Leaving your passport on board?

[blancheneigedlp]

So I've seen many threads about taking passports off ship for excursions (what to do with them, waterproof containers, etc.) and many people reply that they just leave their passport on board.

 

Isn't the whole point of having the passport with you off ship is that so if something happens (you get left behind, you have to fly home if someone gets hurt/sick) that you have your passport with you to fly from Mexico or the Caribbean or whatever?

 

Since you don't need the passport for a US/US cruise (like leaving and returning from the same port), I don't understand why people would bring it if they're going to leave it on board.

 

Am I missing something here?

[seashinesunshine]

From other posts I have heard, mostly in the funny stories about being left behind, if you don't make it to the ship, it seems like the crew will go thru your room and remove your items, I have heard luggage and all, empty the safe and bring it to the people on shore who are in charge of such things. Then you would have your passport.

Now I am not sure if any of this is true since I have experienced it myself, but that is what I have read. I do know that if there is a medical emergency you can have the ship contacted to remove your passports.

That being said, if you are stuck on an island somewhere, you will get home passport or not. But think how much easier it would be for the state dept to look up a passport already issued rather than one never issued in the first place. One time a long time ago, Jan of 2002, one of the islands was having high security due to 9/11. Those of us that had passoprts got off easily the others had to go thru a lot of security.

Happy Cruising!

[sdmike]

I've done an about face on this. I used to leave it in my safe and take a copy just to make it easy for an official to look up my number, etc. in the event I got stranded. Now I take it. Can't think of a good reason not to.

[Sea Monster 2]

I am a former consul for American citizen services and served in both the Caribbean and Europe. I almost never take my passport out of the ship/hotel safe when I travel-- only if I will be going on an independent excursion that will take me far from the port. There are far, far more passports lost, stolen and damaged (think water damage) every day than there are cases of Americans who require emergency assistance. I do carry a photocopy with me, because it will facilitate assistance in the event that there is an emergency. Consular staff will begin to provide assistance as soon as you are identified as an American-- they don't wait to run your name through a computer or get approval-- that will come as your situation progresses.

 

Basically, you have a far greater chance of passport loss or theft ruining your trip than you do of an emergency in port, so I make sure I keep mine safe. I will add, as another poster noted above, that having had previous passports guarantees that officials will be able to confirm my citizenship if necessary-- those who have never had a passport will have a much more difficult time establishing their citizenship and identity, particularly in a crisis when traveling abroad. I always recommend to get a passport, but don't make it vulnerable to theft or loss!!!

[zqvol]

I love the lines that make you let them hold for the entire cruise. When that happens you don't have to make a decision because it has been made for you.

[THERUNNINGLIBRARIAN]

I carry it with me in a plastic bag. I am more likely to lose my room key than my passport. :)

[blancheneigedlp]

I guess my point is, if it's not required by the cruise line and you're not going to take it to port, what's the point of bringing it at all?

[defyingravity88]

I always leave my passport on the ship. It's really, for me, just a convenience thing when you get back to the states and you have to go through customs. I know for most places you can bring a birth certificate and your id, but the paper is just so much more flimsy than a passport. And if you have it, why not?

 

I don't even bring a copy with me off, but seeing other's posts I guess I will start doing that.

[Sauer-kraut]

I guess my point is, if it's not required by the cruise line and you're not going to take it to port, what's the point of bringing it at all?

 

Because it trumps all other forms of identification. You never know when you might need to leave the country in a hurry and it will facilitate your return to the U.S. from abroad.

 

I never wander around a foreign country with it, the passport is always locked in a room safe or held at the reception desk (as in Egypt). I do international travel and its easier to bring a 6 inch booklet than keep my birth certificate in pristine condition while cruising.

[mfinster007]

Here's my two cents... When my minor daughter and I cruise together US or international, I bring the Passports because she is actually my deceased husbands grand daughter. My name is no where on her birth certificate, but we both have the same sur name on the passports, if I accompany that with his death certificate, I don't need to worry about those parent permission forms. When I leave the ship, I take my passport in a simple zip lock bag and leave a copy of it in the safe.

[Hikini]

I guess my point is, if it's not required by the cruise line and you're not going to take it to port, what's the point of bringing it at all?

 

Because without a passport they won't let you on, if you're going to be in any foreign port.

[Cubechick]

Bottom line, do what you're comfortable with.

 

Our level of comfort is ship-sponsored excursions and copies of our passports on our person.

