Leave Passports Back in the Stateroom

[Sam207]

Do we leave our passports back in the stateroom for international ports?

 

[happycamper47]

We have never taken our passports, only your card key and a driver's license or similar photo id for those 18 and over.

 

[beckicnm]

Do we leave our passports back in the stateroom for international ports?

No, always take them with you. What if you get delayed and the ship leaves without you?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do we leave our passports back in the stateroom for international ports?

Generally speaking, you don't have to have your passport off the ship. Unless that's what you're using for government issued photo ID. To re-enter most port areas you need to have your ship's card and a government issued photo ID.

They will inform you whether you need to take a passport ashore in those ports that require them.

Most ports don't require them ashore. Although some people feel more comfortable having them on them at all times when in a foreign country. If you miss the ship, they will go into your safe and retrieve your passports to leave with the port agent.

 

[soniam]

If you don't take them with you, then take pics with your phone or bring a paper copy, just in case. Sometimes we bring them and sometimes not.

 

[Mommb]

Some ports (primarily in Europe) require guests to bring passports when they disembark. If this is the case, it will be mentioned at the shows the previous night, in the Navigator, and during announcements on the port day.

If passports are not required, it is up to you whether to carry them ashore.

 

[FastPasser.]

Never have and unless I'm specifically told by the cruise line to bring it, I won't be.

 

[tvguy]

We always take our Passports with us in International Ports. If you get injured in a port, or get into a legal problem, having your Passport back on the ship is totally useless to you if you miss the ship and have to fly home.

 

[FreeTime]

We have always taken ours with us. Too risky not to have them. Years ago my aunt was in Jamaica and missed the ship. It took her days to get approval to leave due to not having her passport on her.

 

[insureman]

No, always take them with you. What if you get delayed and the ship leaves without you?

From what I've heard if you miss the ship at a port they empty your state room and safe and leave it with the DCL port representative. The only time we needed to bring our passport was in Vigo Spain on the transatlantic last September because we took a tour that included going into Portugal.

 

[Girl of the South]

It would take at least 15 minutes to pack up just one stateroom and run luggage down to a port representative. Can’t imagine them holding a departure time to do that, incurring port fees . . Maybe just find your passport. But maybe it’s tucked away somewhere besides the safe?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It would take at least 15 minutes to pack up just one stateroom and run luggage down to a port representative. Can’t imagine them holding a departure time to do that, incurring port fees . . Maybe just find your passport. But maybe it’s tucked away somewhere besides the safe?

It's my understanding they will only enter the room and open the safe to retrieve passports. If you don't keep your passport in the safe, then you're out of luck. I don't believe they pack up the belongings to be left with the port agent.

 

[John VN]

You can't un-ring a bell, so if you have an unexpected issue and the PP is back on the ship --

 

[tvguy]

You can't un-ring a bell, so if you have an unexpected issue and the PP is back on the ship --

Yes, experienced travelers always keep their Passport with them in a foreign country.

 

[kiford]

On our Baltic cruise, we were required to take our passports with us at most ports. On one of our Med cruises, we were required to take our passports with us in Athens and then had to turn passports in to be held when we next went to Turkey, then picked them up after returning to the ship. Our next port was Mykonos, and I don't recall needing the passport when we got off there. Apparently, turning the passport in for our Turkey stop had to do with going to Turkey in between two stops in Greece - why, I can't say. Basically, our practice is to only take them when required. I remember having to turn in passports to be held at one port on another Med cruise, but I don't recall which one.

Yes, experienced travelers always keep their Passport with them in a foreign country.

IMO, you're more likely to have your passport pickpocketed or otherwise stolen than miss the ship and not be able to retrieve it from the port agent. And definitely if we're staying in a foreign country, we never take the passports out of the safe until we're heading for the airport to go home.

 

[tvguy]

On our Baltic cruise, we were required to take our passports with us at most ports. On one of our Med cruises, we were required to take our passports with us in Athens and then had to turn passports in to be held when we next went to Turkey, then picked them up after returning to the ship. Our next port was Mykonos, and I don't recall needing the passport when we got off there. Apparently, turning the passport in for our Turkey stop had to do with going to Turkey in between two stops in Greece - why, I can't say. Basically, our practice is to only take them when required. I remember having to turn in passports to be held at one port on another Med cruise, but I don't recall which one.



IMO, you're more likely to have your passport pickpocketed or otherwise stolen than miss the ship and not be able to retrieve it from the port agent. And definitely if we're staying in a foreign country, we never take the passports out of the safe until we're heading for the airport to go home.

That.......................is why you leave a photocopy of your Passports in the safe on the ship.

 

[Cheburashka]

Imo it's too risky to take with you to most ports. It's too easy lost or stolen. Then you'll have delays reentering the country after the cruise. I bring color photocopies with us to ports of call, and I'm also careful not to miss the boat.

 

[tvguy]

Imo it's too risky to take with you to most ports. It's too easy lost or stolen. Then you'll have delays reentering the country after the cruise.

This is what the U.S. State Department says.

Should I carry my passport with me in a foreign country?


Most countries across the world require all travelers to have a valid form of identification, which can be the original passport and ID cards for certain individuals/countries

 

[kiford]

That.......................is why you leave a photocopy of your Passports in the safe on the ship.

I keep a copy of my passport on my phone and in my cloud service and I have all of the passport information in an encrypted cloud-based security service. Unless necessary, the passport stays in the safe and I have access to the copy and/or information if I need to go to an embassy (assuming that would even help get it quicker). I'm not sure why I'd keep a photocopy of my passport in the safe instead of the passport itself.

 

[tvguy]

I keep a copy of my passport on my phone and in my cloud service and I have all of the passport information in an encrypted cloud-based security service. Unless necessary, the passport stays in the safe and I have access to the copy and/or information if I need to go to an embassy (assuming that would even help get it quicker). I'm not sure why I'd keep a photocopy of my passport in the safe instead of the passport itself.

Yes, in the digital age keeping the copy in those places would be smart. But the actual Passports is what you need if a situation comes up in a foreign nation.