Passport question

[shawn78]

I will be on the cruise for first time ever to Asia. I understand that the cruise line will keep the passport for the length of the cruise. Now this may sound like a very silly question but has anyone come across a case where the cruise has misplaced or lost a passenger's passport? Do they take the passport out to to the port for immigration purposes. Do they have proper safe and filing systems to make sure its virtually impossible to lose it? The reason I am paranoid is I am starting a new job right after and I cant afford to waste a week getting a replacement passport. I understand I am being unreasonably pessimistic but I absolutely have to be back on that flight and the thought of handing over my passport for a week is bothering me.

[voyager70]

I've had my passport held on two cruises. I've never heard of someone's passport being misplaced or lost. Not to say that it's never happened, but I'm sure the cruise lines are very vigilant in their care of the passengers passports. That being said I do certainly understand your concern. I would make a couple photocopies before you leave home as I've heard it can expedite the process of having your passport reissued if something were to happen to it.

[Shorex]

I will be on the cruise for first time ever to Asia. I understand that the cruise line will keep the passport for the length of the cruise. Most likely.

 

Now this may sound like a very silly question but has anyone come across a case where the cruise has misplaced or lost a passenger's passport? Never heard of that with over 80 cruises world wide, never heard of that reported on cruise critic.

 

Do they take the passport out to to the port for immigration purposes. Not that I believe, immigration officials come aboard the ship.

 

Do they have proper safe and filing systems to make sure its virtually impossible to lose it? Absolutely, the cruise ship immigration officer would likely lose her job if one got lost.

 

The reason I am paranoid is I am starting a new job right after and I cant afford to waste a week getting a replacement passport. I understand I am being unreasonably pessimistic but I absolutely have to be back on that flight and the thought of handing over my passport for a week is bothering me. Don't fret. I don't know if you would be permitted to board the ship without surrendering your passport. If they did allow you to keep it in your possession, you would be presenting yourself to port immigration officials around, oh, call it 3 am or so. For every port.

 

Relax and enjoy the cruise.

[paul929207]

We have had the passports held on several cruises. Never a problem. Usually, immigration officers board a couple of days before we reach a country and check the documents before we get there.

[zqvol]

We have had passports held on well over a dozen cruises. They NEVER leave the ship or even the pursers office. When not out for immigration they are held under lock and key. The immigration officials that need to see them come to where they are held. I have never heard of anyone being misplaced.

[sail7seas]

On a cruise that wa s stopping in Israel, HAL held our passports, and after we docked in Haifa,, we all walked past the Israeli officials, got a paper that permitted us to disembark and got our passports back. The officials had looked at whatever they needed to see before they called for all of us. I t was extremely well organized and took little time for each of us. Impressive how efficient.

Edited May 1, 2018 by sail7seas

[CruiserBruce]

We have had our passports held many times, with no complaints.

 

The common reason for passports to be held is to allow the ship to clear much faster in certain ports. If you want to delay the ship clearing by close to two hours (what we experienced in the Shetland Islands) by the requirement of a face to face passport check in each port...not going to be a lot of happy campers, I promise you.

[GinnyHoppa811]

Paranoia is understandable! I am too and have copies of important documents at home and I’ll be traveling with a set of the copies just in case. Trip it lets you save the information into the app under a separate secure password so that would be an extra level of security as well.

 

 

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[whogo]

The cruise lines take better care of passports than passengers do.

 

They are not necessarily kept in the purser's office. I have seen immigration officials going through them in lounges and I have seen them given back to cruisers in the showroom.

[sail7seas]

We have had passports held on well over a dozen cruises. They NEVER leave the ship or even the pursers office. When not out for immigration they are held under lock and key. The immigration officials that need to see them come to where they are held. I have never heard of anyone being misplaced.

 

yes, they are carefully maintained and I did not hear of anyone who had a complaint I am sure, they hold many crew passports and we had no worry a bout security.

 

No issue and no worry.

[shawn78]

Thank you all for your detailed replies.. We have very wonderful people on the board sharing their experiences and knowledge ..