Need to provide passport info to TA or Cruise Co.?

[snb3]

Sorry for this basic question but I'm doing a river cruise for the first time and they are asking me to provide passport info. Its a Danube cruise thru Austria & Germany. Is it normal procedure to provide passport info to the cruise co.?

 

thanks

[paul929207]

Yes, they ask for the info in advance to speed embarkation.

 

Paul

[mac321]

On our Rhine cruise Amsterdam to Basel, Avalon took our passports when we boarded and we got them back at the end of the trip after all accounts had been settled. It didn't make much sense to us why this was done but it was the same for everyone.

 

We had good copies of our passports and took them with us where ever we went. Later when we travelled through Switzerland and Italy we always left our passports in the hotel safe and kept the copies on us.

[snb3]

Gate 1 wanted me to provide them the info prior to our trip in Nov. I guess its normal.

thanks for the 411!:)

[steamboats]

snb3,

 

Yes, this is normal. Deilmann also wanted our passport information in advance to prepare for customs and border control.

 

steamboats

[GlobeMan]

Cruise lines take your passport so that they can clear you through immigration in each country you visit. The alternative would be for all the passengers to wait on line for a visa at each border.

After you enter your last country, you can get your passport back even if the cruise lasts a few more days.

 

Funny Story:

2 years ago, the the Serbian border officials boarded our ship around 7PM and didn't leave until well after midnight (we were to tour in Serbia the following day).

 

They set up their passport inspection in the library next the bar and proceeded to order meals and plenty of booze. The captain had little choice but to oblige since they could easily forbid entry. The girls working in the bar kept their glasses filled with top shelf liquor all evening. These guys could drink!:D