Passports needed?

[Racing fan]

Do we need our passports on Labadee, Cozemel or Jamaica or will our RCI sea passes be enough to get back on the ship?

[39august]

No. But the daily Compass for those ports may direct you to bring photo id. We leave passports in the safe and take DL's. Very seldom does anyone ask to see that photo id to get back on board.

[Retired LEO]

Do we need our passports on Labadee, Cozemel or Jamaica or will our RCI sea passes be enough to get back on the ship?

 

Passports are not needed. Your seapass and photo ID will suffice.

[Racing fan]

Thanks, sailing on the Allure August 12th out of Baltimore

[Big_G]

Call me paranoid but we take our passports into any foreign port. In the worse case scenario, the passport is your only way out if for some unforeseen reason you don't make it back to the ship. Never had to use it but feel better having it.

[phish tales]

Call me paranoid but we take our passports into any foreign port. In the worse case scenario, the passport is your only way out if for some unforeseen reason you don't make it back to the ship. Never had to use it but feel better having it.

 

great idea, my wife and i do the same. we paid for the passport so we use it. if you leave it on the ship you better hope someone can locate it before the ship leaves. if you have any delay type problem that causes you to miss the ship and they can,t locate your passport, GUESS WHAT......:eek::eek::eek:

remember, you can't fly home with a copy....

[Sgroi135]

I plan to take my PP's off the ship and into Port. I will leave copies on the ship just in case.

[DonnaK]

I don''t agree with the poster who said that photo ID is very seldom asked for by the local port authority in order to enter the secure area around the ship for reboarding. We've found that it is required more often than not.

 

Of the ports on the OP's itinerary, we had to show photo ID in Cozumel and in Labadee (surprisingly so, since it's RCI's private island). Haven't been to Falmouth yet, but we had to show photo ID in other Jamaica ports too. (Nassau, St Thomas, Grand Cayman, Bermuda, ports on the Canada/NE itinerary, are just a few others that require photo ID). Children under 16 do not need photo ID.

 

We don't bring our passports ashore, so we use our driver's licenses as photo ID. In our opinion, the risk of losing passports or having them stolen, especially on beach or snorkeling excursions, is significantly greater than our risk of missing the ship and being left ashore. We take excellent precautions to minimize that risk, so it's something I don't worry much about.

 

Another thing to bring ashore is a copy of the cruise newsletter for that day. It contains the contact info for the ship's agent in that port. This is the person who will assist you should you encounter a problem while ashore (accident, miss the ship, etc).

[dreamer976]

Call me paranoid but we take our passports into any foreign port. In the worse case scenario, the passport is your only way out if for some unforeseen reason you don't make it back to the ship. Never had to use it but feel better having it.

 

Ditto. At least take a photocopy, leave one or the other in the stateroom safe. You never know what can happen off the ship that will result in a delay or a trip to a medical center, etc.

[nikki303]

Thanks, sailing on the Allure August 12th out of Baltimore

 

Doesn't Allure sail out of Ft. Lauderdale?

[cb at sea]

Your driver's lic. will be sufficient ID for getting into the port area, if it's required. Labadee is just like being on the ship....you don't need anything but your cabin key there.

 

A passport is not required for a closed-loop sailing for US citizens. None of the Caribbean countries require a passport from cruise passengers.

[DonnaK]

Your driver's lic. will be sufficient ID for getting into the port area, if it's required. Labadee is just like being on the ship....you don't need anything but your cabin key there.

 

A passport is not required for a closed-loop sailing for US citizens. None of the Caribbean countries require a passport from cruise passengers.

 

This was not our experience when we were there last month. Like I said in my above post, we were very surprised that they were checking ID's as well as Sea Passes before allowing us to enter the pier.

[Racing fan]

Doesn't Allure sail out of Ft. Lauderdale?

 

We fly out of Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale

[Cigar King]

I'm also one who believes that when you are traveling to a foreign port you should have a passport. If something was to happen, say a medical emergency, and you had to get off the ship, you would be in better shape with a passport than a birth certificate. YMMV

[Heidils]

I don't know? I'm trying to weigh the odds here...

