Do you have to give up your passport?

[Randyk47]

Our experience has been that we've kept our passports for a dozen plus Caribbean cruises and surrendered them for our one, so far only, Med cruise on the Wind from Barcelona to Istanbul. I wasn't surprised as I'd read here that it might or would happen but I did ask the Wind staff about it in the terminal in Barcelona. They were pleasant but the bottom line was no surrender, no cruise. We went on to cruise for 14 days and some 10 ports without any issues. We took ship's tours, private tours, and just wandered off on our own so it's not like we stayed "safe and sound" on the ship. We got our passports back the last day in Istanbul and looking through them I did see that Greek officials apparently boarded the ship or somehow were presented with our passports as there was a Greek immigration stamp on one page. Other than that, and the Turkish visa, there was no evidence that the passports had been reviewed by any other country or port.

[Emtbsam]

We are US citizens. When we renewed our passports last time, we also got passport cards which we carry with us whenever we go on shore. When we were off the ship overnight, we asked for our passports and were given them with no challenge.

 

As others have said, when SS holds your passports, it makes it easier for immigration officials to go through their process without bothering the passengers. The only time it was ever lengthy was when we visited Russia!

[Mark_K]

Our experience has been that we've kept our passports for a dozen plus Caribbean cruises and surrendered them for our one, so far only, Med cruise on the Wind from Barcelona to Istanbul. I wasn't surprised as I'd read here that it might or would happen but I did ask the Wind staff about it in the terminal in Barcelona. They were pleasant but the bottom line was no surrender, no cruise. We went on to cruise for 14 days and some 10 ports without any issues. We took ship's tours, private tours, and just wandered off on our own so it's not like we stayed "safe and sound" on the ship. We got our passports back the last day in Istanbul and looking through them I did see that Greek officials apparently boarded the ship or somehow were presented with our passports as there was a Greek immigration stamp on one page. Other than that, and the Turkish visa, there was no evidence that the passports had been reviewed by any other country or port.

Odd that you would have a Greek stamp on it, unless you visited some non-Schengen country between Spain and Greece.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Randyk47]

Odd that you would have a Greek stamp on it, unless you visited some non-Schengen country between Spain and Greece.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Our itinerary was Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Greece, and finally Turkey but no we hadn't visited any non-Schengen countries before Greece. All things considered we only got an entrance stamp in Barcelona, the one oddball entrance stamp in Greece, the Turkey visa with a couple of stamps over it, and finally a stamp when we reentered the US in Dallas. Whether or not they were looked at in any other port I can't say other than there was no evidence one way or the other.

[Randyk47]

Our itinerary was Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Greece, and finally Turkey but no we hadn't visited any non-Schengen countries before Greece. All things considered we only got an entrance stamp in Barcelona, the one oddball entrance stamp in Greece, the Turkey visa with a couple of stamps over it, and finally a stamp when we reentered the US in Dallas. Whether or not they were looked at in any other port I can't say other than there was no evidence one way or the other.

 

Should also mention that we entered and exited Europe through England and supposedly went through Customs/Immigration in Heathrow but no stamp from Heathrow in either direction. Other than a very casual glance and the stamp in Barcelona moving in and around Europe was really quite easy.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Randyk47

[Silver Spectre]

We have done over 30 cruises with multiple cruise lines and to my recollection have only retained our passports a couple of times. This really is a non issue.

[Mark_K]

Should also mention that we entered and exited Europe through England and supposedly went through Customs/Immigration in Heathrow but no stamp from Heathrow in either direction. Other than a very casual glance and the stamp in Barcelona moving in and around Europe was really quite easy.

I flew into London City airport one time from Barcelona. There was a partition and a sign for UK citizens to go on one side and non-UK citizens to go on the other side. But, there was no one on either side of the partition checking people. No stamp that time.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Edited March 29, 2014 by Mark_K

[jongbj]

I flew into London City airport one time from Barcelona. There was a partition and a sign for UK citizens to go on one side and non-UK citizens to go on the other side. But, there was no one on either side of the partition checking people. No stamp that time.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Just for info: UK is not part of Schengen, therefore one must always go through customs when entering or leaving the UK.

