Missing the Boat

[Rogillio]

we take passports off the ship because it feels foolish not to.

I've been to Mexico, England, Scotland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Vatican City, Spain, Liechtenstein, Morocco, South Korea, Canada, Japan, Bahamas, British West Indies, Norway, Sweden, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Russia, Denmark, Finland, Belize, Honduras, China, Singapore, Qatar, Nepal, USA and we have a trip book to Peru this June. I understand and the value of my passport and guard it with my life. The security briefing I am required to get at my company before traveling internationally told me the black-market price for a US Passport is about $25k. Taking the passport with you when it is not required seems foolish to me. YMMV
I guess we all make our decisions based on perceived threats and dangers.

 

[Dug720]

On my first cruise to Alaska in September of 2012, when we were in Juneau a couple was left in port. The day was a drizzling mist and they had gone on the Mushers camp port adventure. A helicopter ride to the glacier. We were supposed to leave Juneau at 5:30 PM. At 7:30 PM the ship was still in port, I had late dining. I went to dinner, I was traveling solo and one of my table mates informed us that he thought someone had been left in port. He had heard the announcements and crew members had knocked on the door of a cabin. When I got home I found out that it had been a Dis board member who told us that he and his wife got trapped and had to spend the night at the mushers camp. The helicopter couldn't land because of the fog and it was drizzling. They didn't get down until 3 PM the next day. We had already left Ketchikan and were heading to Vancouver. He said Disney helped them to get to Vancouver but that they had to get back on the ship to get their luggage. According to him, they got a discount on a future cruise because the port adventure had been through Disney.

A similar thing happened with groups from two different Holland America ships last summer. Got stranded because of fog, but were lodged at the musher's camp for the night, then the next day Holland America covered getting the group from one ship on a little boat to catch up with the ship at Glacier Bay and the group from the other ship on a train to that ship's next port.

Well...Holland America covered all of their cruisers on the tour who booked with their port excursions. The small group from one of the ships that had booked on their own was literally on their own to cover the cost of lodging and then the cost of getting caught up with the ship.

Having experienced the pea soup fog that can happen in Alaska, I would never chance an independent excursion there just for the reason that fog is more probability than possibility.

 

[Rogillio]

Yes, would've been expensive. Plus that would've ruined the trip for both yourself/DS & wife/DD on the ship.

Well im sure you learned from that incident. Now you know what not to do for next time.

Yup, I leaned not to let my wife leave me! She is much more responsible. She is the reason we get to the airport 1.5 hrs befor our flights instead of the 15 minutes I prefer.

OTOH.....
Sometimes a missed flight is part of the adventure. We were flying to Norway by way of Atlanta/NYC/London. Our flight out of Atlanta was delayed. When we got to NYC we missed our connecting flight by 2 minutes. They put us on a later flight to London. When we got there we could not find out connecting flight to Oslo. Turns out Continental had flown us into Gatwick instead of Heathrow. So we had to take a cab from Gatwick to Heathrow. It was my son and daughter first cab ride and they were thrilled. The cab fare was $135! But the airlines reimbursed me later when I explained what they'd done. We finally made it to Oslo. Our bags did not. LOL We went shopping and bought underwear and clean tee shirts. Luggage showed up the next morning. It was an experience and part of a great adventure. My son still talks about his first cab ride in London.

 

[BojiBluejay]

Will they tell you what ports require you to take passports off the ship? We are doing Fantasy Eastern in October. I'm guessing you don't need the passports in St Thomas or on Castaway Cay but how about St Maarten?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Will they tell you what ports require you to take passports off the ship? We are doing Fantasy Eastern in October. I'm guessing you don't need the passports in St Thomas or on Castaway Cay but how about St Maarten?

Yes, it will be noted in the Navigator you get the night before. And, usually, mentioned by the Cruise Director during his little talk before the show that night.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The name and address of the port agent is listed on the navigator for each port... consider taking that page along.

I have been to a few ports where you were required to carry your passport but I believe all of them were in Europe. Except for one, an Alaska excursion that at one point crossed the Canadian border, so you had to have passport in hand to do that.

 

[jtba]

Holland America covered all of their cruisers on the tour who booked with their port excursions. The small group from one of the ships that had booked on their own was literally on their own to cover the cost of lodging and then the cost of getting caught up with the ship.

is this something trip insurance might cover? trip interruption clause or whatever?

 

[Dug720]

is this something trip insurance might cover? trip interruption clause or whatever?

Not sure. It was a couple of cruises before mine.

 

[MommyMeNDisney]

On my first cruise to Alaska in September of 2012, when we were in Juneau a couple was left in port. The day was a drizzling mist and they had gone on the Mushers camp port adventure. A helicopter ride to the glacier. We were supposed to leave Juneau at 5:30 PM. At 7:30 PM the ship was still in port, I had late dining. I went to dinner, I was traveling solo and one of my table mates informed us that he thought someone had been left in port. He had heard the announcements and crew members had knocked on the door of a cabin. When I got home I found out that it had been a Dis board member who told us that he and his wife got trapped and had to spend the night at the mushers camp. The helicopter couldn't land because of the fog and it was drizzling. They didn't get down until 3 PM the next day. We had already left Ketchikan and were heading to Vancouver. He said Disney helped them to get to Vancouver but that they had to get back on the ship to get their luggage. According to him, they got a discount on a future cruise because the port adventure had been through Disney.

Whoa!!!

 

[wdwwishes]

What if your passports aren't in your safe?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What if your passports aren't in your safe?

They will only remove stuff from your safe, if you're missing from the ship when it needs to depart. They will not search the room for passports or any other important documents/items. So, if your passports aren't in the safe, they won't be able to deliver them to the Port Agent.

We keep our passports in the safe when cruising.

 

[Rogillio]

What if your passports aren't in your safe?

Not to be a wise guy, but why would your passports not be in your safe?

As I wrote earlier, a US passport on the black market is worth about $25,000. Treat it like gold!