Canadians and passports

[Angie-Pangie]

I am still confused on the question of whether I keep my Canadian passport or not. We are travelling this Sunday, the 25th, on the Pearl. Reading through various posts, I am sometimes lead to believe that NCL will hold the passports but then at other times I am lead to believe that will not be the case (that we will hold them). HELP! :confused: :confused:

[akaCruiser]

You are correct, non-us citizens must provide their passports to the cruise line for the duration of the cruise. Normally, they will send you copies of your passport after the first day on board. You will receive your passports either the night before or on the last day (early morning) of the cruise prior to leaving the ship and talking with the customs folks.

[A Sixth?]

I am still confused on the question of whether I keep my Canadian passport or not. We are travelling this Sunday, the 25th, on the Pearl. Reading through various posts, I am sometimes lead to believe that NCL will hold the passports but then at other times I am lead to believe that will not be the case (that we will hold them). HELP! :confused: :confused:

 

When we were on the Sun a few years ago, they confiscated them until the end of the cruise. :mad:

[mrleo33]

Carnival does this as well. Its not a big deal really. They do take them when you check in and they give you a receipt for it. Then in our case at least, the last morning they will have all non-U.S. Citizen's meet at a central location to pick them up.

[Sandyrella]

Carnival did not take our passports last March. We used them as our photo idea getting back on the ship.

 

Disney DID take our passports in March 2004.

 

It is my understanding that NCL does also take your passports.

[Cruiser#5]

On our previous 2 cruise, NCL did hold onto our passports until the end of the trip. They provided us with an official receipt.

[Angie-Pangie]

This is where I get confused. If you read another thread from today called Disembarking Canadians (or something to that effect) there are people who recently travelled on NCL who did not have their passports taken. Is it because they sailed from Houston and New Orleans or is it simply random, luck-of-the-draw?

[lukes]

NCL did hold our passports on our cruise in Dec. We recieved photocopies the next day in the cabin to be used as photo ID when returning to the ship from ports. The passports were returned at disembarkation in the Stardusk theatre.

[addicted cruiser]

My husband and I were recently on the NCL Pearl Jan 19th/07 sailing and we are from Canada. We did not have to give our passports over but were told at ever port to make sure that we had either our passports or photo ID with us to get back on the ship plus our ship card. We were never asked for it when reentering the dock but was told this was just a precaution just in case.

 

I always photo copy my passport and leave a copy in the lining of my suitcase just in case my original gets lots or stolen.

 

Have a great cruise. We did. It was one of the best we have been on.

 

Addicted Cruiser:) :)

[lukes]

This procedure of holding the passports may depend on the ports of call. It is not really NCL's rule but a requirement of the country sailing to that requires them to see the passport/or receive verification of passport for all non US entering the country. Therefore those ships sailing only to US or Canadian ports like Hawaii or Alaska cruises do not require the passports to be held.

[Angie-Pangie]

Thanks so much for your answers. I am trying to confirm for sure whether we have to give or not give the passports as my husband is a government lawyer and if I have to tell him that we give them our passports he isn't really going to like that idea. And there will then be a lot of questions. So in my quest for a definitive answer, I decided to call NCL directly. Yeah, that didn't go so well. The nice lady had never heard of NCL holding people's passports. she even asked me if my passport was a fake or something and that is why I am worried. Needless to say our phone call did not last very long. I kindly thanked her for her time and that was that. So, all those people who have had their passports held in the past, apparently NCL had no idea they were doing that! Anyhoo, based on the last answer from Stoney Creek, I am going to go on the assumption that we will be cuddling up with our passports every single night.

[Angie-Pangie]

okay, I've changed my mind. Maybe I won't assume we will keep our passports. Any 5-night Pearl travellers from Canada who can shed some light on whether we keep or give our passports?

[Aloucha]

I am Canadian and was on the Spirit (NY-Carrabean) last week. They kept our passports and supplied us with a photocopy before getting to the first port.

 

In 2005, on the Sun (Miami-Carrabean) they also kept our passports but did not supply a photocopy.

[Snowrose]

I am Canadian and was on the Spirit (NY-Carrabean) last week. They kept our passports and supplied us with a photocopy before getting to the first port.

 

DH is a Canadian and we were on the Spirit (also NYC to the Caribbean) 3 weeks ago. NCL did hold DH's passport, gave him a copy of it the first day at sea, and gave it back to him the morning we debarked.

 

Teri

[scoobysteve]

Just to add a little more confusion to this question, when we did our first trip on the Sun to Belize, Honduras, etc. NCL did not take our Passports. The same for Hawaii albeit we did the islands and not farther afield. When we did the Dawn out of New York to Bermuda/Bahamas they did take our Passports.....but not without a fight! Recently we did the 21 day Panama Canal repositioning on the Sun from Vancouver to New Orleans. Great trip! We at no time were asked to hand over our Passports despite the fact we were going to a slew of foreign countries. We are always told to have our Passports available when coming back on board as part of our ID. My personal feeling on this is my passport is exactly that...Mine! Not NCL's or anyone elses. Photocopy it and give it back to me if you must have proof of my Citizenship!

I will now get off my Soapbox! I feel much better!

[Jean-Michel]

This procedure of holding the passports may depend on the ports of call. It is not really NCL's rule but a requirement of the country sailing to that requires them to see the passport/or receive verification of passport for all non US entering the country. Therefore those ships sailing only to US or Canadian ports like Hawaii or Alaska cruises do not require the passports to be held.[/

 

It make sence, twice on the Dawn and they kept my passport and once on the Majesty and they haven't! So it may depend on the port of call?!