 

There is no "right" answer.

[bonvoyagie]

On our recent AK cruise, I had to show my passport to our van driver before we went on the excursion that entered Canada. At the boarder crossing we had to show our passports - opened to our photo and info page to the canadian customs agent that boarded the train. Coming back into the US we had them ready, but did not need them - our van driver knew the agent ;). I think that if the tour requires a passport then you had better take it off the ship - not some copy.

[njhorseman]

On our recent AK cruise, I had to show my passport to our van driver before we went on the excursion that entered Canada. At the boarder crossing we had to show our passports - opened to our photo and info page to the canadian customs agent that boarded the train. Coming back into the US we had them ready, but did not need them - our van driver knew the agent ;). I think that if the tour requires a passport then you had better take it off the ship - not some copy.

 

The Alaskan tours that take you into Canada by land are a unique situation. The land border crossing is what necessitates having the passport. In general, tours don't cross international borders...they stay within the country where the ship is docked, so no passport is required.

[sparks1093]

Because without a passport they won't let you on, if you're going to be in any foreign port.

 

Huh? If you are on a closed loop cruise you don't need a passport. All you need to re-board from a port of call is a photo id and your cabin card.

[balconybuphs]

Hi,

Like sea monster says.....

Water damage happens...Still don't know what happened,a brain fart or something....mine swam with the stingrays in Grand Cayman.

It dried out all curled up and wouldn't scan coming home thru customs.

Had to get a replacement after I got home.....another 100 dollar souvenir..

I take a copy now with me and have copies in an e-mail account to look up just in case.

[kicia]

We always take our passports off the ship with us. That's the whole purpose of a passport. We even use it as identification when we fly domestically because it's the best ID there is I don't understand why you think you're more likely to lose your passport than your driver's license, credit cards and cash. If you think taking a copy of your passport is OK then just take a copy of your credit cards, driver's license, and the cash as well. It won't work for them and it won't work for your passport. It seems that it's mostly the Americans (and I'm one too) that are passport phobic. People from other countries just take it as a matter of course to use them. Maybe it's because most Americans don't travel that much outside of the US.

 

There are waterproof containers you can use to hold your passport and other items even in the water. You can double up the safety if you put it in a zip lock bag first.

[dlynn0366]

Huh? If you are on a closed loop cruise you don't need a passport. All you need to re-board from a port of call is a photo id and your cabin card.

 

Thank you, last year when reboarding in St. Maarten or St. Thomas they were asking for passports at the port but a photo ID & cabin card will work :)

[willysgrandma]

We had clients last year who, despite us telling them to take it with them and leave a copy in their cabin, left the passport on the ship. They were delayed on an excursion and did not make it back on the ship.

 

It took them 2 days to get a new passport issued and they had to pay to fly home from the island they were on. It cost them hundreds of dollars - the needed passports to be expedited so they paid the extra fee for that, they had to pay to have passport pictures retaken, they had to pay for two nights in a hotel and cab fares back and forth getting the passports reissued, and their return fares cost them over $400 each one way to get back home. And then they had to make arrangements to get their bags from the ship. And to top it, they only had one credit card with them that didn't have enough credit for the hotel room and they had to have a relative fax a credit card authorization form to the hotel to pay for their room.

 

None of this was covered by their insurance.

 

A representative from the passport offices came to a travel show we had in February and she specifically told people who asked this question they need to take their original passport with them off the ship. Had they done this, this family would have saved over $1,200 in costs for returning home.

 

TAKE YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU.

 

We have a Splash Caddy that we bought that we can actually swim with that leaves everything dry. I use it to carry my passport even if I am not going swimming. I bought extra replacement bags and double bag it to make sure it doesn't get wet.

 

http://www.goinginstyle.com/Water-Proof-Wallet-Splash-Caddy-P3176.aspx

[jimlouisesophie]

We had clients last year who, despite us telling them to take it with them and leave a copy in their cabin, left the passport on the ship. They were delayed on an excursion and did not make it back on the ship.

 

It took them 2 days to get a new passport issued and they had to pay to fly home from the island they were on. It cost them hundreds of dollars - the needed passports to be expedited so they paid the extra fee for that, they had to pay to have passport pictures retaken, they had to pay for two nights in a hotel and cab fares back and forth getting the passports reissued, and their return fares cost them over $400 each one way to get back home. And then they had to make arrangements to get their bags from the ship. And to top it, they only had one credit card with them that didn't have enough credit for the hotel room and they had to have a relative fax a credit card authorization form to the hotel to pay for their room.

