Pier Runners

[retafcruiser]

It is generally accepted that cruise lines will open cabin safe(s) of anyone being left behind and if passports are found, will give them to the cruise line port agent (contact information always printed on the front page of daily bulletin).

It may take hours to realize someone has been left behind. It is pretty hard at that point to get the passports to the port agent where the passengers are stranded. Helicopter??:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Shmoo here]

It may take hours to realize someone has been left behind. It is pretty hard at that point to get the passports to the port agent where the passengers are stranded. Helicopter??:rolleyes::rolleyes:

When you reboard the ship, your ship's card is scanned. They know who's onboard and how many people still haven't returned.

 

It's pretty easy for them to figure out whose room/safe they have to check out.

[Essiesmom]

In the crew video, you can see the crew handing the passport over to the port rep, and she signs for it. She then gives it to the crew member when he arrives. That's what you are seeing in the beginning of the video. EM

[sloopsailor]

When you reboard the ship, your ship's card is scanned. They know who's onboard and how many people still haven't returned.

 

It's pretty easy for them to figure out whose room/safe they have to check out.

 

Yep, every time you leave the ship and re-board, your card is scanned. They always know who has left the ship and who is back on board. They will also call out the passenger's name several times as a backup step to insure the person is indeed not yet back on the ship.

[SantaFeFan]

I ignore that advice.

My passport is within reach even when I'm at home. My job sometimes requires me to access areas that require more than 1 form of ID.

When I fly, I have my passport. When I travel overseas, I have my passport,,, unless, the governing authority requires that it be turned into them until my final departure.

 

I heed that advice.

Your passport is probably the most valuable document you own. It should be protected at all times. I leave it in the safe when not required, just like I leave expensive jewelry, large amounts of cash, and high tech electronics safely secured. Losing a passport is much more common than needing it because the ship was missed.

 

I have traveled to over 50 countries, many of them on international business trips. I have NEVER unexpectedly needed my passport when it wasn't required to be carried on our person as it is in a few countries such as Russia. My company travel department always advised us to not carry our passports if not required by local laws. Being an international company, with several dozen offices around the world, and over 50,000 employees world wide, they had plenty of international travel experience to base their advice on for their employees.

 

And that advice was to keep our passports locked up whenever possible.

[Heidi13]

It may take hours to realize someone has been left behind. It is pretty hard at that point to get the passports to the port agent where the passengers are stranded. Helicopter??:rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

It is actually the exact opposite. As departure time approaches, the Captain receives regular reports on how many passengers, and if applicable also crew, are still ashore. If the ship departs and no everyone is aboard, the Captain knows the exact number.

[Underwatr]

You usually hear the First Officer paging one or two people to contact the Purser's desk in the half hour between all aboard and sailing. Those are the people who haven't returned yet. The PA announcements are to make sure that they weren't somehow mis-scanned on their return to the ship.

[FionaMG]

You usually hear the First Officer paging one or two people to contact the Purser's desk in the half hour between all aboard and sailing. Those are the people who haven't returned yet. The PA announcements are to make sure that they weren't somehow mis-scanned on their return to the ship.

 

Yes, we experienced this last year in St. John's Antigua. They were calling for about 9 people initially and the number gradually went down, presumably as the latecomers made their way on the board. The last - very embarrassed - couple were escorted at a fast walk from the pier entrance to the gangway by a crew member, to laughter and catcalls from the folks watching from the deck.

[thunter1224]

On Carnival cruise line ..

[John Bull]

On Carnival cruise line ..

 

A very useful clip, which broadly agrees with the majority of posts on this thread. :)

 

A couple of points

- true you don't need a passport to travel from one Schengen country to another (that's almost the whole of mainland Europe), but if you do screw up and your catch-up port is too far by road or rail you will need some acceptable form of photo ID for a flight.

- first (and possibly only) place the crew will search for your passport is in your cabin safe - bear in mind that if you hide it anywhere else in your cabin they might give up looking on the assumption that you took it with you.

- no mention of searching for / handing to the port agent a credit card. But anyone who's mug enough to go ashore without at least one widely-accepted credit card with plenty of available credit, even if they plan to use only cash, deserves to be dropped in the doo-doo. :rolleyes:

 

One other thought - if you need your passport to fly home because your cruise ends in a foreign country, it's even more important not to risk it being lost or stolen while ashore.

