What ID do you take when in port?

[silvercruiser]

We used to carry color copies of the passport page, but recently acquired duplicates of our drivers licenses. (Reregistered auto online and I mistakenly checked the box where for $10 more you could get a new copy of the drivers license. That for for DH, then I had to renew my drivers license, did it online, and kept the old one for cruising ID)

Since we wear our cruise cards on lanyards, I bought a package of plastic badge holders, put the extra drivers licenses inside and put a hook on the plastic holder. Could also be used for passport copy. When we go off the ship we just hook it onto the lanyard. That way there's no fumbing around for wallets, etc.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Just got off the Ruby's Western Caribbean cruise and they told us to take picture IDs with us at every port.

 

Did we need them in any of the ports? No! Did they check them in any of the ports? No!

 

It's strange because they are so stringent about this on the West Coast of Mexico, but not on the Caribbean side. We've had our passports scrutinized in Cozumel years ago (I think it was 2001), but not since then. Go figure. :cool:

[caribill]

That also being said - you can get a passport replaced. Anywhere in the world. My sister went to the US Consulate in Bombay (now Mumbai), and they printed her a new one right there.

 

That's great if you happen to be in a city with a US consulate or embassy. However, you might be hundreds of miles or more away from one in some countries.

[G'ma]

I'm curious. What ID, if anything besides your Cruise Card, do you take with you while in port? We have always done water or beach excursions and just took our Cruise Cards along. On our last cruise going back to the ship, we were stopped by an official in Cozumel and asked for photo ID's. She gave us a hard time but we convinced her that we only had the Cruise Card and cash and she finally let us go. From now on, we will take additional ID along. This was the first time in many cruises.

 

Your ship card and a photo ID is the minimum required.

 

If you have a passport, take it.

[dw64]

Unless in Europe we never take a passport ashore.

We made a color copy but it too stays in the cabin safe.

Drivers license usually.

 

 

I always take a copy of my passport ashore. Never the real passport.

 

I just got off a transatlantic, & still only took a copy of my passport ashore in Europe. I have never had any problems.

[Queenston]

The world is changing--take your passport with you wherever you go. No one cares if you have a drivers' licence issued from a different country--in fact, I could imagine situations where that might be a definite disadvantage (not everyone is excited about the citizens of certain western countries--the locals might even have an axe to grind, as it were!). Try being in France just after the Iraq invasion to get a flavour! We kept having to tell people we were Canadian so they would chill out and not be downright nasty!

 

If you have something go wrong (eg. accident in street, taken to hospital, have to be flown back), you need what it takes for your country of origin to let you back in (ie,a passport), much less what the country you just happen to be in and their airlines to be willing to let you get out. So you really do need your passport--many of us learned this, what? 40 years ago when we were travelling in Europe in our twenties. So it is a bit of a habit, but a useful one in the current environment.

 

Someone mentioned that if your passport is stolen, you can get a replacement from your consultate. That is true, but it takes time, and people are much less likely to be enthused if you just left it behind because you thought you didn't need it. Having had my passport stolen in my own country, I can vouch for the fact that even with my employer (a university) putting all of their might behind the issue, it was not easy to get the new passport in short order. It took three days and an awful alot of money (my bill, not the university's). You really don't want to be doing this in a foreign country if you or your loved one is sick or injured.

 

I must say, if I can't even go to the US these days without a passport, I am certainly not going anywhere else without one. Homeland security has upped the ante and the rest of the world is following suit, I'm afraid.

 

I must admit, it is much easier travelling to Europe these days than to the US. They seem to be less, how shall I say, "tense", about these issues. Our disembarkation and subsequent transit through Fort Lauderdale airport with the high level of scrutiny was much more intense than I have ever experienced in other countries, so I expect that these other countries will soon be doing the same. When I came back from Europe last October, all people coming in via Chicago were being iris scanned and fingerprinted, including the children. Try making it through that line with a photocopy of your passport!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Try being in France just after the Iraq invasion to get a flavour! We kept having to tell people we were Canadian so they would chill out and not be downright nasty!

 

 

Actually, we were. Everyone we encountered in France kept their thoughts to themselves and were very polite.

 

It wasn't the same in England where we had a cabbie in London give us quite a tirade about our elected president, his policies and how we Americans caused 9/11. My DH had to literally pull me out of that taxi with his hand over my mouth. :D

[California Native]

We are of the .....

passport on your body in all ports way of thinking..

I carry a copy of my dh's passport and vice a versa..

another copy is in the safe on the ship.

