Missed ship SXM, no passport, HYPOTHETICAL?

I should have posted unless it is a ship excursion that is late no one should be missing the ship. Really.

 

Did you see the thread about the guy in Nassau who got separated from his brother and son, and refused to go back to the ship without them? They had already gone back, and he got left behind because he was frantically searching for his son. So, there's being responsible and missing the ship. Stuff happens sometimes that puts you in a bad situation.

We always carry a color photocopy of our passports ashore with us - copies of both on one sheet of paper - leave real things in safe on ship. It makes sense to make color copies simply because they will look better. No one at any port (and we have been to most in Caribbean) has ever questioned use of the copies instead of originals - if they ask for photo ID at all. Also, if you have not yet done this, make a color pdf of your passport, driver's license, any prescriptions (including for glasses/contacts) and put them in online storage one way or the other. There is no good reason not to put these things online so that you can access them if you need to.

You can take a copy of your pass port, or even take a picture of it.

From what I've read, this is true but if you don't have a passport the nearest embassy or consulate can issue a new one.

As I originally asked - how do you get to the embassy without a passport?

...What happens if anyone who is not carrying a passport misses the ship in Sint Maarten (or St. Kitts, Dominica, etc). None of these countries have a physical US Embassy, but are serviced by the US Embassy in Barbados. Theoretically you need a passport to get from Sint Maarten to Barbados in order to get a passport. What do you do then?...

So for persons traveling on a BC + DL, even if the ship did search their safe and leaves their BC + DL, how do they get to the embassy?

 

pcur: Yes, I saw that interesting Nassau thread; probably what caused me to start this one. And I agree that he was responsible, made reasonable choices and still stuck out (but finally recovered).

 

Grenada would be reasonably easy since it has a US Embassy. Grenada used to be serviced out of Barbados until Cuban interest caused the US to up its game there.

I should have posted unless it is a ship excursion that is late no one should be missing the ship. Really.

 

Being responsible is what my post meant. That to me is very helpful.

 

Did it ever occur to you that people can get injured/sick? Obviously not.

Edited January 15, 2015 by time4u2go

One basic question I'm asking is what people who do not have, and never have had, a Passport do in this situation, even if they do manage to have their BC and DL.

 

I have color photos of my Passport in the cloud. That might help me get a passport a little easier, and might help me with local authorities not throwing me in jail, but I would be highly surprised if it is going to get me on an airplane.

I was told a long time ago to carry a color copy of your passport in case something like this happens, so now on every cruise I lock my passport in the safe and carry the copy off ship. Why it needs to be a color copy I can't remember, but do remember a black and white copy won't help you.

 

A copy of your passport is essentially worthless, although it could possibly speed up the search in the database by a few seconds if you have your passport number.

I should have posted unless it is a ship excursion that is late no one should be missing the ship. Really.

 

Or, there's a medical emergency. Or, there's ....

As I originally asked - how do you get to the embassy without a passport?So for persons traveling on a BC + DL, even if the ship did search their safe and leaves their BC + DL, how do they get to the embassy?

 

 

Missed that part of your post, however it gets worse. According DOS website, French St. Martin is covered by the embassy in Barbados and Dutch Snt. Maarten is covered by the Consulate General in Curacao. Good reason to have the phone numbers available in your cell.

No one should be missing the ship. It's clearly printed in the daily paper what time to be back on board.

 

That is common sense. The question is, what happens IF you do miss the ship?

I had lunch on a b2b with the Manager of Customer Service once. He said they go to your cabin and get your passport, and leave it with the port agent. The agent's information is printed on all the port information sheets they pass out in the Cruise Compass newsletters, and when you get off the ship.

 

Our passports go with us in a travel neck purse with a unbreakable cord. If it gets stolen, a copy of our passports is on my ipad. If both get stolen, the document with our passorts is in my email in a Travel folder.

 

I'm one of those people that can't see any sense to getting off the ship in a foreign country and leaving my only official way of identifying myself, AND getting out of said forgeign country, in a safe on the ship that just left.

 

I've asked this question several times, and some say they will check the safe and others say they will not open the safe. So there is no guarantee that your passport will be left for you.

 

There was a thread a while back started by someone who was left behind in Nassau and his passport was in the safe (even after the ship left).

Being responsible is what my post meant. That to me is very helpful.

 

No it is not. Any number of things (such as an injury) could delay your arrival back to the ship. The question is, what happens then? Saying it should not happen is obvious. But what happens if despite your best efforts you miss the ship. Then what?

I've asked this question several times, and some say they will check the safe and others say they will not open the safe. So there is no guarantee that your passport will be left for you.

 

There was a thread a while back started by someone who was left behind in Nassau and his passport was in the safe (even after the ship left).

 

Royal's procedure is to check the safe for the passports and hand off to the port agent. In situations where this doesn't happen I would guess the cause is not doing their job correctly or the passports being difficult to find in the safe.

Missed that part of your post, however it gets worse. According DOS website, French St. Martin is covered by the embassy in Barbados and Dutch Snt. Maarten is covered by the Consulate General in Curacao. Good reason to have the phone numbers available in your cell.

You are absolutely correct that Sint Maarten is covered out of Curacao - I was wrong when I said Barbados (but you were kind enough to not kick me on that:o). Of course, even with that change I'm still wonder what you would do if stranded in St. Marten (either side). We are not talking North Korea, so I'm confident that something would be worked out eventually...

Royal's procedure is to check the safe for the passports and hand off to the port agent. In situations where this doesn't happen I would guess the cause is not doing their job correctly or the passports being difficult to find in the safe.

 

I've asked this question at the Captain's Corner and was told they would NOT open the safe because of liability issues.

 

The person who was left in Nassau was on the Allure of the Seas. Here is a link to his thread ...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2118638&highlight=missed+ship

Found a little more info

 

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_5647.html

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencies/lost-or-stolen-passports-abroad.html

 

I like the idea of putting all the embassy/consulate phone numbers & addresses into my cell phone before getting on the cruise. That way I won't have to carry a bunch of paper around with me.

I've asked this question several times, and some say they will check the safe and others say they will not open the safe. So there is no guarantee that your passport will be left for you.

 

There was a thread a while back started by someone who was left behind in Nassau and his passport was in the safe (even after the ship left).

 

If I recall correctly they did check his safe but he didn't have a passport.

If I recall correctly they did check his safe but he didn't have a passport.

 

They had his wife open it. There was a passport but it was expired so it wouldn't have helped him get on a plane. He still had to get a new one which he did. I guess it begs the question what would ship personnel do if there was no one to open it.

What happens if anyone who is not carrying a passport misses the ship in Sint Maarten (or St. Kitts, Dominica, etc). None of these countries have a physical US Embassy, but are serviced by the US Embassy in Barbados. Theoretically you need a passport to get from Sint Maarten to Barbados in order to get a passport. What do you do then? And I'm sure that with tens of thousands of cruise visitors a week, this must be a fairly regular occurrence.

 

Thom

The answer would probably depend upon what documentation you have with you, your ability to pay, availablity of transport, and other circumstances. I suspect the biggest emphasis would be on ability to pay. That might mean a credit card in your pocket, or it might mean having a friend or relative wire you money from home. The right answer is, The foolish person in this hypothetical situation should throw himself on the port authority's mercy. The port authority would know what resources are available, and it would be his job to help the wayward traveler with his homeward journey.

 

Oh that's helpful.

Well, it is the right answer. Making it back EARLY isn't hard, and if you just do that one thing, you'll never face this question.

 

I was told a long time ago to carry a color copy of your passport in case something like this happens, so now on every cruise I lock my passport in the safe and carry the copy off ship. Why it needs to be a color copy I can't remember, but do remember a black and white copy won't help you.

Neither copy is going to help you. Anyway, it's 2015. The people who can help you get home in an emergency can "pull up" your information on a computer in a matter of seconds. They'll be able to see your photograph, and they'll be able to ask you questions to prove that you're you.

 

The world is much smaller than it used to be. In some ways this is bad, but the authorities have more and more opportunity to figure out who you are -- easily.

 

If you're uber-paranoid about this, iPhones have some sort of new method of working together with a passport; my aunt and uncle have this app and find it useful. I personally carry a Samsung, so I can't give details.

 

Did you see the thread about the guy in Nassau who got separated from his brother and son, and refused to go back to the ship without them? They had already gone back, and he got left behind because he was frantically searching for his son. So, there's being responsible and missing the ship. Stuff happens sometimes that puts you in a bad situation.

Yeah, that was a bad story, but I don't think the theme was "Bad stuff happens." I think the theme was, "Be certain every member of your group knows the plan for returning to the ship." The whole problem stemmed from the fact that his son didn't know his father's expectations.

 

Did it ever occur to you that people can get injured/sick? Obviously not.

Sick or injured people would be best served by heading back to the ship, where they can get medical treatment. And the idea of NOT waiting 'til the last minute goes hand-in-hand with this. Edited January 15, 2015 by MrsPete

Even if there were no embassy on the island there would be a consular officer either on the island or near by. If you went to the police, they would get you in touch. If you had not had a passport before and were a US Citizen, they would find some way to issue you one. It might be very expensive-but I'm sure it could be done and it might take some time. There are temporary emergency passports that can be issued. Years ago, the son of a friend of mine lost his passport on his flight to Europe- when he arrived in Germany, he had to wait at the airport until a consular officer came and issued him an emergency passport- I think he was there about 10 hours.

 

I won't take my passport off the ship- I don't to risk it getting stolen in port.

Edited January 15, 2015 by marion10

Sick or injured people would be best served by heading back to the ship, where they can get medical treatment. And the idea of NOT waiting 'til the last minute goes hand-in-hand with this.

What a ridiculous and short-sighted statement. Do you honestly believe that St. Martin has no medical facilities?

Edited January 15, 2015 by time4u2go

Well, it is the right answer. Making it back EARLY isn't hard, and if you just do that one thing, you'll never face this question.

 

 

To say that if you make it back early "you'll never face this question" is ridiculous. As others on here have stated as well, things happen. See the thread mentioned above about the man that missed the ship because he feared leaving his son behind. And as I and others have pointed out, you could get injured.

Even if there were no embassy on the island there would be a consular officer either on the island or near by. If you went to the police, they would get you in touch. If you had not had a passport before and were a US Citizen, they would find some way to issue you one. It might be very expensive-but I'm sure it could be done and it might take some time. There are temporary emergency passports that can be issued. Years ago, the son of a friend of mine lost his passport on his flight to Europe- when he arrived in Germany, he had to wait at the airport until a consular officer came and issued him an emergency passport- I think he was there about 10 hours.

 

I do not take my passport with me when I am off the ship, the risk of it being stolen is greater than the risk of my missing the ship.

I thought you would just wait for the next Disney ship to come along, they seem to pick up strays all the time. :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always carry my passport with me.

No one should be missing the ship. It's clearly printed in the daily paper what time to be back on board.

People missing a ship is not unheard of. Not everyone pays attention to time and sometimes there are emergencies that arise.