Surrender passport on European cruise

[tarabonnie]

We are sailing on the Horizon to Italy in a few weeks and just received a notification from Carnival that we must surrender our passports to the cruise line when boarding. They will be returned at the end of the cruise. I understand this is to help the ship clear customs at scheduled ports. Normally when boarding the ship from ports you need your sail and sign card and a photo ID. Do we still need a picture ID?

[BlerkOne]

Seems rather odd. Are you a US citizen?

[tarabonnie]

Yes we are. The email from Carnival says all passenger passports will be collected. Will probably just take drivers licenses but feel kind of naked without passports so far from home. Would hate to think we were late getting back to ship (will not happen) and ship pulls out with our passports and without us.

[bakersdozen12]

What country are you from? The letter we received specifically states they will be collecting passports only from Schengen visa holders. Which would be people from countries that require Schengen visas to enter Europe.

[bakersdozen12]

This is what the letter stated, which contains a link that lists the countries affected. The US is not included.

 

“To expedite the immigration process at ports-of-call, we will collect passports (a receipt will be provided) for all Schengen visa holders during check-in. Passports will be safely held at Guest Services during the cruise and will be returned at the end of the voyage. We encourage you to make a photocopy of your passport before you leave home. Please visit http://www.schengenvisa.cc to view the list of countries that require a Schengen visa.”

[klfrodo]

We had to give ours up when we sailed out of Venice a couple of years ago. We’re from the States

[bakersdozen12]

We had to give ours up when we sailed out of Venice a couple of years ago. We’re from the States

 

 

And from what I remember, lots of people complained. I plan on bringing a copy of the letter we were sent via email that states it’s only Schengen visa holders that this applies to, so that I can show it to them if they try to take mine.

[Lerin]

We've had to do this on both European cruises we've been on.

[snowskier]

Yes we are. The email from Carnival says all passenger passports will be collected. Will probably just take drivers licenses but feel kind of naked without passports so far from home. Would hate to think we were late getting back to ship (will not happen) and ship pulls out with our passports and without us.

 

I am one of those people that carries my passport -- don't even start judging that decision as there are enough threads doing that already.

 

Since not having your passport with you seems to be an concern for you -- stop by guest services once the ship is cleared at the port, pick up the passport and enjoy your day. Return it when you return to the ship. Never have had a problem doing this. If the cruise line does not need the passport for future ports they just tell me to keep it -- which is most the time. Then I don't have to deal with the masses at the designated time for everyone to pick them up. Pretty sinple.

[mugtech]

We did 10 days on Princess out of Singapore on US passports in February, had to give them up right before we boarded the ship, got them back the last night of the cruise. They gave us photocopies, but we never had to show them to anyone in Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia. In 2014 we had to give them up before 2 ports in Greece and 2 ports in Turkey, then got them back for Italy, France and Spain.

[pe4all]

We did not have to give up our passports on our European cruise last August. We cruised from Barcelona to Italy/Western Med. Interesting.

[sanger727]

I did a med cruise a few years back as a US citizen and was also required to give them my passport. I carried a copy of it plus my drivers license for photo id and didn’t have any issues. I do believe you can get your passport from guest services if you like but would have to return it.

 

 

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[John&John]

I'm pretty sure it depends on the ports called upon. I think we needed to turn in the passports a couple of days before we called on Greece. I also believe that this wasn't necessary a few years ago.

 

Carnival wouldn't do it if they weren't required to - it's a lot of work for them.

[steamboats]

It usually depends on the ports of call. So out of Barcelona without going to a non Schengen port there´s no need to hold back the passports. You need to have a Schengen visa to board the ship but you have one as otherwise you won´t get to Barcelona. If there are ports involved which are non Schengen like Turkey or Morocco there´s a passport control by the authorities of those countries and therefore you need to turn in the passports.

 

steamboats

[bakersdozen12]

You need to have a Schengen visa to board the ship but you have one as otherwise you won´t get to Barcelona.

 

 

Depends on what country you are from. US citizens don’t need a visa to enter Barcelona, nor Italy or France.

[Essiesmom]

The Horizon cruise that requires this is probably the one visiting Dubrovnik, as Croatia is not a Schengen country and local authorities will want to check manifest, etc. before clearing the ship. After you leave Dubrovnik, they will probably send a note that you can pick up your passport. EM

[Purvis1231]

This is quite common with European and Mediterranean travel. I often go with student groups to Europe and the tour guides hold the passports.

[Micahs Grandad]

Last year on a princess cruise out of Southampton we had to surrender it when checking in and got it back several ports later.

[BlerkOne]

The Horizon cruise that requires this is probably the one visiting Dubrovnik, as Croatia is not a Schengen country and local authorities will want to check manifest, etc. before clearing the ship. After you leave Dubrovnik, they will probably send a note that you can pick up your passport. EM

 

Perhaps they have changed, but I thought we used to have to have our passports with us to show when leaving the port area in Dubrovnik.

 

Years ago, we have had to surrender passports going from Greece to Turkey, but I think might have had to do with some tensions between the countries.

[broberts]

If one has to surrender their passport, another photo id would be required. While a drivers license should be ok, if one has a passport card that too would work. Of course a passport card would not be useable for anything other than establishing id.

[kctwinmommy]

Yep! We had to do this on RCI last summer. Sailed out of Southampton and went to Oslo, Hamburg, Le Havre, and Bruges. But we got them back on like the 4th or 5th night I think.

[steamboats]

Depends on what country you are from. US citizens don’t need a visa to enter Barcelona, nor Italy or France.

 

US citizens don´t need a full visa issued prior to a trip. It´s similar to the visa waiver program the US has. So it´s just the stamp in the passport at the first country of entry to the Schengen area and that stamp is valid for all Schengen countries. But that stamp is usually called "Schengen visa".

 

steamboats

[cruisequeen4ever]

We’ve never had to surrender ours in Europe on Princess or Celebrity. It’s only been Pax from certain European countries who have had to.

 

 

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[Travel Bear]

We were on Princess when we went to Egypt, Turkey, and Greece. Got them back when we arrived in Venice.

 

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[Flip flop lady]

Very standard in Europe with each port being in a different country.

 

 

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