Stolen Passport (Russia - St. Petersburg)

[ducklite]

Sorry, no, wrong thinking. One reason why passports are lost, is because people have no habits with them. they get pulled out once a year on a trip, then get put in a "safe" place at home in a drawer. Do you really think that passport is MORE valuable than your money, credit cards, driver's license???? Believe me, ALL it will take is ONE incident in a foreign country where you need that passport and you will be darn sorry, you left it on a ship. My passport is ALWAYS with me, has been for years. I have the HABIT of knowing where it belongs and where it goes after using it. Just like your wallet, credit cards, license. It's automatic. You aren't in a store fumbling around looking in multiple places for money or putting back change. etc etc. you have a particular habit.

 

 

 

Every trip I see easy marks and it amazes me, more aren't ripped off. Some should have a sign on them they are so revealing and sloppy. There are NO guarantees with pick pockets, but they are a lazy bunch, they don't target the "challenge" option, unless, there is a big potential pay off. I'hope I continue to stay ahead of them, but my passport will continue to be with me.

 

 

 

I find no reason to carry my passport around when it's not needed. I also don't keep it in a drawer. At home it is in the safe along with other important and difficult or expensive to replace documents such as the deed to my home, car titles, birth certificates, valuables, and and the majority of my credit cards--I typically only carry my AmEx and a MasterCard with me.

 

I have habits while traveling and am not an easy mark--as a pair of stupid woman quickly learned when they tried to rob us in Rome. When shouting (cursing) at them in Italian didn't work, my husband chest butting the one while my raised fist lunging towards the other's face did. They both quickly scattered. Why us? No idea. There were others who were certainly better targets within a few feet of us. (Two had actually been pick pocketed a few days earlier because they left their wallets on top of their unzipped handbags.) All I can figure is that they were after my camera, I was wearing a simple gold wedding band and maybe a cheap costume jewelry necklace that no one ever would have mistaken for anything but.

 

By the way, on most ships when you cruise in Europe, they collect your passport when you board and you don't get it back until you leave, unless you are visiting a country where it is required. I'm guessing you mostly cruise in the Caribbean or you would know this.

[celle]

By the way, on most ships when you cruise in Europe, they collect your passport when you board and you don't get it back until you leave, unless you are visiting a country where it is required. I'm guessing you mostly cruise in the Caribbean or you would know this.

That may be your experience, but it isn't mine.

I have done several cruises in Europe and my passport has never been taken by the ship.

[ExpatBride]

By the way, on most ships when you cruise in Europe, they collect your passport when you board and you don't get it back until you leave, unless you are visiting a country where it is required. I'm guessing you mostly cruise in the Caribbean or you would know this.

 

I've only cruised in Europe and have never surrendered my passport upon boarding.

[Mytravellove]

I've only cruised in Europe and have never surrendered my passport upon boarding.

 

I agree, we have done 2 Mediterrean cruises and a Baltic cruise and our passports were never surrendered when we boarded. However, I have seen some oriental folks who had to go to the Passenger Services desk to pick up their passports on the last evening of a Caribbean and an Alaskan cruise. I assumed that was a precaution they took.

[ontheweb]

I've only cruised in Europe and have never surrendered my passport upon boarding.

 

We have cruised in Europe 5 times (2 Western Mediterranean, 1 Eastern Mediterranean, 1 Baltic, and 1 British Isles). We had our passports collected one time out of those five, in the Eastern Mediterranean on the HAL Noordam.

 

The first port was Croatia, and they said you could get your passport back if you did not have a driver's license with you as identification. Presumably, they then wanted it back. They gave receipts, and you picked up your passport before disembarkation.

[ExpatBride]

We have cruised in Europe 5 times (2 Western Mediterranean, 1 Eastern Mediterranean, 1 Baltic, and 1 British Isles). We had our passports collected one time out of those five, in the Eastern Mediterranean on the HAL Noordam.

 

Right, and ducklite seems to be informing the caribbean cruising peasants :rolleyes: that surrendering your passport on European itineraries is the norm, which you've just proven isn't the case.

