Will they let you back on the ship?

[PoppyandNana]

And I also have cruised major cruise lines at one time or another and have had my Passport held By RCI, Celebrity, HAL and Princess. Just because you have never had yours held it doesn't mean other cruises have not had had thers held.

 

Maybe. However, I still maintain that there were circumstances unique to that particular passenger not a blanket policy where all 2,000 passenger were required to leave their passport on board with whom, the Pursers Desk? So, two thousand passengers line up at the desk to surrender their passport?

 

Too many missing facts here by somebody.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Redman1947

[TravelerThom]

Please provide specifics to substantiate your assertion including: date, point of departure, point of termination, ship and itinerary and how you come to know this.

18 Nov 2011, Rome to Rome, Celebrity Equinox, Eastern Med INCLUDING Kusadasi TURKEY, I know this from personal experience from being on the cruise.

EVERY cruise that I have taken from the Schengen zone to Turkey has held my passport. I have also had it held other cruises, but I have already provided full requested documentation of one cruise.

The only cruise port I know of in Russia is St. Petersburg.

While I am not asserting that passports are held for Russian ports, Murmansk, Sochi and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are other cruise ports in Russia. Not claiming that is a complete list; not sure how you classify Yalta and Sevastopol.

 

Thom

[TravelerThom]

If I am on a self guided tour of Turkey who do I "leave" my passport with, the front desk of my hotel? I think not.

You are mixing apples and oranges. If you are on a self guided tour of Turkey you have to personally present yourself to Turkish immigration with your passport and your previously obtained Turkish Visa (these Visa requirements are for US citizens; full details at http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa). In-transit cruise passengers do not have to get a visa, but their passport must be presented to and stamped by Turkish immigration (and if returning to the Schengen zone, stamped upon re-entry into Schengen); you do not have to be personally present and the cruise line is handling these details for you.

 

BTW it is common in many countries that the hotel DOES hold your passport while they complete the details of reporting your presence in their hotel to the authorities. It has happened to me many times, including last month in Madrid, Spain.

 

Not quite sure why you are taking such an argumentative tone with people that are sharing valid information.

 

Thom

[FLACRUISER99]

Maybe. However, I still maintain that there were circumstances unique to that particular passenger not a blanket policy where all 2,000 passenger were required to leave their passport on board with whom, the Pursers Desk? So, two thousand passengers line up at the desk to surrender their passport?

 

Too many missing facts here by somebody.

All passports were held In fact on the Solstice repo cruise from Dubai to Singapore to Sydney (which took your passport at check in) they had a desk set up on the gangway in Singapore and you would get your Passport at the gangway(Singapore requires you to pass through immigration each time you exit and return to the ship) and you would return it when coming back on. If you don't believe all passengers must leave their passports on certain itineraries that's your choice. Edited June 7, 2014 by FLACRUISER99

[PoppyandNana]

18 Nov 2011, Rome to Rome, Celebrity Equinox, Eastern Med INCLUDING Kusadasi TURKEY, I know this from personal experience from being on the cruise.

EVERY cruise that I have taken from the Schengen zone to Turkey has held my passport. I have also had it held other cruises, but I have already provided full requested documentation of one cruise.While I am not asserting that passports are held for Russian ports, Murmansk, Sochi and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are other cruise ports in Russia. Not claiming that is a complete list; not sure how you classify Yalta and Sevastopol.

 

Thom

 

I suspect that everybody who claims the ship required them to leave their passports aboard are confusing the facts.

 

There is a big difference between LEAVING and SURRENDERING ones passport.

 

In every daily Compass or whatever, there is usually a blurb to the effect that the ship suggests you leave your passport aboard and to only take ashore your sea card and some other form of ID. NOT that you had to go to the Pursers Desk to SURRENDER your passport. Can you imagine two or three thousand passengers going to the Pursers Desk to surrender their passport?

 

Or, if not at a port at point of check in?

 

I just posted an excerpt from the US Embassy in Turkey that says cruise lines provide a blanket visa and that you do not have to take your passport with you while ashore. Folks, DOES NOT SAY CRUISE LINES ARE REQUIRED TO RETAIN PASSPORTS WHILE IN TURKEY.

