Looking for news story about elderly couple missing cruise due to passport in luggage

I'm doing a presentation to my Toastmasters club in about two weeks. Since the project is about "Researching and Presenting", I thought I would tackle why you should get a passport. One of the points of the presentation is that you need to make sure it is in your carry-on luggage.... and I'm trying to locate a cruise story from a few months ago. The facts of the story is as follows from my fractured memory (some details may be off):

• This was an elderly couple from Boston who was taking a cruise departing from Florida.
  
• The night previous, the well-meaning daughter re-packed their luggage, and placed the passports in the outside pocket of the luggage
  
• When they got to the cruise terminal, the luggage was picked up right away by the porters before they realized it
  
• The cruise line denied boarding because they didn't have the proper documentation, although they attempted to locate the suitcases prior to ship departure.
  
• The couple ended up spending a week in Florida instead of what could have been their last cruise together (one was in failing health)
  
• Because of the bad publicity, the cruise line gave them another cruise (followup story)
  

The point I want to pull from this story is "make sure your passport is in your carry-on", and use this story as an example. I thought I could find it with the keywords "daughter packs passport in luggage", "elderly couple misses cruise passport", and "no passport missed cruise". Somehow, my Google-fu is lacking on this one.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591875

One of the two threads from this board on that topic.

The cruise was from Los Angeles. Where the couple flew in from is not documented.

Be careful to note that the provided link to the Boston Globe contains a column from a travel writer. Which is not a news story presenting the actual facts, only the author's opinion of how NCL handled the situation.

I think another conclusion would be, "Have your passport in a RFID passport wallet that is hanging around your neck before you leave the airport or hotel enroute to your cruise."

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591875

 

One of the two threads from this board on that topic.

 

The cruise was from Los Angeles. Where the couple flew in from is not documented.

Unfortunately, doing a Google search of the couple's names does not give me multiple sources (sigh). But it is good enough to emphasize one part of my presentation: Keep your passport close to you when traveling!

Of course, another part of my presentation: Make sure your passport does NOT expire in six months.

You could also add to your talk that at times you should not take your passport with you, but leave it in the safe in your cabin.

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Of course' date=' another part of my presentation: Make sure your passport does NOT expire in six months.[/quote']

 

Might want to research that a bit more- it is recommended but it is only a requirement if you happen to be visiting a country that requires it. If there is such a requirement then it is 6 months remaining at the conclusion of your trip, so if you visit said country for a month then you would need 7 months remaining on your passport to visit. For returning to the US it only needs to be valid and is good up until the day it expires.

But it is good enough to emphasize one part of my presentation: Keep your passport close to you when traveling!

+1. The passport is there to serve me not vice versa and it's useless sitting in a hotel safe if I need it as I have on several occasions. The couple in the story would have enjoyed a pleasant cruise if they'd kept their passports with them.

+1. The passport is there to serve me not vice versa and it's useless sitting in a hotel safe if I need it as I have on several occasions. The couple in the story would have enjoyed a pleasant cruise if they'd kept their passports with them.

They also would have had a pleasant cruise if they had known that they could have their birth certificates faxed to the port which would have allowed them to board (of course this only works for a closed loop cruise). It's important when traveling to know what alternatives, if any, are available.

+1. The passport is there to serve me not vice versa and it's useless sitting in a hotel safe if I need it as I have on several occasions. The couple in the story would have enjoyed a pleasant cruise if they'd kept their passports with them.

I'm intrigued. :confused:

Certainly there are rare occasions when a person might need their passport with them even when not required to do so by law.

But that's happened to you on several (3 +) occasions?

JB :)

I think another conclusion would be, "Have your passport in a RFID passport wallet that is hanging around your neck before you leave the airport or hotel enroute to your cruise."

Why in an RFID [shielding] wallet? When I got my first passport containing a chip, the information with it said that the covers provide an RFID shield for it. That's why they are thicker and stiffer than the prior covers. Before the RFID chip, your picture and passport info was in the inside of the front cover. It was moved to the first page after the cover to be inside the shielded covers when the chip was added.

+1. The passport is there to serve me not vice versa and it's useless sitting in a hotel safe if I need it as I have on several occasions. The couple in the story would have enjoyed a pleasant cruise if they'd kept their passports with them.

I have been traveling for over 50 years, visiting over 40 countries for both business and pleasure. Not once have I ever needed my passport if I was not required to carry it with us at all times. I may have needed it to enter the country, or check into a hotel or onto the ship, but not all the time. In fact, some of those countries required the hotel to take them when you check in. Not sure what kind of trouble you keep getting yourself into, but from my personal experience, securing passports in hotel or stateroom safes was the safest thing to do, without exception. If I had ever needed it, I would have know exactly were it was and could have made arrangements to retrieve it.

