Taking passports on tours

[az_tchr]

Like most others, we take colour copies of passports ashore and leave originals in the safe. Also having the name of the cruise agent ashore is important.

 

These days as most people have smart phones it would probably be useful for cruise companies to provide a list of all of their agents in ports of call as part of the cruise docs before we even start the cruise.

 

 

On Celebrity the name, address and phone number for every port agent is listed in the daily sheet you get the night before.

 

A passport card is fine but it will not get you on an airplane outside the USA. Only good going to or from US via land.

 

Am sure some did not understand that if you are not on onboard when the ship departs, Celebrity will send an officer to your cabin and get your passport. It is held by the port agent at the dock for a while and then taken to their office. Had friends who were delayed by a minor car smash and arrived an hour late. The port agent was waiting at the dock. They gave them their passports and assisted with arranging transport to the next port.

 

Hec - Agree with a valid credit card with you at all times. We also take our phone with us with email copies of all pertinent contact info. What I think you are missing is what do you do if you are pickpocketed? They take your passport and you are in Turkey. What now? Without a new passport you are going nowhere. The copy is nice but it will not get you on a plane. Thus now the need to get a new passport and appear personally at an embassy or consulate. Why risk that?

Edited February 4, 2016 by az_tchr

[Jane2357]

At the risk of being shot down in flames, I have to say I take the opposite view.

 

I will not be parted from my passport and good credit cards.....unless demanded by authority.

 

That way I can get out of any mess life may throw at us ( providing one of us is alive of course).

 

The thought of having any issue which added a layer of stress... contact port agent etc, I can well do without.

 

 

Not saying others are wrong, this is my personal strategy which has served us well on many adventures ....

 

I leave the copy in the safe.....

 

Finally -- the voice of reason! I am with on this one - my passport is with me off the ship.

 

While the color copies of a passport will speed up getting a replacement passport - it will not get you on an airplane and on to the next destination to meet your ship. You miss your ship - you and your copy will have to get to the embassy to try to get a new one - which might mean an over night stay. Me - I'll already be at the airport. :D

 

For those that believe that they will go get your passport from your safe - the ship does not have time to do that. They keep hoping up to the last minute that you are still going to show up. And even if you phoned ahead to say you wouldn't make it - you want someone rifling in your safe? You think your jewelry would all just be sitting there - or that they would take a chance of even putting themselves into that position? No.

 

I read a thread here on CC written by a man who missed his ship - and the rest of his family made it back and they still didn't leave his passport for him. It was a nightmare story and one that I will never place myself into the position of finding out.

 

And why is everyone so scared of losing their passport or having it stolen? Do you have this fear about your purse in everyday life? Take a few safety precautions and go have fun. Get a Pacsafe purse (theft resistant) and a Vacation Vault.

[CathyCruises]

Finally -- the voice of reason! I am with on this one - my passport is with me off the ship.

 

While the color copies of a passport will speed up getting a replacement passport - it will not get you on an airplane and on to the next destination to meet your ship. You miss your ship - you and your copy will have to get to the embassy to try to get a new one - which might mean an over night stay. Me - I'll already be at the airport. :D

 

For those that believe that they will go get your passport from your safe - the ship does not have time to do that. They keep hoping up to the last minute that you are still going to show up. And even if you phoned ahead to say you wouldn't make it - you want someone rifling in your safe? You think your jewelry would all just be sitting there - or that they would take a chance of even putting themselves into that position? No.

 

I read a thread here on CC written by a man who missed his ship - and the rest of his family made it back and they still didn't leave his passport for him. It was a nightmare story and one that I will never place myself into the position of finding out.

 

And why is everyone so scared of losing their passport or having it stolen? Do you have this fear about your purse in everyday life? Take a few safety precautions and go have fun. Get a Pacsafe purse (theft resistant) and a Vacation Vault.

