Why does the cruise line keep your passport?

Hi,

I have read a few Reviews noting that the cruise line (NCL, maybe all) keeps your passport from when you check in Valparaiso to when you disembark in Buenas Aires?

Is this a requirement by one of the countries the cruise visits (Chile, Uruguay, or Argentina), or why do they do it? I have always heard to take your passport ashore if you miss the ship and need to fly. It also seems like quite an ordeal to return all the passports at the end.

Thanks!

Tammy

Hi,

 

I have read a few Reviews noting that the cruise line (NCL, maybe all) keeps your passport from when you check in Valparaiso to when you disembark in Buenas Aires?

 

Is this a requirement by one of the countries the cruise visits (Chile, Uruguay, or Argentina), or why do they do it? I have always heard to take your passport ashore if you miss the ship and need to fly. It also seems like quite an ordeal to return all the passports at the end.

 

Thanks!

 

Tammy

They do the same on Asian cruises. Both Celetrity and Princess took our passports when boarding and they were returned the day before disembarkation. Some country's stamp all passports and require officials to sight each one, much quicker than everyone with passport in hand waiting to get a stamp. The returning was easy. Our stewardess returned them to us on Princess and on Celebrity you were given a time to collect them alphabetically.Jennifer

It makes the process of getting the ship cleared in various ports far quicker then if each guest held their passport.

Keith

It makes the process of getting the ship cleared in various ports far quicker then if each guest held their passport.

 

Keith

Yes, otherwise each guest would have to show up and present their individual passport (which some countries do require) and it takes much longer to clear the ship.

Most European cruises we have taken also hold the passports.

Thanks!

I definitely will bring a photocopy ashore and maybe even an old passport :). It would cool to get stamps and true customs in Russia was very slow.

It still seems like a lot of responsibility for the cruise line...if they lose one, someone is not flying home!

Tammy

We cruise on a cruise lines that always hold our passports.

I know it seems scary but we really appreciate them holding it.

There is really not need for you to carry a photo copy with you unless you are very worried. and an old passport is worthless.

Should you miss the ship the ship will give your passport to the port agent.

Again, really no big deal for the ship to hold them. We've been on well over 100 cruises when that was done.

Keith

As per other posts, the primary reason is so that immigration officials can check passports quickly & efficiently without the need for folk to line up with them, and one or two that fail to show for the inspection could screw-up the whole disembarkation process.

In some cases the immigration officials board at the previous port-of-call to do this, and in some cases where you have to take your passports ashore it's stamped or a visa issued with it during the process - then you simply collect your passport/visa before arriving at that port. Sometimes just one member of your party can collect all their passports, sometimes everyone has to present themselves personally to collect from the officials - depending on the efficiency of the cruise line & the officers, that can be a Royal pain joining a long slow line in a public room, but at least it doesn't impinge on your time ashore.

You'll see the difference in the speed of disembarkation at places like St Petersburg where everyone has to present their passport & visa (or tour ticket) at the port immigration desks for minute examination, much like airport immigration. Getting off the ship as early as possible makes a big difference to the length of the immigration line that you'll be faced with. I've heard of similar delays at US ports.

If you ever need your passport when it's held by the ship (eg you want to rent a car ashore, or cross a border during a port-of-call like Gibraltar/Spain or Aqaba/Israel) you can ask for it at reception & return it to them when you get back.

I'll mildly disagree with Keith (that's a rarity :)) about a passport photocopy. In the extremely unlikely event that you don't get back to the ship in time for the departure & the crew don't hand your passport to their shore agent, or should you need ID ashore, a copy doesn't have the legal status of an original passport but it will help to show that you are who you say you are, and can help to get an emergency passport. And it can't do any harm.

Not so sure about carrying an expired original passport, that might have a black market value. And the risk that you'll set off (mebbe heading to the airport on some other trip) with the expired passport instead of the current one. :eek:

Just going by my own experiences.

JB :)