first time cruising need help

[ortech]

this is my first cruise and so far i have gotton alot of tips and im packed and ready to go but DH asked me a ?? i dont know the answer.. so im hoping you will help...

im cruising on the south carnival victory boat this weekend we stop on 6 different islands ... my ?? to you is. do we have to carry our passports on every island we port for ex: st.thomas,st. kitt, st lucia, barbados, dominica and aguilla (not sure of spelling) or just our sail and sign cards with DL's card? im leaving saturday jan 17th please help thanks

[tha sista]

this is my first cruise and so far i have gotton alot of tips and im packed and ready to go but DH asked me a ?? i dont know the answer.. so im hoping you will help...

im cruising on the south carnival victory boat this weekend we stop on 6 different islands ... my ?? to you is. do we have to carry our passports on every island we port for ex: st.thomas,st. kitt, st lucia, barbados, dominica and aguilla (not sure of spelling) or just our sail and sign cards with DL's card? im leaving saturday jan 17th please help thanks

 

You are going to antigua not anguilla. But for your question, my opinion is you SHOULD carry your passport with you when you get off the ship. If something happened and you missed the ship, you need that one little document to get to the next port by air. Same situation if you had some kind of emergency. I take my passport when I leave the ship along with my sail and sign card. Have fun!!

[MDSue]

this is my first cruise and so far i have gotton alot of tips and im packed and ready to go but DH asked me a ?? i dont know the answer.. so im hoping you will help...

im cruising on the south carnival victory boat this weekend we stop on 6 different islands ... my ?? to you is. do we have to carry our passports on every island we port for ex: st.thomas,st. kitt, st lucia, barbados, dominica and aguilla (not sure of spelling) or just our sail and sign cards with DL's card? im leaving saturday jan 17th please help thanks

You don't have to, they really only check your sign and sail card when you get on and off, but it's probaly a good idea to have it with you. If you have any issues while on shore you may need it.

Usually I carry my drivers license and sign and sail card along with som cash and one credit card, but for peace of mind I'd consider taking passport as well, especially if there's any chance you won't male it back to the ship on time.:eek:

[firefly333]

If you need a picture ID at some ports, they will announce it before you get off. Iv been to a few ports where you needed a picture ID like a drivers license or passport in addition to your seapass card.

[noblepa]

Here we go again. SInce the OP is a new cruiser, I'm sure that she doesn't realize that she has opened a can of worms. This question comes up with some frequency and elicits strong opinions.

 

In virtually all Caribbean ports, it is not absolutely necessary to carry your passport ashore. You will always need your S & S card, both to get OFF the ship and back on. In many ports, the LOCAL authorities require a photo ID to simply enter the port area. A DL is sufficient for this.

 

So, the short answer is, no, you don't need to take your passport ashore with you.

 

In fact, many cruisers are adamant that you should NOT take it ashore. It can be lost or stolen and can be awkward to keep safe while swimming at a beach.

 

However, (there always seems to be a "however", doesn't there?) if you should miss the ship or need to leave the cruise early, due to illness, injury, too many Margarita's at Carlos and Charlie's or a family emergency back home, you will need to fly. For that, a passport is required.

 

Some will suggest taking a photocopy of the first page of your passport. IMHO, that is worthless. In any situation in which a passport is actually required (such as flying home) a photocopy is useless. Only the real thing will do.

 

Unless/until the US requires a passport to return to the US by sea, my plan is to do the following: I will take both our birth certificates (which will stay in the cabin safe) and our passports (which will go ashore in foreign ports). If I should lose my passport, my DL and S & S card will get me back on the ship. The birth certificate will get me through US customs upon our return.

 

Yes, a passport is valuable and may be lost or stolen, but that is true of your wallet, purse, camera, credit cards and cash. A passport is just one more valuable item that must be handled with care.

 

The entire reason for the existence of a passport is to facilitate foreign travel. I paid almost $100 apiece for our passports. To me, its silly to leave it in the cabin safe when I go ashore, where I might actually need it (but almost certainly won't). If you leave it in your cabin safe, you might as well leave it at home.

 

BTW, none of the above applies in US possessions, such as St. Thomas or San Juan.

 

YMMV

 

Paul Noble

[cuyahoga11]

Where I go, my passport goes

[Roadpossum]

Some will suggest taking a photocopy of the first page of your passport. IMHO, that is worthless. In any situation in which a passport is actually required (such as flying home) a photocopy is useless. Only the real thing will do.

 

 

Paul Noble

 

I'm not sure I would say a photocopy is "worthless". I've talked to a friend who works for the State Dept. and he's the one that suggested I carry a color photocopy with me at all times when I travel overseas. It's true you can't travel in or out of a country using only a photocopy. But if you do lose your passport, having a copy of the photo page goes a long way when presented to the U.S. consolate when you notify them that your's has been stolen or lost, or when you tell them you missed the ship and your real passport is locked in a safe in your cabin. It proves that you are were indeed issued one, your photo shows that you are who you say you are, and it makes it easier for them to look you up on the computer and get you on your way.

 

I never carry my real passport with me for the same reason I don't carry all my money with me when I'm off the ship (other than when I fly in or out of a country). It's just too easy to have someone pick your pocket when you're outside your element. When you get off the ship, take your S&S card, your DL or ID, and a color photocopy and you won't have any problems.

[Cuizer2]

this is my first cruise and so far i have gotton alot of tips and im packed and ready to go but DH asked me a ?? i dont know the answer.. so im hoping you will help...

im cruising on the south carnival victory boat this weekend we stop on 6 different islands ... my ?? to you is. do we have to carry our passports on every island we port for ex: st.thomas,st. kitt, st lucia, barbados, dominica and aguilla (not sure of spelling) or just our sail and sign cards with DL's card? im leaving saturday jan 17th please help thanks

 

Well, you don't actually need your passport if at the end of the day you are back on the ship. If something happens and you miss the ship for one reason or another, then yes, you need the passport.

