Passports? ID's?

[chenj78]

We'll be on the Allure next month with stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. Does anyone know what type of identification we will need to bring with us to re-board the ship? We will be going to the beach at least one of the ports, so I really want to minimize what we have to bring. I know my Sea Pass card will be a given, but will I need to bring passports and/or drivers license? Thank you everyone in advance.

[Clarea]

We'll be on the Allure next month with stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. Does anyone know what type of identification we will need to bring with us to re-board the ship? We will be going to the beach at least one of the ports, so I really want to minimize what we have to bring. I know my Sea Pass card will be a given, but will I need to bring passports and/or drivers license? Thank you everyone in advance.

You need a photo ID at Nassau.

[danp]

What we did was photo copy our passport and use that as ID,NEVER take your passport off of the ship. RCCL always accepts our copy as our ID.As we are seniors we also put all of our medicines on the back part of the copy, because you never know when you need it. Also I wouldn't take our Driver Lic off unless you are renting a car.

[Havingfun2010]

What we did was photo copy our passport and use that as ID,NEVER take your passport off of the ship. RCCL always accepts our copy as our ID.As we are seniors we also put all of our medicines on the back part of the copy, because you never know when you need it. Also I wouldn't take our Driver Lic off unless you are renting a car.

 

I don't understand all you "don't do this, don't do that" statements. Your passport is needed as an ID and a just in case you miss the ship. It might be very rare, but why wouldn't you take it with you? I carry mine all over the place, when traveling since it is my ID. Next, what's wrong with your DL? Don't you carry it with you at home? I do. Never leaves my wallet. It is my official government issued ID.

 

It is required to take a photo ID with you when you leave the ship. The ship does not need it, but the port does. When you enter/exit port areas at many locations, they require you show an picture ID.

[Langley Cruisers]

Also I wouldn't take our Driver Lic off unless you are renting a car.

 

Sorry, I can't agree with you here. We take our Sea Pass and DL with us into every port. Easy as pie, no worries. We keep everything close to us, and if we go swimming, they easily fit into a waterproof pouch or small zipper baggie in my husband's swim trunks. :)

[danp]

I was explaining what we do,you don't have to go along with it so just do your thing

[readytogo2]

In the Caribbean, we usually take just our cruise card and drivers license. We leave our passports in the safe. I don't think a photo copy of your passport is acceptable ID. We do make copies of our passport just in case it gets lost.

[Queen of Oakville]

I don't understand all you "don't do this, don't do that" statements. Your passport is needed as an ID and a just in case you miss the ship. It might be very rare, but why wouldn't you take it with you? I carry mine all over the place, when traveling since it is my ID. Next, what's wrong with your DL? Don't you carry it with you at home? I do. Never leaves my wallet. It is my official government issued ID.

 

It is required to take a photo ID with you when you leave the ship. The ship does not need it, but the port does. When you enter/exit port areas at many locations, they require you show an picture ID.

 

This is what we do as well. You must pass "island" security/customs before you get to the Royal Security at which time, your seapass is what you need to get back on the ship.

 

Personally, I would not take a chance with the Island customs official not accepting a photocopy. Also, if the ship leaves without you for some reason, you want to have sufficient identification on you to help you get home again.

[bouhunter]

What we did was photo copy our passport and use that as ID,NEVER take your passport off of the ship. RCCL always accepts our copy as our ID.As we are seniors we also put all of our medicines on the back part of the copy, because you never know when you need it. Also I wouldn't take our Driver Lic off unless you are renting a car.

 

There is no right or wrong answer regarding passports in most cases, just personal opinions. There is certainly no valid reason to NEVER take your passport off the ship. A copy of a passport might help get a replacement if one missed the ship, but is no form of ID whatsoever.....

 

Sure, don't take a drivers license either, after all it's best to have no official ID whatsoever :)

 

For OP - you don't have to take your passport, but a drivers license is a good idea.

