Essentials you shouldn't leave the ship without at a port

[EastCoastCdn]

We're not planning any excursions in port until Castaway Cay, but we will be getting off the ship for a few hours to explore. What do you consider essential to take with you when leaving the ship? I'm concerned about ID specifically, but I'm interested in hearing what others take. This will be our first cruise and I don't want to mess up, lol.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Your Id (drivers license) and your key to the world card (the ship's card). Cover-up, flip flops, camera, sunglasses. And sunscreen! They give you towels as you get off the ship. You will be fine- enjoy!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We bring some cash....and driver license and photo copies of our passports

 

[january9]

Your Id (drivers license) and your key to the world card (the ship's card). Cover-up, flip flops, camera, sunglasses. And sunscreen! They give you towels as you get off the ship. You will be fine- enjoy!

Towels are only provided at CC and not any other ports I assume ??

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Towels are only provided at CC and not any other ports I assume ??

You may take towels off the ship in any port. Just be sure to return them. There are collection bins on the ship when you return, so you don't need to take wet, sandy towels all the way back to your room.

 

[Grangergirl]

The children in our party are travelling with official birth certificates. Do they need to take those off the ship as well as their key to the world card? The adults have passports.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The children in our party are travelling with official birth certificates. Do they need to take those off the ship as well as their key to the world card? The adults have passports.

The birth certificate requirement is for returning to the US, once the cruise ends. Getting back on the ship in port all that's required is the KTTW card for everyone plus a photo ID for those guests 18 and over.

 

[january9]

You may take towels off the ship in any port. Just be sure to return them. There are collection bins on the ship when you return, so you don't need to take wet, sandy towels all the way back to your room.

Thanks! Good to know. One less thing to pack. : )

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks! Good to know. One less thing to pack. : )

One note, they aren't beach towels. More like the basic towels you get in your room. I usually take two.

 

[Little Doe]

We bring a photo copy of our passport and put it behind the KTTWC on our lanyard. We usually have another paper hiding it. The we lock our passports in the safe until the end of the trip ( unless going to Russia -- take your passport!)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

behind the KTTWC on our lanyard

I find it's best to not be wearing my lanyard once off the ship. It's a sure mark of a tourist.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We're not planning any excursions in port until Castaway Cay, but we will be getting off the ship for a few hours to explore. What do you consider essential to take with you when leaving the ship? I'm concerned about ID specifically, but I'm interested in hearing what others take. This will be our first cruise and I don't want to mess up, lol.

I always take pictures of our passports with my phone so we at least have that in case something happens. We also never leave the ship without 2 bottles of water each. Enjoy your cruise and be sure to book a placeholder for a future cruise while on board, it's only $200, (non-concierge). Then when you get home you can take the time to figure out what you want your next cruise to be.

 

[MunFam]

We travel a lot. We have never purchased a cruise organized tour and have never stayed on the boat in a port. I always have Motrin/Advil, water, local currency in small denominations for tips, camera, one cell phone (locked with password, photos of all credit cards, passports saved in a protected file for emergencies. Also a picture copy of the cruise itinerary in case of emergency or if we forget what time all aboard is. We also have the photos of travel insurance on the phone), water bottles, a small sunscreen, hand sanitizer, a few baby wipes (for when there is no toilet paper in the restroom, this happens a lot!), TWO pairs of sunglasses per person and a few granola bars that we pack from home. Of course, a key to the world card and a phrase card if we are in a country that we do not know the language. I speak Spanish and Italian, partner speaks French.

Depending on the location, I may also add a spare change of clothes, swimsuit or raingear to our backpack.

 

[bumbershoot]

I find it's best to not be wearing my lanyard once off the ship. It's a sure mark of a tourist.

There are soooooo many things that mark me as a tourist when on Bahamas/Caribbean cruises...a lanyard is the least of my concerns.

I don't wear it, but it's not like that would be the only giveaway for me.


Each port day's Navigator will tell you what ID you need to take off the ship. I, personally, take my passport with me (and DS's...DH gets to figure it out for himself) at every port (except for Castaway when on DCL and CocoCay when on Royal...I just use ID with me for those). I weigh out "if I lose it" vs "if I NEED it", and "NEED" wins for me.

Also....

Keycard. Some sunscreen. Perhaps a hat. Some form of money. Navigator (or Compass if on Royal). A plain and simple watch set to the ship's time that day. Camera. Sunglasses.

 

[EastCoastCdn]

Being Canadian, is a drivers license sufficient for me and DH as ID when returning to the ship? IE, we aren't required to leave the ship with our passports and I can just take a copy?

 

[Flossbolna]

I would recommend to bring the day's navigator with you. It has the ship's port agent and the contact details printed on it. In case anything happens, I understand the port agent would be your way to contact the ship. Or at least take a picture of the contact details with your phone that you are bringing.

 

[mmouse37]

On our cruise last week (Panama) we heard from a few people that 4 people were left in Cartagena, Columbia. I didn't hear it but other guest said they were calling names for about an hour and then we finally left. All I could think of is I hope they had their passports with them. That is one port I would not want to be left behind in.

I always bring the Navigator with me as it has the ships agent in that port listed on it if you ever need to contact them for something (miss the ship).

MJ

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

On our cruise last week (Panama) we heard from a few people that 4 people were left in Cartagena, Columbia. I didn't hear it but other guest said they were calling names for about an hour and then we finally left. All I could think of is I hope they had their passports with them. That is one port I would not want to be left behind in.

I always bring the Navigator with me as it has the ships agent in that port listed on it if you ever need to contact them for something (miss the ship).

MJ

Welcome back MJ, hope you had a great cruise!

 

[MunFam]

On our cruise last week (Panama) we heard from a few people that 4 people were left in Cartagena, Columbia. I didn't hear it but other guest said they were calling names for about an hour and then we finally left. All I could think of is I hope they had their passports with them. That is one port I would not want to be left behind in.

I always bring the Navigator with me as it has the ships agent in that port listed on it if you ever need to contact them for something (miss the ship).

MJ

I can't confirm this, as it has not happened to me, but I have been told that if you ever miss the ship, someone from the ship goes to your stateroom and looks in the safe for your passports/ID/wallets and turns them over to the port officials before leaving the dock.

 

[Ofinn]

There are soooooo many things that mark me as a tourist when on Bahamas/Caribbean cruises...a lanyard is the least of my concerns.

I don't wear it, but it's not like that would be the only giveaway for me.


Each port day's Navigator will tell you what ID you need to take off the ship. I, personally, take my passport with me (and DS's...DH gets to figure it out for himself) at every port (except for Castaway when on DCL and CocoCay when on Royal...I just use ID with me for those). I weigh out "if I lose it" vs "if I NEED it", and "NEED" wins for me.

Also....

Keycard. Some sunscreen. Perhaps a hat. Some form of money. Navigator (or Compass if on Royal). A plain and simple watch set to the ship's time that day. Camera. Sunglasses.

Yeah I think my families blond hair, blue eyes, and pasty white skin is probably a dead giveaway that were not from the Caribbean. ID, money and lots of sunscreen are the only things I have to have. I do wear my lanyard never gave it much thought.