[Mark_K]

Just for info: UK is not part of Schengen, therefore one must always go through customs when entering or leaving the UK.

Yes, odd isn't it. I checked my old passport this morning; there's a stamp from Spain (Barcelona) on the date our cruise ended but I couldn't find one on that date for the UK.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[UKCruiseJeff]

Yes, odd isn't it. I checked my old passport this morning; there's a stamp from Spain (Barcelona) on the date our cruise ended but I couldn't find one on that date for the UK.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

 

As an aside ..... on many countries it is really important to ensure that if you get an entry stamp on your passport that you also ensure you get an exit one if you plan to return. This is difficult on cruises, but some countries will look at a passport on entry and when they see an entry stamp but no exit on a previous vist they will get quite grumpy and inquiisitive and presume you were an "over-stayer" until you can prove otherwise.

[dougburns]

Don't know what all the fuss is about. We've had 24 cruises with Raddison/Regent and SS and have always had to surrender our passports on boarding. As has been stated, it really helps when the ship has to clear customs at various ports. Don't recall ever hearing of anyone having a problem regarding their passport as a result.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Don't know what all the fuss is about. We've had 24 cruises with Raddison/Regent and SS and have always had to surrender our passports on boarding. As has been stated, it really helps when the ship has to clear customs at various ports. Don't recall ever hearing of anyone having a problem regarding their passport as a result.

 

Gosh 24 cruises ... wow! :rolleyes:

 

Don't think there was a fuss. The OP asked a rational question. People try to help.

[luv-cruising]

We have sailed on many cruises, many lines. We have always surrendered our passports. We have also done so in hotels in Europe. Can you imagine the delays in immigration/visa review in each new country if the ship had to wait for every passenger to arrive and present their passports? We would never make it ashore in some ports.

[Randyk47]

As an aside ..... on many countries it is really important to ensure that if you get an entry stamp on your passport that you also ensure you get an exit one if you plan to return. This is difficult on cruises, but some countries will look at a passport on entry and when they see an entry stamp but no exit on a previous vist they will get quite grumpy and inquiisitive and presume you were an "over-stayer" until you can prove otherwise.

 

I guess if I looked through my old passport, a non-RFID enabled one by the way, I could reconstruct some of my Med cruise but not every country. Flew from Dallas to London and no stamps there, flew from London to Barcelona and indeed got an entry stamp that shows I arrived by air but no exit, in a couple of days Silversea took my passport and the only evidence it was looked at over the next 14 days is an entry stamp in Greece showing I arrived by ship but no exit, and finally the Turkish visa which is stamped for both entry and exit. Flew back through London with no stamps there and on to Dallas and the final stamp is entry back into the US. Like I said, with a map, a calendar, and the few stamps I did get, you could probably figure out where and how I traveled for the whole 18 days but it's not totally obvious either. For our upcoming trip we'll be using our new passports with no stamps in them so barring entry into some computer system from a couple of years ago there'll be no evidence we've been in and out of any of the countries we visited before.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Randyk47

[whogo]

I have gladly allowed cruise lines to hold my passport as they see fit.

 

My former brother-in-law, Dwayne, the one who hears voices through the steel plate in his head, has different and changeable views on the issue. His worst case scenario, as best I can make out, is that it is part of a well organized conspiracy between the NSA and the Russian mafia to funnel passports to terrorist organizations. With your passport stolen, you will be put ashore secretly. As a man without a country you will be conscripted into the Angolan army and used as a primitive landmine detector. Should you somehow survive and make it back to the Netherlands you will spend the rest of your life in prison for surrendering your passport to unauthorized personnel.

 

Dwayne's less coherent passport issue theory involved Burmese pythons, Dutch elm disease, and Neil Armstrong.

[duct tape]

...and Direct TV.

