Allure West. Med. passport?

[mimb1]

Hi,

Any reason passports are needed after we board? We would like to leave them in the safe all week and not carry them on excursions. Thanks

[HACKT]

I'm on same cruise in sept from barcelona. As we're getting on allure in a european union country, then going to other eu countries france & italy, we shouldn't need passports at all on ship. Only time we need passports is at barcelona airport arriving/departing eu for us. That's what we're expecting [emoji41]

[steveru621]

Spain, France, Italy you shouldn't need a passport. Usually if a passport is needed at a port, RCI will take it away from you and return it after you have visited that country. Turkey comes to mind.

 

I can't remember ever needing to carry my passport off the ship.

[Sea_Salt_Sailor]

Hi... since the cruise is calling EU countries, you can leave your passport on board and carry a government issued ID. I would suggest to make a copy of your passport and take it with you, just for precautions.

 

Enjoy the sailing... I counting my days to sail away on the Allure in the Med. :):):cool:

[LEtue]

RCI never collected our passports last year on the Serenade and we stopped in Kusadasi, Turkey.

 

So, you should be able to leave them in the safe. It is recommended that you keep a photocopy with you when you go ashore.

[Bcshur]

Last year RCI did not take our passports when departing from Rome. This year, departing from Istanbul, they did take them and gave them back to us about 7 days in (it was a 9 day cruise). Be prepared to give them up. I would just make sure you have your driver's license with so you have a form of identification. Also, make a copy of your passport just in case. :)

[mimb1]

Thanks everyone!!!

[steveru621]

RCI never collected our passports last year on the Serenade and we stopped in Kusadasi, Turkey.

 

So, you should be able to leave them in the safe. It is recommended that you keep a photocopy with you when you go ashore.

 

We visited Turkey in 2013 and definitely had to surrender our passports at checkin. Great to hear things have changed for Kusadasi.

 

Turkey was supposed to join the EU.

[SonicShip]

I'm on same cruise in sept from barcelona. As we're getting on allure in a european union country, then going to other eu countries france & italy, we shouldn't need passports at all on ship. Only time we need passports is at barcelona airport arriving/departing eu for us. That's what we're expecting [emoji41]

 

 

I believe what you mean is a Schengen Area country not an EU country. Once you enter the Schengen Area, you are free to travel inside the Schengen Area. If you leave the Schengen Area and travel to the UK or Ireland or another non Schengen Area then you will need a passport at the border.

[steamboats]

From a legal aspect: Yes, you need to carry around your passport as it´s the only valid ID if you´re not a EU citizen.

 

From a practical aspect: No, there are no controls at all as it´s a "closed loop Schengen only cruise". Anyway I´d never go out with any kind of ID. In case you miss the ship in Marseille you need to fly to the next port (o.k., train is possible too but takes some time). For flying you do need a valid ID and that´s your passport (and the airline will check it as there´s no border control for flight within the Schengen area).

 

steamboats

[Dragonkeper]

When making a copy of your passport do you just make a copy of the page that has your picture and passport info or do you make a copy of the whole book?

[Clarea]

When making a copy of your passport do you just make a copy of the page that has your picture and passport info or do you make a copy of the whole book?

If the purpose of the copy is to show to the US Consulate to facilitate getting a temporary passport to fly home, all you need is the first page.

[Dragonkeper]

If the purpose of the copy is to show to the US Consulate to facilitate getting a temporary passport to fly home, all you need is the first page.

 

Thanks Bob.

[rtroyer4]

I am sorry - I know this doesn't really apply to this post, but I am trying to write a post to see who might want to join my wife and I for a tour I have set up in Rome on September 10th to save on costs. I have the company and the driver all lined up, but to save on money I figured other people on our ship would want to join. I heard its best to post it on Roll Call, but I really don't know how to post on there. I don't see any "post" option. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Clarea]

I am sorry - I know this doesn't really apply to this post, but I am trying to write a post to see who might want to join my wife and I for a tour I have set up in Rome on September 10th to save on costs. I have the company and the driver all lined up, but to save on money I figured other people on our ship would want to join. I heard its best to post it on Roll Call, but I really don't know how to post on there. I don't see any "post" option. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Find the thread with the date of your cruise here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=578

 

Then post in that thread the same way you posted in this thread.

