Passport: Keep it on the boat for shore excursions?

[njhorseman]

First cruise coming up and I apologise in advance if this has already been answered but I tried reading through all above, including America v Canada ( and they're friends :-) )... I intend leaving my passport in the safe, we are from the UK and my wife does not have a photograph driving licence, also have a 16 year old son with no driving licence, will my wife's work ID ( local government issue) work for her?.. My son also has a 'young Scot' card issued with his photo which is government backed for teenagers to prove their age when visiting cinemas and buying age restricted products etc.... If neither are any use can you suggest what I will need to get before I travel......I always photocopy my passport and also e-mail myself a copy, that way if everything is lost you can always access the details .. Thanks

 

Any government-issued photo ID will work, including the ones you named. It doesn't have to be a drivers license or passport...just an official ID. A photocopy of your passport also suffices.

[John Bull]

First cruise coming up and I apologise in advance if this has already been answered but I tried reading through all above, including America v Canada ( and they're friends :-) )... I intend leaving my passport in the safe, we are from the UK and my wife does not have a photograph driving licence, also have a 16 year old son with no driving licence, will my wife's work ID ( local government issue) work for her?.. My son also has a 'young Scot' card issued with his photo which is government backed for teenagers to prove their age when visiting cinemas and buying age restricted products etc.... If neither are any use can you suggest what I will need to get before I travel......I always photocopy my passport and also e-mail myself a copy, that way if everything is lost you can always access the details .. Thanks

 

Most islands don't require photo ID, your seapass (different cruise lines, different names for it)) will do the job. On some cruise lines that card carries your photo (photo taken when you register at the cruise terminal).

 

For the few places where photo ID is required, any of those docs will do - we usually carry a photocopy of the relevant page of our passports.

 

No worries :)

 

JB :)

[Lanners]

Cheers... Photo copy and the cards they've got will do me

[Ronnie1a]

When you board they take the passport and do not return it until a day or two before the end of the cruise. This not always true, but happens on certain cruises.

 

Seasoned travelers do not walk around with their passport.

[FedoraDi]

First cruise coming up and I apologise in advance if this has already been answered but I tried reading through all above, including America v Canada ( and they're friends :-) )... I intend leaving my passport in the safe, we are from the UK and my wife does not have a photograph driving licence, also have a 16 year old son with no driving licence, will my wife's work ID ( local government issue) work for her?.. My son also has a 'young Scot' card issued with his photo which is government backed for teenagers to prove their age when visiting cinemas and buying age restricted products etc.... If neither are any use can you suggest what I will need to get before I travel......I always photocopy my passport and also e-mail myself a copy, that way if everything is lost you can always access the details .. Thanks

 

 

Yes, I'm a novice but let me put this to you Lanners.... Are you flying into the USA to go on that cruise? If so I think you need a passport to enter the USA. Best to check with your version of the passport office, its been a long time since I've been in the european countries (was stationed in germany in the early 90's & times changed with Englands 7-7 & USAs 9-11)

 

If you are departing from a european port then things may be different there.

 

If you are cruising from here & you have the passports to arrive, then either carry them with you into the ports if you do not have photo ids. Or see if you can get some sort of photo id from your version of the dmv or something equal. It sounds like you may need some form of photo id to go with your seapass/boarding card to get back onto the ship.

 

I have travelled a lot, but have not cruised yet so if I am wrong I'm sure someone will correct me. Hopefully nicely. :p

[FedoraDi]

As for me, I have no flipping intention of allowing my cruise line to hold my passport for me. They can have it to verify I am who I say I am, that I am a native born USA citizen but I hold it during the cruise.

They dont like it? They can hold my passport card in its place, or my govt expired passport or my old expired blue passport.

