Passport @ Port-- Poll

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

When we cruised the Med in 2011 DCL sent a memo around saying NOT to take our passports off the ship. We took color photocopies with us instead and left them locked up in our safe. It was also posted on the website under the European cruise information.

Did they give a reason for this advice? "In case you miss the ship we want to be sure you get to spend a day at the local embassy trying to get new documents"

Some advice is made to be ignored IMHO

 

[wallawallakids]

When we cruised the Med in 2011 DCL sent a memo around saying NOT to take our passports off the ship. We took color photocopies with us instead and left them locked up in our safe. It was also posted on the website under the European cruise information.

I have heard this many times. We will be leaving ours on the ship in the safe. There is much more risk associated with the passport being stolen. In November 2009 some people who were on a Disney excursion in Nassau were robbed by gunpoint. Some of them had their passports stollen. In that situation, what are you going to do? Fight them for it back? If someone else gets your passport you have a big mess on your hands. If it is on the boat, it is safe and it can be retrieved for you if necessary.

I always make 2 photo copies of all of our passports before leaving the country. Before I leave home I place a copy in our safe so that my mom and dad can get it if I need it, I take the other copy on our trip so that I may have that on me at all times when off the ship. The passport stays locked in a safe. We did this in Europe on our honeymoon as well. It is actually what is recommended by most cruise ships and I did see that it is what Passporters recommends in there DCL guide.

 

[wallawallakids]

Did they give a reason for this advice? "In case you miss the ship we want to be sure you get to spend a day at the local embassy trying to get new documents"

Some advice is made to be ignored IMHO

It is much worse to spend the time at an Embassy when it has been stollen. That is the reason for the advice. It is far easier to get the passport from the ship then from an unknown assailant who then may use your passport to gain entry into the United States or worse, use your passport for illegal activity.

 

[mbrocker]

People will argue until they're blue in the face that you MUST get a passport, even on a closed loop cruise because "in case of emergency" do you want to spend time in the embassy working out paperwork? It's an "insurance policy".

So what in goodness gracious is the logic behind leaving it on the ship? Say you're on an excursion and you are in a car wreck. Transported to emergency room with a broken leg and miss the ship. If your passport is on the ship then you'll have to *spend time in the embassy working out paperwork*! WHAT??

What is the advantage of having a passport? For closed loop, the *only* benefit of a passport is to avoid embassy/state department hassle in the case you'll need to fly home. If you don't have it on you .. it seems to me anyhow.. that all benefit of having it is gone.

Plus, let's be realistic. What is the big deal if it is stolen? I mean, it stinks, you don't want that to happen -- but you report it and move on right? I suppose re-entry to the US would be a problem -- but that will be a hassle if *any* of my ID is stolen. Why would DCL suggest you leave the passport on the ship?

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

LOL! I am still taking mine.

I would MUCH perfer to be robbed in Europe. There the criminals don't have guns! In my home town you can die. Unlikely in Rome. Give me Rome.
That said in all my years of reading travel message boards I cannot recall ONE "robbery" where a money belt worn below the clothing was "taken"

(I do recall one instance, but it seems like there was a lot of booze and a prostitute involved so... if the woman of your dreams suddenly appears you might think twice!)

DCL is probably assuming most of you are carrying in your purse/pocket so you can get the "stamp" but if you have it strapped to your body IMHO it's safer then leaving it on the ship.

I am not sure how it's "Far easier" to get the passport from the ship after I miss it. What are they going to do throw it overboard to me? And you need a passport in Europe to check into a hotel etc....

 

[disneyfaninaz]

People will argue until they're blue in the face that you MUST get a passport, even on a closed loop cruise because "in case of emergency" do you want to spend time in the embassy working out paperwork? It's an "insurance policy".

So what in goodness gracious is the logic behind leaving it on the ship? Say you're on an excursion and you are in a car wreck. Transported to emergency room with a broken leg and miss the ship. If your passport is on the ship then you'll have to *spend time in the embassy working out paperwork*! WHAT??

What is the advantage of having a passport? For closed loop, the *only* benefit of a passport is to avoid embassy/state department hassle in the case you'll need to fly home. If you don't have it on you .. it seems to me anyhow.. that all benefit of having it is gone.

