Taking cruise card in San Francisco Port

[here2cruise]

Finally heard back from Princess today about why they took our cruise card as we disembarked. Apparently it is not a Princess rule, but is a rule for the Port of San Francicso & Customs. I've heard from a few people on the boards that they were upset they didn't get to keep their cruise card as a momento and for their scrapbook. So for now on if we disembark in San Francisco we will be losing 1 of our cruise cards some time during the cruise!

[Colo Cruiser]

Finally heard back from Princess today about why they took our cruise card as we disembarked. Apparently it is not a Princess rule, but is a rule for the Port of San Francicso & Customs. I've heard from a few people on the boards that they were upset they didn't get to keep their cruise card as a momento and for their scrapbook. So for now on if we disembark in San Francisco we will be losing 1 of our cruise cards some time during the cruise!

 

 

That is why I loose them if necessary. :eek:

[DougH]

I've sailed out of SF 1/2 dozen times in the past and never had them taken before. I sail in two weeks and may accidentley lose mine sometime during the trip.

[pungo3]

Interesting. I haven't cruised from there, but if I do, I'll definitely be 'losing' my card sometime during the cruise.

[caribill]

It was in another thread and about another port, but the poster was given the same response about it being a port requirement.

 

However, the poster had friends disembarking from another ship (not sure if it was Princess or not) at the same port that day and the friends did not have their cards taken away.

[6502programmer]

I can understand why they would want to take the passes from the passengers. In some ports, having a pass is part of the entry requirements. By limiting the number of passes, they limit the number of people able to enter the port.

 

Yes, yes, I know how stupid it sounds. In security circles, we call this "security theater". Something that makes it look like we're "doing something", while actually not improving security one iota.

[mii]

I have disembarked from S.F. many times and have never had our card taken. Now if you were on the Dawn they have been known to take the cards and since they are doing a 10 day cruise r/t out of S.F. I bet that is what it is. I have heard that other Dawn cruisers have their cards taken. I doubt that it is the City of S.F.

 

marilyn

[Treven]

Count me in as another one who will lose my S&S card during the cruise.

[calval]

We disembarked in SF a couple of months ago on a RCI ship. They didn't take our card but took a Permanent Marking Pen and put an "X" on it. There must be some method to these actions.

[neecee23]

This must be a new requirement by immigration. We didn't have our cards taken in LA in October. But we did on our Princess cruise when we got off the ship in Seattle last week.

[Druke I]

Taking the cruise card seems to be very "hit and miss", and varies from ship to ship and port to port.

 

I've never been asked for mine back when disembarking, but have read several complaints on Cruise Critic about having the card taken.

[Paulchili]

Just curious - what do people do with their used cruise cards?

What makes them so special?

To me it's just more "junk" that needs to be thrown away sooner or later.

The cruise memories are in my head (at least for now; and when I loose my memory none of it will matter anyway).

[bdjam]

Finally heard back from Princess today about why they took our cruise card as we disembarked. Apparently it is not a Princess rule, but is a rule for the Port of San Francicso & Customs. I've heard from a few people on the boards that they were upset they didn't get to keep their cruise card as a momento and for their scrapbook. So for now on if we disembark in San Francisco we will be losing 1 of our cruise cards some time during the cruise!

Given that we've seen posts from people who have had to give up their cruise cards in other US disembarkation ports, I hardly think its a City of San Francisco issue - more like US Customs. Those of you planning on "losing" a cruise card so that you can have one to take home aren't trying to get around US Customs are you?? :rolleyes:

Just curious - what do people do with their used cruise cards?

What makes them so special?

To me it's just more "junk" that needs to be thrown away sooner or later.

The cruise memories are in my head (at least for now; and when I loose my memory none of it will matter anyway).

I'm with ya, brother. I kept the first few as mementos and if I don't have to surrender it, great...but I'm certainly not going to get upset about having to give it up.

