning: If you intend to fly home to Canada after the cruise, I believe you will need the passport to board the plane. Assuming the probability of theft is higher than the chance of missing the ship, and because the consequences of a loss are similar, i.e. going to the closest Canadian consulate for an emergency passport, it makes sense to insure against the greater risk, and leave the passport on board. Does that make sense?

Edited January 30, 2014 by dwjoe

[Pontius Navigator]

As for the dangers of having a passport stolen in a foreign place, absolutely no one has posted here saying that has ever happened to them. Lots of people post that they fear this will happen. Is this an "urban myth?"

 

Not to me, but I did have my cruise card lifted in Barcelona.

 

In Barcelona, one June, the US Consul said they had had to issue 400 emergency travel documents. Our seat companion on the aircraft flying out, a Colin Powel look-a-like, had a very neat little carry-on bag. I mentioned this. It had been given to him by the Consulate as everything had been stolen from his hotel room; they used his suitcases to take his stuff.

 

OK, not a cruise issue but to illustrate that some places are VERY dangerous for your property.

[wassup4565]

Started a new thread on "Ask a Cruise Question: Have you ever had your passport stolen?" So far about 22 people have responded, and the large majority do not report having their passport stolen while ashore. Some recounted stories of people they knew or had heard about, who had their passports stolen.

 

All actual or reported passport thefts apparently occurred in Europe or Asia. None in the Caribbean.

[wassup4565]

 

I suggest this line of reasoning: If you intend to fly home to Canada after the cruise, I believe you will need the passport to board the plane. Assuming the probability of theft is higher than the chance of missing the ship, and because the consequences of a loss are similar, i.e. going to the closest Canadian consulate for an emergency passport, it makes sense to insure against the greater risk, and leave the passport on board. Does that make sense?

Again, a very thoughtful response, dwjoe.

 

But I don't assume there is a high probability of my passport being stolen while I am visiting a Caribbean port. 1. Because I don't leave my belongings lying around unattended, and 2. Because in 25 years of winter vacations in the Caribbean, both at resorts and on cruises, I've never had anything, including my passport, stolen.

 

Missing the ship and missing the airplane are legitimate worries. But my bigger worries are that I would fall off a rickety Caribbean curb and break my leg, wind up in a local hospital, and miss the ship that way. Or, get all my cash and credit cards stolen, and not be able to pay for a taxi to get me back to the ship in time. Or rent a car, get in an accident and find myself in the local police station while the ship sailed away.

 

In each of these cases (very possible) I would miss the ship, and have to call the Canadian consulate to help me solve my problems, and help me find a way to get back home.

 

What do you think would help a Canadian diplomat in a foreign country intervene best on your behalf in those circumstances:

 

1. a photocopy of your passport

2. a driver's license from one of 10 provinces and 2 territories the local country has never heard of, or

3. your bona fide Canadian passport?

 

I think the passport. However, in this thread, I've never told people what to do. I've reported what I do and the reasons why.

[sparks1093]

Again, a very thoughtful response, dwjoe.

 

But I don't assume there is a high probability of my passport being stolen while I am visiting a Caribbean port. 1. Because I don't leave my belongings lying around unattended, and 2. Because in 25 years of winter vacations in the Caribbean, both at resorts and on cruises, I've never had anything, including my passport, stolen.

 

Missing the ship and missing the airplane are legitimate worries. But my bigger worries are that I would fall off a rickety Caribbean curb and break my leg, wind up in a local hospital, and miss the ship that way. Or, get all my cash and credit cards stolen, and not be able to pay for a taxi to get me back to the ship in time. Or rent a car, get in an accident and find myself in the local police station while the ship sailed away.

 

In each of these cases (very possible) I would miss the ship, and have to call the Canadian consulate to help me solve my problems, and help me find a way to get back home.

 

What do you think would help a Canadian diplomat in a foreign country intervene best on your behalf in those circumstances:

 

1. a photocopy of your passport

2. a driver's license from one of 10 provinces and 2 territories the local country has never heard of, or

3. your bona fide Canadian passport?

 

I think the passport. However, in this thread, I've never told people what to do. I've reported what I do and the reasons why.

 

They would undoubtedly be able to find your passport information in their database in a matter of minutes whether it is in your possession or not, but of course it is your choice to carry it or not...you don't even need a reason:).

[RJ2002]

We almost always leave our passports on the ship when visiting ports. We carry a color photocopy of the passport, and usually our drivers license, as well as the cruise card, of course.

 

The only recent exception was last year on our Baltic cruise, where we needed the passport to enter Russia at St. Petersburg.