Doc Needed When Leaving Port

[Garycruz]

I'm going on a cruise tomorrow (my first Carnival cruise and first in 3 1/2 years) and I'm trying to make sure I have everything in order. I can't remember what doc I need to bring when I leave the ship at a port. In order to get back on the ship, I know I need my S & S card, but I can't recall if I need to bring my passport or any other form of ID as well.

 

The ports are Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau if that makes a difference.

 

Do I need to bring any form of ID other than my S & S card when I leave the ship at these ports?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[CRU1Z1N]

Always your sail and sign card along with a government issued photo ID. No passport is needed, however many take a photo copy of their passport.

[Garycruz]

Always your sail and sign card along with a government issued photo ID. No passport is needed, however many take a photo copy of their passport.

 

It's good to know they will accept a copy of the passport as I really don't want to bring the actual passports with me every time I leave the port.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. :)

[KPfromCT]

We have done all of those islands and have never brought anything except our S&S card, nor have we ever been asked for a photo ID.

I would NEVER take my passport off the ship. If it makes you feel better, take a picture of it. But again, we have never been asked for photo ID.

Have a great cruise!!!!:D:D

[pungo3]

Please take a photo i.d. as well as your S&S card. I have been on many, many cruises and am almost always asked for a photo i.d. as well as my S&S card. I've seen numerous people anxiously waiting while someone ran to the ship to find a photo i.d. for them. You definitely don't need your passport, but a driver's license or some other form of photo i.d. is almost always needed.

[ohiogymrat]

We have done all of those islands and have never brought anything except our S&S card, nor have we ever been asked for a photo ID.

I would NEVER take my passport off the ship. If it makes you feel better, take a picture of it. But again, we have never been asked for photo ID.

Have a great cruise!!!!:D:D

 

How did you get back on the ship in Nassau without showing a picture id? In the port terminal there is a security checkpoint to get back to the ship and they want to see a photo id and ship card.

Edited July 14, 2014 by ohiogymrat

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We have done all of those islands and have never brought anything except our S&S card, nor have we ever been asked for a photo ID.

I would NEVER take my passport off the ship. If it makes you feel better, take a picture of it. But again, we have never been asked for photo ID.

Have a great cruise!!!!:D:D

 

Not even in Nassau? They are notorious for wanting the photo ID and seem to scrutinize it more than any other place we have been.

 

Bill

[momof4boys]

We would never step foot in a foreign country without our passports. I have a cousin who works at an embassy and we just take her advice. We leave our copies of our passports in our safe at home.

 

If an emergency occurred....accident, earthquake, whatever...we want our ticket home with us. I am sure there has been a passport stolen somewhere, but in all of our foreign land travels and cruise travels....our passports have been with us and safe.

 

Just back from Cozumel and we were asked for our S & S card upon leaving and returning to the ship and they carefully looked over our passports (photo id) and compared to our S & S card on the way back to the ship. The other two places, Grand Cayman and Jamaica, we visited didn't ask for photo id.

Edited July 14, 2014 by momof4boys

[wrigley80]

Just take your sail and sign card and a photo id. We have never take our passports off the ship

[KPfromCT]

How did you get back on the ship in Nassau without showing a picture id? In the port terminal there is a security checkpoint to get back to the ship and they want to see a photo id and ship card.

 

Nope. I told them I didn't have it, and they just sent me through.

 

Not even in Nassau? They are notorious for wanting the photo ID and seem to scrutinize it more than any other place we have been.

 

Bill

 

Nope. Told them we didn't bring them, and nothing. Just waved us through.

[MrsPhoenix91]

Personally, I would feel far more secure having my passport on me with copies in my cabin safe and an additional copy in the possession of a trusted relative back at home.

[matj2000]

We would never step foot in a foreign country without our passports. I have a cousin who works at an embassy and we just take her advice. We leave our copies of our passports in our safe at home.

 

If an emergency occurred....accident, earthquake, whatever...we want our ticket home with us. I am sure there has been a passport stolen somewhere, but in all of our foreign land travels and cruise travels....our passports have been with us and safe.

 

 

Cozumel isn't exactly like going to "Beirut".

I think you will be fine with just a driver license..

Edited July 14, 2014 by matj2000

[ohiogymrat]

Nope. I told them I didn't have it, and they just sent me through.

 

 

 

Nope. Told them we didn't bring them, and nothing. Just waved us through.

 

You said you have never been asked before. Clearly they asked you.

[Shmoo here]

Please take a photo i.d. as well as your S&S card. I have been on many, many cruises and am almost always asked for a photo i.d. as well as my S&S card. I've seen numerous people anxiously waiting while someone ran to the ship to find a photo i.d. for them. You definitely don't need your passport, but a driver's license or some other form of photo i.d. is almost always needed.

 

I totally agree with this. We've always had to show a photo ID to get into the actual port area on all our cruises. And have seen people waiting for others in their party to retrieve their missing photo IDs. As well as others being escorted by security to get their ID (saw this on our Inspiration cruise in Feb).