There are so many what if's, and many other posters already covered them...so I wont be redundant :)

[caribill]

When I came back from Europe last October, all people coming in via Chicago were being iris scanned and fingerprinted, including the children.

 

 

This is only for non-USA residents and citizens.

[Starlaker]

When we were in Europe, I took my passport with me at every port. However, on our recent trip to Mexico I did not feel that carrying my passport was a wise thing to do. US passports sell for thousands of dollars down there and so are a prime target for thieves. I carried a copy of my passport there.

 

Queenston, perhaps we are a little "tense" because we don't want another 9/11. Our "tenseness" has prevented that so far. When I flew in to Frankfurt, Germany shortly after the Munich Massacre, they were very "tense" - troops in the airport with assault weapons, German shepherds. My infant son and I were taken into a cubicle and patted down. They even checked his diaper. Much higher security than I have ever experienced here.

[windsor26]

What happens if you are in a Caribbean port and miss your ship? Is your driver's license enough to get you on flights? Is there a problem going through immigration with just a driver's license? I've always taken by passport but would love to leave it on the ship and use a color copy if it would work.

 

Thanks,

 

If you do not book back on board before they sail they will open your safe and take out the passport and give it to their agent on shore The name is always in the Patter of that day.

[Stevesan]

Stevesan, is this relatively new or have we been missing this in the Patters for years?

 

It's apparently fairly recent. I quoted from my Patters (I keep all the copies) from cruises in Feb and Sept of Y2008.

My April 2007 Patters also include the requirement to carry both a "cruise card" and a photo ID.

 

However, a March 2006 Patters states only a "cruise/key card" for going ashore. No mention of a photo ID.

 

The statement is consistently near the top left on page two under "Ship's Security Notice".

[maofthree]

we were on the same cruise Lady Jag.... and we all got stopped to see photo id, some people didn't have it and where not aloud through , someone had to go back to the ship and get them before goin through. i would not go to any island with out it...

[Queenston]

This is only for non-USA residents and citizens.

 

Yes, correct, but it was also for people like myself, citizens of Canada who were not landing in the US but only in transit. Interestingly, unlike in other countries, there was no separate line for people in transit who are held in a secure area as they go to another flight out of the country. In other words, everyone landing was treated as if that were their last destination. Which is fine, if only our travel agent had been informed of this policy before I booked my flight (and this was in a lazy day in mid October of 2008).

 

As a result, I have informed my travel agent that I will not land in the US en route back from Europe, so that takes care of the problem. Except that the US airline will not get the revenue from the flight. I wonder how many other individuals are doing this, and how it will affect the American airlines.

[Queenston]

Actually, we were. Everyone we encountered in France kept their thoughts to themselves and were very polite.

 

It wasn't the same in England where we had a cabbie in London give us quite a tirade about our elected president, his policies and how we Americans caused 9/11. My DH had to literally pull me out of that taxi with his hand over my mouth. :D

 

We were in Nice--and after a particularly nasty comment from a salesperson in a chocolate shop, I took out my Canadian passport to show it around and ended up getting a free box of chocolates! Rather lovely--I think my aborted attempt at high school French didn't hurt either, but I expect I am flattering myself.

[Queenston]

When we were in Europe, I took my passport with me at every port. However, on our recent trip to Mexico I did not feel that carrying my passport was a wise thing to do. US passports sell for thousands of dollars down there and so are a prime target for thieves. I carried a copy of my passport there.

 

Queenston, perhaps we are a little "tense" because we don't want another 9/11. Our "tenseness" has prevented that so far. When I flew in to Frankfurt, Germany shortly after the Munich Massacre, they were very "tense" - troops in the airport with assault weapons, German shepherds. My infant son and I were taken into a cubicle and patted down. They even checked his diaper. Much higher security than I have ever experienced here.

 

Heard and understood--I expect we would be the same if this had happened to us. But I guess I hope not--for scientific reasons. (Not to say that these will ever prevail!).

 

First, I would note that at least at this point in time, the causal connection between being "tense" and preventing further "issues" has not actually been established. Most of these events are actually a matter of luck or random variation, and we really have no control over the actions of others although we need to think that is true to continue to be able to function.

 

Second, we all know that people do not make judgments based on underlying probabilities, but rather on the basis of single vivid cases. There was an excellent article on this in one of the major American newspapers in the past few months (the New York Times I think) that compared the fatalities from auto accidents each year (40,000 plus) with deaths from terrorism attacks each year in reported history which were a miniscule fraction of this. (This is not me saying this, but a reputable American source.) Anyway, the moral of the story is that the thing we should all be worrying about is car accidents.