 

On the other hand, if you don't miss the ship, why risk losing your passport?

 

I leave mine on the ship, I am careful to make sure I am back in time, and I carry a copy of the passport with me.

 

In port you will need your room card (you need that to get off the ship) and you will usually need some sort of picture ID. Usually that is a driver's license. Children under the age of 16 don't need a picture ID.

[noblepa]

Yes, a photocopy can help the US embassy or consulate expedite a replacement or alternate travel documents. I do, in fact keep a copy in the cabin safe, just for that purpose. A photocopy reduces the delay. A passport eliminates it entirely.

 

As for not missing the ship, there are reasons that you might miss the ship, even though you planned to be back on time. A shore excursion might run late, you might be injured or you might simply lose track of time. My point is, you can't know for sure that you won't miss the ship until you are safely back on board. Until then, there is a chance that even the most conscientious of us could miss the ship.

 

If all goes well on your cruise, its true that you won't need a passport at all. Unfortunately, things don't always go well and they tend to go bad very quickly and unexpectedly.

 

To each his own. Do what you feel comfortable with. Personally, though, I stand by my statement that, if you leave your passport in your cabin, you might as well leave it at home or not get it in the first place.

 

Paul

[tha sista]

Yes, a photocopy can help the US embassy or consulate expedite a replacement or alternate travel documents. I do, in fact keep a copy in the cabin safe, just for that purpose. A photocopy reduces the delay. A passport eliminates it entirely.

 

As for not missing the ship, there are reasons that you might miss the ship, even though you planned to be back on time. A shore excursion might run late, you might be injured or you might simply lose track of time. My point is, you can't know for sure that you won't miss the ship until you are safely back on board. Until then, there is a chance that even the most conscientious of us could miss the ship.

 

If all goes well on your cruise, its true that you won't need a passport at all. Unfortunately, things don't always go well and they tend to go bad very quickly and unexpectedly.

 

To each his own. Do what you feel comfortable with. Personally, though, I stand by my statement that, if you leave your passport in your cabin, you might as well leave it at home or not get it in the first place.

 

Paul

 

So VERY well put!!! One addition. No one EXPECTS to miss the ship! So please plan accordingly!

[DreadPirateRobert]

Any time I'm in a foriegn country I carry my passport. Too often people who are all caught up in the fun and excitement forget they are no longer on American soil. Just be careful and keep that passport well protected. I'm sure a US passport is a very valuable item to a would be thief.

Have a great time on your cruise. You're going to some beautiful places.

[ortech]

thank you all... i like the idea of coping my passport so i have my passport id# and i could still get home... i have id so i think i know what ill do... thank you for your suggestions 3 days till i sail :D

[SandyW]

Before the era of home scanners and printers, I asked for a copy of my passport at a UPS store (actually it wasn't called that then). They said it was illegal to copy it at the same size as the actual passport. I said that was fine and they gave me copies that were basically the size of the page. I don't know if it's still illegal or not...had something to do with forging passports...but just thought I'd pass it along just in case. You may want to increase the size of your photocopies just a tad!

[krystalkruzer]

For the islands which are under a foreign government I would take the passport.

[Casino Player]

this is my first cruise and so far i have gotton alot of tips and im packed and ready to go but DH asked me a ?? i dont know the answer.. so im hoping you will help...

im cruising on the south carnival victory boat this weekend we stop on 6 different islands ... my ?? to you is. do we have to carry our passports on every island we port for ex: st.thomas,st. kitt, st lucia, barbados, dominica and aguilla (not sure of spelling) or just our sail and sign cards with DL's card? im leaving saturday jan 17th please help thanks

 

Howdy, St. Thomas is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands. I think St. Kitts is too. You won't need your passports there. The other islands aren't part of the U.S.V.I. so you will need passports. When you arrive at the ports they will announce what documents you will need to get back on the ship.

[TheVegasMan]

Our Cruise Director Malcom said it best. "If you plan on missing the ship, plan on taking your passport with you."

[Earthworm Jim]

...if you leave your passport in your cabin, you might as well leave it at home or not get it in the first place.

 

Well, that's not really true because you still would have used it to embark and debark the ship in it's home port.

 

I'm not trying to make an argument that you should leave your passport on the ship when visiting a foreign port, I'm just saying it would still be of some use during your trip even if you did.

[TheVegasMan]

Casino Player, wanna bet? St. Thomas is part of the USVI, St. Kitts is in the West Indies and "The country is an independent Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, represented in St. Kitts and Nevis by a Governor-General, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party of the House, and the cabinet conducts affairs of state."

 

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Kitts

[zqvol]

 

Unless/until the US requires a passport to return to the US by sea, my plan is to do the following: I will take both our birth certificates (which will stay in the cabin safe) and our passports (which will go ashore in foreign ports). If I should lose my passport, my DL and S & S card will get me back on the ship. The birth certificate will get me through US customs upon our return.

 

 

You better check on this one. You are required to re-enter the country using the same documents that you use to leave it.

 

To the OP honestly there is no need to take your passports ashore. The luxury lines often collect passports when you board and hold them until you debark for good. Clearly they are not required.

 

If you feel like you want to take them by all means do so, but if you want to just go with a photo ID and your S&S card you will be fine too.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Kurbanfan]

If you are paranoid about missing the ship......then indeed take it with you.

If not, you S&S and drivers license is fine.......

Have fun on your first cruise!!