Passport While Cruising
Aug 6, 2008 | 3:06 pm
#1
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Passport While Cruising
There's a discussion going on at Cruise Critic regarding passports while cruising, specifically whether to take them with you or leave them in the cabin when you go ashore.
An alarming number of people (to me, anyway) say they leave their passports on the ship when they go into port. This just seems like a bad idea to me, if only for the possibility of missing the ship and having to find our way home.
What do FT cruisers do? It's probably obvious from my post, but my wife and I carry ours with us every time we go into port.
An alarming number of people (to me, anyway) say they leave their passports on the ship when they go into port. This just seems like a bad idea to me, if only for the possibility of missing the ship and having to find our way home.
What do FT cruisers do? It's probably obvious from my post, but my wife and I carry ours with us every time we go into port.
Aug 6, 2008 | 6:52 pm
#2
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Unless I know that I will need it for something (say clearing immigration to get on shore) I would leave it in the safe in my cabin if I had a safe. I would however always have a copy of the information page with me.
I felt the risk of having it lifted was way more of an issue then not having it.
But most times it's in the cabin.
And obviously, on the cruises where the ship holds your passports, it's not an option.
I felt the risk of having it lifted was way more of an issue then not having it.
But most times it's in the cabin.
And obviously, on the cruises where the ship holds your passports, it's not an option.
Aug 7, 2008 | 3:21 pm
#6
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I've kept mine on the ship in the safe.
I believe that non-US citizens actually get their passports taken away at check-in to be returned upon arrival.
I believe that non-US citizens actually get their passports taken away at check-in to be returned upon arrival.
Aug 12, 2008 | 4:10 pm
#8
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Has anyone ever used a photocopy of their passport for anything? It sounds possible in theory, but how about in practice?
Aug 13, 2008 | 7:37 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2007
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There's a discussion going on at Cruise Critic regarding passports while cruising, specifically whether to take them with you or leave them in the cabin when you go ashore.
An alarming number of people (to me, anyway) say they leave their passports on the ship when they go into port. This just seems like a bad idea to me, if only for the possibility of missing the ship and having to find our way home.
What do FT cruisers do? It's probably obvious from my post, but my wife and I carry ours with us every time we go into port.
An alarming number of people (to me, anyway) say they leave their passports on the ship when they go into port. This just seems like a bad idea to me, if only for the possibility of missing the ship and having to find our way home.
What do FT cruisers do? It's probably obvious from my post, but my wife and I carry ours with us every time we go into port.
I usually have a copy with me.
Aug 13, 2008 | 9:16 am
#11
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For those who leave it in the cabin, what woudl you do if an emergency beyond your control arose and you missed the ship? Without a passport, you're stuck for a while waiting for a new temporary passport just to get home. If you have your passport, you can just hop the next flight to catch up with your cruise.
Aug 13, 2008 | 10:13 am
#12
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For those who leave it in the cabin, what woudl you do if an emergency beyond your control arose and you missed the ship? Without a passport, you're stuck for a while waiting for a new temporary passport just to get home. If you have your passport, you can just hop the next flight to catch up with your cruise.
Aug 13, 2008 | 9:06 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Many times the ship keeps the passports. On cruises when they don't keep them, ours stays in the safe in our stateroom. Occasionally you hear of people that have had their backpack or purse stolen...that happened to someone on our cruise two weeks ago. It would be one less thing to deal with if your passport was tucked safely in your safe.
Aug 13, 2008 | 10:25 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YEG
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Bring it ashore, I'd prefer to have something that allows me to travel internationally if something beyond my control happens, just hold on to it really tight!
Yes, passport photocopies sometimes work for travelers checks in Europe.
Yes, passport photocopies sometimes work for travelers checks in Europe.
Aug 14, 2008 | 7:09 am
#15
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If you are on a ship's excursion, the ship will wait for you if the excursion is late-this has happened to me quite a few times now. I would take with me the contact info for the ship's port agent (this info can be found in your daily newsletter); they can work miracles in getting back passports and things just in case.