 

I also have a state issued veterans card that is based off my states "non govt id card" drivers license. Yes, my DL says its not a federally recognized id because I will not get the RealID DL they push, I still have the same right to drive & whatnot, I just cant get into some federal blds with it. :confused:

 

I have plenty of picture id, so that isnt an issue. :p

 

And another id may be to take a picture of your DL, passport with your cellphones camera, can always whip that out of you need it. Email it is good, photocopy of course. Obviously you need to make sure your stuff is secure, but for me I'm less likely to loss my cell then I am a paper. I tend to toss papers without looking, my cell is secured down & will erase itself if tampered with or if I password bomb it. ;)

[FedoraDi]

And to Wassup, you are entitled to carry your passport with you into ports if you like, I didnt read where any other posters were saying they felt a american id would allow them anything special as far as non USA customs were concerned. I think what was meant was, we are boarding a ship that came from a USA port so we've already had to prove we are USA citizens so a form of photo id would allow us to get back onboard. It would seem to me & I may be wrong, that you had to do the same from the origination point of the same ship, so you would be also able to just show a form of photo id to get back on once the ship has entered the other ports.

 

As for that customs or TSA official, it sounds like they were umm a little overzealous in their authority. Which wasnt right, but then again we've had americans that have had that done to them. Few years ago, after 9-11 I witnessed something like that on my layover in St Louis when I went outside the security area to get some coffee & had to come back through the security checkpoint. They pulled the person in front of me & was ahh overdoing their authority, until I pull my camera out & started filming it. Me, they just waved me through, guess they didnt want any bad publicity since I observed it. (shrug)

 

As an USA citizen & former govt employee, I'm sorry they did that garbage to you & yours, it seems uncalled for & paints a very bad picture for you of us. Hopefully you will never be put through it again, but please also realize that sometimes our TSA goes overboard and it happens to others too. Still doesnt make it right but in a way the terrorists won on 9-11, they put the fear in many so we've lost some rights in this day & age. :(

[njhorseman]

Yes, I'm a novice but let me put this to you Lanners.... Are you flying into the USA to go on that cruise? If so I think you need a passport to enter the USA. Best to check with your version of the passport office, its been a long time since I've been in the european countries (was stationed in germany in the early 90's & times changed with Englands 7-7 & USAs 9-11)

 

If you are departing from a european port then things may be different there.

 

If you are cruising from here & you have the passports to arrive, then either carry them with you into the ports if you do not have photo ids. Or see if you can get some sort of photo id from your version of the dmv or something equal. It sounds like you may need some form of photo id to go with your seapass/boarding card to get back onto the ship.

 

I have travelled a lot, but have not cruised yet so if I am wrong I'm sure someone will correct me. Hopefully nicely. :p

 

The poster's questions were already answered by experienced cruisers (myself among them).

 

I'm not trying to be rude, but since you admit to never having cruised, and that it's been along time since you've been in any European countries, perhaps the better approach for you to take is not to make guesses about things you know little or nothing about. Instead read what the experienced folks have to say and learn from it.

 

How would you like it if you had a question that was answered by someone who just made a guess, and you followed their advice only to find out when it was too late that it was incorrect information that got you into a lot of trouble? You wouldn't be too happy with that person for guessing, would you?

[njhorseman]

As for me, I have no flipping intention of allowing my cruise line to hold my passport for me. They can have it to verify I am who I say I am, that I am a native born USA citizen but I hold it during the cruise.

They dont like it? They can hold my passport card in its place, or my govt expired passport or my old expired blue passport.

 

I also have a state issued veterans card that is based off my states "non govt id card" drivers license. Yes, my DL says its not a federally recognized id because I will not get the RealID DL they push, I still have the same right to drive & whatnot, I just cant get into some federal blds with it. :confused:

 

I have plenty of picture id, so that isnt an issue. :p

 

And another id may be to take a picture of your DL, passport with your cellphones camera, can always whip that out of you need it. Email it is good, photocopy of course. Obviously you need to make sure your stuff is secure, but for me I'm less likely to loss my cell then I am a paper. I tend to toss papers without looking, my cell is secured down & will erase itself if tampered with or if I password bomb it. ;)

 

What would you do when you were told "Sorry, you can't board the cruise ship unless we hold your passport?" You're not above any country's laws and regulations. If the cruise line is required by countries it is visiting to hold passenger passports they have no choice in the matter and neither do you if you want to board that ship. And no, you can't give them a different document to hold.