Best of luck to you with that philosophy. I'm a very cautious person and I am aware of my surroundings at all times. That does not mean I have not been held up at gunpoint in my own (locked) home, and had things stolen from me on several different occasions, including a car, wallet (x2), new $1000 camera, etc. Are you not aware that a US passport is a very high value item for thieves and pickpockets? We'll have to disagree on this one. And while you're at the police station complaining about your passport being stolen, I will be handed mine by the port agent. . .

[waterbug123]

I just checked, tho, and found out that it WILL get you back into the U.S. if you are traveling from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or a Caribbean island.

 

 

Where did you read that? My understanding has always been that to board an international flight you must have a full passport. I would to read whatever you did that has info to the contrary. Thanks!

[waterbug123]

I understand your view and it is not without some merit. However, consider the loss of the passport and how expensive and problematic obtaining a replacement would be.

 

 

For me, the benefit of having my passport with me if I miss the ship far outweighs the cost and problem of replacing a lost or stolen passport when I get home. Everyone has to do what they are comfortable with. I'm comfortable taking my passport ashore with me, not leaving it behind. YMMV

[cwbabe48]

I am with Water Bug! Where I go , my passport will go! Amen!

[4774Papa]

For me, the benefit of having my passport with me if I miss the ship far outweighs the cost and problem of replacing a lost or stolen passport when I get home. Everyone has to do what they are comfortable with. I'm comfortable taking my passport ashore with me, not leaving it behind. YMMV

 

If your passport is stolen while ashore in a foreign country, you will have to replace the passport BEFORE you return home.

If you are in a port that doesn't have a US Consulate, you have to make it to a city that has one and get new photos and pay for an expedited passport. This can take some days, depending on where your are stranded.

 

I must say that I don't know the policies of cruise lines if your passport is stolen regarding allowing you to board to return to the port of origin.

 

Most of our cruises are overseas, since we have only done one Caribbean. If you are in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Norway, UK, Portugal, etc. You are a long way from home.

 

True, there is a balance between the risk of theft or loss vs. leaving it in the safe on the ship. However, ask yourself why you would need to have the actual passport in hand while on a tour. About the only reason is a medical emergency when you have to disembark the ship. then as detailed above your passport would be retrieved by the port agent.

[az_tchr]

Finally -- the voice of reason! I am with on this one - my passport is with me off the ship.

 

While the color copies of a passport will speed up getting a replacement passport - it will not get you on an airplane and on to the next destination to meet your ship. You miss your ship - you and your copy will have to get to the embassy to try to get a new one - which might mean an over night stay. Me - I'll already be at the airport. :D

 

For those that believe that they will go get your passport from your safe - the ship does not have time to do that. They keep hoping up to the last minute that you are still going to show up. And even if you phoned ahead to say you wouldn't make it - you want someone rifling in your safe? You think your jewelry would all just be sitting there - or that they would take a chance of even putting themselves into that position? No.

 

I read a thread here on CC written by a man who missed his ship - and the rest of his family made it back and they still didn't leave his passport for him. It was a nightmare story and one that I will never place myself into the position of finding out.

 

And why is everyone so scared of losing their passport or having it stolen? Do you have this fear about your purse in everyday life? Take a few safety precautions and go have fun. Get a Pacsafe purse (theft resistant) and a Vacation Vault.

 

Jane - Your reasoning has left you. Do you not understand if you leave your passport in the safe or in the custody of Celebrity they do NOT leave with your passport! They open your safe and remove it leaving it and any meds they find with the port agent.

 

They do wait some minutes and absolutely do have time to get passports IF (and only if) they are in the safe. FWIW - I am not worried about losing my passport as it stays in the safe. Had friends mugged in Rome. They lost passports, phone and wallets with credit cards and ID. Absolutely a complete mess. Their passports were with the husband in a holder under his shirt.

[Music Cruiser]

Interesting discussions! We have always heeded advice to never leave the ship with passports. In fact we seldom leave with a photo ID. In 10 or so cruises, from Alaska to Greece we have never been asked for a photo ID until our last cruise in January. The military guard in Nassau would not let us on the ship until they checked the ship manifest for our names. They took our ship cards and we had to wait in groups of 30 or so for a military escort to the ship. I think that a copy of my passport will accompany me on future shore visits.