Edited May 10, 2016 by bouhunter

[Langley Cruisers]

I was explaining what we do,you don't have to go along with it so just do your thing

 

So was I.

[Merion_Mom]

We'll be on the Allure next month with stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. Does anyone know what type of identification we will need to bring with us to re-board the ship? We will be going to the beach at least one of the ports, so I really want to minimize what we have to bring. I know my Sea Pass card will be a given, but will I need to bring passports and/or drivers license? Thank you everyone in advance.

 

Your driver's license is the same shape and size as your SeaPass card. It's no burden to carry it along with your SeaPass. In some ports, definitely Nassau & St. Thomas, you will need to show both to the local authorities.

 

(it does NOT have to be your driver's license, just a "government issued photo ID. But DL is the easiest, as described in my first sentence)

[chenj78]

What about kids? They don't have a DL, so I will need to bring their passports?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Merion_Mom]

What about kids? They don't have a DL, so I will need to bring their passports?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Children under 16 are not required to show anything but their SeaPass cards when they are with you..........which they must be.

 

:)

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

We take our passports because we want them stamped in every country we visit.

[leisuretraveler223]

Your passport is needed as an ID and a just in case you miss the ship. It might be very rare, but why wouldn't you take it with you? I carry mine all over the place, when traveling since it is my ID. Next, what's wrong with your DL? Don't you carry it with you at home? I do.

 

I'm with you. I travel all over the world and almost always have my passport on me. Heck, I travel within the U.S. and carry it, both as a second form of ID, and on the off chance my plans change and I decide to leave the country.

 

While cruising has certainly evolved from the old idea of "the newlywed and the nearly dead", it still skews to a somewhat more cautious traveler. That's why you read so much on here about "peace of mind" moves such as booking air and excursions with the cruise line, travel insurance, etc... Cruising does offer the opportunity for unique and exotic travel in a highly "protected" fashion. As such, you will find a lot more people who are unnerved at the tought of losing their passport, and therefore are reassured by knowing it's nice and secure in the room safe.

 

Personally, I never feel as vulnerable as when I'm on foreign soil without my passport. I get with some itineraries the ship has to hold it, and I accept that. But anytime I can carry it with me, I do. My passport is pretty beat up. It's wrinkled, dog-eared, and has even gotten wet. I'd rather beat it up, than have it in good condition but not with me.

[wendychloecruiser]

A photocopy of a passport is also sufficient as ID if you are concerned about taking yours off the ship.

[leisuretraveler223]

A photocopy of a passport is also sufficient as ID if you are concerned about taking yours off the ship.

 

Just to be clear. A photocopy of a passport MIGHT be sufficient as ID to return to the port and reboard the ship. However, it holds no weight or validity in terms of legal identification or status while on foreign soil, or for attempting to return to country of issue.

[alfaeric]

For us- all cruises have been drivers licence and seapass card- easiest to carry, hardest to damage due to size.

 

As for "what if you miss the ship"- having looked into it, you can get a replacement if you have a photocopy OR a good picture of it on a device. While it would lessen the hassle of getting back- getting a replacement seems to be on the lower end of the hassle scale when missing the ship. :)

[steveru621]

This is what we do as well. You must pass "island" security/customs before you get to the Royal Security at which time, your seapass is what you need to get back on the ship.

 

Personally, I would not take a chance with the Island customs official not accepting a photocopy. Also, if the ship leaves without you for some reason, you want to have sufficient identification on you to help you get home again.

 

Island security/customs is mostly non-existent (noted exceptions). I get the impression most places these port workers are there only as window dressing. After all the ship checks your seapass twice when you enter the gangway.

 

There are few places in the world where you need a passport to return to the ship, (none that I can remember). On some Med cruises they take your passport at check-in, and return it when you pass the country that required it. If they look at anything it's only a photo ID and always your seapass. I doubt any of these port people would know a real DL from a fake one!