[victory2020]

It was in another thread and about another port, but the poster was given the same response about it being a port requirement.

 

However, the poster had friends disembarking from another ship (not sure if it was Princess or not) at the same port that day and the friends did not have their cards taken away.

................inconsistency in government surprises anyone?..............:)

[LARGIN]

Never been asked to turn one in yet.. Maybe it is because we look so honest.. :D:D

[Coral]

I have seen where they take everyone's cards when disembarking........

 

While I have kept as many cards as I can for souveniors, it is not as fun as the old Princess cards which actually had pictures of the ship on them. Now I have a stack of black cards.

[bdjam]

While I have kept as many cards as I can for souveniors, it is not as fun as the old Princess cards which actually had pictures of the ship on them. Now I have a stack of black cards.

Maybe that's it - when they had pictures of the different ships on the card, it at least was a souvenier of being on that ship...my stack of black cards lacks something.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I have heard of them taking cards on the way out when they are having trouble with the computer systems and they need to account for everyone off of the ship. DOn't know how valid this excuse is.

[ShipsandDipper]

I have heard of them taking cards on the way out when they are having trouble with the computer systems and they need to account for everyone off of the ship. DOn't know how valid this excuse is.

 

This is what happened to us on Carnival in Ft. Lauderdale in 1/07. They collected the cards in lieu of having us punch out as we debarked. As soon as their computer was back up, they allowed people to punch out and keep the cards. It was especially sad for at least one person, because it was a charter cruise for the band Barenaked Ladies and the person had gotten an autograph from a band member on their card.

[rdsqrl]

Given that we've seen posts from people who have had to give up their cruise cards in other US disembarkation ports, I hardly think its a City of San Francisco issue - more like US Customs. Those of you planning on "losing" a cruise card so that you can have one to take home aren't trying to get around US Customs are you?? :rolleyes:

 

I think you mean Immigration; I can't imagine Customs cares about ship cards -- it's not like they have encoded on them any information about that diamond bracelet I'm smuggling! (That's a JOKE, U.S. Customs Bureau, if you're listening.)

I doubt it has anything at all to do with port authorities, although I have no doubt that's what Princess may say, but as we all know, they say a lot of stuff . . . I think it's just one over-zealous, paranoid officer in charge of security on a given ship, as it seems to happen so sporadically but with the common denominator being the particular ship, over a period of time that probably coincides with that particular officer's tenure.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

This is what happened to us on Carnival in Ft. Lauderdale in 1/07. They collected the cards in lieu of having us punch out as we debarked. As soon as their computer was back up, they allowed people to punch out and keep the cards. It was especially sad for at least one person, because it was a charter cruise for the band Barenaked Ladies and the person had gotten an autograph from a band member on their card.

That's a bummer. :(

[rdsqrl]

This is what happened to us on Carnival in Ft. Lauderdale in 1/07. They collected the cards in lieu of having us punch out as we debarked. As soon as their computer was back up, they allowed people to punch out and keep the cards. It was especially sad for at least one person, because it was a charter cruise for the band Barenaked Ladies and the person had gotten an autograph from a band member on their card.

I totally read your post too fast. I thought their card had been signed by a naked woman, and was wondering how later on they would be able to tell she was naked by looking at the signature . . . It's been a long day, that's my only lame excuse. Seriously, that is a bummer -- I would have totally broken down and wept with frustration in the hopes they'd change their mind and give me the card back (this might work better for a woman than a guy. Just sayin')

[cdngrl]

It was especially sad for at least one person, because it was a charter cruise for the band Barenaked Ladies and the person had gotten an autograph from a band member on their card.

poor person. too bad you couldn't know ahead of time as that is one card that could have been 'lost'.

[rcacace]

I'm losing mine on every ship & every port in the future.

[Toots]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought you had to have your card when you disembark, for ship personnel to slide through the computer one more time. Do you mean "lose it" between the ship and immigration?