 

It suggests, as I just stated to bring your sea pass and another form of ID.

[madelk]

BTW it is common in many countries that the hotel DOES hold your passport while they complete the details of reporting your presence in their hotel to the authorities. It has happened to me many times, including last month in Madrid, Spain.

 

Not quite sure why you are taking such an argumentative tone with people that are sharing valid information.

 

Thom

 

I concur with this bit above ^^

I toured China late last year by land. In all 3 major hotel chains they held our passports. In fact to even get your visa to enter China you need to state the hotels and dates that you have booked.

 

As for Turkey the way I understand it is similar to what was stated above as "in transit" passengers. For cruises that overnight in Turkey the visa is organised by the ship. If you depart from Turkey via air (or other means) the same day as you disembark there is no need for an additional visa but if you intend to do further land based travel post cruise you need to organise your own visa for that leg of the trip because the one you use to enter Turkey issued by the cruise ship is not valid. I've read it similarly applies in other countries - I think Oman is one of them but I can't be sure at this minute. Similarly for China (72hrs visa free for certain nationalities), Indonesia and Singapore I believe it is done as a bulk visa for all passengers. I have read of people voluntarily leaving their passports with guest services so that they can be stamped when the group visa is issued but that they don't always do them.

 

I think it's Israel which stamps a separate page that is then stapled into your passport so that it can be removed in the case that you wish to later enter Arab countries which forbid travel in that country (and I have a friend who was detained overnight and then sent back to Africa for that very reason). When I worked in Kuwait I was warned to ALWAYS carry my passport with me because I could be questioned at any time I was in public by the local authorities and would need to show proof of a valid visa. Colleagues who had been working there long term had resorted to merely carrying a photocopy of their passport and visa and work sponsored letter with contact details for safety's sake. A couple of them had been asked to show documents in the past but had had no trouble upon presenting them.

 

(Source: Research for previous cancelled trip to Turkey and current trip being researched for Rhapsody 2015 repositioning; Previous travel through Indonesia, Singapore and China)

[PoppyandNana]

I concur with this bit above ^^

I toured China late last year by land. In all 3 major hotel chains they held our passports. In fact to even get your visa to enter China you need to state the hotels and dates that you have booked.

 

As for Turkey the way I understand it is similar to what was stated above as "in transit" passengers. For cruises that overnight in Turkey the visa is organised by the ship. If you depart from Turkey via air (or other means) the same day as you disembark there is no need for an additional visa but if you intend to do further land based travel post cruise you need to organise your own visa for that leg of the trip because the one you use to enter Turkey issued by the cruise ship is not valid. I've read it similarly applies in other countries - I think Oman is one of them but I can't be sure at this minute. Similarly for China (72hrs visa free for certain nationalities), Indonesia and Singapore I believe it is done as a bulk visa for all passengers. I have read of people voluntarily leaving their passports with guest services so that they can be stamped when the group visa is issued but that they don't always do them.

 

I think it's Israel which stamps a separate page that is then stapled into your passport so that it can be removed in the case that you wish to later enter Arab countries which forbid travel in that country (and I have a friend who was detained overnight and then sent back to Africa for that very reason). When I worked in Kuwait I was warned to ALWAYS carry my passport with me because I could be questioned at any time I was in public by the local authorities and would need to show proof of a valid visa. Colleagues who had been working there long term had resorted to merely carrying a photocopy of their passport and visa and work sponsored letter with contact details for safety's sake. A couple of them had been asked to show documents in the past but had had no trouble upon presenting them.

 

(Source: Research for previous cancelled trip to Turkey and current trip being researched for Rhapsody 2015 repositioning; Previous travel through Indonesia, Singapore and China)

 

Agreed and concede. However, the original statement made was that cruise ships calling on Turkey are required to retain passenger's passports which is incorrect

[TravelerThom]

Agreed and concede. However, the original statement made was that cruise ships calling on Turkey are required to retain passenger's passports which is incorrect

Here is the first reference to Turkey in this thread:

Our passports were kept for several days on our Mediterranean cruise in 2006, I believe it was a requirement for visiting Turkey...

