Do I need to take my passport with me when I go into a Caribbean port?

[yvrbos]

I realize that I will need to carry some form of Id when I leave the ship to visit a port. But does it need to be your passport? Will your driver’s license be enough?

 

Thanks all!

[Reel Love]

We just got back from a Southern Caribbean cruise and did not take our passports off with us at any of the islands (A,B,C and Grand Cayman).  Only took our photo ID provincial health card with us, and had to show that at only one of the ports if I recall correctly.  All other ports we simply had to show our seapass card.

[davekathy]

9 minutes ago, yvrbos said:

I realize that I will need to carry some form of Id when I leave the ship to visit a port. But does it need to be your passport? Will your driver’s license be enough?

 

Thanks all!

Unless otherwise instructed, your drivers license will work. An announcement will be made each morning advising you when the ship has been cleared, where the gangway(s) is (are) located, what time all abroad is and what type of ID is recommended you carry while in port. Our pass ports always stay locked in the stateroom safe.  

[WonderMan3]

Few to no Caribbean ports require having your passport but requirements from ports could change at any moment. Just read your Daily Planner each day and it will tell you what the required form of identification you should have on you. Keep your passport in your cabin safe when you don’t need it.

[keesar]

33 minutes ago, yvrbos said:

I realize that I will need to carry some form of Id when I leave the ship to visit a port. But does it need to be your passport? Will your driver’s license be enough?

 

Thanks all!

 

Just bring your SeaPass card and photo identification.  NO passport.  Yes, your driver's license will be enough along with your ship's card.

 

Celebrity does not recommend bringing a passport ashore as there have been instances of them being stolen.  One had been stolen on our cruise ashore.

Edited March 1, 2020 by keesar

[fmlycrz]

If you have a passport I would recommend bringing it.  You never know what may happen.  Out of the blue I had a medical emergency years ago in the Bahamas.  I spent two days in the private hospital in Nassau and had to fly home (passport required to fly from outside of USA). Thankfully I had my passport and didn't have to spend time working around that situation.

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by fmlycrz

[bikerunner]

I use to only take a photo copy of my passport ashore but when I renewed I got the passport card so only take that sea pass and cc ashore now a days.  I know of a few people who have lost had stolen there passports. 

[m8zenblue]

What we do is I make copies of the info page of our passports and I carry them along with ID and drivers license in my backpack whenever we are off the ship and leave our real passports in our room safe.

[1025cruise]

Leave your passport in your safe.

 

In the (unlikely) event of an emergency, security will go through your safe and get your passports as well as any medications they see and leave them with the port agent.

[Fouremco]

43 minutes ago, fmlycrz said:

If you have a passport I would recommend bringing it.  You never know what may happen.  Out of the blue I had a medical emergency years ago in the Bahamas.  I spent two days in the private hospital in Nassau and had to fly home (passport required to fly from outside of USA). Thankfully I had my passport and didn't have to spend time working around that situation.

 

Totally agree. Passports are made to be used, or to be available in an emergency such as yours. I've held a passport continuously for over 50 years and have never entered a foreign country without it. Yes, some are stolen, but so are cameras, wallets, credit cards, cash and just about everything else, but we don't lock all those things in our safe before heading ashore. Just using a little bit of common sense will keep your passport safe.

[ScubesDad]

2 hours ago, fmlycrz said:

If you have a passport I would recommend bringing it.  You never know what may happen.  Out of the blue I had a medical emergency years ago in the Bahamas.  I spent two days in the private hospital in Nassau and had to fly home (passport required to fly from outside of USA). Thankfully I had my passport and didn't have to spend time working around that situation.

 

I have to disagree.  Celebrity will advise you if you need to take your passport with you when you go ashore, and when photo id is sufficient. If you fail to return to the ship, as previously mentioned, security will enter your stateroom and locate your passports, meds, credit cards, etc....the items you will need to either catch up with the ship or to return home, and will deliver it to their port agent.  There are some countries in the world where you are required to carry your passport at all times, and others where it is not required.  The hastle of replacing your passport if lost, stolen or damaged in a foreign country, imo, far outweights the "convenience" of carrying it with me all the time, particularly if i am not required to carry it with me.  I always take a photo of the port agent details listed in the daily and carry it on my phone in the rare event i need assistance. As with all things common sense is required, if i am on an overnight trip away from the ship or hotel then my passport comes with me.  There is no right or wrong position, just what you feel most comfortable doing to manage the risk one way or the other.

Edited March 1, 2020 by ScubesDad

[keesar]

2 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Leave your passport in your safe.

 

In the (unlikely) event of an emergency, security will go through your safe and get your passports as well as any medications they see and leave them with the port agent.

 

Very good advice.  If you don't have to take your Passport ashore, then don't.  I recall being on a cruise in Central America and a  passenger took a Passport ashore and had it stolen.  The individual had to go to a U.S. Consulate/Embassy to report the loss and complete an application for a new one.  Do you want to spend your vacation doing just that?  Do you want to risk missing the ship?   I recall the cruise line making an announcement telling cruisers NOT to bring Passports ashore.

[Nachosdelux]

the risk of having your passport lost/stolen/damaged while in port is likely much higher than needing it for a medical emergency.  Leave it in the safe in your room. Bring a color copy of the passport and/or your passport card instead.

[varoo]

4 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Leave your passport in your safe.

 

In the (unlikely) event of an emergency, security will go through your safe and get your passports as well as any medications they see and leave them with the port agent.

 

Excellent advice.

There are very few ports where you need to take your passport off the ship with you (e.g., St. Petersburg, Russia) and the ship will inform you when you need to do so.

 

At other ports, a photocopy of your main passport page works well for ID purposes, unless renting a motor vehicle, in which case you should bring your driver's license.

 

I would be foolish to risk having my passport, or even my driver's license, lost or stolen by taking it off the ship and carrying it around at a port where it is not needed as it would be a real hassle to get it replaced.

 

If the photocopy should be lost or stolen, I can quickly and easily replace it.

 

             

Edited March 1, 2020 by varoo

[Fouremco]

7 minutes ago, varoo said:

I would be foolish to risk having my passport, or even my driver's license, lost or stolen by taking it off the ship and carrying it around at a port where it is not needed.

Again, a difference in perspective based on experience. I always carry my driver's license ashore because we frequently rent a car, particularly in the Caribbean. 

 

And when I'm at home, I don't remove things from my wallet that I won't need that day because of the potential risk of having them lost or stolen. Of course, in my 72 years I've never lost my wallet or had it stolen.

[Jim_Iain]

I personally never take my passport ashore unless specifically requested to.     I always have a color copy of passports in my backpack but rely upon my DL for ports that require identification along with sea pass.

 

 

[abritinva]

On our Caribbean cruise on Summit last week we were required to show a photo ID once on our return to the ship, I believe it was St Kitts. Our driving licenses were acceptable.