[jb008]

Interesting discussions! We have always heeded advice to never leave the ship with passports. In fact we seldom leave with a photo ID. In 10 or so cruises, from Alaska to Greece we have never been asked for a photo ID until our last cruise in January. The military guard in Nassau would not let us on the ship until they checked the ship manifest for our names. They took our ship cards and we had to wait in groups of 30 or so for a military escort to the ship. I think that a copy of my passport will accompany me on future shore visits.

 

St Thomas they needed photo ID and cruise card to access the port - we were also checked at exit for photo ID and refused exit from the port w/out ID.

[fleckle]

We also have family members who were mugged and had their money, passports and jewelry stolen.

 

They thought they were being so clever wearing money belts under their clothing, but those thieves know very well where tourists "hide" their money and passports.

 

It was quite a traumatic ordeal for them with all the red tape involved filing police reports, long waits to be interviewed and then even more red tape and longer waiting to get their passports replaced.

 

Like so many other tourists, they naively believed it would never happen to them -- until it did.

 

 

If we should miss the ship, simply picking up our passports from the port agent would be a piece of cake compared to the ordeal of needing to get our passports replaced.

 

It would be especially aggravating if it was our own fault for carrying passports around with us off the ship at a location where they were not needed at all, instead of leaving them safely locked up.

 

 

Edited February 4, 2016 by fleckle

[Flatbush Flyer]

Finally -- the voice of reason! I am with on this one - my passport is with me off the ship.

 

 

 

While the color copies of a passport will speed up getting a replacement passport - it will not get you on an airplane and on to the next destination to meet your ship. You miss your ship - you and your copy will have to get to the embassy to try to get a new one - which might mean an over night stay. Me - I'll already be at the airport. :D

 

 

 

For those that believe that they will go get your passport from your safe - the ship does not have time to do that. They keep hoping up to the last minute that you are still going to show up. And even if you phoned ahead to say you wouldn't make it - you want someone rifling in your safe? You think your jewelry would all just be sitting there - or that they would take a chance of even putting themselves into that position? No.

 

 

 

I read a thread here on CC written by a man who missed his ship - and the rest of his family made it back and they still didn't leave his passport for him. It was a nightmare story and one that I will never place myself into the position of finding out.

 

 

 

And why is everyone so scared of losing their passport or having it stolen? Do you have this fear about your purse in everyday life? Take a few safety precautions and go have fun. Get a Pacsafe purse (theft resistant) and a Vacation Vault.

 

 

Sorry folks- not the voice of reason. There's absolute logic to why premium and luxury cruise lines not only require passports on all itineraries and collect them at embarkation (on all but a very few routes).

 

Requiring the passports protects each passenger in the event that they find themselves in need of unplanned air transportation home or elsewhere internationally (BTW, the poster who thinks a passport card will get them on an airplane is in for a rude awakening).

 

Collecting the passports is common sense.

 

In the possession of the purser there are no concerns regarding lost, stolen or otherwise misplaced passports, which can negatively impact more folks than just that passenger.

 

For those who do miss the ship, there is no question regarding where the passport is or how to get it back in the hands of its owner (purser to port agent OR purser to harbor pilot to port agent.

 

And even without an emergency, the purser's possession of passports avoids unnecessary early morning wake up of passengers at entry ports requiring passport clearances. That job is done by the purser while you sleep or dine or whatever (except where face-to-face border interviews are required [e.g., French Polynesia], in which case nothing gets held up while you would be searching for a passport that you think you left in the safe or just now realize was pickpocket in your previous port.

 

Ask long time business and government officials, who travel internationally for a living, if they carry a passport while out on the town. With few exceptions, they'll all say "no." In fact, ask crew on your ship. At most, they may carry their ship ID and a TWIC (where required by a port authority).