It says it is requirement, but does NOT say it is required by Turkey (which it may or may not be), but it is required by the cruise line. Please don't claim the original statement says something that was not stated.

I suspect that everybody who claims the ship required them to leave their passports aboard are confusing the facts.

 

There is a big difference between LEAVING and SURRENDERING ones passport.

 

In every daily Compass or whatever, there is usually a blurb to the effect that the ship suggests you leave your passport aboard and to only take ashore your sea card and some other form of ID. NOT that you had to go to the Pursers Desk to SURRENDER your passport. Can you imagine two or three thousand passengers going to the Pursers Desk to surrender their passport?

 

Or, if not at a port at point of check in?

 

I just posted an excerpt from the US Embassy in Turkey that says cruise lines provide a blanket visa and that you do not have to take your passport with you while ashore. Folks, DOES NOT SAY CRUISE LINES ARE REQUIRED TO RETAIN PASSPORTS WHILE IN TURKEY.

 

It suggests, as I just stated to bring your sea pass and another form of ID.

The US Embassy quote you posted also does not say that the ship is not required to retain your passport, so that proves nothing (note: Not in Turkey, but I've had cases where I have had my surrendered passport released to me for the day to facilitate a car rental). I have been on at least a dozen cruises where I surrendered my passport at the beginning of the cruise and had it returned (usually via standing in a substantial line) the day before disembarking. In every case my passport then contained new immigration stamps. Quite frankly I no longer care if you believe it or not.

 

I will leave this thread with a favorite quote of a friend of mine:

"All of us are unknowledgeable about many things; that doesn't mean we are stupid. Stupid is believing something is true in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary"

 

[PoppyandNana]

Here is the first reference to Turkey in this thread:It says it is requirement, but does NOT say it is required by Turkey (which it may or may not be), but it is required by the cruise line. Please don't claim the original statement says something that was not stated.

The US Embassy quote you posted also does not say that the ship is not required to retain your passport, so that proves nothing (note: Not in Turkey, but I've had cases where I have had my surrendered passport released to me for the day to facilitate a car rental). I have been on at least a dozen cruises where I surrendered my passport at the beginning of the cruise and had it returned (usually via standing in a substantial line) the day before disembarking. In every case my passport then contained new immigration stamps. Quite frankly I no longer care if you believe it or not.

 

I will leave this thread with a favorite quote of a friend of mine:

"All of us are unknowledgeable about many things; that doesn't mean we are stupid. Stupid is believing something is true in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary"

 

 

Don't feel bad. A lot of people are more stupid than you are.

[spookwife]

I'm assuming with land based vacations, folks use the passport while traveling, then it gets locked in the hotel safe. They don't take it out while touring the town they're in. wanna bet? my passport is in my purse right now and I take it with me every time I leave the house. came in handy the other day when I was trying to fill my husband's Rx( he was recovering from being hit by a car) and the Pharmacy didn't like my Military ID

 

 

I'm also assuming at some point before sailing (30 minutes, 1 hour?) they start going through cabins getting passports/documentation. Aren't you supposed to be on board 45 minutes before sailing? There can't be that many people still on land 30 minutes before hand. usually it is 30 minutes although a few times we LEFT 30 minutes early cuz everyone was already on board by then. It is easy for them to figure out who ISN'T on board and thus can quickly get to the cabins necessary

 

I believe the country requiring passports to be held by the ship is/was Turkey.

 

ETA: Those who take their passports with them, what do you do with the passports when you want to swim as a family? One person stays out of the water to "guard" the PP?

 

as for swimming.. non issue in our case as we do not do beaches.

[Desert Cruizers]

Leaving Sydney, Aust for Honolulu on April 10, 2014, we had to surrender our passports upon returning to the ship from our Tours, they received a sticker with your cabin # and returned to us when we arrived in Lahaina.

[AntiCat]

Thanks for this. Interesting to look at the old Cruise Compass. Looks like they had lunch in the MDR on a port day. Wonder when that practice stopped.