 

RCI has always recommended you leave your passport on the ship. You take a photo ID with you because if you, god forbid, have an accident, they know who you are and where you are from.

 

If you lose your seapass (I did), ports usually have a passenger manifest and a special process.

 

My theory, do what makes you comfortable. Us, seapass, DL, and one credit card.

[ZoeyVictoria]

I thought I lost my DL while on a cruise a few months ago. I ordered (and paid for) a replacement before I found the original buried in the stack of one- and five-dollar bills I take for tips/taxis. Now I keep the duplicate in my carryon so I don't have to worry about it. I used my government employee I.D. on the cruise when my DL went missing and the security guard didn't spend an extra second checking to see what it was, just looked at the photo.

[mollyeilis]

For us- all cruises have been drivers licence and seapass card- easiest to carry, hardest to damage due to size.

 

As for "what if you miss the ship"- having looked into it, you can get a replacement if you have a photocopy OR a good picture of it on a device. While it would lessen the hassle of getting back- getting a replacement seems to be on the lower end of the hassle scale when missing the ship. :)

 

Even without a photocopy of the passport you can get a new one. If you lost yours, you could get a new one, right? Maybe it speeds things up; personally I doubt it.

 

 

WE take our passports with us if we are in a different country EXCEPT for Castaway and Coco Cays, and when we drive up to Canada. We don't walk around Vancouver with our passports in our bags when in Canada (but we have them in the safe in the hotel room). Everywhere else, it's on us.

 

 

The concern about taking the passports off with you is "what if you get robbed or you lose it?"

 

The concern about NOT taking the passports off with you is "what if something happens and you miss the ship and now need to take a plane internationally?"

 

Choose what YOU are most worried about. And go with that. (and with what that country and the cruiseline needs to get you back onboard)

 

 

Nassau and St Thomas would have been fine with our US drivers license and seapass. I'm sure Kitts is, too, but we haven't been there. But we took, and will take, our passports off with us.:D

[Johnamac123]

What we did was photo copy our passport and use that as ID,NEVER take your passport off of the ship. RCCL always accepts our copy as our ID.As we are seniors we also put all of our medicines on the back part of the copy, because you never know when you need it. Also I wouldn't take our Driver Lic off unless you are renting a car.

 

If you miss the ship leaving, RCI will leave your passport book with the port authority if it is in your room/safe. You might consider getting a passport card in addition to your passport book when you renew next time.

[Pratique]

If you miss the ship leaving, RCI will leave your passport book with the port authority if it is in your room/safe.

 

This is good to know!

 

You might consider getting a passport card in addition to your passport book when you renew next time.

 

The passport card is good for entering the U.S. by land or sea but not by air (e.g., if you missed the ship and had to fly back). Also it may not be recognized for entry into certain other countries (e.g., if you miss the ship and decide or need to stay awhile). Canada is OK but not sure about others. In other words, the passport card seems to have limited usefulness as a passport, it is mostly for people who drive across the border a lot.

[karena1]

We'll be on the Allure next month with stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. Does anyone know what type of identification we will need to bring with us to re-board the ship? We will be going to the beach at least one of the ports, so I really want to minimize what we have to bring. I know my Sea Pass card will be a given, but will I need to bring passports and/or drivers license? Thank you everyone in advance.

 

DL is all you need. I keep a copy of my passports in my little "purse" I take to the islands, but my actual passport goes into the safe the minute I am in the cabin and I never take it out until the day we leave the ship. Very few islands even require an ID, but Nassau does. I always take our DL's with us out to the islands.

[alfaeric]

Even without a photocopy of the passport you can get a new one. If you lost yours, you could get a new one, right? Maybe it speeds things up; personally I doubt it.

 

 

Well, the State Department suggests a copy of a good picture of it to get a replacement.

 

Under the "what do I need to replace my passport"

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

 

Evidence of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, photocopy of your missing passport)

 

So, yea, a copy and/or picture of it would come rather handy.