[wassup4565]

njhorseman, you characterized me as an "inexperienced traveler." I have 24 years of international travel under my belt to every continent except Africa and Antarctica. Most of these travels have not been on cruise ships. In my many travels abroad, I would never think of not having my passport at hand.

 

I had actually been lulled on my first couple of cruises, seeing how cruise pax were treated in ports which were actually foreign countries, just showing their sea cards - all good!

 

It's all good until it's no-go. Maybe, if you're American, that never happens, and if so, I'm happy for you, and no resentment. But if I (not an American) get singled out of line and asked for my ID, the one I would produce in any foreign country, hands-down, is my passport. Americans might choose to follow your advice. Citizens of other countries should consider that your advice might not work so well for them.

 

As for the considerate poster who apologized for the border control behaviour, thank you. Sadly, you might receive the same treatment from Canadian Border staff - I`ve experienced it myself trying to re-enter my own country in my car. If my country treats you badly, I apologize in advance. Lot of that going around. Since 9-11 all our travel experiences revolve around catching the occasional terrorist and making millions of travelers suspects. If you want to travel, you have to accept being treated as a suspect - that is the way it is.

[John Bull]

As for me, I have no flipping intention of allowing my cruise line to hold my passport for me. They can have it to verify I am who I say I am, that I am a native born USA citizen but I hold it during the cruise.

 

When passports are held by the cruise line, it's for a reason.

That reason is usually so that ship-issued visas can be prepared, or passports / identities can be checked & verified, mebbe stamped, and compared against ship's manifest by immigration officers who may have boarded at the previous port-of-call & are doing their paperwork while the ship is proceeding to their country, or who board the ship on arrival at daft o'clock in the morning in order to do this while you are still in the land of nod.

That way, the paperwork's done and everyone can collect their visa/passport/whatever at a sensible time before disembarking with nil/little delay at immigration.

 

In the same way, some countries require that hotels retain foreign visitors' passports/visas. If immigration staff touring hotels are aware of foreign visitors, eg via the hotel register, they will want to check that they're in the country legally. I guess waking you up at 4am to ask you to produce your passport is an alternative. ;)

 

If passports aren't generally required to go ashore but you need yours eg to cross a nearby land border, or mebbe a car rental agency's requirement, or even simply because you prefer to carry your passport ashore, then just ask for it at Guest Relations. They'll ask you to return it to them when you re-board.

 

The systems work. Refusing to fit into the system at best will cause you grief & delay, at worst will result in you not being permitted ashore plus mebbe a forensic examination of your passport, background & belongings to see why you're being so evasive.

 

BTW, I've given up with Wassup. :p

Wassup was pulled out of line for some unknown reason - not because of being non-American, but mebbe a villain lookalike, mebbe some innocent mis-interpreted action, or just a guilty-looking face. And consequently Wassup has a jaundiced view about not carrying a passport.

If there's no requirements, then each to their own comfort level. But Wassup's experience is a rarity.

 

JB :)

Edited January 27, 2014 by John Bull

[Lanners]

Thanks ..yes I'll have my passport to travel into USA and also the electronic travel pass .. Just font want to carry passport about when I'm off the ship, normally pop in the safe wherever we go..

[wassup4565]

Wassup was pulled out of line for some unknown reason - not because of being non-American, but mebbe a villain lookalike, mebbe some innocent mis-interpreted action, or just a guilty-looking face. And consequently Wassup has a jaundiced view about not carrying a passport.

If there's no requirements, then each to their own comfort level. But Wassup's experience is a rarity.

 

JB :)

I'm a 65-year-old woman, traveling with a 40-year-old daughter. We both received "Secret" security clearance for our work with the Canadian government, which required our family, friends and neighbours to vouch for us, and be interviewed about us. Because of my work with one Canadian government department, I have also been fingerprinted. I have no doubt any government that is friendly with Canada can have access to all this information almost immediately. Actually, I have no doubt American Customs HAD all that information when we debarked from Canada onto the aircraft bound for Fort Lauderdale.

 

I have no problem with that - I gave my information freely. Nevertheless, we were pulled out of line in Puerto Rico when others' ship cards got them through. Ours didn't, and we were glad to produce our passports, which got us right back on track and onto the ship.

