Passport and Caribbean Cruise

[jakzak10]

When getting off the ship, do you bring your actual passport with you, or a copy of the passport, or just photo ID and you sign and sail card?

[klfrodo]

Hot topic....

 

You'll get every answer under the sun here.

Do what you're most comfortable with.

 

Myself,,, I take my passport with me. It's what I got it for. For official identification while in a foreign country.

 

 

Then again,,, just returned from a med cruise where the cruise line kept all non EU passports and returned them on the day before debarkation.

[firemanbobswife]

I leave mine on the ship. Much higher chance of me misplacing it or it getting stolen than me missing the ship. I take my DL.

 

John Heald has said several times and other people have witnessed it first hand that if you don't ding back into the ship before they depart, they will send 2 ship's officers to your safe to retrieve the Passports and leave them with security on the pier for you to collect when you arrive.

 

There are some that don't believe in leaving it behind and that's fine. I am always back in plenty of time and I know that if I am am robbed or lose it AND manage to miss the ship that at least my Passport is safe and will be there even if that's all I have left!

Edited July 30, 2016 by firemanbobswife

[AmberMarie]

Hot topic....

 

You'll get every answer under the sun here.

Do what you're most comfortable with.

 

Myself,,, I take my passport with me. It's what I got it for. For official identification while in a foreign country.

 

 

Then again,,, just returned from a med cruise where the cruise line kept all non EU passports and returned them on the day before debarkation.

 

Same with us. We bring it with us because it is official ID in a foreign country. You technically don't need it to cruise in the Caribbean. We went ahead and renewed ours for our upcoming trip because we were going to have to eventually anyway for other out of country trips we may take.

[Computer Nerd]

i leave mine on the ship in the safe. if i miss getting back to the boat i know that they will leave my documentation with the harbor master.

[cb at sea]

You should always have ID on you...and your DL is the same size as your ship's key. Leave the passport on the ship. it's not needed at any Caribbean port for cruise passengers.

[summersigh]

I leave mine on the ship. Much higher chance of me misplacing it or it getting stolen than me missing the ship. I take my DL.

 

John Heald has said several times and other people have witnessed it first hand that if you don't ding back into the ship before they depart, they will send 2 ship's officers to your safe to retrieve the Passports and leave them with security on the pier for you to collect when you arrive.

 

There are some that don't believe in leaving it behind and that's fine. I am always back in plenty of time and I know that if I am am robbed or lose it AND manage to miss the ship that at least my Passport is safe and will be there even if that's all I have left!

DH and I feel the same way. When we leave the ship we take our DL and ship card. In our day bag I carry a photo-copy of our passports but leave the real passports in the cabin safe.

 

I'm one of those who watched the ship's officer appear with a backpack of stuff for missing passengers handed over to port staff at Nassau. The ship's PA system called for them 2 or 3 times when sail-away time came. Ten minutes later the officer stepped out on the gangway. As soon as she gave the passenger's belongings to the port staff they hauled up the gangway and we were gone.:eek:

[DebJ14]

We leave our passports in the safe knowing that if we miss the ship the passports will be on the pier with the Harbor Master. We take our drivers licenses and copies of our passports ashore. We also have pictures of the information page saved on our phones and we can access a copy that is in our saved e-mail from any computer in case we need an emergency passport issued.

 

We have been on several cruises where all passports were held by the Purser's office, including one in the Caribbean on a Greek line.

[Honolulu Blue]

When getting off the ship, do you bring your actual passport with you, or a copy of the passport, or just photo ID and you sign and sail card?

 

For my first two cruises, I carried a copy of my passport with me when I got off the ship. After that I decided not to bother. If, by chance, I had some business to take care of in port that needed me to have a passport, then of course I would take it. But otherwise I think it's better to have it in the safe.

[Doggielover68]

Actual passport. That is the whole purpose of having one. We never leave our valuables unattended though. We have a waterproof waist pouch that we use to hold our ship cards, money, and passports while swimming/walking around.

 

 

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[joepeka]

As Klfrodo said at the top, this is a hot topic and answers will vary according to the temperament of the traveler and you've seen that in the responses thus far. Technically, when you step off the ship you are in a foreign country and therefore should have your passport in your possession because you never know what will happen. On a cruise to the Caribbean however, things are a bit different and as others have noted, leaving it on the ship may be the acceptable thing to do. Personally, I will not leave the ship in a foreign country without it despite the potential for loss or the inconvenience of taking steps to keep it safe while carrying it.

 

This is a personal decision that each person must make..... just make the one with which you are most comfortable. :)

Edited July 30, 2016 by joepeka

[Sauer-kraut]

Hot topic....

Myself,,, I take my passport with me. It's what I got it for. For official identification while in a foreign country.

