Passports now required for Panama

[Cigar King]

We received the following today.  Does anyone have any idea as to why Panama is requiring a passport.  We have them, so it's not a problem for us.

 

Dear Guest,

We're so excited to be welcoming you onboard for our Vision of the Seas sailing! Before you join us, we have some important information to share with you regarding your travel documents.

As you know, on our upcoming cruise itinerary, we'll be visiting Colon, Panama. Due to new immigration requirements, all guests who would like to visit Colon either on their own or on a Royal Caribbean International Shore Excursion will now be required to show their passports before disembarking. Guests without passports are still permitted to sail on this itinerary, however, they will not be able to disembark when the ship visits Colon, Panama.

If you are travelling with a passport, please also bring a printed, hard copy of the photo page with you onboard. This hard copy will ensure that you have proper documentation while heading ashore in Colon. To ensure a smooth immigration process in Panama, we'll be collecting passports prior to our arrival, and we'll return them promptly after our immigration processes are finalized.

Guests traveling without a passport, who have Shore Excursions booked in Colon, Panama through Cruise Planner, can self-cancel their Shore Excursions pre-cruise or visit the Shore Excursion Desk on Deck 5 once onboard to receive a refund. If you have booked any independent arrangements, please reach out to your tour operators.

We're sorry for any inconvenience caused by this but we appreciate your understanding. We can't wait to welcome you onboard!
Sincerely,
Royal Caribbean International

[firefly333]

Well isnt this odd. I'm booked on vision 11 days including to colon Panama. I've been trying to buy a excursion and even the rep I talked to cant so it's been escalated to resolutions. And then shore excursion desk. 

 

I want to book the 8 hour excursion to see the locks. And cant. And rep cant. I have a passport. 

 

When are you going?

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Well isnt this odd. I'm booked on vision 11 days including to colon Panama. I've been trying to buy a excursion and even the rep I talked to cant so it's been escalated to resolutions. And then shore excursion desk. 

 

I want to book the 8 hour excursion to see the locks. And cant. And rep cant. I have a passport. 

 

When are you going?

Have you ever done a full transit of the canal, if not it's a must do. One of our favorite cruise ever. Amazing engineering. We  did it on a Radiance Class ship. It was great

[firefly333]

33 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Have you ever done a full transit of the canal, if not it's a must do. One of our favorite cruise ever. Amazing engineering. We  did it on a Radiance Class ship. It was great

No, not because I dont want to. John's cruise out of Miami is a set date. There is a full transit a couple of weeks later but I cant sit around and wait. This was the closest I could come and the excursion is 8 hours and sees 2 of the locks. 

 

I'm thinking they are adding some box to check I have a passport. Even reps couldnt purchase it for me and sent it with a ticket. 

[Cigar King]

11 hours ago, firefly333 said:

When are you going?

We leave Monday.  How about you?

[BND]

It doesn't matter "why" they are requiring it as it's Panama's decision.   We've had passports for over 30 years.  I know people complain about the cost of a passport, but I just booked covid tests for DH and I for our April cruise that cost more per person than a passport would.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Cigar King said:

We leave Monday.  How about you?

It's in my signature, not until march 2023 so I have time. I just wanted to purchase the locks excursion since my reason for booking this is to see the locks. I can put it in my check out shopping cart but I cant get it to go through so I called crown and anchor who says they cant see the excursion. Talked to a agent in Guatemala who said she cant even see what's in my cart or see excursions so she asked resolutions who also is asking the excursion desk lol. This was last tuesday. Her last guess was maybe it's because it's more than a year out. Try again on march 20th. I said I'm onboard a cruise. I dont want to make a charge on their wifi, unsecure ..I'd like to put it through before I board. 

 

I can still see the excursion. Still cant purchase it. No roll call to ask. I'll call again sometime next week. If i can see it, surely they can. Someone also said their price closer in went up to 199.

 

What is the price for you? Did the price go up closer now to your sailing date? 

 

I want the one on the right. 

 

 

[Cigar King]

Not that it matters, but, that one was still available on mine and it's 10 dollars cheaper.

[Another_Critic]

2 hours ago, BND said:

I know people complain about the cost of a passport, but I just booked covid tests for DH and I for our April cruise that cost more per person than a passport would.

Why are you paying for [free] covid tests?

[BND]

21 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Why are you paying for [free] covid tests?

Because they aren't "free" unless you have been exposed to a known case or have symptoms and we won't lie about it.   We will probably file with our insurance if they don't because we have Tricare as our secondary and they have been paying.  Before anyone says "CVS", they have changed their questions and there's no guarantee insurance will pay.  But, we honestly don't care.   Regardless, we see it all as part of the cost of a vacation.  Passports are just so convenient.

Edited March 5, 2022 by BND

[dcgrumpy]

13 minutes ago, BND said:

Because they aren't "free" unless you have been exposed to a known case or have symptoms and we won't lie about it.   We will probably file with our insurance if they don't because we have Tricare as our secondary and they have been paying.  Before anyone says "CVS", they have changed their questions and there's no guarantee insurance will pay.  But, we honestly don't care.   Regardless, we see it all as part of the cost of a vacation.  Passports are just so convenient.

I've never had to pay for a covid test and I've never lied about why I needed it. Maybe it varies by state?

[BND]

Just now, dcgrumpy said:

I've never had to pay for a covid test and I've never lied about why I needed it. Maybe it varies by state?

And, we may end up not paying, but we are willing to.  But, I booked with a lab and plan to book CVS as a back up for the next day.  We paid in Nov in PC when we got a test at the Radisson through Inspire Diagnostics.  It was only like $45 but it was right in our hotel and very quick.