do you bring your passport off the ship?

[oldvato]

You should not need to carry it if you are on a ship's excursion. But if you go off on your own and something happens to you or you are late and miss the ship, you might be up the creek without a paddle if you don't have your passport.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

We never take ours unless we are required to do so. There is big black market for stolen US passports. We will take a copy; again such depends on the country. Mexico, the Caribbean, we don’t even bother with a copy, just our SS card (sign and sail) and DL.

 

With a copy you can get a replacement through a US embassy in a very short amount of time. Also, we made scans of all of our ID, DL, passports, BC as well as some CC’s (both front and back) and keep them as a file on a Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo type e-mail account that has a very secure password and that we use for nothing else.

 

For us, the risk and hassles of having the passport stolen in a country where having it on person is not required is just not worth the risk. By the way we never keep our ID and our money in the same pocket, purse etc. I always keep my money in a money clip in a front pants pocket and ID and CC (just the cards no wallet) in a back pocket with a rubber band around them. (The rubber band, if not prevent, will really slow down a pickpocket….) GF will carry only a very small purse that has a strong strap long enough she can put it over her had and so the purse will hang down by her side under her arm. She will keep some cash there along with “her” stuff. ID and perhaps cash in different pockets on her person.

 

Sound advice but in Europe the purse idea is not the best. They will simply cut the strap and grab it. I keep my important documents and most of the money underneath my clothing (depending where I am traveling). I will even carry a decoy wallet again depending were I am traveling. When cruising and in port we really do not carry a lot of money around and do keep it spread out.

[Kurbanfan]

We leave ours on board.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

You should not need to carry it if you are on a ship's excursion. But if you go off on your own and something happens to you or you are late and miss the ship, you might be up the creek without a paddle if you don't have your passport.

 

These are the what ifs in life. They lead many passengers to over pack and others to worry beyond necessity.

 

What if you are on the ship's excursion get hurt and have to go to the nearest hospital and miss the ship??

[NCTribeFan]

This question always elicits as devisive opinions as formal wear and smoking.

 

I always have my passport with me when I'm in port. While on the ship, it is locked in my safe.

 

When I'm at home, it is locked in a fireproof box and stays there until I travel again.

 

If you aren't going to have it with you, and it still isn't required, then why bother? Why not just take your BC and ID?

 

That's a rhetorical question. You do what you want, and I'll take my passport with me.

[Kurbanfan]

 

If you aren't going to have it with you, and it still isn't required, then why bother? Why not just take your BC and ID?

 

 

Passport travels better then a BC. One form of id is easier to carry then two..........

That would be my reason..........

[Bruce&Pam]

By the way we never keep our ID and our money in the same pocket, purse etc. I always keep my money in a money clip in a front pants pocket and ID and CC (just the cards no wallet) in a back pocket with a rubber band around them. (The rubber band, if not prevent, will really slow down a pickpocket….)

That all sounds like good, safe advice, but what do you do when you're walking the beach or out snorkeling. That's when I'm worried about getting my stuff stolen. How can you enjoy your beach day when one of you has to stand "guard" by the backpack. That's the problem we keep facing.

 

We "fight" the problem by spending our beach days at beaches with some semblance of security, but it still worries us. When we go to Orient beach (which is a cab ride into the next country), do we take our passports with us, hoping that our backpack doesn't get stolen while we're in the water. Or do we leave them on the ship, hoping that our cab doesn't get involved in an accident on the way back and miss the ship? We just can't decide which way is the best way to go.

 

---Bruce

[gtalum]

i am afraid that if i miss the ship then I won't have my passport with me.

 

should I take it off the ship at the ports?

 

We take ours every time we get off the ship. IMHO it's just not smart to travel in foreign countries without it. If you run into trouble while ashore your passport can make things much easier.