 

JB :)

[mef_57]

Not having much luck finding it, but last year I read a first hand report on a man missing the ship in Nassau. Got separated from family in Paradise Island and then missed the ship while trying to find family (teen age son who was with uncle). Not cell charger, can't remember if he had a passport. Since he wasn't on board, they cancelled his ship card. Family onboard in a panic. Eventually caught up with the ship, then the hassle of being added back to the passenger manifest. It was a mess for all the family and not sure that he is speaking to his BIL yet. It was informative of what you should take on shore however - just in case. At the least, passport,cell phone, charger, credit card, some cash, and clothing that won't embarrass you if you need to make several flights to catch up with the ship. The guy was very lucky to have a sympathetic port manager who went out of his way to help him out even when off duty.

[klfrodo]

I heed that advice.

Your passport is probably the most valuable document you own. It should be protected at all times. I leave it in the safe when not required, just like I leave expensive jewelry, large amounts of cash, and high tech electronics safely secured. Losing a passport is much more common than needing it because the ship was missed.

 

I have traveled to over 50 countries, many of them on international business trips. I have NEVER unexpectedly needed my passport when it wasn't required to be carried on our person as it is in a few countries such as Russia. My company travel department always advised us to not carry our passports if not required by local laws. Being an international company, with several dozen offices around the world, and over 50,000 employees world wide, they had plenty of international travel experience to base their advice on for their employees.

 

And that advice was to keep our passports locked up whenever possible.

Actually, you work for a small company. However, we don’t need to get into a contest of who can write their name in the snow.

Keeping your passport safe and secure does not mean locking it up in a safe never to see the light of day.

I don’t lock up my DL or credit cards either.. never lost those.

Would it be a pain if something were to happen? Sure it would but the sun will still rise in the east the next morning.

I’ve seen many more people come on this board freaked out because they lost their passport or birth certificate somewhere in the house than have reported that it was stolen while on vacation.

[CruiserBruce]

Not having much luck finding it, but last year I read a first hand report on a man missing the ship in Nassau. Got separated from family in Paradise Island and then missed the ship while trying to find family (teen age son who was with uncle). Not cell charger, can't remember if he had a passport. Since he wasn't on board, they cancelled his ship card. Family onboard in a panic. Eventually caught up with the ship, then the hassle of being added back to the passenger manifest. It was a mess for all the family and not sure that he is speaking to his BIL yet. It was informative of what you should take on shore however - just in case. At the least, passport,cell phone, charger, credit card, some cash, and clothing that won't embarrass you if you need to make several flights to catch up with the ship. The guy was very lucky to have a sympathetic port manager who went out of his way to help him out even when off duty.

 

I think you are referring to this thread:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2121215

[sparks1093]

I’ve seen many more people come on this board freaked out because they lost their passport or birth certificate somewhere in the house than have reported that it was stolen while on vacation.

 

One of the reasons ours are locked in our safe deposit box down at the bank.:D

[evandbob]

I ran the pier twice, once in Panama and once in Florence. Both tours werefull day ship sponsored and delayed and detoured due to traffic accidents closing the main roads back to the port. Each time I had my passport with me. I usually don't bring it with me on 1/2 day tours or most Caribbean isles.

 

At home, I leave our passports in a safe. We use them 6 to 10 times a year, so the home safe is easy and convenient.

[broberts]

...

Your passport is probably the most valuable document you own. ...

 

Hyperbole, especially with modern biometric passports.

 

Passports are valuable and should be protected. But they are no more valuable than many other documents one might possess.

[sparks1093]

Hyperbole, especially with modern biometric passports.

 

Passports are valuable and should be protected. But they are no more valuable than many other documents one might possess.

 

DW's naturalization certificate is more valuable than her passport, it would cost $555 to replace it (which is why it's in the safe deposit box with the passport;)).

[SRF]

So while we're on this topic....most things I read say don't bring your passport into port; leave it in your safe. They say don't bring more cash or credit cards than you'll need (which is often none). So if you do get left behind, how do you get to the next port?

 

Some people say that.

 

Others prefer to carry their passport and at least one credit card.

 

The ship MIGHT enter you room, open the safe and give the contents to the port agent to give to you. Up to you if you want to rely on this.

