Passport needed at these destination?

[3rdGenCunarder]

We have never, not had our passports held by the front office for the duration of any of our cruises. At each port on the daily on location guide HAL would tell the passengers that they had to have some form of picture ID when going ashore. In all our cruises I have only once been asked to see a picture ID, which in that case was a photo copy of my passport, and it was in San Juan.

Allan

 

(bold is mine) I'm surprised it's happened so seldom. I'd say that at least half the ports we've been to had security officers asking to see photo ID, probably more than that in recent years. The security staff in Halifax look very closely at the ID and the cruise card. On a cruise a year or two ago, I showed the man my ID and cruise card and he read my name and said, "Oh, your husband got on the ship about 20 minutes ago. He's probably looking for you." So they do pay attention to detail.

 

We always take our driver licenses ashore as our photo ID and leave the passports in the safe--unless they have been collected by the cruise line. We've had our passports collected a number of times on European cruises. That's dictated by the country the ship goes to, not by the cruise line. As others have said, it's a PITA for the cruise line as much as it is for the passengers.

[msteries]

You do not need to bring your passport on any of those stops, you just need your sea pass card and a form of photo ID such as a drivers license. I always just take my drivers license. It is because the ship has your info and they clear the ship when it docks. Actually you have to consider that it is not necessarily a good idea to take your passport off the ship, if you lost your belongings or something like that then you would lose your passport and that would not be good. And no, the ships absolutely do not hold your passport in the Caribbean. You put it in the safe in your room. You won't need it until you return to the US. Those are all lovely ports, you will have a wonderful time and happy birthday.

 

 

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Thanks for your helpful advice. Have done Eastern Caribbean route many times, and just took the ship card. Will take my drivers license also, since it is plastic and not easy to water damage,

[Randyk47]

The only destination we've had our passports held by the ship was our Med cruises. In the Caribbean I think we may have taken our passports on shore with us maybe the first two or three cruises 15+ years ago but now just carry our driver's licenses and obviously our ship card. I think maybe two or three times out of dozens of ports we've been asked for additional ID and the driver's license sufficed.

[just_cruising_along]

One two different sailings to the same countries (although a few years apart), we did not have to give up our passports the first time, but just 6 weeks ago, we had to give up our passports for 4 days. We always have a photocopy of our passports.

 

This is advice from the US State Department:

Make two photocopies of all your travel documents in case of emergency. Leave one copy with a trusted friend or relative at home and carry the other separately from your documents in case of loss or theft.

[donaldsc]

What do you mean "they" kept everyone's passport? Who is "they"?

 

"They" have no right to hold your passport.

 

There are conflicting opinions on the validity of a photocopy passport. Certainly you couldn't travel with one, but could it assist the embassy or consulate in replacing one? Perhaps...

 

Let me remind you that when you travel, you are not in the US anymore. Your rights are defined by ship rules, ship convenience and the rules of the countries that you are visiting. If you can not live with that, do not travel and do not cruise.

 

DON

[durangoscots]

The issue with leaving the passport in the safe is that if you are in port and something happens - miss the ship, need emergency evacuation, etc, the one document you need is the one in the safe

 

 

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No it isn't. If the ship is sailing without you, the passport is given to the port agent on shore. The thing you really need to be sure you have when you go ashore is the contact information for the port agent, something that most people forget.

 

Susan

[Boytjie]

No it isn't. If the ship is sailing without you, the passport is given to the port agent on shore. The thing you really need to be sure you have when you go ashore is the contact information for the port agent, something that most people forget.

 

Susan

 

 

 

Is it a given that your passport is always taken from the cabin to hand it over to the port agent? What if the passports are not in the safe but hidden somewhere else in the cabin?

[durangoscots]

Is it a given that your passport is always taken from the cabin to hand it over to the port agent? What if the passports are not in the safe but hidden somewhere else in the cabin?

 

I suspect that if you had hidden it so well that it was not in the safe, not in drawers, they would assume you had it with you and then you would have a problem. Frankly I think that is very unlikely. And believe me, consuls and embassies are well used to all sorts of problems. I talked to one couple who did miss the ship, they did get their passports from the agent, but, they had not taken the agent information with them and had to go to dock (and watch us sail over the horizon). He had suffered a fall and was having medical treatment and they did not contact the ship. The agent found them and gave them their passports. What they really missed were clothes .... they did not catch up to us for 3 or 4 days since we missed our next port.

 

When I go ashore, I leave the passport in the cabin, in the safe.... I carry a drivers license or other photo id .... and a copy my passport. I am much more concerned about stolen or lost passport which is harder to deal with and much more of a hassle, but again it can be done. And by the way, they are very careful about who goes into your cabin to look for that missing passport.

 

Having said all this, there are certainly some countries I would really panic if left behind in.... but then in those places 1 )probably no cruise goes in to them and 2) I would not be wandering on my own.

 

 

Susan

Edited November 13, 2016 by durangoscots
left out some words

[Jade13]

He should call if he is concerned. It was from South America to San Diego. They held the passport the entire trip. I don't know if it was new protocol or geographic.

 

 

They held ours but gave it back when we left the ship in Peru for 4 days to go to Machu Picchu on our own. We met up with the ship in Ecuador.

 

It depends on the itinerary.