[yj_eugene]

Finally -- the voice of reason! I am with on this one - my passport is with me off the ship

 

Totally agree. We carry our passport books while in a foreign country. That's what they're made for. Copies have no status whatsoever. Neither do passport cards, which only have one official purpose, to get you back into the US by land or sea. We do also have the cards, but they're what remains in the safe at all times. If our books are lost or stolen, the cards will get us back in the US, and also make getting replacement books a cinch. Passport books, a credit card each, health cards, ship IDs, some cash, and a little point-and-shoot camera are what goes off the ship with us.

[waterbug123]

If your passport is stolen while ashore in a foreign country, you will have to replace the passport BEFORE you return home.

 

 

I must say that I don't know the policies of cruise lines if your passport is stolen regarding allowing you to board to return to the port of origin.

 

 

First of all, if it was lost or stolen, I would NOT have to replace it before returning home, provided I was on a Caribbean cruise. In that situation it doesn't matter to the cruise line if I have my passport when we head home or not, as they don't need it. I'd be delayed going through customs back in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami or whatever, but that's it. I could get home and replace it then.

[Iamcruzin]

What good will color copies or digital copies of a passport do? If you think that you will be able to board a plane or enter another country with a reproduced copy you are sadly mistaken. The passports have a chip which is set up to prevent fraud. If all we had to do was to make copies of official documents then it would be pointless to even have them in the first place. Copies of birth certificates are useless as well. If someone can steal your passport they can also steal the copies

[Iamcruzin]

Interesting discussions! We have always heeded advice to never leave the ship with passports. In fact we seldom leave with a photo ID. In 10 or so cruises, from Alaska to Greece we have never been asked for a photo ID until our last cruise in January. The military guard in Nassau would not let us on the ship until they checked the ship manifest for our names. They took our ship cards and we had to wait in groups of 30 or so for a military escort to the ship. I think that a copy of my passport will accompany me on future shore visits.

 

Bermuda requires Photo ID before they let you through to where the ship is docked.

[lovemylab]

For those that believe that they will go get your passport from your safe - the ship does not have time to do that.

 

I believe it because I've seen it with my own eyes. Futhermore, it's been confirmed by ships officers.

 

I read a thread here on CC written by a man who missed his ship - and the rest of his family made it back and they still didn't leave his passport for him. It was a nightmare story and one that I will never place myself into the position of finding out.

 

And likewise, I've read numerous threads where the passports were retrieved. I've also read numerous threads where passports were lost/stolen which also created nightmare stories.

 

And why is everyone so scared of losing their passport or having it stolen? Do you have this fear about your purse in everyday life? Take a few safety precautions and go have fun. Get a Pacsafe purse (theft resistant) and a Vacation Vault.

 

Why are you so afraid of missing the ship and having to fly to the next destination? You could also take a few safety precautions and go have fun. Get a watch and make port plans that involve being back to the ship early.

 

Personally, I feel there is a greater chance of my passport being lost/stolen vs. me missing the ship. For that reason, mine stays onboard. Both have their pros/cons and it's up to the individual to determine what is best for them.

[Iamcruzin]

When we get our passports, we go to Kinkos and make a copy of our Main Page and Signature page. We reduce it in size until, when folded, it is wallet size. We then laminate it and carry it in our wallets when ever we are traveling out of the country. We do not take our passports off the ship, or out of the hotel, unless instructed to do so. I think the only place was in Russia.

 

We also have the passport cards, but you cannot fly with them. They are only good for driving into Mexico and Canada, which we do since we live in Michigan.

 

We have used our Kinkos copy as our picture ID to re-board the ship, and several officials have remarked that it is a good idea. This is what we do.

 

We also take one credit card and our insurance card. Any important info for the trip is in our phones, or readily accesible through our e-mail.

 

Well that's not very reassuring that an official allowed you to enter with a fake ID. Fake meaning no raised seal, hologram or chip and laminated non the less. I don't have to go to Kinko's. I can make copies and photo shop anyone's face on a pass port document right from home. I wonder if these officials would be willing to accept any cash that I can make copies of?

