Should we let cruise lines take our passports?

[Mura]

Italy back to Germany (even through Switzerland) is within Schengen...no passport required.

 

Thanks. It had occurred to me that this might be the case. But I've seen EU citizens lined up for passport control when traveling within Europe so I wasn't sure.

 

Mura

[Balloon Man]

The cruise line is authorized.

 

So are hotels where designated by their governmental authorities.

 

This would seem logical, but do you know or are you guessing? And if you know, from where did you obtain the information? Thanks.

 

I guess I started this thread because there are some places around the globe, not all what might be termed "third world", where I really wouldn't like to go ashore without my passport (safely tucked away!).

[JimandStan]

This would seem logical, but do you know or are you guessing? And if you know, from where did you obtain the information? Thanks.

 

I guess I started this thread because there are some places around the globe, not all what might be termed "third world", where I really wouldn't like to go ashore without my passport (safely tucked away!).

 

This entire thread is an exercise in futility because if you wish to travel on the ship, and it is an Itinerary where Passports are being collected, you won't have a choice.

 

Well, you do, but that choice involves either giving them your Passport, or getting off their ship before the cruise starts.

 

Passports are collected because, unbeknownst to most Passengers, as the ship travels from Port to Port, its' front office is continuously obtaining Blanket Visa's (essentially telling the Authorities, "We're bringing in 800 tourists today at 9 AM and guarantee that we will leave at 6 PM with the same 800").

 

To obtain such a Visa, the Cruise Line must always guarantee that every Passenger is in possession of a current and valid Passport, but in some cases the Purser must further certify that he is in physical Possession of said Passports.

 

Hence, the collection on some itineraries, but not on others.

Edited April 2, 2014 by JimandStan

[hypercafe]

I guess we are lucky or have just gone on the wrong itinerary because after 30+Crusies I have never had my passport taken by the ship. If this really is a issue for you send the line a letter before the trip asking if they are infact authorized to hold it or ask the State Dept, or equivlent, the same thing.

[Mura]

And I cannot remember a cruise where we did NOT have to turn in our passport. Sometimes it is returned for a day or two -- if in a port where we are required to be carrying it on our person. Sometimes it is returned early.

 

I also remember the days when the hotel held our passport for the duration. These days a hotel seems to be more likely to inspect it and then return it (probably after making a photocopy).

 

We've never had a problem with allowing such entities to take our passport.

 

Mura

[I_r_a]

Hey BM,

 

I recall an overnight train ride through 3 European countries where one passenger refused to give his passport to the steward.

 

He later complained that he was awakened at about 02:00, 04:00 and 06:00 by border control officials.

 

Fortunately, they didn't delay the train.

 

Ira

[JimandStan]

I guess we are lucky or have just gone on the wrong itinerary because after 30+Crusies I have never had my passport taken by the ship.

 

Unless you're talking about multiple Caribbean Cruises to a limited number of Islands, I literally find this impossible to believe. Would you kindly tell us more about these "cruises"?

[hypercafe]

Unless you're talking about multiple Caribbean Cruises to a limited number of Islands, I literally find this impossible to believe. Would you kindly tell us more about these "cruises"?

 

The majority were in North America. We have been to every Caribbean Island, Centeral American Ports,all the Canada ports along with a few Med, UK and Ireland and sons TA. I can not help it if I never gave up my passport altho if I was asked to I would and not think twice about it.

[LHT28]

Most U.S. citizens do not have their passports taken on Caribbean cruises

The NON U.S citizens are the ones lined up the last morning at the crack of dawn to obtain their passports & report to the officials in the lounge

 

According to the Canadian passport office they consider a hotel or hostel worker someone you should trust ..who knew :eek:

 

In some countries, you may have to give your passport to a foreign official or a hotel/hostel employee. If you don't get it back in a reasonable time, inform the nearest Government of Canada office abroad.

 

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/planification/index.aspx?lang=eng#plan

 

I would rather place my trust in the cruise line ;)

[Hambagahle]

We (husband dual national US/Swiss and I Swiss) have been on a fair number of cruises. There are some ports where the line must have the passports for the Immigration chaps to look at and sometimes (not often!) stamp. And there are others where the passenger has to pass through Immigration with either his passport or a Govt issued ID. And then there are others (San Diego for me as an example) where I had to show I was on a cruise by having my suite key card with me AND also have a copy of the "face page" of my passport. Regent (in this particular case) had collected all our passports and they provided me with the necessary copy AND a letter explaining why the evening before we docked in San Diego.

 

Basically I believe it is fair to assume the Cruise Line and especially the ship's Clearance Officer knows what they are doing. And I go along with whatever they tell me I should do... including carrying my ID card OR copy or whatever.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Hambagahle

[Balloon Man]

Jim and Stan suggest "This entire thread is an exercise in futility because if you wish to travel on the ship, and it is an Itinerary where Passports are being collected, you won't have a choice." Absolutely.

 

But they, and especially Hambaghale (sorry): "Basically I believe it is fair to assume the Cruise Line and especially the ship's Clearance Officer knows what they are doing" (really?), miss the point: has your government given "them" the authority so to do? I again fully admit my ignorance about this and am asking if anybody - rather than those simply with opinions - actually knows the answer?

[LHT28]

J I again fully admit my ignorance about this and am asking if anybody - rather than those simply with opinions - actually knows the answer?

 

I doubt many people here will have the answer you are looking for

The best solution is to contact your Government & get the correct information on WHO is authorized to detain your passport

 

JMO

[JimandStan]

has your government given "them" the authority so to do?

 

Governmental authority is not necessary, as YOU (I.E. the Passenger/Passport Holder in question) would have already given THEM (I.E The Cruise Line) that Authority by booking passage on their ship.

