Lost drivers license

[kctwinmommy]

Add me to the ones who are hoping the OP is so busy getting this done today, then hoping onboard, that they haven't had time to update us. But definitely curious!

[sparks1093]

13 hours ago, CruiserLucas said:

I hope you got on! That sucks!!! 

Makes for a good warning on why to have a passport or passport card at the least. If you had a bit more time before your travel I would have said give the LA passport agency (your closest and closest to port?) a call about an emergency appointment. Always worth a shot. Also, although you said you're not military, are you a spouse or dependent of military? You could qualify for a a military ID still as a backup for a photo ID.

Passports and passport cards can also be misplaced or stolen. (I read one thread where the OP lost her passport on the flight to the port. Fortunately someone at home was able to fax her birth certificate to the port which allowed her to board.) I personally wouldn't use this instance to justify buying either if I didn't need them. (But because I do have a passport I keep it separate from other valuables when I carry it.)

[Lane Hog]

Since the OP hasn't returned to share their disappointment in missing the cruise, hopefully that's a sign they were successful in getting on the ship?

I suspect most people working behind the check-in desks are going to be reasonable and make exceptions where they're warranted...  A few months back, we saw examples where someone got on a ship with a photo of their expired DL on their phone.  I've always kept a copy of our DL's and passport face pages in protected cloud storage so that even if I lost my phone and wallet I'd have a way of trying to prove who I am if needed.  It was an office policy at my past employer to have hardcopies of both  on file with the admin office just in case we got stranded overseas.

[CruiserLucas]

On 10/4/2022 at 5:53 AM, sparks1093 said:

Passports and passport cards can also be misplaced or stolen. (I read one thread where the OP lost her passport on the flight to the port. Fortunately someone at home was able to fax her birth certificate to the port which allowed her to board.) I personally wouldn't use this instance to justify buying either if I didn't need them. (But because I do have a passport I keep it separate from other valuables when I carry it.)

Yes, definitely can happen. I'm not saying they're immune to theft. But the more backups you have kept separate, the better. Most people don't carry their driver's license with their passport at all times, so they likely won't be stolen together, unless they're in the same bag or something. But in this instance, since it sounds like just the wallet was stolen, the passport would have likely been elsewhere and safe, providing backup. And it's always wise to keep two photo copies of your passport and separate from your passport, should that be stolen, too. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

19 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

I suspect most people working behind the check-in desks are going to be reasonable and make exceptions where they're warranted.

Yes, we really do want to get folks on the ship.  This is why US born passengers who show up at the pier without their passport or birth certificate are allowed to call home and ask for someone to find a copy of their birth certificate, take a photo of it, and electronically send it to the pier where it is printed out and used as their travel ID. 

 

The one exception that check-in agents/supervisors can't help has always been travel visas.  If a passengers needs a visa, and doesn't have that required visa, there isn't anything that can be done to get them on the ship.  For example, there are about 170+ countries whose citizens would need a Canadian visa to sail on an Alaska cruise due to the port-of-call in Victoria, BC.  On a daily basis we have to deny boarding to foreign passport holders from countries like India, Brazil, South Africa because they, and/or their American friends/relatives/hosts didn't realize that a Canadian visa was required.  Not having this Canadian visa means a full stop denial.  It's sad, but there is nothing anyone can do.

[allie3490]

Reason 555 to have a passport 

[Hogbay]

Thats amazing even the land down under has State apps with eletronic license on it ...

[Lane Hog]

11 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

Thats amazing even the land down under has State apps with eletronic license on it ...

We're going the opposite direction.  New physical licenses have to have all sorts of new security features. 

I'd much prefer it be reduced to a QR code on my phone or a card I can carry -- much harder to steal my personal info if it's not human readable, and any time it's going to be used for the purposes of proving my ability to drive, the officer is going to be able to validate it on a computer rather easily. 

But... since third parties (like bars, cruise companies, stores that sell alcohol or tobacco) want that validation of age or identity, we have to expose everything needed to perform identity theft.

[Hogbay]

7 minutes ago, Lane Hog said:

We're going the opposite direction.  New physical licenses have to have all sorts of new security features. 

I'd much prefer it be reduced to a QR code on my phone or a card I can carry -- much harder to steal my personal info if it's not human readable, and any time it's going to be used for the purposes of proving my ability to drive, the officer is going to be able to validate it on a computer rather easily. 

But... since third parties (like bars, cruise companies, stores that sell alcohol or tobacco) want that validation of age or identity, we have to expose everything needed to perform identity theft.

NSW State eletronic licence has a Qr code and a live colour changing background so a static photo cannot work . Here is what else you can add . Most Australians  have passport  as well.

[RD64]

Perhaps it is time to invest in a passport.

[Purvis1231]

11 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Perhaps it is time to invest in a passport.

Can passports be lost or stolen? 

[Joebucks]

48 minutes ago, Purvis1231 said:

Can passports be lost or stolen? 