Plus, let's be realistic. What is the big deal if it is stolen? I mean, it stinks, you don't want that to happen -- but you report it and move on right? I suppose re-entry to the US would be a problem -- but that will be a hassle if *any* of my ID is stolen. Why would DCL suggest you leave the passport on the ship?

 

[lorenni]

I made photocopies of ours and had them with us..just in case.

I didn't want them to be lost/stolen.

This is what we do. I had my passport stolen once in Spain. Now I leave the actual passport at the hotel and carry a photocopy with me.

 

[jrbdad]

I honestly don't know - what good does the photocopy do you?

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have used a photocopy in Paris for the VAT tax refund.

That's really about the only useful purpose I have found.

I do leave it in my hotel room often, but then the Marriott doesn't move overnight

 

[Weedy]

All "BC/ID vs. Passport" debates put aside...

Lets get a poll going for those exercising their choice to travel with a passport. Which do you do:

1. Take passport out to port
2. Or leave passport in stateroom safe

I've read reports that DCL themselves will check your stateroom for your passports & leave it with the port officer (if you miss the ship). On the other hand for the uptight, you may want your PP with you at all times for emergency/peace of mind. Whatever the case is, I wanted to see what people did with their passport while out of the ship.

I don't think Disney has the time to go to your stateroom look for your passports and give them to the port officer if you are late /miss the ship.

 

[sunshine1259]

I made photocopies of ours and had them with us..just in case.

I didn't want them to be lost/stolen.

 

[sambycat]

i checked “leave it in room” but it really depends on where we are going and what we will be doing. i bring some kind of id with me. we left it onboard when we went on a snorkeling thing - i wasn’t sure how we would lock things up.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

I made photocopies of ours and had them with us..just in case.

I didn't want them to be lost/stolen.

We do the same thing.

 

[lorenni]

I honestly don't know - what good does the photocopy do you?

The local consulate or embassy can provide a replacement MUCH faster and with less hassle if you have a photocopy handy. In my case, I did have a photocopy when my passport was stolen but it was in my luggage, which somehow stayed in Newark instead of coming to Spain. So I got a temp emergency passport that I had to replace full price within a couple months of getting home. I also faced a slew of questions upon re-entry to the US with my emergency temporary passport.

 

[Tozzie]

I always leave my passport in the safe in the Stateroom or in a hotel room with the exception of Rome where DCL advised if you were going to the Vatican you needed your passport. The countries I have visited have advised me to leave the passport in the safe in the hotel room or the safe on the ship. On the US Department of State website they even advise you to carry a photocopy of your passport and leave the passport in the safe in certain countries.

If someone is not back when the ship is ready to leave DCL will get your passport from the safe in your room and leave it with the port agent. They have time because realistically it if they are leaving someone it is less than a handful.

As for the point of bringing my passport, even on a closed loop cruise, well that is a personal choice but for me it is the easier and I feel better having it.

 

[wifey1220]

I thought I had to have pass port or birth certificate to get out of the port and back to the ship. I remember being told to go back and get my passport before leaving the ship in Nassau. So I do not need it to leave the foreign port???

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I thought I had to have pass port or birth certificate to get out of the port and back to the ship. I remember being told to go back and get my passport before leaving the ship in Nassau. So I do not need it to leave the foreign port???

In order to get on and off the ship, you need your KTTW card and a photo ID. If you didn't have a drivers license, then your passport would suffice. But no, generally, you do not need a passport to get off the ship.

 

[wifey1220]

Good to know thank you. Do my kids need birth certificates ?

 

[danfromca]

The local consulate or embassy can provide a replacement MUCH faster and with less hassle if you have a photocopy handy. In my case, I did have a photocopy when my passport was stolen but it was in my luggage, which somehow stayed in Newark instead of coming to Spain. So I got a temp emergency passport that I had to replace full price within a couple months of getting home. I also faced a slew of questions upon re-entry to the US with my emergency temporary passport.

The photo copy advice is somewhat old. A better choice now is to scan your passport and upload an image to secure online storage such as box.com. That way you can print out a copy anywhere and anytime you have Internet access (which is pretty much everywhere now).

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Good to know thank you. Do my kids need birth certificates ?

Only when you initially check in at your originating port. Children only need their KTTW cards to get on and off the ship in ports.