Can you get your passport back from Princess so you can take an international tour?

[mr green]

As a Canadian I do not recall giving up my passport on any Princess Cruise, other lines yes. john

[CanTex]

Sorry, I just don't agree about whose decision it is, at least in the Caribbean. We've been enough itineraries on different lines to compare these policies, and for those itineraries with the same countries involved it's clear that it is the cruise lines that are handling this differently from each other.

 

It is not the Cruise Ships decision whether to collect passports. It is the requirement of Customs of the country to be visited that dictates whether a passport is collected. I do not think the ship wants to be responsible for retaining and then responsible for returning passports unless Customs require it.

 

In Europe it is not unusual to have the passports of hotel occupants xeroxed and the information transmitted to local authorities. It is all a part the increased security measures we have experienced.

 

Ships have been turned away from ports because immigation information (your passport) was incomplete or missing. A ship was denied entry at St. Thomas recently and Tiger Wood's yacht was denied entry to Puerto Rico because the authorities were not properly notified.

 

Personally I welcome the increased scrutiy and inceased security.:)