[waterbaby]

On All The Cruises, My Husband And I Have Been On, They Have Taken The Canadian Passport And Kept It For The Duration Of The Cruise. We Have Never Had A Problem Getting It Back. We've Been On Different Cruise Lines And It Has All Been Done The Same Way. Don't Worry About It. You'll Be Fine. Cheryl

[toromc]

I am still confused on the question of whether I keep my Canadian passport or not. We are travelling this Sunday, the 25th, on the Pearl. Reading through various posts, I am sometimes lead to believe that NCL will hold the passports but then at other times I am lead to believe that will not be the case (that we will hold them). HELP! :confused: :confused:

 

We were on the Spirit this past Summer out of NYC and NCL took our passports. They did provide a receipt but on disembarkation on the last day, their procedures were atrocious. They didnt follow their own procedures and the "foreign" guest were still on the ship as the new passengers were trying to board. We were on Carnival's Imagination and they didnt take our passport. Too bad they are not consistent across companies and ports.

[paddy Anne]

On All The Cruises, My Husband And I Have Been On, They Have Taken The Canadian Passport And Kept It For The Duration Of The Cruise. We Have Never Had A Problem Getting It Back. We've Been On Different Cruise Lines And It Has All Been Done The Same Way. Don't Worry About It. You'll Be Fine. Cheryl

 

I had always had the same experience until I was on the Carnival Imagination last Decemeber. This was the first time that they didn't take our passports. It was also the first time I remember role call not being taken at the Muster drill.

PA

[kodiaknurse]

I travelled on NCL 1 1/2 yrs ago and we did not have to give up our passports. They (NCL) took copies of our passports. We were told to carry them with us whenever we left the ship Texicarribean Cruise. This time we are doing a Hawaii cruise - I don't anticipate any need to carry the passports when we leave the ship.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Sue

[dragonfly08]

Therefore those ships sailing only to US or Canadian ports like Hawaii or Alaska cruises do not require the passports to be held.

 

I just sailed to Canada/NE on the Spirit, and while this did not apply to me since I'm a US citizen, I did overhear a couple arguing with reception one day about the fact that their passports had been taken at embarkation. There was also an announcement (can't remember if it was at disembarkation, or when we cleared customs in Bar Harbor after visiting Halifax) stating that non-US citizens should report to a certain location at which time their passports would be returned. Leads me to believe that at least some non-US citizens did have to surrender their passports during the cruise.

[sunshine 229]

Just to add a little more confusion to this question, when we did our first trip on the Sun to Belize, Honduras, etc. NCL did not take our Passports. The same for Hawaii albeit we did the islands and not farther afield. When we did the Dawn out of New York to Bermuda/Bahamas they did take our Passports.....but not without a fight! Recently we did the 21 day Panama Canal repositioning on the Sun from Vancouver to New Orleans. Great trip! We at no time were asked to hand over our Passports despite the fact we were going to a slew of foreign countries. We are always told to have our Passports available when coming back on board as part of our ID. My personal feeling on this is my passport is exactly that...Mine! Not NCL's or anyone elses. Photocopy it and give it back to me if you must have proof of my Citizenship!

I will now get off my Soapbox! I feel much better!

I have the same gut reaction as you...don't like to leave my passport in someone elses hands,,,but I see you did give yours up after a fight when you cruised on Dawn.

 

As with some of the one-sided conditions of the cruise contract all the cruiseline has to say is...do thid or you don't get on the ship and most of us give in..at that point, if we want to cruise and especially as with the passports at embarkation, when they have our money, what else is there for us to do.

 

The bottom line is sometimes they take tham and sometimes they don't. If you are determined to hold onto them don't cruise.

 

To put this in perspective however I've also had my passport taken when cruising other lines so it's not just an NCL thing.

[bigdan11]

We just got back from the spirit on the 15th and they took our passport when we checked in then received a photo copy the 2nd day.Then the morning we got to Bar Harbour,which would have been our 4th day of the cruise we went through customs on the ship and thats when we got our passports back.This was our first cruise they ever took our passports.The other cruises were mexican riviera and Alaska.

[Cruisin'Kim]

Our 1st 3 cruises, (1 on celebrity, 2 on RCL) the ship held our passports, but on our last cruise they had us keep them. I thought at the time it was because one of our ports was St. Thomas, and you are required to clear customs now when you go there. On our first cruise we went to St. Thomas, but clearing customs wasn't in effect then. Our last cruise everyone had to go to the main dining room with their passports before they could disembark.

 

Because of all this, I assumed it was because of St. Thomas - does anyone else know if this would be the case?:confused:

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Kim.

[goodml]

Angie, one thing I definitely know about this is that you will NOT get a definitive answer:D . There doesn't seem to be a firm recognizable policy on this issue. If I were you I'd prepare your husband for the fact that his passport will most probably be taken for the duration of the cruise. I always make a couple of photocopies before we go and leave one with relatives at home in case for some unknown reason I need to have it faxed to me.

 

We have had our Cdn passports taken on every one of our cruises except the last one which had two Californian ports of call and one in Mexico. I had to laugh when Carnival kept it for our cruise out of NYC last year. The only ports of call were in Canada!

 

The bottom line is that if they say you have to surrender your passport or not sail then that's the way it goes. My brother-inlaw is a lawyer for the Attorney General's office here in Ont and he put up a fight but still ended up surrendering it because they weren't going to let him or his family sail otherwise.