 

My pleasure! It was fun to skim trough the list of activities and shows we had. If anyone is interested in the full paperwork I might scan and post it. Just send me an email to my nickname at gmail.com

[gnocchi_mommy]

You can't generalise about this.

We are not US citizens and we have never had our passports held when cruising out of the US. Likewise, even though we don't have passports of an EU country, we have never had our passports held while cruising in Europe.

 

Some countries require the cruise line to hold all passports. Some do not.

Some cruise lines hold your passport for some cruises. Others do not.

Some countries require you to carry your passport with you while on shore (Egypt and India spring to mind). Others do not.

 

Well according to posts on this forum, RCCL DOES do this for non-US citizens sailing Caribean ports out of the US. :-)

[gnocchi_mommy]

Ours were confiscated on the Indy, out of Southampton England- ports were Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands.

 

Our passports were kept for several days on our Mediterranean cruise in 2006, I believe it was a requirement for visiting Turkey. This was on Brilliance.

 

Passports were taken upon check in at Port Canaveral for our Around the Horn cruise on Mariner in 2009 and not returned until end of B2B2B in Los Angeles.

 

More recently, our passports were taken before we arrived in the French Polynesian islands and returned before we arrived in Maui. This was in April on Radiance.

 

We've always been told it's a requirement by some countries for the ship to collect passports. I've seen some people get quite upset when told they have to hand over their passports, but like the check in agent told the angry woman next to me in Port Canaveral, "You want to go on this cruise, I need keep your passport, you don't hand in your passport, you don't go on the cruise.":D

 

Sherri:)

[gnocchi_mommy]

NO there is no more "to the story" lolol. I stood in line with a bunch of other non-British citizens to collect my passport before disembarking on the last day. That's the way it works.

 

When you have multiple people here on this forum telling you we have sailed voyages that had this very requirement, that means it happens at least on some itineraries. If you google it, you can see it is not uncommon at all.

 

 

From US embassy website:

 

While you do need to have a passport when traveling overseas, special arrangements are made by the large cruise ship lines to facilitate their passengers’ shore excursions. These special arrangements allow cruise ship passengers to come ashore without a visa for day visits.Please check with your cruise line for details of their arrangement.

 

 

You may visit Turkey on a day trip from your cruise ship without carrying your passport ashore. You may want to carry a photocopy of your passport with you when your passport is being kept for safekeeping by the cruise lines, however.

 

It states You MAY visit Turkey without carrying your passport ashore. Does not say you HAVE TO surrender your passport. This provision is for people who don't feel comfortable taking their passport with them. Wonder how uncomfortable they would be if for any number of reasons they could not return to the ship and were in a foreign country without a passport.

 

 

Like I said if you were required to leave your passport in Turkey with the ship there had to be unusual circumstances that do not apply to the majority of cruise passengers.

 

If I am on a self guided tour of Turkey who do I "leave" my passport with, the front desk of my hotel? I think not.

Edited June 7, 2014 by gnocchi_mommy

[gnocchi_mommy]

I suspect that everybody who claims the ship required them to leave their passports aboard are confusing the facts.

 

There is a big difference between LEAVING and SURRENDERING ones passport.

 

In every daily Compass or whatever, there is usually a blurb to the effect that the ship suggests you leave your passport aboard and to only take ashore your sea card and some other form of ID. NOT that you had to go to the Pursers Desk to SURRENDER your passport. Can you imagine two or three thousand passengers going to the Pursers Desk to surrender their passport?

 

Or, if not at a port at point of check in?

 

I just posted an excerpt from the US Embassy in Turkey that says cruise lines provide a blanket visa and that you do not have to take your passport with you while ashore. Folks, DOES NOT SAY CRUISE LINES ARE REQUIRED TO RETAIN PASSPORTS WHILE IN TURKEY.

 

It suggests, as I just stated to bring your sea pass and another form of ID.

NO, once again- it is REQUIREd upon check in, on specific itineraries/ships based on your citizenship.

 

On the Indy out of Southampton all non-UK citizens surrender theirs for the duration of the voyage, they are returned before disembarking.