 

Actual passport. That is the whole purpose of having one. We never leave our valuables unattended though. We have a waterproof waist pouch that we use to hold our ship cards, money, and passports while swimming/walking around.

 

 

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Actually the purpose is to let you back into the United States. I lived abroad and never had my passport on me EVER, it was locked in the house safe. Really, seriously, think twice about wandering around with a U.S. passport, they are truly the mother lode if stolen. It is not worth the risk.

[maldenmusic]

We always take our PP with us off the ship. I leave a copy of it inside my safe in case something happens and I need to ever get it replaced.

[coevan]

very true sauer kraut, the first thing we do is put the purse, wallet and passports in the safe. We love the freedom of carrying a S&S card aboard and some ones for tipping. When we go ashore, DL, CC, some cash and S&S card, no wallets.

[CJinFLA00]

I leave mine on the ship. Much higher chance of me misplacing it or it getting stolen than me missing the ship. I take my DL.

 

John Heald has said several times and other people have witnessed it first hand that if you don't ding back into the ship before they depart, they will send 2 ship's officers to your safe to retrieve the Passports and leave them with security on the pier for you to collect when you arrive.

 

There are some that don't believe in leaving it behind and that's fine. I am always back in plenty of time and I know that if I am am robbed or lose it AND manage to miss the ship that at least my Passport is safe and will be there even if that's all I have left!

 

^This is what we do as well.

[broberts]

Actually the purpose is to let you back into the United States. I lived abroad and never had my passport on me EVER, it was locked in the house safe. Really, seriously, think twice about wandering around with a U.S. passport, they are truly the mother lode if stolen. It is not worth the risk.

 

Historically passports were to provide official identification to foreign officials while traveling. Passports in one form or another have been around for thousands of years. Their use by US citizens to re-enter the US is a fairly recent development. Post 9/11 in fact. US citizens cannot be denied entry into the country. Using a passport simply makes things easier for USCB officials to establish citizenship.

[AmberMarie]

In light of this thread, I think we will keep our passports on the ship afterall. Thank you for the information.

[dwgreenlee]

Get both passport book and card. Leave the card in the safe as it will facilitate sea based entry into the United States should you lose your documents ashore. Carry the book on your person as you can use it to fly home or to the next port should you miss the ship.

 

I carry my passport book in a waterproof pouch in a cargo pocket securely closed.

[TX Catty Cruiser]

I leave my passport in the safe and carry my current DL & SS card in my pocket when I'm in port. However I take it one step further - I have a copy of the info page of my passport and an old DL in a case I always have with me no matter where I am at. This includes on ship and everyday at home, even on land vacations. I have this fear that if something happens to me I don't want to be a Jane Doe :rolleyes:

[broberts]

Get both passport book and card. Leave the card in the safe as it will facilitate sea based entry into the United States should you lose your documents ashore. Carry the book on your person as you can use it to fly home or to the next port should you miss the ship.

 

I carry my passport book in a waterproof pouch in a cargo pocket securely closed.

 

Excellent thinking. I would only advise that one double check the waterproof pouch once the passport has been sealed in it. I was not careful enough the first time I used my waterproof pouch.:(

[crusinpsychRN]

I take mine and get it stamped.

[AmberMarie]

I take mine and get it stamped.

 

 

I didn't know you could get it stamped on a cruise.

 

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

There is an office just off the pier in GC and in Roatan there is a vistor's booth on the way to taxi stands where they will stamp it.

[RecoveryDude]

I also get mine stamped in the ports, which is a cool souvenir ... but the main reason I take it ... I AM IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY! I can't understand all these cruise travelers who think it's acceptable to leave it in the cabin safe. When travelling in Europe or any other country I was trained to ALWAYS have my passport with me.... not only to get back into the USA but to also prove my citizenship if I have any trouble with locals. Sure, the people in most of the Caribbean are easy going and it's not the same as some foreign countries ... but it's still foreign soil.

 

For the people who say "It's expensive, I don't want to lose it." ... well then I say, do they also leave their cell phone in the safe? most modern smartphones cost WAY more than a passport!

 

I just don't get the logic. I ALWAYS have my passport on me. If I miss the ship, I don't want to depend on ship staff to get it to me, I want to KNOW I have it.

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude

[stargate fan]

 

For the people who say "It's expensive, I don't want to lose it." ... well then I say, do they also leave their cell phone in the safe? most modern smartphones cost WAY more than a passport!

 

Actually, we do. We turn off our cell phones and lock them in the cabin safe for the duration of the cruise.

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude

 

We lock our passports in the cabin safe and bring laminated copies (Staples, $1.00) to port with us.

Edited August 2, 2016 by stargate fan