Surrendering Passport on Ship???

I've been reading a few threads about self-disembarking and express and there seems to be a mixture of opinions on whether you have to surrender your passport when you get on board. Is this true? I find it hard to believe that I would have to give up my passport.

What do you do when you take an excursion in another country? I wouldn't want to be off the ship without my passport! Can anyone confirm what the practice is - specifically on NCL?

Thanks!

It depends on your itinerary and it depends on your citizenship. I'm pretty sure all cruise lines do this in order to expedite clearing customs in each port. I've had my passport collected in Europe and in South America, never in the Caribbean.

I've never surrendered mine in the Carribean either. Cannot speak of other countries with cruising only done land based there

We've been to the Carrib. four times with NCL and I think the first or first and second cruise NCL has kept our non U.S. passports, but definitely not on our most recent cruise (we kept them and they may have photocopied them). All four cruises departed (and returned) from NYC. Then again on our first couple of cruises, non americans could not do express debark on our particular cruises.

We were in the Caribbean, and we did not have to surrender our Canadian Passports. We kept them in the safe, and took photocopies ashore with us!

Haven't had to give up our passports to the cruise line for quite a few years!

They were surrendered to msc in a Med cruise. Might have something to do with ports of call which included Tunis.

It depends on your itinerary and it depends on your citizenship. I'm pretty sure all cruise lines do this in order to expedite clearing customs in each port. I've had my passport collected in Europe and in South America, never in the Caribbean.

I'm Canadian and planning to go to the Caribbean. Makes me kind of nervous if I have to give up my passport, expecially in this day in age with personal identity theft. We're being told to keep our passports with us at all times. I guess I didn't realize that a ship had the authority to actually hold onto my passport once they had looked at it at embarkation.

Not that I plan to miss the ship in a port, but it can happen. Would I still be able to get to the next port with a photocopy passport?

I'm Canadian and planning to go to the Caribbean. Makes me kind of nervous if I have to give up my passport, expecially in this day in age with personal identity theft. We're being told to keep our passports with us at all times. I guess I didn't realize that a ship had the authority to actually hold onto my passport once they had looked at it at embarkation.

 

Not that I plan to miss the ship in a port, but it can happen. Would I still be able to get to the next port with a photocopy passport?

No, you can't get anywhere with a photocopy of a passport. It's only good if locked in the safe in your room to identify the passport number etc if you loose the real thing. You need the real thing to depart countries and enter the U.S. (and I expect Canada or elsewhere if you have a passport from there).

It's a common practice for cruises to some locals to collect passports. This is particularly true for some European and I've heard, South American cruises. They collect them because the customs agent for that country has to stamp them, and usually comes on board to do so. I believe it's only common for places you need a visa to enter and they are checking for that, but I can't confirm this.

You don't need your passport with you in these situations so long as you are on a group excursion with the cruise line. So, it's good to find out before you cruise what the procedure is.

Thomas

I've only cruised to Alaska (through Vancouver) and Canada (round trip from NYC)..and have always kept my passport.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought you were never to surrender your passport to anyone except for customs, etc, and official. I thought it was kinda like a social security number. I also believe that it is unlawful for a company like a cruise line to demand that. I would consider calling an attorney because this sets a precedence for alot of issues.

Some European, Asian, and South American itineraries require that you surrender your passport to the Purser's Office.

This is done to expedite clearance with local Immigration officials (not Customs!).

It's a common practice for cruises to some locals to collect passports. This is particularly true for some European and I've heard, South American cruises. They collect them because the customs agent for that country has to stamp them, and usually comes on board to do so. I believe it's only common for places you need a visa to enter and they are checking for that, but I can't confirm this.

 

You don't need your passport with you in these situations so long as you are on a group excursion with the cruise line. So, it's good to find out before you cruise what the procedure is.

 

Thomas

Does this mean that once they have stamped our passports and we have "cleared" customs via the ship, does the ship return passports for the duration of the cruise?

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought you were never to surrender your passport to anyone except for customs, etc, and official. I thought it was kinda like a social security number. I also believe that it is unlawful for a company like a cruise line to demand that. I would consider calling an attorney because this sets a precedence for alot of issues.