 

 

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[kazu]

(bold is mine) I'm surprised it's happened so seldom. I'd say that at least half the ports we've been to had security officers asking to see photo ID, probably more than that in recent years. The security staff in Halifax look very closely at the ID and the cruise card. On a cruise a year or two ago, I showed the man my ID and cruise card and he read my name and said, "Oh, your husband got on the ship about 20 minutes ago. He's probably looking for you." So they do pay attention to detail.

 

We always take our driver licenses ashore as our photo ID and leave the passports in the safe--unless they have been collected by the cruise line. We've had our passports collected a number of times on European cruises. That's dictated by the country the ship goes to, not by the cruise line. As others have said, it's a PITA for the cruise line as much as it is for the passengers.

 

 

 

We have been asked for our photo id too, in many ports. Not maybe every single one that HAL says to take photo id for, but it has certainly been asked for.

 

Our passports were held for part of our Baltic cruise, a couple of Med cruises, A transatlantic cruise, etc. Frankly, they are as safe in HAL's safe as they are in mine so with a receipt, I am not concerned.

 

For anyone that is concerned, don't stay in a hotel in Europe as in many countries, they take your passport for at least an hour to register you. With the recent attacks I suspect it will be more prevalent now as well.

 

We always take colour photocopies with us and use those when a real passport is not needed in case. Canadian passports are worth a lot of $ on the Black Market and although we are very careful, I'm not risking carrying mine around unless it is mandatory ;)

[Pia1913]

Never have had our passports held on any cruise (24 and counting).

 

That's because according to your sig lines, you have never been anywhere that warranted it.

[take us away]

Surely this was not on a Caribbean itinerary. The ship sometimes holds the passports on itineraries in other parts of the world.

 

Have sailed a lot on HAL and to many parts of the world. The passport has been collected at embarkation and HAL usually holds the passports at the front desk for each country's officials to review unless: one needs to carry their passport ashore, i.e. Australia, so HAL will let you know when to pick it up or one needs to go thru face to face immigration which is often done on the ship if no passport is required ashore, i.e. Japan. Leaving the ship for a multi-day excursion does require you to carry your passport. I also always carry a copy, which plus a photo ID is adequate in the Caribbean if there are any issues.

[summersigh]

We leave our passports in the safe when cruising the Caribbean but I do carry photocopies of ours in a zipped side pocket of my day-bag during excursions. I don't expect it to do much except provide information on the existence of our passports should we have an emergency. We're the type that plan to reboard an hour to 90 minutes before the required posted time:D

[shrimp56]

What do you mean "they" kept everyone's passport? Who is "they"?

 

"They" have no right to hold your passport.

 

There are conflicting opinions on the validity of a photocopy passport. Certainly you couldn't travel with one, but could it assist the embassy or consulate in replacing one? Perhaps...

I am assuming "they" is the Front Desk. I imagine if you refused to turn yours in, you wouldn't be able to get off at that port. Remember it is actually for your convenience as the ship takes care of formalities for you. In my experience the ship is meticulous in their handling of those documents.

 

As for a photocopy, it DOES make a swifter passport replacement possible when abroad. And while it doesn't have the status of a passport, having it could at least smooth some awkward moments.

Edited November 14, 2016 by shrimp56

[kazu]

I am assuming "they" is the Front Desk. I imagine if you refused to turn yours in, you wouldn't be able to get off at that port. Remember it is actually for your convenience as the ship takes care of formalities for you. In my experience the ship is meticulous in their handling of those documents.

 

As for a photocopy, it DOES make a swifter passport replacement possible when abroad. And while it doesn't have the status of a passport, having it could at least smooth some awkward moments.

 

Actually, for cruises where they require the passport to be turned in, if you don't turn it in, you don't get on the ship at all. It's a requirement for a reason on certain cruises and there are no exceptions.

[shrimp56]

Actually, for cruises where they require the passport to be turned in, if you don't turn it in, you don't get on the ship at all. It's a requirement for a reason on certain cruises and there are no exceptions.

Thanks for the correction kazu :)

[Pia1913]

I am assuming "they" is the Front Desk. I imagine if you refused to turn yours in, you wouldn't be able to get off at that port. Remember it is actually for your convenience as the ship takes care of formalities for you. In my experience the ship is meticulous in their handling of those documents.

s.

 

Wrong. "THEY" is embarkation. You do not get on the ship without turning it over.

[jayjaycan]

We have sailed on 33 cruises around the world and except for Russia and China we never took our passports ashore. We always carry a photocopy of the picture page of the passport and this has been sufficient ID if we were asked for it. You'll have no problem in the Caribbean if you have photo ID and your ship boarding card.

[TAD2005]

On many cruises to the Med, Middle East, India and Far East, your passports are always held for part or all of the voyage. It speeds the clearance of the ship, because they send this information ahead of arrival to the port agent.

Also, if you have ever stayed in many hotels in Europe, Middle East and Asia, they will always ask for your passport for registration, and they may keep it for your entire stay. They will give it back on your departure, AFTER you have paid your bill. Just a little insurance you don't skip out, stiffing the hotel.

In the normal Caribbean ports, the ship will rarely hold your passport. Just a colour copy in your travel bag is sufficient along with a photo ID.