Detained in Nassau with no help from cruise line.

[davekathy]

Sounds like someone wasn't listening to the predeparture announcements and not reading the Cruise Compass. 

[Desert Cruizers]

Everytime you get off in Port it is announced that you take a Photo ID with you to get back unto the pier & to the ship along with your Sea pass Card. 

[broberts]

1 hour ago, Desert Cruizers said:

Everytime you get off in Port it is announced that you take a Photo ID with you to get back unto the pier & to the ship along with your Sea pass Card. 

 

I think people, especially first timers can be excused for not taking in every announcement. I know I often miss announcements or find them unintelligible. When they drone on and on, I tend to tune them out. Let's face it, many of these announcements are frivolous.

 

[jdg623]

We had an interesting experience recently on a Disney cruise - my husband lost his sea pass & drivers license somewhere in Castaway Cay (Disney's private island). Going back on the ship was no problem since I had mine and our ship photos were taken as a couple when we checked in so they just waved us through. When we got to guest services onboard, a crew member had already found and returned his IDs 😂  Not sure we'd have had the same experience in a "regular" port.

[KuffMUp]

4 hours ago, robtulipe said:

Those who are concerned about losing their current DL or other government ID I always use my previous to current, now expired  DL as my ID for port stops. I also could do the same with my Ontario Health card as port security only check that the photo and name on the ID card matches the name on your ship's card and it's a government issued ID.

I simply leave that expired DL card in the neck safe I always use to bring  cash,  a credit card and the ship's card when on our port stops.

Not a good idea to use your expired DL for ID. It may have worked for you so far but expired ID is not "valid" government issued ID.   Come to my place of business and you will get nowhere with your expired ID.  If I can't get into a bar, buy cigarettes, or in those locals with new marijuana shops, buying marijuana, or getting fingerprinted for my new job with an expired license, why would I want to risk getting back on the ship in a foreign country with it?

[steveru621]

You must have found the needle in the haystack.  After 29 cruises I have never, ever, not seen a reminder in the cruise compass to take a photo ID off the ship in port.

[Goofyfanatic]

10 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

You must have found the needle in the haystack.  After 29 cruises I have never, ever, not seen a reminder in the cruise compass to take a photo ID off the ship in port.

 

Steve I see it every time, at least I think I do...maybe I am losing my memory which is a distinct possiblity

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Goofyfanatic

[kinggartk]

23 hours ago, kerryincork said:

It is stated on every newsletter you receive in your room that you need photo is when leaving ship.

 

I've never been on cruise where we weren't constantly reminded to bring ID with us.

 

Interesting....we just got off a 7 day on Oasis and they said absolutely nothing about documents needed at ports.  We did have the forethought to ask questions in advance however.  Most of what we found out was from other passengers.

[steveru621]

We are all assuming the rent-a-cop at the port actually knows what a valid ID is in this situation.  50 states, 100 countries, DL, military, thousands of valid IDs.

 

Most countries we have been to don't require you to show anything other than your seapass card.

 

Carrying an ID off the ship is mostly to identify you if you are incapacitated in any way.

[Nessa1dc]

If get off the ship, I have my passport.  You never know what could happen.  So sorry that this happened to you, but there was notification, but maybe not as obvious as you were looking.  It might be a good idea for them to have staff, as people are leaving, to remind them to have ID.

[cindivan]

When my kids were younger and didn’t have a drivers license, I really disliked carrying their passports with us. Just seemed too valuable to be walking around port or hanging out at beach if they got lost or stolen. It seemed to be pretty random on whether the kids were checked, so I started getting lax about taking their passports and just took DH and my drivers license. Sometimes we were asked for their photo ID but when we said they were under 16 we never had a problem. Usually they made sure our last names matched. 

 

I agree I do think it’s printed in the compass for every stop but the private island. But RC could do a better job of saying if it’s required for under 16.   

[Grandma Dazzles]

59 minutes ago, kinggartk said:

Interesting....we just got off a 7 day on Oasis and they said absolutely nothing about documents needed at ports.  We did have the forethought to ask questions in advance however.  Most of what we found out was from other passengers.

As others have said,  never known it to be not listed in the Cruise Compass. 

[Grandma Dazzles]

59 minutes ago, kinggartk said:

Interesting....we just got off a 7 day on Oasis and they said absolutely nothing about documents needed at ports.  We did have the forethought to ask questions in advance however.  Most of what we found out was from other passengers.

As others have said,  never known it to be not listed in the Cruise Compass. 

[theLCC1]

OP - one other item that our family never leaves the ship without is a picture of the Port Agent information which can be found at the end of the Compass for that day ......   We always do a checklist (to save my sanity when my kids were younger) - sea pass, valid passport (or DL, whatever you are traveling with) and a pic of the Port Agent Info.  You just never know when either will be needed.

 

As an aside, I always have a picture of our valid passports on my phone as well and a printed copy in the safe on the ship.  Overkill perhaps but if I were to lose a bag with our passports and my phone I want a backup plan. 

 

Hope the remainder of your cruise was awesome and welcome to cruising 🙂

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, steveru621 said:

We are all assuming the rent-a-cop at the port actually knows what a valid ID is in this situation.  50 states, 100 countries, DL, military, thousands of valid IDs.

 

Most countries we have been to don't require you to show anything other than your seapass card.

 

Carrying an ID off the ship is mostly to identify you if you are incapacitated in any way.

We’ve always had to provide ID in Nassau.