 

So the main thing in relation to this thread is, always have your passport at hand, because you never know what is going to happen next! Particularly a car accident in a foreign country, which is the riskiest thing anywhere in the world.

[captainron]

Folks,

Relax, relax. There's some heavy stuff going down here.

 

First of all is it Princess policy, or does this policy vary from ship to ship? I say it does vary.

 

While doing a coastal on Golden out of Los Angeles in 2008, our first port of call was San Diego. There was nothing in the Patter requiring anyone to have picture ID with them when going ashore. I took my Canadian Military Identification card with me and credit cards as my miltary ID is federal government identification and less bulky than a passport.

 

Upon returning to the vessel, I was asked by a "rent a cop" working in the terminal to provide "picture ID"....not a driver's licence, not a passport. I pulled my military ID out of my wallet, and she said to me that it wasn't valid ID that I was required to show federal identification such as a driver's licence.

 

Wrong oh!!! Poor girl didn't have her act together. I had to remind her that provinces (states in the USA) are responsible for issuing drivers' licences NOT the federal government, and that my military identification was picture identification issued by a Department of the Government of Canada.

 

Had a chat with Ship Security on returning to the vessel to advise of what happened and that such requirements were not posted in the Patter prior to going ashore. Ship security then spoke with them as the problem had apparently happened to others as well. For later arrivals back to the ship the problem was rectified with apologies from Princess for the inconvenience.

 

Port calls in San Francisco and Astoria have never required picture ID to go ashore either.

 

Oh well, another issue discussed another problem resolved...but I still don't believe that it is a cruiseline policy.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[swom]

Thanks for the advice. I just scanned our passport and also left a copy here just in case!!!

So we can leave our passport in our safe in the cabin and take our copy in case anything happens.

So glad I have a color scanner and copier.

Thanks!

[ggarlene]

It seems I saw somewhere on the forums that on a cruise (Alaska to Vancouver) the ship takes your passport upon embarkation. We'll need ours for a tour into the Yukon from Skagway and the tour operator says copies of passports are not only insufficient, but illegal. What to do?

[Traveling52]

Depends. Always some sort of photo ID and your cruise card, but many times especially, Central and South America. The ship will tell you to take a COPY of your passport, make sure you do.

[Traveling52]

The reason sometimes you just want to take a copy of your passport. Their are some countries you would not want your passport confiscated. Usually it is safe to have your original with you, but not always. The ship will usually advise you.

[NthernLgts]

I'm not sure why so many people think a passport is a document to be hidden away. It is issued to be used, not locked up. When in a foreign county I carry the same things with me that I carry every day here. I do only take one credit card with me off the ship. If I'm ever in a situation that I don't make it back to the ship I don't want to complicate the situation by having only a seapass card and copy of my passport.

 

Passports often have to handed over to others. If you need a visa to enter a country you will have to send you passport to an agent who obtains visas. The agent will drop off the passport at the foreign consulate or embassy and pick it up several days later and then send it back to you. Even if you live near a consulate you have to leave your passport in foreign hands for several days to get the required visa.

 

On a cruise where visas are issued the day of arrival at a foreign port the ship will collect passports so agents of that country can issues the visas overnight, otherwise it would take hours to get off the ship.

 

I have copies of my passport in case I lose it or it's stolen not to use in lieu of the real thing.

 

Just the way I do it,

 

Rod

 

I couldnt agree with this more. The whole purpose of a passport is to have a legal ID in a foreign land and to prove citizenship. To leave it in your stateroom because you might lose it or get it stolen defeats the primary purpose of even having one. Worst case scenario is you get stuck in a foreign land. Personally, i would hate to have that happen ..... but i REALLY would hate to have it happen without my passport with me then try to count on a photocopy (and explain why I had a copy and chose not to bring the original). For me, the photocopy stays in the safe, the original stays with me. Especially in this day and age. Remember why you even have a passport when you decide what is best for you.

[dennbr9]

Unless in Europe we never take a passport ashore.

We made a color copy but it too stays in the cabin safe.

Drivers license usually.

 

 

Actually, I was told it is illegal to make a color copy of a passport. Not 100% sure, but that is what copy center told me. I do keep B&W copies in the safe.

[dennbr9]

I never used to carry my passport on shore but started doing so after reading that people had problems getting home without it, even with a copy.

 

I usually put them in a ziplock bag in case it rains or at the Beach. I keep B&W Copies in the ships safe.

[Colo Cruiser]

Actually, I was told it is illegal to make a color copy of a passport. Not 100% sure, but that is what copy center told me. I do keep B&W copies in the safe.

 

 

Not illegal if you don't use it for anything. :D