Surrendering passports?

[Winemaker_1]

I just watched a cruise vlogger talk about getting his passport back at the end of his cruise.  Does Silversea collect and hold people's passports during the voyage?  What reason would they have for doing this?  I've never surrendered my passport to anyone other than the immigration/customs people at airports for the few minutes they check it over.  Thanks.

Edited September 3, 2023 by Winemaker_1

[Randyk47]

We have had to surrender our passports when we were in the Med.  More recently in the Caribbean we didn’t have to surrender our passports.  Not sure if that means only in certain locations and not in others or if Silversea has changed its procedures. 

[jpalbny]

1 hour ago, Winemaker_1 said:

Does Silversea collect and hold people's passports during the voyage?

 

Yes. And every other cruise line I've ever been on has, as well. SOP for most cruises, including every cruise I've ever taken from 1992 up to June of this year. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by jpalbny

[carefreecruise]

Silversea needs all the Passports in their possession when customs board at new countries ports. It saves all the passengers from having to visit the agents. 

[Daveywavey70]

I Believe they hold them for clearing immigration when arriving in Port. Inspectors can request to see them for all passengers or deny entry. 

[Winemaker_1]

Thanks, everyone!  I had no idea this was SOP.

[pavementends]

In my experience collecting passports is very typical.

 

In principle all passengers can be cleared in advance of debarking at the final port. This does not always work however (Iceland, stand up).

 

There seems to be a certain randomness about this. On a recent trip (UK to Iceland) there was no need for passports at any intermediate port. At some ports the cruise card seemed to substitute for a passport. At one small stop in Iceland, there was no check at all leaving or reboarding the ship (except for Silversea's check that I was a passenger).

 

And at the cruise end in Reykjavik, there was a massive cluster** when the Icelandic reps seemed to be slow-walking the checking and stamping of every single passenger's passport.

[Tex1]

I hear many say it’s to clear immigration, but that’s not completely true, as they also collect them on Antarctica trips as well, and return the day before returning.  They make you fill out an agriculture form first before returning.

[canderson]

It's only a requirement for certain ports of call.  So if SS does thus as a regular 'thing', it's by their own choice, and largely unnecessary in the Western hemisphere.

[Texas Tillie]

The "luxury" lines also require a passport for closed loop Caribbean cruises where the mass markets do not. It's a lot easier for them to have the same rules for all cruises regardless 

[Lonedaddy]

sure beats going through immigration or like the old days when you had to form a train through the dining room to pass immigration.  Less stamps too.  I'll take it anyway.  I keep a photo of mine on my iphone in case there is ever an issue on shore.  

[LAexNY]

3 hours ago, pavementends said:

In my experience collecting passports is very typical.

 

In principle all passengers can be cleared in advance of debarking at the final port. This does not always work however (Iceland, stand up).

 

There seems to be a certain randomness about this. On a recent trip (UK to Iceland) there was no need for passports at any intermediate port. At some ports the cruise card seemed to substitute for a passport. At one small stop in Iceland, there was no check at all leaving or reboarding the ship (except for Silversea's check that I was a passenger).

 

And at the cruise end in Reykjavik, there was a massive cluster** when the Icelandic reps seemed to be slow-walking the checking and stamping of every single passenger's passport.

 

And don’t forget that the customs reps who come aboard in the morning always like to enjoy a nice breakfast on board before getting down to their work.

[Lonedaddy]

1 hour ago, LAexNY said:

 

And don’t forget that the customs reps who come aboard in the morning always like to enjoy a nice breakfast on board before getting down to their work.

On our trip that stopped in Komodo, Lombok and Bali 3 customs official stayed onboard.  Dw smokes so she saw them in the smoking lounge often .  I believe they stayed on until the ship left Indonesia some 3 days after we departed the ship.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

On our trip that stopped in Komodo, Lombok and Bali 3 customs official stayed onboard...  I believe they stayed on until the ship left Indonesia some 3 days after we departed the ship.

It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it...

[alithecat]

On our Alaska cruise last year, we needed to show ID to get past port security to reboard. Silversea had my passport. I had nothing but the ship's card, which wasn't good enough. I was alone and coming back from a different tour than my husband. Fortunately, he arrived from his tour shortly afterwards and they accepted the copies of our passports on his iPhone. I learned from that experience that even though I was not planning to drive, it was a good idea to take my driver's license with me as another form of ID.

[drkitkat123]

I do not ever recall going on a cruise where you did not have to surrender your passport

[jollyjones]

And I always take a second form of ID for the port security issue Alithecat mentions.

 

My driving licence is a plastic card that fits the other side of the little wallet the room key card comes in so I carry it in there when off the ship.

 

[david63]

I have not had to surrender my passport on a cruise with any cruise line anywhere in the world for over 30 years - it is all supposed to be electronic these days.

 

The only time I have had to go through any form of immigration check is when entering USA - even Russia (pre Ukraine) was not a problem.

[canderson]

5 hours ago, david63 said:

.. even Russia (pre Ukraine) was not a problem.

Same here.  We had to show passports right after disembarkation at St. Petersburg, so we absolutely needed them in hand for that. 

[Lemorvan]

17 hours ago, carefreecruise said:

Silversea needs all the Passports in their possession when customs board at new countries ports. It saves all the passengers from having to visit the agents. 

Makes sense. 

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

Same here.  We had to show passports right after disembarkation at St. Petersburg, so we absolutely needed them in hand for that. 

 

And every time we've been cruising to a destination where we've needed to show passports anywhere, Silversea has given them back to us for just that purpose. It's not like they lock them up and throw away the key.

 

I've also had to borrow them from time to time mid voyage when we're off on our own DIY excursion in some port and need to rent a car, for example. It's never been a problem.

[Mr Luxury]

I have generally surrendered my passport on every cruise but when I checked in at Barcelona last week for my Seabourn Pursuit trip,they gave me it back after check in.

I questioned the lady about it but she said no,we are not keeping them on this voyage so i kept it in my suite safe.

The ports were.

Barcelona,Palma,Alicante,Sete,St Tropez,Portofino,Monte Carlo.

 

[Daveywavey70]

5 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

I have generally surrendered my passport on every cruise but when I checked in at Barcelona last week for my Seabourn Pursuit trip,they gave me it back after check in.

I questioned the lady about it but she said no,we are not keeping them on this voyage so i kept it in my suite safe.

The ports were.

Barcelona,Palma,Alicante,Sete,St Tropez,Portofino,Monte Carlo.

 

I Suppose if it's not leaving the Shengen area there is no need although in the past on the Medi go round  we've always handed them in. 

[xamsx]

This is interesting. I have never surrendered my passport to a cruise ship. This includes in Europe, Australia, North America, or South America (and islands in between). I have to say I dislike this idea very much. What if I am questioned ashore? 

[mysty]

2 minutes ago, xamsx said:

This is interesting. I have never surrendered my passport to a cruise ship. This includes in Europe, Australia, North America, or South America (and islands in between). I have to say I dislike this idea very much. What if I am questioned ashore? 

 

Bring a copy of your passport ID pages when you disembark at a port.  Not rocket science!