Virtually all travel experts recommend not carrying your passport when sightseeing or on a tour. The only exception is in countries that require you to have them with you at all times, such as Russia. Better to leave it safely secured than to carry it "just in case".

I'm intrigued. :confused:

Certainly there are rare occasions when a person might need their passport with them even when not required to do so by law.

But that's happened to you on several (3 +) occasions?

 

JB :)

Cashing traveller's cheques in the old days, roadblock after a terror incident in Spain, entry to a game preserve in Namibia, road-side check points in Africa and Eastern Europe, exchanging currency in South Africa, checking into hotels, visiting Westminster during the Troubles just to name a few.

Cashing traveller's cheques in the old days, roadblock after a terror incident in Spain, entry to a game preserve in Namibia, road-side check points in Africa and Eastern Europe, exchanging currency in South Africa, checking into hotels, visiting Westminster during the Troubles just to name a few.

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Cashing traveller's cheques in the old days, roadblock after a terror incident in Spain, entry to a game preserve in Namibia, road-side check points in Africa and Eastern Europe, exchanging currency in South Africa, checking into hotels, visiting Westminster during the Troubles just to name a few.

No one cashes traveler's checks anymore.

Entering a game preserve in Nambia would be a planned event and you would have know in advance of the need to have your passport.

Exchanging currency in South America would have been a planned event and you would have know in advance of the need to have your passport.

Checking into hotels is something that is planned for. You would have been traveling between hotels, so you would have your passport with you regardless.

Were you travelling from one overnight stop to another overnight stop at those road-side check points in Africa or Eastern Europe? Then you would have your passport with you anyway. Or were they unexpected? If so, not having your passport in the rare occasion of an unexpected check point would be an inconvenience, not a legal offense.

The others are rare situations and the worse that could happen is that you would be required to retrieve your passport. None of what you described would cause you to risk being arrested for not having your passport on you. Most of these reasons you describe are unusual and unique. Of course, in areas that are not tourist friendly it is always better to have your passport with you. That is common sense. But, few people travel in such areas for recreation.

In fact, several countries I have visited in Africa required us to turn in our passports at the hotel we were staying at, and we got them back when checking out. Even the Nile River cruise we took held our passports for the 5 day duration of the cruise.

You haven't convinced me to risk carrying my passport when it is not needed. You have convinced me that you aren't the typical traveler, so your recommendation is not very helpful to the majority of people. Just like a billionaire recommending which model of Lear Jet I should purchase would not be helpful. :p

It's been my International travel policy to have a scanned image of my passport page stored as a image on my phone through a cloud storage service (Google Drive). I also carry with me, at all times, my passport card. I don't expect much trouble as I'm going to Cayman Islands, the ABC Islands, and the the Conch Republic.

Thank you for your suggestions. The suggested length of my presentation is 5-7 minutes, although I can adjust it. My key points are:

• Intro - Last minute business trip (personal story)
  
• Where to apply for a passport
  
• Differences between passport card and passport book
  
• Costs and processing time
  
• Make sure that you keep your passport near you. (Cruise couple story)
  
• Six month rule (now, I have to locate another story)
  
• Conclusion - Passport in hand, world is at your fingertips
  

Hey, I'm a Do-Time-Me. I've got this!

No one cashes traveler's checks anymore.

 

Entering a game preserve in Nambia would be a planned event and you would have know in advance of the need to have your passport.

 

Exchanging currency in South America would have been a planned event and you would have know in advance of the need to have your passport.

 

Checking into hotels is something that is planned for. You would have been traveling between hotels, so you would have your passport with you regardless.

 

Were you travelling from one overnight stop to another overnight stop at those road-side check points in Africa or Eastern Europe? Then you would have your passport with you anyway. Or were they unexpected? If so, not having your passport in the rare occasion of an unexpected check point would be an inconvenience, not a legal offense.

 

The others are rare situations and the worse that could happen is that you would be required to retrieve your passport. None of what you described would cause you to risk being arrested for not having your passport on you. Most of these reasons you describe are unusual and unique. Of course, in areas that are not tourist friendly it is always better to have your passport with you. That is common sense. But, few people travel in such areas for recreation.

 

In fact, several countries I have visited in Africa required us to turn in our passports at the hotel we were staying at, and we got them back when checking out. Even the Nile River cruise we took held our passports for the 5 day duration of the cruise.