 

I would direct your attention to Paragraph 23 of the Passage Contract:

 

23. GUEST’S COVENANTS

 

You covenant and warrant that You are duly authorized by or on behalf of all Guests named on or traveling under this Ticket

Contract to agree to all terms, conditions, limitations and exceptions herein contained, and by accepting and/or using this

Ticket/Contract he or she and/or they do agree accordingly and do agree that the same shall be binding on them with the same

force and effect as if they and every one of them signed this Ticket Contract. Guest must take proper steps (including

provision of all necessary documents) as may be required to enable him or her to land at his or her port of destination and

generally to comply with the laws of the country in which such port is situated. We shall not in any circumstances

whatsoever, whether or not such documents are produced to Us by You, be responsible for any information or advice as to

said laws as may be given by You to Us as the Carrier nor shall We be liable for the consequence of any insufficiency or

irregularity in such documents or the noncompliance by You with such laws.

 

[Oceans&Rivers]

If one of the gold braided uniformed immigration staff who turn-up for breakfast in the buffet in many ports want to check the odd original passport, they could ask. I'd happily produce mine (from my safe).

 

You asked about the practices of other countries than the U.K., so I will answer that part of your question.

 

The U.S. Department of State, in its travel site, states which travel destinations outside the U.S. do not require a standard Passport (i.e., the book most of us have) for re-entry: "The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air."

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/card.html

 

Here is what a passport card looks like:

 

Front:

 

Rear:

 

I have both a passport and a passport card, and I keep my passport card in an RFID-blocking case. Even though the card is not intended for international air transport, I think having it on my person makes it easier for U.S. officials and myself in the case of emergencies.

[kiawahdon]

Maybe JimandStan's cogent reply will put this discussion to bed.

[Floridiana]

Thanks. It had occurred to me that this might be the case. But I've seen EU citizens lined up for passport control when traveling within Europe so I wasn't sure.

 

Mura

 

Mura,

The key word is Schengen. No passport control within the European countries that signed the Schengen agreement.

[Balloon Man]

"Governmental authority is not necessary, as YOU (I.E. the Passenger/Passport Holder in question) would have already given THEM (I.E The Cruise Line) that Authority by booking passage on their ship."

 

With due respect - especially to the capital letters - while Jim and Stan's response was no doubt well meant it didn't answer the question and was, of course, incorrect ... at least so far as my passport is concerned.

 

Firstly, and speaking as a Brit, I don't have authority to overrule my national law which says I can't hand my passport over to anybody unless they are "authorised". If the laws that govern passports issued by the US government are different then we have no argument. The cruise line already has all necessary information for normal clearance where visas are not required so I don't understand why they may want to keep my passport. I say "may" because in my experience some lines do and some don't.

 

Secondly, to suggest that a cruise line's terms and conditions override the conditions of a national passport or the law is, of course, nonsense. A cruise line's T&Cs v the US Government in court? Let me think, who I would put my money on?

 

Following his/their argument a T&C that said: "We may take any amount of money from any credit card you register with us and you can't question our demand or receive recompense" would be acceptable by "booking passage on their ship?" I don't think so. Perhaps I should read all those pages of Conditions of Passage. Do you?

 

LHT28's answer is obviously the reasonable one: ask the issuer of your passport. I suspect the answer would be "No. Cruise lines and hotels are not authorised to take possession of your passport".

 

Probably better not to ask. In fact I'm beginning to think it would have been better not to have raised this subject in the first place.

[LHT28]

Probably better not to ask. In fact I'm beginning to think it would have been better not to have raised this subject in the first place.

 

+1

I agree :D

[JimandStan]

I'm afraid that I am going to insist on putting the tin hat on this discussion as you are coming at it from entirely the wrong angle:

 

To wit:

to suggest that a cruise line's terms and conditions override the conditions of a national passport or the law is, of course, nonsense. A cruise line's T&Cs v the US Government in court? Let me think, who I would put my money on

Where you go wrong here is in thinking that a Passport is a document like a Marriage License or a Birth Certificate. It is not. The only reason for it's existence is to identify the holder to various third parties during the course of travel. By the very nature of this fact, the issuing Government could never specify to whom it should and should not be presented.

 

Firstly, and speaking as a Brit, I don't have authority to overrule my national law which says I can't hand my passport over to anybody unless they are "authorised". If the laws that govern passports issued by the US government are different then we have no argument. The cruise line already has all necessary information for normal clearance where visas are not required so I don't understand why they may want to keep my passport. I say "may" because in my experience some lines do and some don't

 

I'm sure that it is true that the British Government prefers that you not place your Passport in situations which will place it "at risk", however, when you book passage on a Common Carrier which, as a part of their normal business, must vouch for your Passport status, you are, in effect asking them to act as your proxy.

If you don't feel comfortable granting the Line that status, then you should not be cruising with them.

 

As previously discussed, some Ports require that the Purser sign an affidavit that the passenger has a valid passport with him (in which case the passenger keeps his passport), other Ports require that the Passports be available for inspection during the tenure of the Port Visit (in which case they are collected, and kept in the ships' Safe). It all depends where your Passport was issued and which countries you travel to.

[Caroldoll]

If you are not willing to go through with procedures the cruise line asks, why hold people up...either checking on or at ports. They are not going to "steal" your passport. You must not have traveled much. There are some places that they require them and some that do not. After they satisfy the authorities, they will give it back. Why do you want to go stand in a line in the theatre or somewhere to show it...come on. We have not enough time in ports as it is. You rock Jim and Stan, even though you don't always "like" me

[Mura]

I would hope so. As Lyn suggested, contact the Passport Bureau if you have problems with turning over your passport. This has gone on far longer than was necessary.

 

Mura

[orchestrapal]

So true but how do we kill it off?

[Balloon Man]

By me. I say "thank you and goodnight".