Take Passport at Ports?

[kerry1379]

So to clarify-do you or don't you need to take your passport with you when you get off the ship at various ports of call? On the one hand, if I take it, I would be terrified I would lose it. But what if the unthinkable happens and you miss all aboard?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

In Europe for security it was insisted on and checked.

Previously it was hit and miss they said it but didn't enforce it, on my cruise just ended all passports were checked at every port of call, I think re world security and immigrants it's now compulsory.

Photo ID has always been a requirement if over 18 but now it seems there getting stricter.

Our ship left people in St Petersburg, three staterooms and in Tallinn on stateroom, deck 8.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

So to clarify-do you or don't you need to take your passport with you when you get off the ship at various ports of call? On the one hand, if I take it, I would be terrified I would lose it. But what if the unthinkable happens and you miss all aboard?

It depends on the port. Some ports just require your KTTW card and a photo ID for the adults and just the KTTW card for kids. Other ports require passports.

 

[Weedy]

If your going to lose something you have just as much of a chance of loosing your KTTW card and drivers licence.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It depends on the port. Some ports just require your KTTW card and a photo ID for the adults and just the KTTW card for kids. Other ports require passports.

Exactly. All our cruises, we've only been required to take our passport ashore in 2 ports. All others, to regain entry to the port area and reboard the ship, we've only needed our KTTW card and a photo ID. Which, of course, could be a passport, or a driver's license.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Well it was insisted on in the five ports I visited in the last 12 days and enforced by the security line. No passport no getting to the ship.

Best advice is to listen to the cruise director who will tell you the position. Security re recent events targeting people on vacation and immigration issues has forced tightening, I think those who say it's OK not to have them should state when they last cruised to give everyone an informed judgement on it.

In the last 12 days on the Magic it was 100% required.

 

[Happy100]

If you have one take it with you. I have been at ports that require while others don't. Better to be safe then sorry.

 

[ctnurse]

We used our KTTW cards and our German Residents cards, which have our pictures on them, to get through the port security and back onto the ship on our 12 night Baltic cruise except St. Petersburg which requires a passport to get into Russia. We only brought our passports into St. Petersburg. In the Caribbean we have only ever showed a photo ID with our KTTW card.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We used our KTTW cards and our German Residents cards, which have our pictures on them, to get through the port security and back onto the ship on our 12 night Baltic cruise except St. Petersburg which requires a passport to get into Russia. We only brought our passports into St. Petersburg. In the Caribbean we have only ever showed a photo ID with our KTTW card.

That's exactly what I'm saying. Some ports require passports while ashore. Some do not.

 

[Chirple]

I just checked our Navigators from our 5/30 Baltics cruise (7 nights). The two ports that required passports were Tallinn and St. Petersburg. I remember walking back from our self-guided tour in Tallinn prepared to show our passports to security, but they only checked our KTTW cards. Things can change, but requirements were stated on the front page of the Navigators so it's good to check. I left our passports in the safe on our other port days and carried a photo license.

Last year in the Mediterranean I think I took our passports with us in each port even though it wasn't necessary for all.

 

[bumbershoot]

Europe is different than the Caribbean. I think we can all agree on that.


The Navigator will tell you if you need to bring the passport onshore with you. I, personally, bring mine with me except to Castaway Cay (and Coco Cay if on Royal). Very little chance of missing the ship from Castaway or Coco.

 

[DahliaRW]

Like others have said, it depends on the port. The navigator should tell you. Whether you take it or not, make sure you have a copy of it separate. If you take your passport, leave the copy on the ship and that way if it is stolen you can talk to port authorities and work with Disney (having a copy makes getting a new one easier). If you leave your passport, take the copy with you in case you miss the ship, same deal. I usually have a paper copy as well as a picture somewhere online (dropbox, emailed to myself, etc) where I can access it in case of emergency.

 

[rhinodadz]

Personally I feel more comfortable with my passport on me in any foreign port (required or not). Plus as DahliaRW noted I have a scanned copy in my dropbox folder just in case.

 

[jdb in AZ]

DCL often recommends that you leave your passport in your room safe because passports are very valuable to thieves in port. And I did drop mine in port once, but fortunately it was found and turned in to security before I even missed it.

When we went through security in St. Petersburg Russia and the border agents checking our passports were so, uh, Russian -- very gruff -- it was like an old spy movie where the agents thought everybody wanted to sneak into their country and cause problems. Thankfully, all the other countries we've visited have been very welcoming.

 

[Plaid Princess]

I always bring ours with me, but I never leave them behind anywhere I travel.

 

[ludari]

As others have mentioned it depends on the ports. In the daily navigator and before you disembark they will announce if passports are required for that particular port. I typically always carry a copy of my passport plus an ID card whenever I get off the ship.

 

[shelbell77]

I always bring mine with me. If you made the decision you wanted a passport even though its not required on close loop cruises - it was likely because you wanted the peace of mind associated with it. To leave that peace of mind on the ship when you are in port just doesn't make sense to me. You could lose your KTTW card and Drivers License just as easily as you loose a passport so I've never understood that argument.

 

[natesmama]

Does anyone have experience with this in Mexico? My son's passport expires this year and my daughter doesn't have one. We were hoping to disembark in Cozumel, but not sure the KTTW+birth certificate combo will be adequate and I can't find clear info on it for the kids.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Does anyone have experience with this in Mexico? My son's passport expires this year and my daughter doesn't have one. We were hoping to disembark in Cozumel, but not sure the KTTW+birth certificate combo will be adequate and I can't find clear info on it for the kids.

Cozumel last time I was there didnt require it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Does anyone have experience with this in Mexico? My son's passport expires this year and my daughter doesn't have one. We were hoping to disembark in Cozumel, but not sure the KTTW+birth certificate combo will be adequate and I can't find clear info on it for the kids.

If you are taking a closed loop cruise (one that begins and ends in the same US port) and are all US citizens, the minimum requirement for ID is a birth certificate plus (for those 16 and over) a government-issued photo ID. That's to take the cruise (to get on the ship as well as return to the US at the end of the cruise).

There are no problems getting off the ship in Mexico, as long as each person has their KTTW card plus photo ID for adults.

You don't have to have a passport to take a closed loop cruise to Mexico (and get off the ship in ports), currently.