[rtroyer4]

Thanks so much for the help!

[eldolko]

Just to clarify. Only countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement has promised to keep their borders open. While EU stipulates the right to move freely within the union, doing so without passport is not part of the agreement.

 

Countries like Great Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania has not signed the Schengen Agreement and you may therefore have to show proof of citizenship on entry to these countries.

But as you see, that's not the case on this cruise.

 

Even so, I do believe the open borders in Schengen only apply to citizens of a EU country. The immigration booths may be unmanned, but theoretically you may have to proof your citizenship even within the Schengen area if you origin from a country outside of the EU.

 

But, finally, since this is a cruise that starts and stops within both Schengen and EU countries I would be much surprised if they checked your passports.

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the borderless system we're supposed to have. :cool:

 

On my recent Baltic cruise St Petersburg was the only port where we had to show our passports.

[tidygirl]

We did a cruise out of Spain in Sept with stops in Italy and France. I did take our passports off with us after much debate, but read legally it's the law to have your proper ID (passport) on you . Also as we did DIY days in several ports and didn't want to have to figure out what we would do for ID if we missed the ship! Figured I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[Charles4515]

We did a cruise out of Spain in Sept with stops in Italy and France. I did take our passports off with us after much debate, but read legally it's the law to have your proper ID (passport) on you . Also as we did DIY days in several ports and didn't want to have to figure out what we would do for ID if we missed the ship! Figured I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

No, it is not the law that you have to have your passport on you in those countries you mention. A drivers licence is proper ID. And those countries are known for pickpockets. It is much more likely you will have your passport stolen from your person than it is that you will miss the ship. If you did miss the ship you don't need ID to buy a train ticket to the next port or cross EU borders. I always leave my passport locked up in the ships safe or hotel safe.

[KiwiGal117]

Our Splendour cruise in 2013 covered Montenegro, Croatia, Greece and Italy. We surrendered our passports and got them back on the last day. Montenegro is not an EU member state so assume that's why.

[tidygirl]

All foreigners in Italy are required by law to have an ID with them at all times.[44] Citizens of EU member countries must be always ready to display an identity document that is legally government-issued in their country. Non-EU residents must have their passport with customs entrance stamp or a residence permit issued by Italian authorities; while all the resident/immigrant aliens must have a residence permit (otherwise they are illegal and face deportation), foreigners from certain non-EU countries staying in Italy for a limited amount of time (typically for tourism) may be only required to have their passport with proper customs stamp.

I had read many things saying you were required to have your passport DL didn't count as it was not government issued it is state so I played it on the safe side.

Yes I was concerned about them being stolen but hubby wore them in a pouch tucked underneath his clothes and down his pant leg so it wouldn't have been an easy thing to get ahold of.

[steamboats]

No, it is not the law that you have to have your passport on you in those countries you mention. A drivers licence is proper ID. And those countries are known for pickpockets. It is much more likely you will have your passport stolen from your person than it is that you will miss the ship. If you did miss the ship you don't need ID to buy a train ticket to the next port or cross EU borders. I always leave my passport locked up in the ships safe or hotel safe.

 

Sorry to say, but your drivers licence may be a valid ID in the US but over here in Europe it´s totally worthless!!

 

The only ID valid over here is your passport!

 

Legally you have to carry your passport with you as soon as you are leaving the ship.

 

steamboats

[Sarvowinner]

On our Eastern Med out of Rome, we surrendered our passports when we embarked and picked them up the night before we disembarked. It must be OK as we stopped in four Schengen ports as well as Kudasi. I thought it may have been a problem when we rented a car in Messina but they were fine. We run a cooking school in Lucca and never carry our passports with us.

Edited August 1, 2015 by Sarvowinner

[cindivan]

We did the western med on the Allure in June. We never took out passports out of the safe once we got on the ship until the day we got off and had no problems.

 

The only reason some of our kids needed their drivers license was for some places we visited (some museums, the collisseum) where kids 17 and under get in free. And even then it was the older kids who looked like they might be 18. Our 14yo was fine.

[mimb1]

Just off Allure Sunday and cruise director stated you only need your seapass and government issue photo ID while in port. No passport required.