Alaskan cruise - leave the passport on the ship?

Unless you're taking the White Pass Railroad into Canada you don't need your passport in Juneau, Skagway or Ketchikan, do you? Your Princess cruise card is enough to get on and off the boat? Or take another form of ID too?

Obviously need it when we dock in Vancouver but any other time?

Your cruise card is fine. They may suggest you take a photo

ID and since I always carry my wallet I have my DL with me. As you note your passport is only necessary in Skagway if you take a bus trip that crosses the border. On the White Pass trip that goes up and down with passengers staying on board you do not need your passport.

Unless you're taking the White Pass Railroad into Canada you don't need your passport in Juneau, Skagway or Ketchikan, do you? Your Princess cruise card is enough to get on and off the boat? Or take another form of ID too?

 

Obviously need it when we dock in Vancouver but any other time?

Take your passport. We entered into Canada on an excursion and the Border Patrol boarded the bus and asked for our passports. We were told by Princess to have them with us prior to boarding the bus. If no Border Patrol will be boarding the train, then just your DL and SS card is fine.

Unless you're taking the White Pass Railroad into Canada you don't need your passport in Juneau, Skagway or Ketchikan, do you? Your Princess cruise card is enough to get on and off the boat? Or take another form of ID too?

 

Obviously need it when we dock in Vancouver but any other time?

Take another form of ID in case Mr Murphy visits with his Law.

The port security folks were hardly interested in my cruise card, much less a government-

issued photo ID, last month, but ...stuff happens, and the MARSEC level could get raised

while you are ashore.

Trip on a curb and break a leg? Have chest pains and need "observation" overnight?

Best have ID that will let you board an airliner after the ship leaves without you.

Take your passport. We entered into Canada on an excursion and the Border Patrol boarded the bus and asked for our passports. We were told by Princess to have them with us prior to boarding the bus. If no Border Patrol will be boarding the train, then just your DL and SS card is fine.

Sounds like an excursion from Skagway which others have pointed out requires a passport.

Trip on a curb and break a leg? Have chest pains and need "observation" overnight?

Best have ID that will let you board an airliner after the ship leaves without you.

Not a reason to take your passport off the ship at an Alaska port if a USA citizen. A flight from Alaska to the lower 48 is not an international flight, so a DL will get you through checkin and the TSA checkpoint.

In any event, if you do nor get back on the ship at a port, either a traveling companion or ship personnel will look in your cabin for your passport and give it to the port agent who will get it to you.

Unless you are renting a car and driving into Canada in Haines :-)

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The train crosses into Canada however no passport is required if you take the train up and down. You won’t be allowed off as they switch the engine around. If you get off and take the bus back then you’ll need your passport. It’ll clearly be stated on your tour info.

We never carried our passports in any of those ports except Victoria but they never checked as we just walked off.

Since it's Canada I would imagine the passport card, if you have one, would be sufficient.

We just got off the Ruby on Saturday the 16th. The only time I showed my Passport/enhanced drivers license was when I got on the bus to go to the train station in Skagway and when we crossed the border into Canada at Fraser. We took the train excursion up to Bennett Lake and Carcross. On the way back from Carcross on the bus the driver was the only one who showed any ID at the US Border crossing. They can broad the bus and check your documents so I'd have them with me. In Victoria, Canadian customs never looked at anyone getting off the ship, walked though the customs building with no problem. Again I would have my documents with me be it a Passport, passport card or enhanced drivers license and always take your cruise card with you, you'll need to it to get off the ship and to get back on.

When your passport is up for renewal pay the extra nickels for a card in addition to the book. It’s easy to carry.

BTW Pay the $100 for Global Entry when renewing your TSA pre-check. Yes, it is a pain to go get but nice when you have it.

When your passport is up for renewal pay the extra nickels for a card in addition to the book. It’s easy to carry.

 

BTW Pay the $100 for Global Entry when renewing your TSA pre-check. Yes, it is a pain to go get but nice when you have it.

Very good ideas. I have TSA Pre and love it.

Only needed passport for the White Pass railway excursion in Skagway.

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Sounds like an excursion from Skagway which others have pointed out requires a passport.

I think that's where we took the excursion up to the Suspension Bridge. There was a border station in the middle of no where. We had our passports stamped at the Suspension Bridge. We also had our passports stamped in Victoria. They asked DH a zillion questions about where he was from, how long he has lived in California, what naval ship he served on. Have never been asked those questions in San Francisco customs.

We did not have to show our passport in Skagway when we did the train up and down. We did have to stop and present it when we rented a car and drove it to Emerald Lake (rental agency told us not to go past there as we would risk missing the ship departure). On Seattle r/t cruises we have never had to show our passports in Victoria but now that trump has alienated the Canadians, that may change. We have taken the ferry across to Victoria and definitely had to produce our passport when we arrived and when we left but that was a land trip.

Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan are all in the US of course and passports are not needed plus your cell phone will work under your cell service plan.

Unless you're taking the White Pass Railroad into Canada you don't need your passport in Juneau, Skagway or Ketchikan, do you? Your Princess cruise card is enough to get on and off the boat? Or take another form of ID too?

 

Obviously need it when we dock in Vancouver but any other time?

If your train out of Skagway goes into Canada, you will need your passport (or whatever documentation you used to board the ship originally) to go on the train. The documentation that you receive in your stateroom describing your excursion will tell you whether you need it or not. You will not, however, be required to have any such documentation to go ashore in Victoria if you are on the Ruby or Emerald which sail out of Seattle.

Tom

Always take a photo ID or your credit card may be declined...