Spend your money on an attorney if you wish, but do you think, possibly, that the cruise line consulted the best in the business before they made the decision to collect them?

DOn't know about today, but in the past, European hotel desks routinely kept passports from check-in to checkout.

Well, all I can say is that I am better prepared for cruise travel after reading these boards. I think I might have had a heart attack arriving at a ship only to be told that my passport would be kept for the duration of the cruise. At least now I will not be shocked should it happen.

I continue to be utterly amazed at the amount of information a person can gather by doing research and going through the various threads on this board. Thank you to all of you for all your help! :D Happy cruising!

cpcanuck

We had to surrender ours at boarding when we went to Russia, we got them back the next day.

Some European, Asian, and South American itineraries require that you surrender your passport to the Purser's Office.

 

This is done to expedite clearance with local Immigration officials (not Customs!).

Thanks Michael, you're absolutely correct.

Thomas

Does this mean that once they have stamped our passports and we have "cleared" customs via the ship, does the ship return passports for the duration of the cruise?

Sorry, I mis-spoke before as Michael kindly corrected me.

But in answer to your question, they will return your passport generally at the end of the cruise. Not to worry, it's standard procedure.

Thomas

I've been reading a few threads about self-disembarking and express and there seems to be a mixture of opinions on whether you have to surrender your passport when you get on board. Is this true?

We're also Canadian: during our Mexican Riviera cruise in 2005 NCL collected our passports at check-in, and held them for the entire cruise. When I questioned this, their answer was that we could either surrender our passports or stay behind. That night we got a photocopy in our "mailbox" beside the door; the last night all the passports were returned (again attached to the door where I suppose anyone could come and grab what they wanted).

On our Alaska and recent Caribbean trips we were allowed to keep our passports.

I know the Canadians had to surrender their passports on our last Caribbean cruise (Nov 07) and I believe when we did the Med in 06.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought you were never to surrender your passport to anyone except for customs, etc, and official. I thought it was kinda like a social security number. I also believe that it is unlawful for a company like a cruise line to demand that. I would consider calling an attorney because this sets a precedence for alot of issues.

Carol, it is a common practice for ones passport to be taken in foreign countries, by hotels, at check in. A cruise line is no different. They are doing what is required by the law of the country whose port they dock at. You will be wasting your time and money, if you contact an attorney.

Al

On my Gem cruise back a year ago, I never had to surrender my passport when I got on the ship sailing around the Med Sea. The hotel I stayed at in Barcelona asked to see it.

The only stamps that I got on the trip where arriving at Barcelona airport and one from Homeland Security when I got back to the US.

I just want to say I contacted a lawyer about surrendering our passports he said yes it's in fact illegal but it would cost too much money to fight it and the best thing to do is tell the company and post on their social media sites.

I don't mind doing it, but I don't like that they're breaking the law. And most hotels now just require you to show your passport and allow them to photocopy it, but they don't keep it. Cruise ships should figure out a better system as well.

Also, to the person who said why would a large company do something without consulting their lawyers. Big companies can break the law and get away with it. Tabloids publish lies that are libelous but they're counting on the fact that they make more money from their publication than the few times people bother to sue them.

I respectfully disagree. You are not surrendering your passport because you don't lose control over it. You are giving it to someone to expedite your clearance or obeying a local law which requires you to provide your passport to the hotelier. Surrender normally means permanently giving it up. Providing it to someone for clearance or safekeeping is not a surrender. They almost always give your a receipt or a photocopy. I had to give to the cruise line my passport when we sailed around South America. Every one had to. The alternative is not sailing or getting up at 4 am when the ship was cleared in every port. and I have had the photo copy accepted as ID at some places.

A court can order you to surrender your passport. Its almost always required as a condition of bail. You can if you wish tell the judge that you refuse to because its illegal and spend more time in jail if you want. Has any one ever had the cruise line lose it? They are very careful about this...

The only time I've had it collected was when we visited Israel on our Med cruise. We were given a receipt. It was a customs requirement-a customs officer was on board to check stamp them etc. We were given a time to go collect them while we were on board.

I think South America Russia and few Europe countries u have to not carribeian