Passports on excursions

[TheLargeFamily]

I do. My kids don't have photo ID's. I want them with us in a foreign country.

[carlandlyn]

A copy wont be sufficient as a legal document. Carrying a passport ashore will depend on where you are. If you are not in a country that has reciprocal rights you may get caught out if you are accidentally left behind (OCruiser comments about your safe contents being dropped ashore was interesting and handy to know).

As Aussies travelling through the States and the Pacific we would carry our passports. It gave us internationally recognised ID, and piece of mind if we missed the boat. That said, quite often the boat had our passports to ease clearing into the next country, so sometimes you don't have an option.

As I said, we carry them for piece of mind.

[waterbug123]

We always take them. For us, we just feel better having them with us. If something happens and we miss the ship due to an accident or whatever, we'd rather not have to worry about getting back to the port and finding the port agent and hoping they have them. Instead, we'd rather be able to deal with whatever has happened, and get to the airport ASAP to see about flights to meet up with the ship, knowing we already have everything with us that we'd need. We are comfortable carrying them. Others fear losing them the or getting robbed. Go with what you're comfortable with.

[Sportfisher]

The requirement to carry a passport on excursions varies for each country and port. Some require full face to face passport inspections. Some require you carry a document provided by the ship. Almost everywhere requires some form of government photo ID.

In addition some require an entry visa to be stamped in your passport.

The only way to know for sure is to follow the ships advice for each port and excursion.

 

 

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[Havingfun2010]

Not another passport question. First, let me say, that I have both a card, and book, and always have my card in my wallet with my DL. Then again, I never leave home without ID either. As far as the book is concerned it is a hit or miss, but I certainly am not afraid to carry it with me. It is my official ID, and could be needed, whereas if on the ship, locked up, it could be useless.

 

Some countries require you to carry ID on you, and your DL is not considered ID if it is not issued by that country. Some countries that RCCL travel to, but might not be limited to is Italy, Cuba, Russia, China. Each one of those locations your are required by law to have your passport in your possession at all times. Japan requires you to have a copy of your passport, if on a ship, but if not on a ship, must have it in your possession. The ship holds your passport in Japan. I'm sure other places you may or may not need it.

 

Besides the fact, it is your internationally recognized ID, most countries, do not care in the Caribbean if you have one or not, because their main concern is you bring lots of cash, and spend money. That's why, on a closed loop cruise from the USA, you don't need one. I have even heard of reports that if you have to fly back, you can just argue a bit, show some sort of ID like a DL, and they will let you go to the USA, and let them deal with you, as you try to pass customs.

[Clarea]

The requirement to carry a passport on excursions varies for each country and port. ...

I do recall two instances were a passport is required on excursions, one in British Tortola and the other in Alaska when visiting Canada on the train from Skagway.