What to do with passports?

[TJHutch]

Firts time doing a western cruise and was wondering when we get off at the ports do you take your passports with you? Thanks

 

[Anal Annie]

Leave them in your safe for the duration of the cruise!!!!!! We make color copies to bring with us in the ports but always, always leave the originals locked up! All you need to come & go off the ship is a picture ID (drivers license) and your KTTW card.

 

[TJHutch]

Thanks!

 

[kcashner]

Leave them in your safe for the duration of the cruise!!!!!! We make color copies to bring with us in the ports but always, always leave the originals locked up! All you need to come & go off the ship is a picture ID (drivers license) and your KTTW card.

This is exactly what we do--I've found that I can get several passports on one photocopy page (less to carry). We use the driver's license to get on and off the ship. It's much easier and cheaper to replace if lost or stolen. Also, if an emergency occurred, the US Consulate and the ship's personnel would help to facilitate getting our belongings off the ship so we'd have the passports then.

 

[tvguy]

U.S. ports I leave them locked up on the ship. Foreign ports, I keep them with me, in a zip lock sandwich bag, in my fanny pack. If I have an issue in port, they are useless to me on the ship, as are photocopies.

 

[Toddymae]

I always take mine with me. Had a problem one year in France - believe me a colored copy isn't much help when you need to work with the authorities in a foreign country. When they ask for your "papers" they want your original passport, and any other ID you have. I learned to always carry at least 2 forms of ID. Don't go looking for trouble - carry your passport.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

U.S. ports I leave them locked up on the ship. Foreign ports, I keep them with me, in a zip lock sandwich bag, in my fanny pack. If I have an issue in port, they are useless to me on the ship, as are photocopies.

Exactly.... no good in the safe...you never know when something may go wrong and need the real thing

Rob

 

[Olga]

U.S. ports I leave them locked up on the ship. Foreign ports, I keep them with me, in a zip lock sandwich bag, in my fanny pack. If I have an issue in port, they are useless to me on the ship, as are photocopies.

Agree. A passport locked in a safe on the ship while on foreign soil defeats the purpose of having a passport.

 

[tvguy]

Even though Castaway Cay is technically a foreign port, I leave my Passport on board there.

 

[loveysbydesign]

What do you do with them while you're on excursions and stuff if you're wearing just a swimsuit to snorkel or whatever?

 

[hopelea]

My mom (71) forgot that she had her passport around her neck with her money while in St. Martin, she jumped off our tour boat to snorkel. Her passport was soaked.

We leave ours on the ship. We have never taken ours off the ship. I think having a copy is a good idea, but we haven't done that either. When we go to our room, they are locked in the safe until we return.

 

[CandyMandy]

I always take mine with me. Had a problem one year in France - believe me a colored copy isn't much help when you need to work with the authorities in a foreign country. When they ask for your "papers" they want your original passport, and any other ID you have. I learned to always carry at least 2 forms of ID. Don't go looking for trouble - carry your passport.

This is absolutely correct and the people saying "leave it on the ship" appear unaware of the risk that can put someone at.

A copy of a passport is absolutely useless in situations where you are dealing with foreign immigration authorities. As example, if your encounter a situation ashore that causes you to miss the ship (unusual but it does happen) you will not be able to purchase an outbound air ticket home (or to the next port) without an original passport. And no, U.S. embassy offices are not readily available on most DCL itineraries so forget having your "lost" (a.k.a. unavailable) passport replaced quickly if you miss the ship.

As for keeping your passport secure while ashore, there are plenty of tools/methods available to do that, including waterproof pouches (that is what we use).