What do I need to get back on ship?

[CruzVinnieCruz]

OP asked "what is required to get back on the ship". I agree, Sail and Sign card (a must) and photo ID at many ports.

 

But If for some reason you miss the ship and are stuck in a port (foreign country), a passport "might" be a good thing to have with you, don't you think?

I always take mine with me as a precaution.

 

If you don't get back on the ship your passport will be surrendered to the port agent as long as you left it in the cabin safe.

 

No need to take it.

 

Take care,

Vinnie

[vamartha]

I take S&S card and my drivers license. And a color copy of my passport. The real one is locked in my safe in my cabin. Never a problem and only had to show the photo ID once.

[cruisinfanatic]

If you don't get back on the ship your passport will be surrendered to the port agent as long as you left it in the cabin safe.

 

No need to take it.

 

Take care,

Vinnie

that is a fairy tail

[RaiderFaninNM]

Like someone else stated they are highly sought after and one can become the target of a pickpocket.

 

I had one stolen by showing it when it was not necessary. On every cruise we have been on a passenger will bring this question up at the port talks and every single time the ships answer was the sign and sail card and government picture id but suggested to leave your passports in the safe in the cabin.

 

There is a procedure the ship follows if you do not board which is to go to your cabin and remove credit cards, passports etc. then surrender them to the ships agent for that port. So its not necessary to carry them on you.

 

Take care,

Vinnie

 

Then why have a PP? One has one use it, I keep the PP in my front pocket, ZERO chance of being pickpocketed, jez everyone is so paranoid of this, you have a bigger chance of getting PP in your own town....

[CruzVinnieCruz]

that is a fairy tail

 

A ships officer stood there in front of a cruise critic gathering and stated the procedure where they send the security officer with another officer to the cabin empty the contents place them into a sealed security bag and hand it offer to the port agent. He said it happens more often then one would think.

 

Maybe he lives in a fairy tale.

 

Then why have a PP? One has one use it, I keep the PP in my front pocket, ZERO chance of being pickpocketed, jez everyone is so paranoid of this, you have a bigger chance of getting PP in your own town....

 

My passport was not pick pocketed. They put a little more effort into it then that. I checked into a New York hotel and was scheduled for an over seas flight. Showed my passport at check in and then was called down to the front desk for a credit card issue which was not true when I got back to my room it was gone. To this day I think the clerk at the front desk was in on it.

 

Take care,

Vinnie

Edited November 11, 2015 by CruzVinnieCruz

[MCFTJCH2V]

When we get off at ports, what is needed to get back on the ship? In the past we have used our birth certificate and room key. I have also heard that we will need our passport.

 

Thanks!

 

Just photo ID and your Sail and Sign card.

[crusinpsychRN]

Unless specifically required by a particular port, you should never take a passport off the ship. Highly sought after by pickpockets and scammers, a lost or stolen passport is very difficult to replace, particularly if your home country's consulate is not closeby. Don't listen to those who say a passport card makes passport replacement easy. You still have to get to the consulate, which might necessitate an in-country or international flight - something that will not occur without a passport in hand.

 

In addition, there is a reason (actually several) why most premium and luxury cruise lines require passengers to surrender passports at embarkation. Not only does it ease customs inspection (without bothering passengers) but it also makes retrieval (and transfer to port agent) much easier if someone misses the ship.

 

If it makes you feel any better, you can take a copy of your passport main page with you or (for US residents) get the CBP "mobile passport" app for your phone (still not good for flight but has the key info items).

 

Don't report a lost passport too quickly or you go through the process to get a new one. My daughter lost her purse with passport in it. I immediately reported it. In 4 days a nice person mailed it back to her with her license, not the purse...She had to go through paying for a new one.

[HawkIVette]

If you don't get back on the ship your passport will be surrendered to the port agent as long as you left it in the cabin safe.

 

No need to take it.

 

Take care,

Vinnie

 

Again, If I take it with me, then there is no reason for the Port agent to hunt me down and return it to me.

Geez, why is everybody so afraid of losing the thing. I have taking it with me everytime I have cruised for almost 100 days and not lost it yet. I clip it in my money clip with the S&S card and in my front pocket.

Edited November 11, 2015 by HawkIVette

[cruisinfanatic]

A ships officer stood there in front of a cruise critic gathering and stated the procedure where they send the security officer with another officer to the cabin empty the contents place them into a sealed security bag and hand it offer to the port agent. He said it happens more often then one would think.