 

1. I miss the ship. Not likely for me.

 

2. My stuff gets stolen while I'm swimming, with my passport in it.

 

???

[DonnaK]

I don't know? I'm trying to weigh the odds here...

 

1. I miss the ship. Not likely for me.

 

2. My stuff gets stolen while I'm swimming, with my passport in it.

 

???

 

This is how I feel. US Passports have a high value on the black market, and are a likely target for thieves. We swim and snorkle a lot, so our belongings are not always closely attended. Our passport is better kept in the safe onboard.

 

It is not likely for us to miss the ship either. We take great precautions to minimize that risk. Honestly, considering the number of cruise passengers each week, only a miniscule percentage of them actually miss the ship.

[BillB48]

I don't know? I'm trying to weigh the odds here...

 

1. I miss the ship. Not likely for me.

 

 

2. My stuff gets stolen while I'm swimming, with my passport in it.

 

???

 

You are exactly right. You just have to weigh the odds based on what you are doing and where you are going........

 

1. I miss the ship. Not likely for me. Never has happened not even close.

2. My stuff gets stolen while I'm swimming, with my passport in it. Now that has happened! The PP was stolen (along with a camera lens) from a locked vehicle that I was never more than 50yds. from.

 

You just need to do what you are comfortable with:).

[Big_G]

You are exactly right. You just have to weigh the odds based on what you are doing and where you are going........

 

1. I miss the ship. Not likely for me. Never has happened not even close.

2. My stuff gets stolen while I'm swimming, with my passport in it. Now that has happened! The PP was stolen (along with a camera lens) from a locked vehicle that I was never more than 50yds. from.

 

You just need to do what you are comfortable with:).

 

Just curious but were you on a cruise and if so, did you have any problem getting back on the ship?

[negc]

I don't know? I'm trying to weigh the odds here...

 

1. I miss the ship. Not likely for me.

 

2. My stuff gets stolen while I'm swimming, with my passport in it.

 

???

Then again, if your 'stuff' gets stolen while you are swimming I guess your driver's license and perhaps your seapass will be gone as well, so I'm not quite sure how far ahead of your game you will be if that happens. I always wonder why people believe that they can safeguard their wallets, other valuables and driver's licenses from theft but not their passports when they are traveling.

[BillB48]

Just curious but were you on a cruise and if so, did you have any problem getting back on the ship?

 

No, I was not on a cruise ship at the time but there were some similarities... namely dealing with valuables while you engaged in other activities. We had driven to Guaymas Mexico and were at hotel/beach complex within a walled off area. Thought that things would be secure in a locked car as we would not be far from the car and almost always in sight.... well that worked out well:o. Our interaction with the hotel staff and the Mexican police after the theft was hysterical...... now! Detectives arriving at the scene in a dilapidated Ford LTD running on 3 of the eight cylinders, pistols stuffed into their pants, the trip to the central police station for the paper work. The stuff that would wind up on the cutting room floor of a B grade movie. Of course this was all before PPs were truly a hot item as they are today and illegal immigration was not a front burner issue. We crossed back into US in Arizona and I guess I'm glad Sheriff Joe wasn't standing guard. All in all a very interesting 36 hours!

[johneeo]

We don't bring our passports ashore, so we use our driver's licenses as photo ID. In our opinion, the risk of losing passports or having them stolen, especially on beach or snorkeling excursions, is significantly greater than our risk of missing the ship and being left ashore.

 

Took my DL and Seapass onto Cozumel.

 

Got back to the port, no DL and Seapass, lost them. The bonehead move of a lifetime.

 

No seapass, no get through customs.

 

Luckily, I am always early for everything, DW and DS went back to the ship, got me a new seapass, grabbed my passport from our safe, and all was good.

 

Good rule, plan to be back to the ship at least one hour before sail away.

 

I totally agree, chances are better of losing your passport or having them stolen than missing the ship, especially if you plan to get back early.