Passport Question for recent Freedom cruisers.

[goneclear]

I have read and it has happened to me in the past where we have to surrender our passports when we check in. We usually get it back by going to some advertised location during the cruise. When they take your passport now, Do you have to carry a photo copy of your passport ashore with you? I have read where people do this. Is it necessary now? In the past I only used sea pass card for getting back on the ship. Thanks.

[ryano]

I have read and it has happened to me in the past where we have to surrender our passports when we check in. We usually get it back by going to some advertised location during the cruise. When they take your passport now, Do you have to carry a photo copy of your passport ashore with you? I have read where people do this. Is it necessary now? In the past I only used sea pass card for getting back on the ship. Thanks.

 

Freedom of the Seas does not take your Passport :)

 

To get back on the ship, you will need your Seapass card and sometimes they ask for a picture ID. Generally they just want to see your Seapass though.

[Ubiquitous Cruiser]

Agree ... Freedom will not take your passport, they of course review it before boarding.

 

Royal will advise you to take a photo-id into port in case the local port authority requires it of you.

[xxoocruiser]

When they take your passport now, Do you have to carry a photo copy of your passport ashore with you?

 

• No you are not require to carry a photo copy of your passport ashore .
  
• Nor are you required by the cruise line to carry a photo copy with you. For returning to the ship you need the sea pass card and another government issued photo ID such as a driver's license as you are sometimes required to show that to local authority's to gain port entry.
  

Though many people do bring a copy of the passport ashore in the unlikely event that something happens causing one to miss the ship. By having the copy with you it can facilitate expediting getting a replacement passport so that you can make arrangement to get back home it needed. I don't generally carry a photo copy but I do have the my passport number with me at all times because that's actually the information required to get a passport replacement more so than an actual photo copy.

[jjaa404]

I traveled with friends from Canada before and they did take their passports. They didn't need them to get on and off the ship, just their SeaPass. But I have read if you are going on excursions that crosses borders, ie US Virgin Islands to British VI, you need your passport. Does anyone know how that works if they retain your passport upon boarding?

[jjaa404]

• 
  

Though many people do bring a copy of the passport ashore in the unlikely event that something happens causing one to miss the ship. By having the copy with you it can facilitate expediting getting a replacement passport so that you can make arrangement to get back home it needed. I don't generally carry a photo copy but I do have the my passport number with me at all times because that's actually the information required to get a passport replacement more so than an actual photo copy.

 

Great tip.

[Clarea]

I traveled with friends from Canada before and they did take their passports. They didn't need them to get on and off the ship, just their SeaPass. But I have read if you are going on excursions that crosses borders, ie US Virgin Islands to British VI, you need your passport. Does anyone know how that works if they retain your passport upon boarding?

I've read that if you are on a private excursion that goes from the US island to the UK island, then you need a passport. I don't believe any ship excursion does this, but there are private excursions that do.

[jjaa404]

I've read that if you are on a private excursion that goes from the US island to the UK island, then you need a passport. I don't believe any ship excursion does this, but there are private excursions that do.

 

Thank you!

[RSLeesburg]

Yes. It is always a great idea to carry copies when you are also bringing the original.

[sxphil]

Most people have smart phones these days

 

Take a photo of your passports and Driving Licences

 

and to confirm my British Passport was NOT retained on the Freedom recently but we were advised to carry ID which we didn't need once

 

HTH

[iuki]

When we tried to get back on our ship from one of the ports in Alaska, I only had my seapass (HAL) with me. Although HAL only required their seapass, the port authorities insisted on a drivers license or passport in addition to the seapass. Fortunately, my husband had his wallet and drivers license with him. It took us a while to convince them to let me on the ship. Needless to say, we BOTH take our passports with us and keep a copy in our safe on ship.

[edjny]

When we tried to get back on our ship from one of the ports in Alaska, I only had my seapass (HAL) with me. Although HAL only required their seapass, the port authorities insisted on a drivers license or passport in addition to the seapass. Fortunately, my husband had his wallet and drivers license with him. It took us a while to convince them to let me on the ship. Needless to say, we BOTH take our passports with us and keep a copy in our safe on ship.

 

Most cruises I have been on, we have been told to bring the Sea Pass and a photo ID with us when we go off the ship. This is for the local authorities to check. Sometimes they ask to see the ID and sometimes they don't.

[kristinmc8]

We just went on the Freedom May 12th-19th and they did not take our passports at boarding. They also never checked them getting back on the ship in port; they only asked for our Seapass cards. We did have to show them again through Customs getting off the ship, but then and boarding were the only times they were needed.

[Langley Cruisers]

I traveled with friends from Canada before and they did take their passports...

 

It depends on the itinerary. On a standard Caribbean route, passports are not surrendered. On certain European itineraries, some may have to surrender theirs.

[twochromic]

Regarding passport number/copy for replacement:

 

We just email a copy to ourself, or now put it into Dropbox. Should I be stuck someplace having to come up with a passport copy, I just need internet access. I think they even have that in North Korea.