Must I bring my Passport to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Bahamas ports on Harmony cruise?

[cubalinda]

Hi there. I am sorry to sound naive, but I need clarification please. (I have since forgotten about what i did on my last cruise aboard Oasis of the Seas).

 

Is it a requirement that I bring my Canadian passport to enter the ports of Nassau Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Kitts when on my port days on my upcoming cruise on Harmony of the Seas?

 

Before the cruise, I will have of course gone through US Border Patrol/Services and presented my passport then when departing Pearson airport in Toronto Canada and will have to repeat the process in Ft. Lauderdale airport returning home etc., but do I have to have it to show/ in case when entering those places and when returning and entering the ship at day's end?

 

I know that I need the SeaPass card specifically for ship entry.

 

Looking for an answer to help get organized.

 

Thanks

[daze6399]

Seapass card and photo ID. Passport counts as photo ID, but so do any other government issued ID type cards.

[Lordnlkon]

No you do not but if anything happens and you get stuck on one of the islands, you will wish you had.

[George C]

We always just have sea pass card and drivers license , when we did Europe we took a photo copy of pass[port ( just to be safe)

[FireStation46]

As long as you dont miss the ship leaving you are fine with your RCL photo id card.

 

If you don't want to take the risk, take your passport.

 

Interesting videos on YouTube of passangers running to the pier. Sad videos of those that do not run fast enough. Once the ship starts it starts and keeps on going.

 

Having a passport can be a pain if part of your shore adventure involves swimming, scuba, diving. Tougher perhaps for solo cruises as there may be one ine to hand off the passport to while you swim.

 

Best bet, keep your eye on the clock and get back in enough time. We usually board about one hour before time.

[FireStation46]

P.S. i also took photos of my passport and cruise card an have it on my iPhone 7s. If i ever got stranded a picture will at least help when you show up at the embassy. No way I could remember anything other than the basics if I had to provide info about me on the passport to the embassy. Perhpas all those digits and whatever on the bottom of the passport will help the Embassy find me in the computer faster. Others bring Xerox paper copies of their passports with them.

 

Cash and and AmEx card ashore. Amex is very good if you have issues especially abroad. Plus, AmEx is good if you do not have enough cash for the hotel you found you need to stay in and a flight home, once your passport issue is resolved.

 

You can delete/rip up the back up stuff once your cruise is over and you are home.

 

That's just the firefighter in me. Always planning for the worst and hoping for the best!

 

Safe travels!

[shipshape sam]

No you do not but if anything happens and you get stuck on one of the islands, you will wish you had.

 

For sure. I have read some of the bad outcomes being stranded without your passport. We always bring our passport and carry a photocopy(color) with us on shore. We have heard that is better than anything else other than the actual passport. We do a good amount of water trips and I can protect a folded copy in my water tight pocket case.

[Fouremco]

DW and I never enter a foreign country without our passports. After all, that's what they are designed for. If all goes well, you could just lock your passport up in your cabin, but if a problem arises, you'll be happy to have it with you. They are small, light and, with a little bit of common sense, easy to carry around quite securely.

[FireStation46]

Just keep the passport in you front pocket. Use a sandwich/zip lock bag if you need it.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I recently visited Nassau and they required photo ID. It was the first time we've ever been asked to see it on our way back to the ship.

[A&L_Ont]

I recently visited Nassau and they required photo ID. It was the first time we've ever been asked to see it on our way back to the ship.

 

Nassau is the only port we have experienced that needed to see photo ID over and above our cruise key. We showed our drivers license.

[shipgeeks]

The downside of taking a passport ashore is that if it is stolen you are in a bind. We only take photocopies, so that we have the information. Originals remain in the cabin safe.

We are always asked for photo ID when returning from a port; for that we take our drivers licenses, plus of course the Seapass card.

[Fouremco]

The downside of taking a passport ashore is that if it is stolen you are in a bind. We only take photocopies, so that we have the information. Originals remain in the cabin safe.

We are always asked for photo ID when returning from a port; for that we take our drivers licenses, plus of course the Seapass card.

Of course, they too can be stolen. :cool: