Passports. South America

Just reading a review of cruise sailing from Valparaiso, where it said passports were collected on embarkation and held by NCL..

Also that all passports are taken ashore by crew members in a lifeboat, for stamping at Cape Horn, on another post..can't remember which review that was...may have been a longer blog.

Please can anyone confirm how Princess handles passport situation. Sailing Valparaiso to Buenos Aires in January 2018 ?

Thanks.

They are collected.

We were on NCL. They were collected and stamped with Argentina, Uruguay, and Falklands (we departed from Chile, so were stamped at the airport), but not from Cape Horn. There is not much on Cape Horn; one Chilean station. We were lucky enough to get a certificate about rounding the Horn from the cruise line and they collect Horn water to pour over willing passengers' heads.

We sailed this past Feb. on Crown Princess. Our passports were collected. Not a big issue. This has occurred on several cruises/various itineraries. Some people get upset about it but we do not see it as an issue. Besides....who want to go get up and go through a country entrance routine at 5 or 6AM.

Thanks.

Have only been on one previous cruise (Middle East. Royal Caribbean) where passports were collected. Felt strange to be abroad without passport to hand. Always carry photocopies with travel documents, so as you say, no big deal really.

We have done the Santiago to BA and the BA to FLL cruises. Both times when we checked in to get our sea cards etc, Princess took our passports and gave us a receipt. They were returned by the cabin steward just before the cruise ended. This is required by the different countries.

We had the same thing happen when we did the British Isles cruise and the TA back to the US. They took our passports and kept them until near when the cruise ended.

Hi Reina,

On our RCCL cruise from B.A. to Valpo in March, 2016, they took our passports when we boarded in B.A. and gave them back before disembarkation in Valparaiso. It was the first time I had ever surrendered my passport, so I was kind of nervous, but no problem at all. We do carry a copy of our passports with us at all times when we are out of the country. I know you are asking about Princess, but that was our experience.

It felt strange to hand in our passports, but when you know it's going to happen, you can carry copies for slightly less stress.

Thanks for all input.

Actually you want them to keep your passport and handle all the hassle of meeting with each country's officials. India insisted on a face to face with every passenger and it was a real pain. The officials boarded the ship at all 3 India stops we did on one cruise and passengers had to stand in line by deck to collect passports, see the official, get passport stamped and then return it to the ship people. Lines were long, excursions had to be held and started late because it was such a slow process and tempers were short....not a good situation.

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Thanks.

 

Have only been on one previous cruise (Middle East. Royal Caribbean) where passports were collected. Felt strange to be abroad without passport to hand. Always carry photocopies with travel documents, so as you say, no big deal really.

We had this in Russia & China. The ship kept the passports and gave the passengers photocopies of the ID page. It was no big deal for most but there are always some who lose their paper or put it in the bottom of their backpack. There is no way to leave the ship without following the rules.

Steve