Passport/Boarding question

[stoneharborlady]

I asked this question on a thread of another subject (sorry) and I dont think it will get answered there. On cruise to eastern Caribbean, must we take our passports to get off and reboard the ship in St. Thomas/ St Martin? If so, isnt it a worry to have that in your beach bag if you are swimming? I have read several times people have had their whole beach bag lifted and taken. What do you do?

Karen

[caribill]

All that is required is that you have a photo ID and for that a driver's license is fine. That is because port security may (or may not) ask to see it before allowing access back into the port.

 

There is another thread about wheather or not it is wise if one should keep a passport with them everytime they leave the ship, but that is not what you asked.

[BJS]

I asked this question on a thread of another subject (sorry) and I dont think it will get answered there. On cruise to eastern Caribbean, must we take our passports to get off and reboard the ship in St. Thomas/ St Martin? If so, isnt it a worry to have that in your beach bag if you are swimming? I have read several times people have had their whole beach bag lifted and taken. What do you do?

Karen

It will be in the "Patter" should a passport be required to clear port security. We've just made a colored copy of our passport and showed it in the Caribbean if required. Most of the time just your cruise key card is all that is required.

 

.

[S&M in Pgh]

If you are referring to customs, you will be given a scheduled time to report to the customs line (onboard), the inspectors will look at your passport and you will be given a "ticket" to disembark. You don't leave the ship to go thru customs. The ship will tell you that in all ports you will need photo id to embark back on the ship. We have waterproof wallets (for sale on board) that we take our cruise card, a credit card, drivers license & some cash. that way you keep it with you even when you are swimming.

[Stevesan]

I asked this question on a thread of another subject (sorry) and I dont think it will get answered there. On cruise to eastern Caribbean, must we take our passports to get off and reboard the ship in St. Thomas/ St Martin? If so, isnt it a worry to have that in your beach bag if you are swimming? I have read several times people have had their whole beach bag lifted and taken. What do you do?

Karen

 

The only ID needed to reboard at interim Caribbean ports is your cruise card, except for St Thomas where you must also show a gov't issued photo ID.

You need to show your birth certificate and gov't issued photo ID, or U.S. passport at both embarkation and disembarkation.

In the future, a passport will be required for Caribbean cruise passengers. I don't offhand recall the schedule and the U.S. passport web site is not currently available. Go to this URL for the rules:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html

 

When a U.S. territory, USVI, San Juan, etc, is the next to last port of your cruise, you will clear immigration upon arrival. That, however, is done on board the ship.

[Toto2Kansas]

Many times we have had to take our drivers license or picture ID with us when getting off in port. And YES, they have checked before allowing us back onto the pier.

 

Security changes with the drop of a hat. One time they will require it, and the next time possibly not. But if you take along a government issued picture ID, you won't have to take your passports ashore with you and risk loosing them or having them ruined.

[Unca Pete]

You will need a PHOTO id to re board in St. Thomas. We didn't need it at other ports, so we left the driver's licenses on board. Big mistake. They wouldn't let us re board using the cruise cards and we had to wait until we were verified as being passengers :(

[Toto2Kansas]

We also have had to have picture ID for getting back on the pier in St. Martin recently.

[Unca Pete]

The new passport "cards" might be a good thing to carry in addition to the passports. They aren't good for air travel, but they are accepted for Mexico, Canada and Caribbean land or sea travel. There might be some advantage to leaving one or the other in the cabin, and carrying the other.

 

Pete

[stoneharborlady]

The new passport "cards" might be a good thing to carry in addition to the passports. They aren't good for air travel, but they are accepted for Mexico, Canada and Caribbean land or sea travel. There might be some advantage to leaving one or the other in the cabin, and carrying the other.

 

Pete

 

Where does one get a passport "card"? I have a passport, but know nothing about the card.

[BJS]

Where does one get a passport "card"? I have a passport, but know nothing about the card.

 

Try looking here

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3923.html

 

They are not valid for air travel only for land or sea boarding crossings between Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and Caribbean.

 

 

.

[grandmaa]

To All who posted info re: "Passport Card"..thank you. Another question, do you need to take your passport to the Post Office when you apply for the card, and are the numbers tied together?? How long did it take to receive the Passport card back??

We are going to Mexico in 4 weeks and would like to have this form of ID with us.

Anita

aka

GrandmaA

[regnig]

Another question - is one's picture on the card and if so where?

 

We also just copied our passports and printed image on photo paper. After cutting out the shape it fits nicely inside the actual document. On our "run" through to clear St. Thomas customs I still had the copies in our passports and the customs agent even commented "what a great idea". Heck it almost took her longer to make that comment than it did for use to enter the lounge, circle it and exit.

[FredS]

the way I read the DHS site on passport cards, it is set up for people that live near the border and do land crossing often. Notice it says you can get one as a renewal for you passport, but it sounds like you have a passport card or a passport book. While it does not specifically say you cannot have both it does talk about getting them at renewal time.