 

You haven't convinced me to risk carrying my passport when it is not needed. You have convinced me that you aren't the typical traveler, so your recommendation is not very helpful to the majority of people. Just like a billionaire recommending which model of Lear Jet I should purchase would not be helpful. :p

You can still cash Traveler's Checks on RCI at guest services.

No one cashes traveler's checks anymore.

 

Entering a game preserve in Nambia would be a planned event and you would have know in advance of the need to have your passport.

 

Exchanging currency in South America would have been a planned event and you would have know in advance of the need to have your passport.

 

Checking into hotels is something that is planned for. You would have been traveling between hotels, so you would have your passport with you regardless.

 

Were you travelling from one overnight stop to another overnight stop at those road-side check points in Africa or Eastern Europe? Then you would have your passport with you anyway. Or were they unexpected? If so, not having your passport in the rare occasion of an unexpected check point would be an inconvenience, not a legal offense.

 

The others are rare situations and the worse that could happen is that you would be required to retrieve your passport. None of what you described would cause you to risk being arrested for not having your passport on you. Most of these reasons you describe are unusual and unique. Of course, in areas that are not tourist friendly it is always better to have your passport with you. That is common sense. But, few people travel in such areas for recreation.

 

In fact, several countries I have visited in Africa required us to turn in our passports at the hotel we were staying at, and we got them back when checking out. Even the Nile River cruise we took held our passports for the 5 day duration of the cruise.

 

You haven't convinced me to risk carrying my passport when it is not needed. You have convinced me that you aren't the typical traveler, so your recommendation is not very helpful to the majority of people. Just like a billionaire recommending which model of Lear Jet I should purchase would not be helpful. :p

Depending on the country it can be a legal offense for visitors not to carry their passports. IIRC, Japan and China are two of them.

As for retrieving the passport if you are detained how do you hope to do that unless you have companions who are willing to do it for you?

I've never had a passport stolen, haven't had anyone try and am not so consumed with worry that I am frightened about the possibility. I have however had a hotel safe broken into and items stolen.

I've done all kinds of travelling, typical and otherwise. The passport is the internationally recognized standard of identification and when in a foreign country is on my person or within reach at all times. If I need it I have it and I have needed it when I didn't expect that I would.

I'm not trying to convince you to carry your passport. Do whatever makes you comfortable and just maybe your photocopy will be enough to get you through any situation. My photocopy will be back in my hotel in the unlikely event I lose my passport or it is stolen.

Depending on the country it can be a legal offense for visitors not to carry their passports. IIRC, Japan and China are two of them.

Yes, and same with Russia. But no one here, including me, has advised leaving passports in the safe in these countries. :rolleyes:

As for retrieving the passport if you are detained how do you hope to do that unless you have companions who are willing to do it for you?

There are many different ways to arrange for your passport to be delivered. I think you already know that. Officials you would be dealing with in such a case would be able to advise you.

I've never had a passport stolen, haven't had anyone try and am not so consumed with worry that I am frightened about the possibility. I have however had a hotel safe broken into and items stolen.

 

I've done all kinds of travelling, typical and otherwise. The passport is the internationally recognized standard of identification and when in a foreign country is on my person or within reach at all times. If I need it I have it and I have needed it when I didn't expect that I would.

 

I'm not trying to convince you to carry your passport. Do whatever makes you comfortable and just maybe your photocopy will be enough to get you through any situation. My photocopy will be back in my hotel in the unlikely event I lose my passport or it is stolen.

What works for you works is fine. It may not work for everyone. I have known people who have had their passports stolen, lost, or in one case, taken at gunpoint. On one ship excursion to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia on our Baltic cruise eleven people on that one excursion alone had their passports stolen. It's good to advise people of all the options, and their pros and cons, and let them make their own decisions.

There are many different ways to arrange for your passport to be delivered. I think you already know that. Officials you would be dealing with in such a case would be able to advise you.

Of the different ways to arrange your passport to be delivered when you need it the easiest method is to reach into your pocket or wherever you may be carrying it and present it. No muss, no fuss. I would prefer not to depend on the cooperation of officialdom particularly if there is a language barrier.

It's been my International travel policy to have a scanned image of my passport page stored as a image on my phone through a cloud storage service (Google Drive). I also carry with me' date=' at all times, my passport card. I don't expect much trouble as I'm going to Cayman Islands, the ABC Islands, and the the Conch Republic.

