Passport retention

[Fietsen1]

Hello all!

 

My wife and I will be taking a cruise (Anthem of the Seas) in September out of Bayonne that will go to the NE area along with two stops in eastern Canada (Halifax and Saint John). I have read that some cruise lines will take up and retain all of the passengers' passports for the duration of the trip - something I am uncomfortable with - in order to expedite the port clearance process. Does anyone happen to know if RCCL does anything similar for such an itinerary such as ours? Thanks!

[ECU_Cruising_Pirates]

Have not done that itinerary but have not experienced/heard of that before. I too would be very uncomfortable with my passport being held for the trip.

[Merion_Mom]

This happens on some non-US sailings, e.g., European, Asian, South American.

 

They keep your passport to expedite the clearance of the entire ship at certain ports. The alternative would be EVERYONE lining up and seeing the immigration officials one by one.

 

It may feel uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it.

[grneyes]

Never had my passport take, been on the NE cruise many times

[trish2375]

Is a passport required for the new england/ Canada cruise from New Jersey?

 

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[nelblu]

Hello all!

 

My wife and I will be taking a cruise (Anthem of the Seas) in September out of Bayonne that will go to the NE area along with two stops in eastern Canada (Halifax and Saint John). I have read that some cruise lines will take up and retain all of the passengers' passports for the duration of the trip - something I am uncomfortable with - in order to expedite the port clearance process. Does anyone happen to know if RCCL does anything similar for such an itinerary such as ours? Thanks!

 

Have done this itinerary a few years ago and the passports, like we do in the Carib. and most of Europe, stay safely in the safe. We do take along a form of ID and in our case is the driver's license.

 

 

Will be doing the same itinerary in late August.

[geomancer]

I haven't heard about this for Canada. I'll find out in a couple weeks.

 

 

Bring a photocopy, just in case. It's a good idea regardless.

[jbatinker]

I did this cruise last October and they look at your Passport when you board, but do not take it from you. I always carry mine when I get off the ship - just in case . . . .

[john watson]

I have had my passport taken on a China sailing and been given a photocopy to disembark at certain ports. I should think it very unlikely a cruise line would take and retain passports for the duration of a cruise especially where for example a closed loop no passport required situation might exist.

 

Regards John

[Kevin]

Is a passport required for the new england/ Canada cruise from New Jersey?

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

 

No.

 

US Citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port) and travel to destinations in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda are able to re-enter the United States with proof of citizenship other than a passport or passport card.

[Desert Cruizers]

This has happened twice to us and each time upon check in at the pier to re board, your Passport it is taken and a sticker with your cabin # is placed on your PP. Near the end of the cruise, we were called down by Deck # to the dining room and picked up our PP's. I believe the last time this was done was during our Transpacific and we received it back upon arriving in Lahaina as it was our first entry to the US. The first time was during our TA from Barcelona I believe. I always make a photo copy of our Pass Ports.

[griffy116]

This has happened twice to us and each time upon check in at the pier to re board, your Passport it is taken and a sticker with your cabin # is placed on your PP. Near the end of the cruise, we were called down by Deck # to the dining room and picked up our PP's. I believe the last time this was done was during our Transpacific and we received it back upon arriving in Lahaina as it was our first entry to the US. The first time was during our TA from Barcelona I believe. I always make a photo copy of our Pass Ports.

 

Never been on this itinerary, but we've had this same done as above quote. It's entirely done for your convenience because of clearance/entry requirements for the country you are visiting. While it's not been done in the past with Canada, it could very well be that they have changed the requirement and they have every right to do that at any time. If they ask you to turn it in and you don't, you won't be uncomfortable...you'll be left behind at the port.

[Desert Cruizers]

Our last visit into Canada was during our Canada/New England cruise in 2015 and I don't recall surrendering them . However due to the emergency stop in ST Johns last August with my husband whereby he was taken to the hospital, they did take our Pass Ports which I had to return to the Custom at the airport to retrieve them before they medivac my husband back to So Calif and for myself to fly home commercially.

[Fietsen1]

This happens on some non-US sailings, e.g., European, Asian, South American.

 

They keep your passport to expedite the clearance of the entire ship at certain ports. The alternative would be EVERYONE lining up and seeing the immigration officials one by one.

 

It may feel uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it.

 

 

That is what I figured - thank you for the reply!

[Fietsen1]

Have done this itinerary a few years ago and the passports, like we do in the Carib. and most of Europe, stay safely in the safe. We do take along a form of ID and in our case is the driver's license.

 

 

Will be doing the same itinerary in late August.

 

 

Thank you very much!

[rimmit]

This has occurred a couple of times for me. Most recently the Ovation repositioning through the sues canal. Typically it occurs on more exotic ports.

[memoak]

I have only seen this happen on the Med portions of a trans Atlantic cruise and a South American cruise. Have sailed the NE/Canada route twice and have never had my passport taken

[lovesthebeach2]

We just returned from Brilliance in British Isles and they took our passports for most of the cruise. We had never had that before so we were a bit worried, but it was fine.

[sjb317]

We’ve had to surrender our passports on a Med cruise, South America cruise and on our transpacific cruise.

 

I’m always amazed at the people we’ve seen who throw a a temper tantrum and refuse at first to do so. Do they think that if they yell loud enough at the person collecting them, the person will say “I’m sorry, since you are upset, you can keep your passport.”🙄

 

Sherri:)

[jpcello]

I've done that itinerary several times on several different lines and my PP has never been taken. I would be reluctant to give my passport to anyone!

[Desert Cruizers]

I have never witnessed anyone refusing to surrender their Passports so not sure how that would be handled. All the PP's are kept on board when this is done so they are still traveling with you, to be returned upon entry back in a US Port. I have never worried about it.

[karkee8807]

We did not have that happen three years ago when we sailed Liberty from Bayonne to Saint John.

[Merion_Mom]

Forewarned is forearmed.

 

Just knowing that it will occur should keep you calm.

 

It is unsettling if you had no idea and are asked to hand over your passport.

[besberry]

We did this itinerary on Celebrity the other year and our passports stayed with us. The only time I've had my passports taken and retained were on long cruises, 65 nights and 105 nights.

[adjoankora]

This happens on some non-US sailings, e.g., European, Asian, South American.

 

They keep your passport to expedite the clearance of the entire ship at certain ports. The alternative would be EVERYONE lining up and seeing the immigration officials one by one.

 

Our passports were kept on a trip embarking and disembarking in Singapore. No big deal.