 

I think the lesson here is to have two forms of ID. When you travel without an ID, the consequences can be catastrophic. I always have two forms of ID when I travel, and I don't keep them in the same place in case one gets lost. 

[Purvis1231]

53 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

I think the lesson here is to have two forms of ID. When you travel without an ID, the consequences can be catastrophic. I always have two forms of ID when I travel, and I don't keep them in the same place in case one gets lost. 

I agree but also realize stuff happens that is why I have travel insurance.

[Joebucks]

8 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

I agree but also realize stuff happens that is why I have travel insurance.

 

I'd also be careful with this. I don't believe you will be fully reimbursed for a trip because you lost your ID. Many have "qualifying events," and CFAR insurance isn't getting your full amount returned. 

 

Let's say even if insurance covers you, do you really want to miss out on your vacation? 

[kelkel2]

Any news back from the OP? Did he get to board. It’s one thing to lose something but to have it stolen really sucks. I hope it worked out for him. 

[ontheweb]

19 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Yes, we really do want to get folks on the ship.  This is why US born passengers who show up at the pier without their passport or birth certificate are allowed to call home and ask for someone to find a copy of their birth certificate, take a photo of it, and electronically send it to the pier where it is printed out and used as their travel ID. 

 

The one exception that check-in agents/supervisors can't help has always been travel visas.  If a passengers needs a visa, and doesn't have that required visa, there isn't anything that can be done to get them on the ship.  For example, there are about 170+ countries whose citizens would need a Canadian visa to sail on an Alaska cruise due to the port-of-call in Victoria, BC.  On a daily basis we have to deny boarding to foreign passport holders from countries like India, Brazil, South Africa because they, and/or their American friends/relatives/hosts didn't realize that a Canadian visa was required.  Not having this Canadian visa means a full stop denial.  It's sad, but there is nothing anyone can do.

How do potential passengers react when you inform them that they cannot board because of the visa issue you mentioned. I am sure some of them say, but I (we) just won't get off the ship in Canada. Do they yell and scream at you? Does it ever get to the point where you feel you have to call security?

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

I'd also be careful with this. I don't believe you will be fully reimbursed for a trip because you lost your ID. Many have "qualifying events," and CFAR insurance isn't getting your full amount returned. 

 

Let's say even if insurance covers you, do you really want to miss out on your vacation? 

This is one thing that I look for in a policy- reimbursement if travel documents are lost or stolen (and many policies do provide that coverage). Having a back-up ID is all well and good but to spend $300+ for two people for that back-up isn't something that I would choose to do. If I have decided to cruise without a passport, then I've already accepted the risk of something happening to the documents I have. 

[mjkacmom]

10 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

I agree but also realize stuff happens that is why I have travel insurance.

Most travel insurance will not kick in because you lost your ID, just CFAR which is expensive and doesn’t pay out 100%.

[allie3490]

13 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

Can passports be lost or stolen? 

People don't typically put their passport in their wallet so unlikely to be stolen. Also- it's great to have a backup ID if you do lose either one. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

How do potential passengers react when you inform them that they cannot board because of the visa issue you mentioned. I am sure some of them say, but I (we) just won't get off the ship in Canada. Do they yell and scream at you? Does it ever get to the point where you feel you have to call security?

Hi Web, in an ideal situation, documents are quickly checked either at the terminal entrance, or prior to the passenger getting thru security and the check-in counter.  Having the Covid Wellness checks at the beginning of the embarkation process, there was an opportunity to check travel documents.  The downside to that was that some cruise lines used an outside contractor staffing agency and while those workers did a yeoman's job of checking vaccination status, negative Covid test results and everything else related to public health protocols, catching potential documentations problems suffered.  Sometimes passengers lacking the needed citizenship documentation made it thru to the check-in area where agents would catch the mistake.

 

The list of countries that require a Canadian visa is long (over 170), and we all have a handy card at our desk/tablet stand that clearly lists them.  Some passengers do make the argument that they had no intention of getting off the ship in Canada and promise that they won't.   I had a party of four passengers (2 staterooms) with two passengers from a Middle East country.  Two of the passengers had US passport/US Permanent Resident Card, but the other two had passports from a country that required a Canadian visa.  The two US citizen(s)/resident(s) were not happy and just argued, bringing up how much they spent on the cruise, etc.  They even got their travel agent on the phone to explain to us that these foreign passengers should be considered "in transit" because they are just at a Canadian port of a matter of 5 hours - similar to being "in transit" during a stop at an international airport.  The poor supervisor had to spend a lot of time dealing with these people.  It ended up that the two folks that had the US passport and Green Card sailed, and the two without the Canadian visa didn't sail.

 

Another situation I had was a couple - she was traveling of a Mexican passport, and he had a passport from Brazil.  The Mexican passport was fine, but I explain to him that he needed a Canadian visa, he argued, but he did go to our documentation desk.  While we were walking there, he is on his phone bringing up info about Canadian visas.  Argues with me that he can get a Canadian visa (in transit) for $10.  I explain that that isn't acceptable for the cruise.  I heard that he continued his arguing with the documentation folks.