[UKCruiseJeff]

I guess if I looked through my old passport, a non-RFID enabled one by the way, I could reconstruct some of my Med cruise but not every country. Flew from Dallas to London and no stamps there, flew from London to Barcelona and indeed got an entry stamp that shows I arrived by air but no exit, in a couple of days Silversea took my passport and the only evidence it was looked at over the next 14 days is an entry stamp in Greece showing I arrived by ship but no exit, and finally the Turkish visa which is stamped for both entry and exit. Flew back through London with no stamps there and on to Dallas and the final stamp is entry back into the US. Like I said, with a map, a calendar, and the few stamps I did get, you could probably figure out where and how I traveled for the whole 18 days but it's not totally obvious either. For our upcoming trip we'll be using our new passports with no stamps in them so barring entry into some computer system from a couple of years ago there'll be no evidence we've been in and out of any of the countries we visited before.

 

I think that this (the issue of non-stamping of passports for "leavers") is only ever likely to be a potential issue, not for people returning on subsequent cruises to the same countries - as their return to the ship is allowed by showing a ship card - but if someone returns for a subsequent visit through a traditional entry point where there's more vigilance and inquisativeness.

[Mark_K]

We have sailed on many cruises, many lines. We have always surrendered our passports. We have also done so in hotels in Europe. Can you imagine the delays in immigration/visa review in each new country if the ship had to wait for every passenger to arrive and present their passports? We would never make it ashore in some ports.

I can imagine it, I was on Voyager of the Seas (3,300 passengers) one time sailing into St Thomas and the officials there decided they needed to see everyone's documentation. It was a disaster.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Balloon Man]

Hotels in the EU do not ask to hold your passport in my experience but this thread set me thinking.

 

So for the first time I read the small print in my UK passport. In seems it isn't MY passport because it is the property of "Her Majesty's Government". It should not be passed to "... an unauthorised person."

 

How do I know if my cruise line is "an authorised person"?

 

We have often let cruise lines look after our "Government's" passports, but in the world of cyber crime and stolen identity, perhaps this isn't such a good idea.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hotels in the EU do not ask to hold your passport in my experience but this thread set me thinking.

 

So for the first time I read the small print in my UK passport. In seems it isn't MY passport because it is the property of "Her Majesty's Government". It should not be passed to "... an unauthorised person."

 

How do I know if my cruise line is "an authorised person"?

 

We have often let cruise lines look after our "Government's" passports, but in the world of cyber crime and stolen identity, perhaps this isn't such a good idea.

 

I understand your point but you can take the argument to a degree that can get you into trouble when visiting states or countries where Britain does not recognise the current government and therefore it's border officials.

 

In another sense when we travel I hold both my wife's and my passport in a single wallet. I am not an authorised person, I am simply minding it, in exactly the same way the cruise staff do.

 

Perhaps you and your spouse are already breaking the rule .....:D

[Emtbsam]

Hotels in the EU do not ask to hold your passport in my experience but this thread set me thinking.

 

 

I remember back in the dark ages when a hotel kept your passport when you checked in. In some countries you got it back quickly, in others, they held it for the duration of your stay. I guess my age is showing. LOL.

[RachelG]

I remember back in the dark ages when a hotel kept your passport when you checked in. In some countries you got it back quickly, in others, they held it for the duration of your stay. I guess my age is showing. LOL.

 

I remember this as well, and I don't consider myself terribly ancient.

[duct tape]

Me too...and I am only a kid!

[regent traveller]

We recently returned from a wonderful Silver Sea cruise from Cape Town to Las Palmas, Canary. The ship handled all of the visas and we did not have a problem except for the 30 minute detention by the police in Cameroon. We tried to explain to the police that the ship was holding our passports and we were able to produce a copy but he was very upset and continued to yell in French and then when he really got mad yelled in English. This detention was a first for us and from Cameroon on we requested our passports when we went ashore.

[peanutpopcornscamp]

We just returned from a cruise on Silver Spirit. Although it was indicated from paperwork that our passports would be taken, that was not the case this week. They did put a sticker on the front of the passport with our suite number, but never asked for them at any time.

 

We have cruised on several lines and have only had to surrender our passport when visiting Turkey. Not sure why they needed it, however our room steward/butler collected and return it to us.

 

We always cary a copy of our passport when leaving the ship for excursions.