 

None of this was covered by their insurance.

 

A representative from the passport offices came to a travel show we had in February and she specifically told people who asked this question they need to take their original passport with them off the ship. Had they done this, this family would have saved over $1,200 in costs for returning home.

 

TAKE YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU.

 

We have a Splash Caddy that we bought that we can actually swim with that leaves everything dry. I use it to carry my passport even if I am not going swimming. I bought extra replacement bags and double bag it to make sure it doesn't get wet.

 

http://www.goinginstyle.com/Water-Proof-Wallet-Splash-Caddy-P3176.aspx

This comment has to be the best of the entire thread.....A good reason to always carry your passport with you when in a foreign country when leaving the ship....I know we will have it when disembarking. Thanks for the post.

[njhorseman]

We had clients last year who, despite us telling them to take it with them and leave a copy in their cabin, left the passport on the ship. They were delayed on an excursion and did not make it back on the ship.

 

It took them 2 days to get a new passport issued and they had to pay to fly home from the island they were on. It cost them hundreds of dollars - the needed passports to be expedited so they paid the extra fee for that, they had to pay to have passport pictures retaken, they had to pay for two nights in a hotel and cab fares back and forth getting the passports reissued, and their return fares cost them over $400 each one way to get back home. And then they had to make arrangements to get their bags from the ship. And to top it, they only had one credit card with them that didn't have enough credit for the hotel room and they had to have a relative fax a credit card authorization form to the hotel to pay for their room.

 

None of this was covered by their insurance.

 

A representative from the passport offices came to a travel show we had in February and she specifically told people who asked this question they need to take their original passport with them off the ship. Had they done this, this family would have saved over $1,200 in costs for returning home.

 

TAKE YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU.

 

We have a Splash Caddy that we bought that we can actually swim with that leaves everything dry. I use it to carry my passport even if I am not going swimming. I bought extra replacement bags and double bag it to make sure it doesn't get wet.

 

http://www.goinginstyle.com/Water-Proof-Wallet-Splash-Caddy-P3176.aspx

 

This comment has to be the best of the entire thread.....A good reason to always carry your passport with you when in a foreign country when leaving the ship....I know we will have it when disembarking. Thanks for the post.

 

There's no right or wrong answer...everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with...but you're citing one example and ignoring the advice and experience of someone whose job was to assist Americans who had their passports lost, damaged or stolen...or had gotten stranded without them.

 

The fact is that far more Americans have their passports lost, damaged or stolen than end up being stranded without it because they missed their ship.

 

Please reread Sea Monster 2's post (#4) above for the facts.

 

I place my bet on the side of what's most likely to happen and leave my passport in my cabin safe unless the country I'm visiting requires me to carry it (Russia is one example). If 80% of the passport problems are caused by loss, theft or damage and 20% by missing the ship (I'm just making the numbers up), why would you want to protect yourself against the 20% and leave yourself open to the events that are four times as likely to happen? I don't understand the logic.

 

By the way, there are cruises where the ship holds your passport...I've been a couple of them. If you're on one of these cruises, you have no choice but to go ashore without it.

[schubean]

We have a PASSPORT CARD. It looks very similar to a drivers' license. It's the size of a credit card. Very handy to have. We'll be taking our passports, but leaving them on the ship. We'll have our Passport Cards with us at all times on land.

 

The ONLY difference between the Passport Card & Passport is you can't enter the U.S. by air from a foreign Country with a Passport Card, you need your Passport for that.

[ClaireAndMike]

When you all say that you carry a copy with you, is that just of the photo page? I'm unsure as to what my sister and I will do. Making copies sounds great, I'm just not sure what exactly to copy. We haven't traveled with them yet.

[Sauer-kraut]

When you all say that you carry a copy with you, is that just of the photo page? I'm unsure as to what my sister and I will do. Making copies sounds great, I'm just not sure what exactly to copy. We haven't traveled with them yet.

 

Yes, just the pages with your info and picture and the passport number clearly copied. You can scan and print it out from your computer if you don't have a copy machine handy.

[ClaireAndMike]

Yes, just the pages with your info and picture and the passport number clearly copied. You can scan and print it out from your computer if you don't have a copy machine handy.

 

=)

 

Thanks!