 

I had another couple from South America that did have the Canadian visa, but were watching intently as the agent next to me was dealing with passengers that didn't have the visa.  After those folks were escorted away, the man asked me what would have happened if they had brought their young daughter that didn't have a Canadian visa.  I told him that she would be denied boarding.  He then told me that they indeed had left their daughter with the grandparents because her passport didn't have the visa, but wondered if they made the right decision.  After seeing what happened to the other passengers, they knew they made the correct decision.

 

Have the police been called to the terminal?  Yes, they have.  It is a highly stressful and emotional situation.  The folks at the documentation desk have been call ed the B-word, their appearance has been disparaged and other similar insults.  Security is close by, and sometimes the canine officer will hang out there as a calming influence.

 

The staff who work at the documentation desk take the brunt of the abuse.  Often times they are heroes by handholding US born passengers as they brainstorm with these folks on how they can get a copy of their US birth certificate.  The harder situations are the both the US passengers who can't get their birth certificate and foreign passport holders that don't have the needed Canadian visa.   Not only do they have to deal with the shock, anger and sadness of not sailing, and the (real) possibility of no refunds, but it is compounded by having to sit there waiting for longshore to find and retrieve their luggage from the ship.   Sometimes the wait is short, sometimes it's hours, and sadly, sometimes the luggage sails without them. 

 

There are so many other stories.  Every day is different.  We really do what we can to get passengers on the ship, but sometimes we just can't.

Edited October 6, 2022 by Ferry_Watcher

[Homosassa]

Ferry Watcher, my sister was the the supervisor in San Francisco for years.

 

She has a lot of stories to tell about entitled passengers.

 

Her favorite jerks were the men that always insisted on speaking to "the man in charge."

 

She had a vest made up and a second name badge made up for those occasions. Printed on the back of the vest and on the badge was "The Woman in Charge."

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

Most travel insurance will not kick in because you lost your ID, just CFAR which is expensive and doesn’t pay out 100%.

Actually every policy that I've read (and I do note that I haven't read them all) do provide coverage for lost and stolen IDs. What they don't cover is a passenger completely lacking the documentation to board and being denied boarding (it's a very fine line and as always the facts and circumstances are going to control the outcome). 

[iria64]

On our last trip there was 1 port, Nassau, that insisted on photo ID/passport before letting you back in to the dock area.  I know we saw one group pulled off to the side as they did not have the required id.

Even if the OP was able to board they are still going to have to be careful getting off the ship if they were not able to procure the proper photo id.

[Cruisesfun65]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Hi Web, in an ideal situation, documents are quickly checked either at the terminal entrance, or prior to the passenger getting thru security and the check-in counter.  Having the Covid Wellness checks at the beginning of the embarkation process, there was an opportunity to check travel documents.  The downside to that was that some cruise lines used an outside contractor staffing agency and while those workers did a yeoman's job of checking vaccination status, negative Covid test results and everything else related to public health protocols, catching potential documentations problems suffered.  Sometimes passengers lacking the needed citizenship documentation made it thru to the check-in area where agents would catch the mistake.

 

 

 

Ferry_watcher, I hope you won't mind if I ask you an off topic question.

Being from a country that requires an ESTA to enter the US - every time I'm asked at the cruise terminal to show my ESTA approval. 

And every time after showing it, I ask the agent: if I didn't have an approved ESTA, I would not have been able to pass airport immigration. So the fact that I'm standing here, must tell you that my ESTA is ok. Why must I still present it?

To this day no one can answer that question. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

44 minutes ago, Cruisesfun65 said:

And every time after showing it, I ask the agent: if I didn't have an approved ESTA, I would not have been able to pass airport immigration. So the fact that I'm standing here, must tell you that my ESTA is ok. Why must I still present it?

It might be to make sure that one is still within the ESTA window of being in the US.  Say for example your ESTA was good for a 6 month visit, and your closed loop cruise returned you back to the US after the 6 month visitor visa expired, then you would be out of compliance and could run into problems with Customs and Border Protection officers.  The CBP officers looking at passports, US birth certificates, Enhanced Driver's Licenses are just checking the documents, and not issuing new entry passes. 

 

Sometimes I have had a young person on a J-1 visa (student /education/nanny) whose job and visa has just ended, but there is a 30 'grace' period.  While the 30 day 'grace'' period might work while that person is traveling within the US, they could run into problems on their return to the US because the ship stops in Canada, and they would be returning to the US with an expired visa.  That person usually is denied boarding, mostly to protect them from potential CBP enforcement.  I had this very similar scenario at the end-of-the-season cruise with an just expired J-1 visa, but while the ship left Seattle, it was ending the cruise in Vancouver, BC.  The young woman had an EU country passport, so the ship's documentation officer allowed her to sail since the ship wasn't returning to the US.