 

Thank you for your suggestions. The suggested length of my presentation is 5-7 minutes, although I can adjust it. My key points are:

• Intro - Last minute business trip (personal story)
  
• Where to apply for a passport
  
• Differences between passport card and passport book
  
• Costs and processing time
  
• Make sure that you keep your passport near you. (Cruise couple story)
  
• Six month rule (now, I have to locate another story)
  
• Conclusion - Passport in hand, world is at your fingertips
  

Hey, I'm a Do-Time-Me. I've got this!

I also usually carry my passport card with me when traveling. It don't expect it to serve to get me across any borders outside North America, but it is a form of nationally issued identification so would serve to identify me.

It is a 3 month rule in many countries. It's 3 months for the EU for example. I think China does 6 months. A US citizen running into that unexpectedly on a first visit to China is probably rare as in most cases a visa is required, you state your travel plans on the visa application so they would probably reject the visa application and the person would know then that they had to renew their passport before re-applying.

Another one, though maybe more of an advanced topic: you have to have space left in the Visa pages of your passport. You may get refused entry or a visa if you don't. The last few pages (the ones that say "endorsement" instead of "visa") don't count for that.

A colleague of mine missed the first day of a last minute business trip to China. His Visa was refused because he didn't have enough blank pages (China requires more than one blank page because their visa takes a page). He had to do an expedited renewal of his passport and then an expedited process for the visa.

Just as an update.... I'm tweaking my presentation now. While it's easy to catch up on every single detail, I'm just going to focus on getting an adult passport. The state department has a nice fee chart (updated February, 2018 so it includes the new execution fee) which includes all of the fees.

It is a 3 month rule in many countries. It's 3 months for the EU for example. I think China does 6 months. A US citizen running into that unexpectedly on a first visit to China is probably rare as in most cases a visa is required, you state your travel plans on the visa application so they would probably reject the visa application and the person would know then that they had to renew their passport before re-applying.

 

Another one, though maybe more of an advanced topic: you have to have space left in the Visa pages of your passport. You may get refused entry or a visa if you don't. The last few pages (the ones that say "endorsement" instead of "visa") don't count for that.

The single source of truth is going to be travel.state.gov, and that site is going to be referenced after my intro. I'm going to present that six month rule as a "good rule of thumb". United says, "Note that some countries require passports to be valid for at least six months." Celebrity says, "Celebrity Cruises® strongly recommends that all guests travel with a valid passport with at least six (6) months validity during their cruise (and if traveling to Ecuador, it is required)." Celebrity says, "Celebrity Cruises strongly recommends that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least six (6) months beyond the end of their cruise." Going into specific country requirements is beyond the scope of my presentation.

Another thing that I will touch on is that the airlines will check to make sure your passport and travel documents are valid before you even board the plane for that international flight. If you are denied entrance by that country's immigration/border patrol, then the airline has to fly you back, and your ticket get noted "RESTRICTIONS WAIVED DUE TO INAD". The airline may get hit with a fine, and they will go after you to recover that fine.

Z'loth, I can give you a story on the six month rule, although it is pretty old, it illustrates what can happen. Letme know if you wish it. EM

Might want to research that a bit more- it is recommended but it is only a requirement if you happen to be visiting a country that requires it. If there is such a requirement then it is 6 months remaining at the conclusion of your trip, so if you visit said country for a month then you would need 7 months remaining on your passport to visit. For returning to the US it only needs to be valid and is good up until the day it expires.

It might be a requirement of the shipping line; I couldn't check in on line with 5 months left on my passport despite leaving from the UK to EU countries and having an EU-UK passport because the line demanded it. I could have travelled round all of the same countries and returned to the UK with that same passport for all of the 5 months with no trouble- it was just the line's demands.

I think another conclusion would be, "Have your passport in a RFID passport wallet that is hanging around your neck before you leave the airport or hotel enroute to your cruise."

Only if you want to look like a clueless, idiot tourist.

A pocket or purse is fine. RFID sleeve if you are REALLY paranoid.

Especially since the US really doesn't use the RFID feature yet.

It might be a requirement of the shipping line; I couldn't check in on line with 5 months left on my passport despite leaving from the UK to EU countries and having an EU-UK passport because the line demanded it. I could have travelled round all of the same countries and returned to the UK with that same passport for all of the 5 months with no trouble- it was just the line's demands.

Yes, cruise lines may impose a stricter standard but I do note that we are primarily discussing US passport requirements. I haven't a clue what other issuing countries require. (And to that end, does the UK add the unused time onto the new passports? I know that some countries do. If the US were to do that my feelings about renewing early would change drastically.)