[cruisemom42]

Surrendering my passport has been the norm for me in the Med.

 

I've taken nine Med cruises and in 8 of them my passport was held by the ship for at least part of the cruise if not the entirety.

 

Most of my cruises have included Eastern Med port stops and countries outside the EU, such as Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, etc.

[Harley0711]

Surrendering my passport has been the norm for me in the Med.

 

I've taken nine Med cruises and in 8 of them my passport was held by the ship for at least part of the cruise if not the entirety.

 

Most of my cruises have included Eastern Med port stops and countries outside the EU, such as Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, etc.

 

We also surrendered out PP's at the beginning - However, they were given back before we arrived in St. Petersburg because we HAD to have them in hand to enter Russia and we had to keep them with us - We have traveled a lot in Europe over the past 10 years - however, I learned a LOT with this issue.

[John Bull]

On some cruises we've had our passports taken, on others we haven't.

Depends on the ports (for example fixing up ship-issued visas or other local requirements) and cruise line policy.

But I've never seen it as a big deal either way.

 

If the ship doesn't hold my passport & I'm not required to carry it ashore, it stays in my cabin safe. Others prefer to carry theirs with them at all times - that's up to them & I've given up preaching the merits of not taking a passport ashore. ;)

 

JB :)

Edited August 2, 2016 by John Bull

[Harley0711]

On some cruises we've had our passports taken, on others we haven't.

Depends on the ports (for example fixing up ship-issued visas or other local requirements) and cruise line policy.

But I've never seen it as a big deal either way.

 

If the ship doesn't hold my passport & I'm not required to carry it ashore, it stays in my cabin safe. Others prefer to carry theirs with them at all times - that's up to them & I've given up preaching the merits of not taking a passport ashore. ;)

 

JB :)

 

100% agree - cruise many ports - My Passport stays in the Safe - Russia has been the only port (so far) that I had to have my PP with me.

[Harley0711]

In my story at the beginning I stated a few things - as I got them from the passenger that had her passport stolen - I ONLY posted her story to help and maybe 'teach' others. One statement has been questioned and I have written and ask Alla about this.

 

In our group of 14, this couple was the only one going to the Folk Show - since we were 30 min from the ship - they were dropped off at a restaurant for a coffee or a bite to eat - What I DID NOT mention because I did not know - even though it may have appeared 'from my story' that the couple was alone at the restaurant - Alla assured me that one of their Managers was also at the restaurant and kept an eye on them from a distance to allow them privacy - they were NOT left alone - Now the questioned continued about the Folk show and were they with a tour rep? This was Alla's response to that question:

 

"As for the Folk Show, our managers are not there during the show (this is allowed under our visa waiver), but our driver is there at the theater at the conclusion of the performance to return our guests back to port. This is sufficient for the Visa rules - as I have mentioned before, we have been conducting these tours for the past 11 years."

 

I was Very impressed with all of ALLA's tours - I would use them again in a heart beat.

 

When our Passport's surrendered at the beginning of this cruise - I was told it was for the EU's inspection??? Now this was the ships response when I questioned them - take it for what you want - I Love Princess but have learned over the past 20 cruises - their response to questions is not always on target - I support all countries and their trying to keep the bad people out - I only wish Our country would work Harder to keep them out.. enough with the political.

 

Thanks for everyone's posts here - I meant this to be a learning experience and it has

[Floridiana]

In case you want to know more about the EU and the Schengen area - they are not identical, here is a map:

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen/index_en.htm

 

Just to add some more idiosyncrasies, the Euro has not been accepted by all EU States.

 

Russia is neither in the EU nor among the Schengen states. Therefore a separate passport control in person and also visa requirements. I have surrendered my passport on many other cruises including Panama Canal and Brazil. Immigration officials there check passports and/or ship's manifest without passenger presence.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Floridiana

[sail7seas]

The onlrgtime I rec all giving up our pasporgs was on a Eueop cruise s when we had a stop in Israel

Edited August 4, 2016 by sail7seas