[AntiCat]

Well according to posts on this forum, RCCL DOES do this for non-US citizens sailing Caribean ports out of the US. :-)

No at least not always. They didn't do it on Allure and Independence the last two years.

[gnocchi_mommy]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=196255

 

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/passport-confiscation

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10703-k5045789-Passport_retention-Cruises.html

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426127

 

 

NCL official policy-have not found RCCL yet but suspect it is the same- http://www.ncl.eu/helpful-information/faqs/

"Guests are responsible for ensuring they fulfil all passport and visa requirements for all countries visited during the cruise and when travelling to and from the port of embarkation/disembarkation. EU citizens need a full passport which must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond their return (also applicable for children). A passport is also required for all European sailings (exception: citizens of Schengen States cruising on itineraries that do not leave EU territory).

 

During most cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line personnel will need to retain your passport. You therefore have to carry a second government-issued photo ID with you at all times. It is the sole responsibility of the guest to provide all necessary documentation. Guests are not entitled to a refund if entry into any foreign territory or boarding is denied due to lack of proper documents."

[gnocchi_mommy]

No at least not always. They didn't do it on Allure and Independence the last two years.

 

Not always maybe, but at least for some itineraries. I also wonder if due to WHTI Canadian and Mexican passports are exempted on those itineraries.

[gnocchi_mommy]

RCCL Hong Kong? Getting closer ;-) Still looking for that American policy in ink!

 

http://www.rccl-hkg.com/RCI/terms_terms02_3.asp

 

"Guests will not be allowed to board the vessel without proper documentation, and no refund of cruise fare will be given to any guest failing to bring such documentation.

Also, please be aware that for Immigration and Customs reasons, the Purser will retain your passport for the duration of your cruise. Your travel documents will be returned to you on your disembarkation date."

[madelk]

Still looking for that American policy in ink!

 

I've seen wording on the Australian site almost identical to what you posted above. You'll find it under "excursion planning" and "cruise documentation" and it's also in the documentation they send you when you book a cruise (and probably in the terms and conditions before you hit "book" too I imagine) :)

Edited June 8, 2014 by madelk

[Charles4515]

 

 

 

Do yourselves a favor, take your passport with you when going ashore. If you are into smart phones and/or tablets check out Evernote. The free version is more than sufficient for most people's needs. Post a copy of your passport (and any other key document) in Evernote. I have copies of all hotel, airline, cruise and tour confirmations posted. Any lost document can be printed out.

 

 

Taking your passport ashore is bad advice. Your passport is more likely to get stolen or lost than you are likely to miss the ship. Your advice goes against the advice of travel experts and the State Department. You have ave been strident to pass on your opinion but it has to be mentioned that your opinion is a minority opinion and it is bad advice.

 

Don't take your passport ashore unless you have to!

Edited June 8, 2014 by Charles4515
add line

[Charles4515]

Maybe. However, I still maintain that there were circumstances unique to that particular passenger not a blanket policy where all 2,000 passenger were required to leave their passport on board with whom, the Pursers Desk? So, two thousand passengers line up at the desk to surrender their passport?

 

Too many missing facts here by somebody.

 

 

Yep. All 2500 passengers on one my Med. cruises had to surrender their passport at check in at the cruise terminal. There are no missing facts. It happens on some itineraries.

[geogran]

Maybe my memory is foggy (senior here) but when we sailed out of Barcelona on NCL in 2010 we did not relinquish our passports to NCL...stayed in our safe and we carried copies into ports...maybe on next cruise will keep original on my person except for beach time...

[AussieVisi2r]

You didn't answer the question. What RCCL ship, and when. The only cruise port I know of in Russia is St. Petersburg. We were REQUIRED to take our passports ashore. You couldn't even get off the ship unless you had a bonafide tour ticket and passport unless you had a visa.

 

So, again,where in Russia and what RCCL ship you were aboard where you were required to submit your passport for retention by the ship?

 

They speak the truth!

 

In Europe (Med) with RCCL, we surendered passports on boarding and got them back on disembarkation.

 

Raina