 

You first dismissed my experience incorrectly because you said I wasn't an experienced traveler.

 

Now, you dismiss my experience because you say I look like a troll.

 

I take my passport ashore because I know that in a foreign country it gives me (and my government) the best credential to demonstrate my bona fides.

 

People can take your advice if they like.

Edited January 28, 2014 by wassup4565

[John Bull]

I'm a 65-year-old woman, traveling with a 40-year-old daughter. We both received "Secret" security clearance for our work with the Canadian government, which required our family, friends and neighbours to vouch for us, and be interviewed about us. Because of my work with one Canadian government department, I have also been fingerprinted. I have no doubt any government that is friendly with Canada can have access to all this information almost immediately. Actually, I have no doubt American Customs HAD all that information when we debarked from Canada onto the aircraft bound for Fort Lauderdale.

 

I have no problem with that - I gave my information freely. Nevertheless, we were pulled out of line in Puerto Rico when others' ship cards got them through. Ours didn't, and we were glad to produce our passports, which got us right back on track and onto the ship.

 

You first dismissed my experience incorrectly because you said I wasn't an experienced traveler.

 

Now, you dismiss my experience because you say I look like a troll.

 

I take my passport ashore because I know that in a foreign country it gives me (and my government) the best credential to demonstrate my bona fides.

 

People can take your advice if they like.

 

Huh? :confused:

 

No, I didn't say you were an inexperienced traveller, that was said by someone else on this thread.

 

And no, I didn't say you looked like a troll.

I said

Wassup was pulled out of line for some unknown reason - not because of being non-American, but mebbe a villain lookalike, mebbe some innocent mis-interpreted action, or just a guilty-looking face.

"Mebbe a villain lookalike" meaning you bear a resemblance to some person who is not welcome. It might even be because you have a name similar to someone who's not welcome, & that needed to be checked.

There are dozens of other potential reasons why you were pulled out of line. Not being American isn't one of them.

 

I also said "each to their own comfort level".

And In an earlier post "whatever you're most comfortable with"

The vast majority of us are more comfortable leaving our passports where they won't get lost, damaged or stolen. That's something like two dozen of us on this thread.

You are more comfortable carrying it ashore. And one person on this thread takes the same view.

 

JB :)

Edited January 28, 2014 by John Bull

[stephanievrubio]

My husband and I carry our Passport ID's, Drivers Licenses, and an insurance cards. The actual Passport and other pertinent paperwork stays in the safe. Should any issue arise in port, that would require a hospital visit, we will be more than fine.

[dkjretired]

Ok, thanks for the feedback! I wasn't aware that the cruise line handed your stuff to the port authority if you weren't able to make it back after an excursion. Sounds like we'll be making copies of our passports and leaving them in the safe.

 

Don't count on that, if your in an accident or something they won't know your not coming. I personally believe this is one of the myths of cruising

 

Also on my cruise last month, two men missed the ship at our first stop in Cozumel. They did not have their passports and could not go to our next stop in Grand Cayman. They had to return to the US and missed the rest of the cruise because they didn't have their passports. Allit takes is once.

[lisiamc]

Don't count on that, if your in an accident or something they won't know your not coming. I personally believe this is one of the myths of cruising

 

Also on my cruise last month, two men missed the ship at our first stop in Cozumel. They did not have their passports and could not go to our next stop in Grand Cayman. They had to return to the US and missed the rest of the cruise because they didn't have their passports. Allit takes is once.

 

FWIW, I've seen/heard the procedure that RCCL goes through when someone misses the ship. I like to hang over the rail on the Promenade deck and watch for latecomers. I was doing this at our stop in Piraeus, when they started announcing a lot of names and cabin numbers. Gradually, they were down to just two. I could hear an officer on the gangway talking into his radio, giving the names and cabin number to someone inside the ship. Pretty soon someone who appeared to be a steward came out with two passports, which he gave to the office, who passed them to the port agent. They had the gangway halfway taken up when a van came careering up to the ship. It was the two latecomers who had been driven over by a port worker. The gangway came back down, the sea passes were checked, and the passports were returned, and the couple raced aboard the ship. (I do love a happy ending!:))

 

The couple had plainly not been communicating with anyone at the port or on the ship to say they wouldn't make it, since they were trying hard to get there, up to the last second.