 

We just use our driver's license and leave our passport in the room safe onboard.

[kona_wahine]

Only once have we not had to show our government photo ID with our S&S card, and that was grand turk in January. Every other stop we've ever been to they required both. We've never taken our passports off ship, just use our drivers license. Of course, if something happened and we needed them not sure what would happen. Hope to never find out.

[irishnyc]

In Grand Turk they would not let me exit to go back to the ship until I fished my drivers license out of my wallet at the bottom of my tote bag. Every time I've been to Nassau I've had to show my license along with my S&S card, as well.

 

I would never leave my passport on board. What's the point of having it for all the "emergencies" everyone that goes on and on about getting one insists could happen, if you're going to leave it aboard the ship you (queue the dramatic music) might never make it back to?

[Sparky2]

We have done all of those islands and have never brought anything except our S&S card, nor have we ever been asked for a photo ID.

I would NEVER take my passport off the ship. If it makes you feel better, take a picture of it. But again, we have never been asked for photo ID.

Have a great cruise!!!!:D:D

 

At several of the ports there have been signs requesting both S&S + photo ID. I don't know why they made an exception for you, though.

[imapris]

Hi Shmoo here - I've been reading that you don't actually need your passport for mexico... that you can use gov't ID plus birth certificate or some form of proof of citizenship. Do you know if that's true? I'm wondering if I need to go through the hassle of getting an expedited passport card (because it's cheaper than the book and my current passport book has expired). I'd rather not spend the money on an expedite if I don't actually need it and can use my military ID plus birth certificate at customs.

 

Thanks for any input!!

[Not_Done_Living]

our last trip to Nassau the couple in front of us only had their S&S card and they only let one of them though, so they could go to their room and get their photo id.

 

hey are REALLY strict there.

[WindsorFred]

How did you get back on the ship in Nassau without showing a picture id? In the port terminal there is a security checkpoint to get back to the ship and they want to see a photo id and ship card.

 

 

I remember that. Friends did not take picture ID. We had to go onboard and get theirs for them.

[PoppyandNana]

In Grand Turk they would not let me exit to go back to the ship until I fished my drivers license out of my wallet at the bottom of my tote bag. Every time I've been to Nassau I've had to show my license along with my S&S card, as well.

 

I would never leave my passport on board. What's the point of having it for all the "emergencies" everyone that goes on and on about getting one insists could happen, if you're going to leave it aboard the ship you (queue the dramatic music) might never make it back to?

 

In over 26 cruises from Bermuda to Russia we ALWAYS take our passports with us. You are in foreign countries. Just how we do it

[Garycruz]

In Grand Turk they would not let me exit to go back to the ship until I fished my drivers license out of my wallet at the bottom of my tote bag. Every time I've been to Nassau I've had to show my license along with my S&S card, as well.

 

I would never leave my passport on board. What's the point of having it for all the "emergencies" everyone that goes on and on about getting one insists could happen, if you're going to leave it aboard the ship you (queue the dramatic music) might never make it back to?

 

You say you had to fish out your driver's license when you were in Grand Turk. You also say that you would never leave your passport on the ship which implies that you bring it with you when you leave the port. I'm just curious why they made you show them your driver's license when you had your passport with you. Isn't the passport and S & S card enough?

[cruzinlisa]

If I recall Nassau was pretty strict about requiring a picture ID to get into the port area towards' the ship. I am not sure about the other places.

 

As far as other ports, I know we had to show ID in Montego Bay and in Key West, but not Cozumel or Belize. I don't recall for any others, but most likely not.

 

Copy of passport worked in Key West. DH lost his DL and id en route from our hotel to airport before our last cruise so all he had was his work ID and his passport. In Key west they did not even blink. But the bars would not allow him to order a beer. But it was his own fault so I did not feel bad. :D I am not sure if it would be enough in Nassau. If you have a state ID or Driver's license I would bring that.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Hi Shmoo here - I've been reading that you don't actually need your passport for mexico... that you can use gov't ID plus birth certificate or some form of proof of citizenship. Do you know if that's true? I'm wondering if I need to go through the hassle of getting an expedited passport card (because it's cheaper than the book and my current passport book has expired). I'd rather not spend the money on an expedite if I don't actually need it and can use my military ID plus birth certificate at customs.

 

Thanks for any input!!

 

sorry im not Shmoo here but are you talking about taking a closed loop cruise that stops in Mexico? If so yes you can use a certified birth certificate and a valid govt issued photo ID.

 

A passport card is no better than a b/c and govt issued photo ID and would be a waste of your money IMHO.

 

Bill

Edited July 14, 2014 by S.S.Oceanlover

[jandb6266]

I anm flabbergasted to read people saying they never take their

passports off the ship. That defeats the whole purpose of a passport. You do not need it on the ship. It is for when you get off the ship in other countrys and something happens and you miss the ship. I do not beleive other places will honor a photo of your passport just like your local police will not accept a photo

copy of your license if you are pulled over.