[davekathy]

43 minutes ago, cindivan said:

When my kids were younger and didn’t have a drivers license, I really disliked carrying their passports with us. Just seemed too valuable to be walking around port or hanging out at beach if they got lost or stolen. It seemed to be pretty random on whether the kids were checked, so I started getting lax about taking their passports and just took DH and my drivers license. Sometimes we were asked for their photo ID but when we said they were under 16 we never had a problem. Usually they made sure our last names matched. 

 

I agree I do think it’s printed in the compass for every stop but the private island. But RC could do a better job of saying if it’s required for under 16.   

Agree. On all of our RC Caribbean cruises if there is a requirement for a government issued ID then it has always been published in the Cruise Compass you receive the night before plus the predeparture announcement when they ship has been cleared. No matter the port. Private or not. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by davekathy

[ib_gman]

On 11/19/2018 at 2:48 PM, lbsaady said:

First time cruising with family. Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas allows us off the boat (in Nassau) after showing our SeaPass card but didn’t mention (as we exited or on the literature) that we would need our passports or photo ID to get OUT of the port shopping area. As a result, my husband and son were separated from me and my daughter because they didn’t have photo ID with them (my daughter and I happened to have our drivers licenses with us). There was no explanation as to where they were being taken. Our son was very anxious and scared. He is afraid to get off the ship in Haiti, the next port, where we have a planned excursion. This situation did not have to happen if we had been notified PRIOR to leaving the ship that we needed anything more than our SeaPass card. Very disappointed with Royal Caribbean’s handling of this. 

 

Who would ever get off a ship in a foreign port without proper photo identification? ....and explain to me how this is RCCL's fault? 

[cruiseguy1016]

1 hour ago, cindivan said:

When my kids were younger and didn’t have a drivers license, I really disliked carrying their passports with us. Just seemed too valuable to be walking around port or hanging out at beach if they got lost or stolen. It seemed to be pretty random on whether the kids were checked, so I started getting lax about taking their passports and just took DH and my drivers license. Sometimes we were asked for their photo ID but when we said they were under 16 we never had a problem. Usually they made sure our last names matched. 

 

I agree I do think it’s printed in the compass for every stop but the private island. But RC could do a better job of saying if it’s required for under 16.   

 

Do you take your purse/wallet with you? Do you take cash or a credit card? Do you take your cell phone? A camera? What do you do to keep those things from getting lost or stolen? If you treated your passport with the same security as you treat those other things, your passport would never get stolen.

 

There are two sides to the "leave the passport on the ship or take it off with you" argument. I am one of the people that would never get off the ship without my passport. I protect it in the same manner that I protect my wallet.

[karena1]

I am sorry this happened, but I can only say we have been to Nassau probably 60 times and every single time there were multiple announcements about needed a photo ID to get back on the ship.  It was also in the Cruise Compass, there are notices when you get off the ship and almost always do the security that checks you off the ship tell you that you need ID when you get off the ship.  Very surprised you did not see/hear any of this.

[karena1]

14 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

There are two sides to the "leave the passport on the ship or take it off with you" argument. I am one of the people that would never get off the ship without my passport. I protect it in the same manner that I protect my wallet.

Never take our passports with us.  We take our driver's license and pictures of our passports.  Our actual passports stay on the ship in the safe. 

[voyager70]

2 minutes ago, karena1 said:

Never take our passports with us.  We take our driver's license and pictures of our passports.  Our actual passports stay on the ship in the safe. 

 

This has always been our plan as well.  Only times we took actual passports off ship were when it was required which has only happened twice in 40+ cruises.  Once, in Skagway, Alaska when we did an excursion which entered into Canada, and in St. Petersburg, Russia where you go through immigration each time on & off the ship.  Otherwise they stay locked in the safe.

 

[cruiseguy1016]

4 minutes ago, karena1 said:

Never take our passports with us.  We take our driver's license and pictures of our passports.  Our actual passports stay on the ship in the safe. 

 

We could argue this subject all day long but I choose not to. You will never convince me to leave my passport on the ship and I doubt I will ever convince you to take yours off.

[voyager70]

1 minute ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

We could argue this subject all day long but I choose not to. You will never convince me to leave my passport on the ship and I doubt I will ever convince you to take yours off.

 

Fair enough.  We all need to do what we're comfortable with.  Just like whether to book with a TA or not.  No one's ever going to win that debate.

 

 

[Desert Cruizers]

I was coming back from a Ship Tour with my husband and a van full , and at the check in gate when they came on to check DL or Pass ports, 6 people were pulled off for not having either. Either they forgot, didn't read the compass or were first timers. I will admit if in our room I have opened the door to hear the announcement so those can be missed. I have always taken both with us. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

6 hours ago, HBE4 said:

I get that. I really do. The OP was definitely being a bit over dramatic but I chalked it up to them still being stressed out about a chaotic situation where there they were unsure of what to do next,probably plenty of commotion with upset children, thus feeling the need to lash out to someone/something.  Probably should have taken a deep breath and had a shot before posting.

 

Keeping in mind, this is their first port of their first cruse and first time posting in CC, I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

 

And while the majority of members gave helpful replies, a few of the experienced members were equally over dramatic in their less-than-helpful replies.  CC mods apparently agree as they have deleted those posts. 

 

Hopefully they can laugh about it today. It'll be a good story when they get home.

I am far from an experienced cruiser.  I even posted about not taking my DL with me on our first port stop on our first cruise.  I am more than willing to give the OP the benefit of the doubt.  BUT, they are trying to blame RCI for what is plainly their fault.  

 

I give more respect to someone who admits it may have been themselves to screw up (even if they don't believe it).  They said they had "no help from cruise line" and I'm curious what they thought RCI should have done.   It's more of the "it's not my fault" I get from my preteen.