[dkjretired]

FWIW, I've seen/heard the procedure that RCCL goes through when someone misses the ship. I like to hang over the rail on the Promenade deck and watch for latecomers. I was doing this at our stop in Piraeus, when they started announcing a lot of names and cabin numbers. Gradually, they were down to just two. I could hear an officer on the gangway talking into his radio, giving the names and cabin number to someone inside the ship. Pretty soon someone who appeared to be a steward came out with two passports, which he gave to the office, who passed them to the port agent. They had the gangway halfway taken up when a van came careering up to the ship. It was the two latecomers who had been driven over by a port worker. The gangway came back down, the sea passes were checked, and the passports were returned, and the couple raced aboard the ship. (I do love a happy ending!:))

 

The couple had plainly not been communicating with anyone at the port or on the ship to say they wouldn't make it, since they were trying hard to get there, up to the last second.

 

I do the same thing and have never seen anything passed over and the fact that the men on my cruise never got their passports proves my point.

[sparks1093]

I do the same thing and have never seen anything passed over and the fact that the men on my cruise never got their passports proves my point.

 

Do you happen to know how they got back to the US if they didn't have their passports?

[John Bull]

.......... the fact that the men on my cruise never got their passports proves my point.

 

Sorry, but how does that one example "prove your point"? :confused:

Your point was that passports being retrieved & handed over to the port agent was "one of the myths of cruising".

 

Lisiamc isn't the only person on these boards who has witnessed it, I've seen plenty of similar testimony from other members.

 

But I would certainly agree it's not something to count on. ;)

 

JB :)

[dkjretired]

Sorry, but how does that one example "prove your point"? :confused:

Your point was that passports being retrieved & handed over to the port agent was "one of the myths of cruising".

 

Lisiamc isn't the only person on these boards who has witnessed it, I've seen plenty of similar testimony from other members.

 

But I would certainly agree it's not something to count on. ;)

 

JB :)

The poster here is the first I have ever seen who has actually witnessed this, every other person in almost twenty years on this board has never actually seen it happen. This could be each cruise lines policy, not done at all or done by everyone.

[John Bull]

This could be each cruise lines policy, not done at all or done by everyone.

 

Won't disagree with that :)

It may even depend on the captain/purser.

 

Certainly there's conflicting experiences.

I've not witnessed an incident though over the years I've seen a number of posts like Lisiamc's on here.

 

I've never come close to missing a sailing.

If I were going to, I could only try to contact the ship/agent and keep my fingers crossed that the ship would leave our passports behind.

Hope, rather than expectation.

 

But I still rate the risk & consequences of losing a passport ashore as way greater than the risk of missing a sailing.

 

JB :)

Edited January 29, 2014 by John Bull

[thinfool]

They had to return to the US and missed the rest of the cruise because they didn't have their passports. Allit takes is once.

 

Can you detail how they returned to the US without their passports?

[sparks1093]

Don't count on that, if your in an accident or something they won't know your not coming. I personally believe this is one of the myths of cruising

 

Also on my cruise last month, two men missed the ship at our first stop in Cozumel. They did not have their passports and could not go to our next stop in Grand Cayman. They had to return to the US and missed the rest of the cruise because they didn't have their passports. Allit takes is once.

 

I just did a search for flights from Cozumel to Grand Cayman- it's $714 one way with a 4 hour layover in Miami arriving in Grand Cayman at 9:30pm, so maybe they just couldn't get a flight (not sure if you know them personally and have more details), so even if they had their passports chances are they would not have been able to rejoin the ship (I did the search as if I had missed the ship today and there were no flights today).

Edited January 29, 2014 by sparks1093

[dwjoe]

One point re the debate in keeping the passport ashore vs leaving it in the safe. If you are certain to need the passport to fly home, and aren't required to take it ashore, it's a no brainer to leave it in the safe. This is because the risk of theft is many times higher than the risk of missing the ship.