 

We've all seen runners. Hard to believe that they've all had their room safes ransacked and contents given to anyone ashore

[TerReuv]

Why does such an easy question turn into convoluted answers that are totally untrue.

 

When getting off the ship in ports you run your S&S card through the scanner that lets the ship know you are in port for the day. When you return to the ship you again scan your card which pulls up your photo ID (that was taken at embarkation) to ensure you are who you are. No other ID is required.

 

That being said...some excursion operators require photo ID (such as a driver's license) once you are at the port. You may also need photo ID at some stores if you are using a credit card.

 

Ports do not require passports since the ship's manifest lists all of the passengers and their appropriate IDs if required by the port you are visiting. And the ships do not require you to turn over your passport to them (at least in the western hemisphere).

 

Not so. This last cruise was the first one we have had to show both our ships card and photo ID to return to the ship. We did not have to have it to get on the ship, but we had to show it to get through the gates at the port.

[alexspepa]

In Key West you definitely need your photo ID. I learned that the hard way :(

yep...me too - "No honey you don't need to bring your drivers license...boy did I hear about that one.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Again, If I take it with me, then there is no reason for the Port agent to hunt me down and return it to me.

Geez, why is everybody so afraid of losing the thing. I have taking it with me everytime I have cruised for almost 100 days and not lost it yet. I clip it in my money clip with the S&S card and in my front pocket.

 

 

Front pocket? Just keep an eye out for those kids with bandaged fingers. Wondering why? Just keep your valuables in any pants pocket in ports like Barcelona or Lisbon and you'll eventually find out.

[RaiderFaninNM]

We've all seen runners. Hard to believe that they've all had their room safes ransacked and contents given to anyone ashore

 

True, this never made sense as it would be easier to let the person back on board rather then find out the persons name, cabin, get security to open the safe, gather the said contents, then walk it to the dock, funny how these types of rumors get started......:rolleyes:

[Flatbush Flyer]

True, this never made sense as it would be easier to let the person back on board rather then find out the persons name, cabin, get security to open the safe, gather the said contents, then walk it to the dock, funny how these types of rumors get started......:rolleyes:

 

 

Perhaps you don't realize that the ship (and the port and the pilot and the tug skippers [not to mention nearby traffic and tidal/current conditions]) is on a very tight and expensive schedule. Usually, only in extreme circumstances e.g., involving many passengers in a situation well beyond their control, will a cruise ship alter that schedule.

 

Of course with the understanding that someone who expects they may miss the ship (whether tour operator or passenger) will have already called either the ship or port agent (numbers should be listed in the ship's daily news document), retrieval of a passport (either from purser on ships that collect passports at embarkation or by security from cabin safe otherwise) is no major undertaking. And, depending on port and other circumstances, the passports can and may be taken ashore, after the ship has left, by the pilot and/or agent on their return to the dock. Lastly, it's the errant passenger who "hunts down" the agent (just call the number provided daily in each port) and not the other way around.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Perhaps you don't realize that the ship (and the port and the pilot and the tug skippers [not to mention nearby traffic and tidal/current conditions]) is on a very tight and expensive schedule. Usually, only in extreme circumstances e.g., involving many passengers in a situation well beyond their control, will a cruise ship alter that schedule.

 

Of course with the understanding that someone who expects they may miss the ship (whether tour operator or passenger) will have already called either the ship or port agent (numbers should be listed in the ship's daily news document), retrieval of a passport (either from purser on ships that collect passports at embarkation or by security from cabin safe otherwise) is no major undertaking. And, depending on port and other circumstances, the passports can and may be taken ashore, after the ship has left, by the pilot and/or agent on their return to the dock. Lastly, it's the errant passenger who "hunts down" the agent (just call the number provided daily in each port) and not the other way around.

 

EVERYONE Is on a "tight" schedule...........;)

[CruzVinnieCruz]

We've all seen runners. Hard to believe that they've all had their room safes ransacked and contents given to anyone ashore

 

My answers were not directed to someone who is running down the dock obviously they got through port security. Mine was directed to people who think they must take their passport ashore in case something would happen and they would miss the ship.

 

This is from another board where a crew member was answering questions I believe he was a Princess crew member that was in management but I do not know his position. Someone stated that a passenger was left behind on their last port on a longer cruise and what was the procedure.

 

Here is his response:

 

"This sort of thing happens all the time. On a large ship - like the one I manage - every cruise we have at least one cabin that misses the ship at the final port.