 

Otherwise, you try to get to the nearest US Embassy or Consulate, and have them contact your family to send money, get an emergency passport, and then go home. It is will be at least a couple of days to do this.

 

Oh, and BTW, ports are in countries without a US Embassy, so you would need to fly to another country to do the above.

[SRF]

It may take hours to realize someone has been left behind. It is pretty hard at that point to get the passports to the port agent where the passengers are stranded. Helicopter??:rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

No, there is a reason they scan your card when you get off and back on.

 

They know exactly who is not on board before the pull the gangway.

[SRF]

I am still waiting to hear all these reports of people who have lost or had stolen their passport.

 

These days, a stolen passport is almost worthless. They cannot enter the US with it, as when the immigration officer scans it, your picture pops up. And if the picture on the screen does not match the one in the passport and the person presenting the passport, bad things will happen.

 

I travel a lot internationally, and typically carry my passport, and never had an issue with it being stolen. I do not wave it around and tell people I am carrying it.

 

And I have been asked for ID in a few countries, and the US Passport normally stops things right there.

[sparks1093]

Some people say that.

 

Others prefer to carry their passport and at least one credit card.

 

The ship MIGHT enter you room, open the safe and give the contents to the port agent to give to you. Up to you if you want to rely on this.

 

Otherwise, you try to get to the nearest US Embassy or Consulate, and have them contact your family to send money, get an emergency passport, and then go home. It is will be at least a couple of days to do this.

 

Oh, and BTW, ports are in countries without a US Embassy, so you would need to fly to another country to do the above.

 

1. If you know your going to be late call the ship and tell them, take the guess work out of it for them.

2. So if you are in a port without an Embassy you won't be able to fly to another country to get to one so they wouldn't be able to do that.

[sparks1093]

I am still waiting to hear all these reports of people who have lost or had stolen their passport.

 

These days, a stolen passport is almost worthless. They cannot enter the US with it, as when the immigration officer scans it, your picture pops up. And if the picture on the screen does not match the one in the passport and the person presenting the passport, bad things will happen.

 

I travel a lot internationally, and typically carry my passport, and never had an issue with it being stolen. I do not wave it around and tell people I am carrying it.

 

And I have been asked for ID in a few countries, and the US Passport normally stops things right there.

 

I'm still waiting for all of the reports of the ship sailing away with someone's passport;). Bottom line is each person has to do what they feel comfortable doing and why they do it is irrelevant to the rest of us.

[sparks1093]

In any event:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511409&highlight=lost+passport

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=502593&highlight=lost+passport

 

Two examples from a search on one forum. Granted these passports were lost en route to the cruise but they can also be lost in a port. Again, everyone must do what they are comfortable doing.

[John Bull]

I am still waiting to hear all these reports of people who have lost or had stolen their passport.

 

These days, a stolen passport is almost worthless. They cannot enter the US with it, as when the immigration officer scans it, your picture pops up. And if the picture on the screen does not match the one in the passport and the person presenting the passport, bad things will happen.

 

I travel a lot internationally, and typically carry my passport, and never had an issue with it being stolen. I do not wave it around and tell people I am carrying it.

 

And I have been asked for ID in a few countries, and the US Passport normally stops things right there.

 

So many flaws in your thinking.

 

Almost worthless? The going rate on the black market is around $3500

https://www.havocscope.com/average-price-of-stolen-passport-for-sale/

 

Your passport is a good starting point to steal your identity. Why bother going to the trouble of trying to use your passport to travel when it can be used to buy stuff & bill it all to your identity.

 

You're also talking about US immigration officers and systems - travel elsewhere on a false passport is a lot easier.

 

And a lot more folk have their passports lost or stolen at ports-of-call than miss their sailings, which is why the cruise director on thunter's link says the same as all cruise lines - when not obliged to take your passport ashore you should leave it in your cabin safe.

 

Each to what they're most comfortable with, and I know I'm not going to convince you.

But I think others should treat your stance with extreme caution.

 

JB :)

[navybankerteacher]

Hyperbole, especially with modern biometric passports.

 

Passports are valuable and should be protected. But they are no more valuable than many other documents one might possess.

 

Hard to think of “MANY” other documents of equal value someone might possess.

 

Aside from something else which proves citizenship, the only such “documents” which come to mind might be stock certificates, winning lottery tickets and the like.