[lovemylab]

What good will color copies or digital copies of a passport do? If you think that you will be able to board a plane or enter another country with a reproduced copy you are sadly mistaken. The passports have a chip which is set up to prevent fraud. If all we had to do was to make copies of official documents then it would be pointless to even have them in the first place. Copies of birth certificates are useless as well. If someone can steal your passport they can also steal the copies

 

Nobody has suggested that someone could board a plane or enter another country with a copy. I am not sure where you got that idea :confused::confused::confused:

 

A color copy will expedite the process of obtaining a new passport. I have also used it as photo ID at several ports.

 

If someone did steal the color copy of my passport I would still be okay. I email a copy of the passport to myself before travelling; therefore, as long as I have internet access, I can easily obtain another copy ;)

Edited February 5, 2016 by lovemylab

[az_tchr]

Totally agree. We carry our passport books while in a foreign country. That's what they're made for. Copies have no status whatsoever. Neither do passport cards, which only have one official purpose, to get you back into the US by land or sea. We do also have the cards, but they're what remains in the safe at all times. If our books are lost or stolen, the cards will get us back in the US, and also make getting replacement books a cinch. Passport books, a credit card each, health cards, ship IDs, some cash, and a little point-and-shoot camera are what goes off the ship with us.

 

Eugene - wish you lots of luck. Your passport card will not get you on an airplane. It is only good for driving or boat between USA, Canada and Mexico. If you miss the ship in say Barbados on a Friday you will need to wait until Monday morning to show up at the US Embassy.

 

Passports are made for travel. Yes. That is why you showed them when you boarded your travel vehicle - the ship. While on board or during excursions you do not need your passport except in certain countries. If you miss the ship it is really simple that the ship takes about 5 minutes and hands them to the port agent who waits on the pier for an hour or so. You arrive he hands you the passport and assists with onward travel.

If you are mugged or otherwise lose your passport and are in an accident or simply late then it is your problem to get a new passport the next working day.

 

I do totally agree on a picture ID and a credit card each. Only taking a s sea pass is silly as is taking a camera worth lots of $$.

[Iamcruzin]

Nobody has suggested that someone could board a plane or enter another country with a copy. I am not sure where you got that idea :confused::confused::confused:

 

A color copy will expedite the process of obtaining a new passport. I have also used it as photo ID at several ports.

 

If someone did steal the color copy of my passport I would still be okay. I email a copy of the passport to myself before travelling; therefore, as long as I have internet access, I can easily obtain another copy ;)

 

I always bring my drivers license as photo ID to re enter the port. I don't understand how a copy of any official document can be used as photo ID. What is the point of asking for photo ID if a copy is accepted? I don't bother with paper copies of passports. I save a copy on my phone and email everything including the itinerary and cruise invoice to both personal email address, and business email address. If I lose my phone I'm sure I can find computer access to retrieve my information.

[yj_eugene]

Eugene - wish you lots of luck. Your passport card will not get you on an airplane. It is only good for driving or boat between USA, Canada and Mexico. If you miss the ship in say Barbados on a Friday you will need to wait until Monday morning to show up at the US Embassy.

 

Um, you misread my post. If I miss the ship in Barbados, I'd have my passport book with me, so no problem catching the next flight. The book I carry in port. The card never leaves the ship until I disembark. Thanks for the luck though.

Edited February 5, 2016 by yj_eugene
Fat fingers.

[sylmack]

Passports should NEVER be taken ashore unless you are planning on staying overnight onshore. If not collected by the cruise line, it should be locked in your safe. It doesn't do you any good onshore, and if stolen, leads to all sorts of inconvenience.

 

Cruise line personnel advise you don't take it onshore.

Your gov't advises you don't take it onshore. And since THEY own the passport, not you, maybe you should listen to them.

 

If you miss the ship, your passport will be waiting for you with the port agent. I have seen it a number of times.