 

Ship Security searches their cabin for passports and valuables, and secures them.

Passports go to the port agent before we depart. Agent arranges visas for those left behind.

The port agent assists in getting the tardy passengers back to our home port (At passenger's expense).

Cabin steward packs up their belongings.

The suitcases are offloaded and waiting at Customs when the passengers come to pick them up."

 

Take care,

Vinnie

Edited November 11, 2015 by CruzVinnieCruz

[mds556]

If you are traveling from and back to the same port in the US. Do you even need your passport? Isn't your birth certificate another form of proof of residency?

[thinfool]

If you are traveling from and back to the same port in the US. Do you even need your passport? Isn't your birth certificate another form of proof of residency?

 

you got it right. Tho the BC is proof of citizenship. A DL is a corroborating photo and ID.

 

The passport folks are very passionate about carrying theirs...with little consideration to the fact that thousands upon thousands of US passengers sail with only a BC and photo ID in the Caribbean every year.

 

For several ports in Europe the ship collects your PP and issues a government approved 'Landing Card' that is good for local ID while you are ashore that day. You have no choice.

[Flatbush Flyer]

If you are traveling from and back to the same port in the US. Do you even need your passport? Isn't your birth certificate another form of proof of residency?

 

 

At the bottom line, whether you can visit any particular port on any cruise depends on the specific government regulations at that port when you visit, as well as the cruise line's own requirements.

 

Know that even countries which normally do not require passports on closed loop US -Caribbean cruises could change to requiring passports on very short notice.

 

And, of course, if you must depart the ship and fly home (e.g., medical issue) from a foreign port, you must have a passport (not the lesser "passport card").

 

Note too that cruise lines have their own doc rules. Pretty much all premium and luxury cruise lines require that ALL passengers on ALL itineraries possess passports (and often require passengers to surrender them to the ship's purser at embarkation) for all of the obvious reasons.

[mds556]

At the bottom line, whether you can visit any particular port on any cruise depends on the specific government regulations at that port when you visit, as well as the cruise line's own requirements.

 

So why wouldn't the cruise line tell you if you will need it at a certain port on your itinerary? Isn't saying a BC is enough, setting someone up, if the port that you visit DOES require it?

 

I have only cruised RCCL and CCL so I don't know what the other lines say in their requirements.

[kerryincork]

If you read the terms and conditions they all say it is the responsibility of passengers to ensure they have correct travel documents eg passport, visas etc. This does not mean calling cruise line and asking, but checking various government website. From my own experience cruise line employees have no clue about passport /visa requirements (those in the office not on ships). So make sure you do your research. I don't know how many times I've read on here and other sites passengers being denied boarding because they didn't have correct documents. Passports are the international travel requirements of choice, and you are less likely to run into difficulties if you have one.

[Chewybub]

Thanks for the info! I will bring my DL and S&S card along when getting off ship. What should we do for the kids though? Just their S&S card?

[Havingfun2010]

Why does such an easy question turn into convoluted answers that are totally untrue.

 

When getting off the ship in ports you run your S&S card through the scanner that lets the ship know you are in port for the day. When you return to the ship you again scan your card which pulls up your photo ID (that was taken at embarkation) to ensure you are who you are. No other ID is required.

 

Some ports require a photo ID to get to the ship. You also need to show you belong to one of the ships. So the answer is you always need a "government issued photo ID" and a "ship card". The photo ID can either be a DL or passport. It's always fun to watch the people who get held up at the gate without any ID.

 

That being said...some excursion operators require photo ID (such as a driver's license) once you are at the port. You may also need photo ID at some stores if you are using a credit card.

 

Ports do not require passports since the ship's manifest lists all of the passengers and their appropriate IDs if required by the port you are visiting. And the ships do not require you to turn over your passport to them (at least in the western hemisphere).

 

But even your answer is untrue!

[LTS1960]

Thanks for the info! I will bring my DL and S&S card along when getting off ship. What should we do for the kids though? Just their S&S card?

 

 

Kids just need their S&S card as most kids under 16 do not have a photo ID (unless they a military dependent in which they get a photo ID at age 11) and they will be with parents. We have a 17 and 15 yr old and they didn't need an ID at the port to get back in because they were with us. They look older so were asked but we said we were the parents and told them their ages.

[SanityThief]

You can also get your children a state id from the department of motor vehicles. That will give them a valid photo id. I did this for my son when he was 13 but he looked older. It made it easier for him to go through security.