Make copies of passports and bring off ship?

[ten822]

I've never cruised before and read that this is smart to do. So, I'm locking passports in my room on board and carrying copies around? Who does this?

 

[cedricandsophie]

I always lock passports in safe and rarely touch them while on a cruise except for once in Norway when we needed them for an excursion I think. I always make copies of the passports and put a copy in each suitcase but I have never brought a copy with me when I leave ship. You do need a picture Id but a drivers license or state Id will suffice to get back on ship. I have seen lots of people who carry passports with them all the time. I would never do that

 

[ludari]

I too lock my passport in the stateroom safe and take a copy with me when I leave the ship along with my passport ID card.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We have. It will not be passed as a real passport. However if you end up missing the vessel (which very rarely happens) the photocopy will help the US Embassy to get you a temporary Passport which lets you fly home or to the next port the vessel has.

HAVE A GREAT CRUISE.

AKK

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I was wondering aboit this also. Will a photo be ok kept on an iphone in the icloud?

 

[scgustafson]

I always have my passport on me when in a foreign country, even Canada or Mexico. You never know when you will need to prove your citizenship. As for copies, I have a set of those separately with me as well as a set in the safe on the ship.

 

[rhinodadz]

I keep scanned copies of our passports in a Dropbox account which I can access pretty much anywhere.

 

[Control4Hermosa]

No copies, keep the real deal with me when on the move. I don't need any trouble from an "officer" who goes only by the book, do you?

 

[missyp]

I kept reading about this practice on the boards. So on our last cruise I made copies and I put the originals in the safe. As we were getting off the ship, just to be safe I asked if this was ok, I was told copies mean nothing, you need the originals.

 

[Pkltm]

We carry originals too, we are used to it from WDW coming from Canada our driver license doesn't work as Id to buy drinks

 

[clten]

Except in ports where you are required to have your passport (mainly Europe), I keep my passport in the safe in the room. I don't bring copies of my passports with me in a port -- the copies really have little value at that point. What I do bring with me is the Port Agent name and contact info. This will be on the Navigator or the Shopping Guide - either bring the paper or snap a photo. If you have difficulty in port and need someone to get to your passport out of the safe on the ship, that is who you need to contact.

 

[belac]

Never brought them out of the safe for excursions, although we mostly only cruised the Mexico/Caribbean. When traveling in Europe I leave them safely where I am staying unless crossing a border.
It is a bit expensive but we got the passport cards as well, for our family. Mind you this can only be helpful in a rare occasion, if we were ever separated from the passport books and needed to get a replacement at an embassy. Helpful if we need it for travel by land or boat to Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada (not air travel). It also serves as a second ID in US where I don't have to fetch our book passports out of safety deposit box.

A photocopy or photo is only helpful if you need a replacement to have the number and info on it AFAIK.

 

[belac]

What I do bring with me is the Port Agent name and contact info. This will be on the Navigator or the Shopping Guide - either bring the paper or snap a photo. If you have difficulty in port and need someone to get to your passport out of the safe on the ship, that is who you need to contact.

Great point, I always get the address and PH # of the US Embassy where we are going, never thought of the Port Agent. Thanx!

 

[MUN]

No copies, keep the real deal with me when on the move. I don't need any trouble from an "officer" who goes only by the book, do you?

Which book is that?

 

[Control4Hermosa]

^LOL, the book in his head.

 

[Sir William]

No copies, keep the real deal with me when on the move. I don't need any trouble from an "officer" who goes only by the book, do you?

Some years ago in Europe I with a 5 others on a business trip and we witnessed a violent crime being committed. Police asked to see our passports. All but one of us had them with us and after being interviewed we were allowed to proceed about our business. The one who had left his passport at the hotel had to wait until one of the police could escort him to his hotel to retrieve it, and only then was he interviewed and finally joined us about 4 hours later.

 

[Sir William]

I always have my passport on me when in a foreign country, even Canada or Mexico. You never know when you will need to prove your citizenship. As for copies, I have a set of those separately with me as well as a set in the safe on the ship.

Same here! A copy is only good for expediting a replacement, but otherwise of no value to local authorities. We just have to safeguard our passport same as we do money, credit cards, and even our KTTW card.

 

[Bettyscruise]

I've never cruised before and read that this is smart to do. So, I'm locking passports in my room on board and carrying copies around? Who does this?

We do this as a precaution. Easy to stuff a couple sheets of paper in my "cruise" wallet. I carry a cheap nylon wallet with only the essentials when I cruise. Some cash, one credit card, I.D, travel copies, and medical info only.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I've never cruised before and read that this is smart to do. So, I'm locking passports in my room on board and carrying copies around? Who does this?

Most cruiselines suggest you keep your passport locked in the safe onboard, and not carry onshore. EXCEPT for those ports/countries that require you to have a passport on you when ashore.

In all our cruises, I believe that's only been like 2 or 3 ports that we had to have our passports.

We usually just take our ship's card, and driver's license (for the photo ID part) when going ashore.

 

[kiford]

I keep scanned copies of our passports in a Dropbox account which I can access pretty much anywhere.

I do this too but I also have a secure password program on my phone and I keep the number and issue date of my passport. If I needed to get a replacement, that's probably all they really need in addition to my other ID which you do have to take off the ship. The picture of my passport would really only show them that it's me but my driver's license will do that too.

Obviously, in ports where you're required to take your passport we do. Unless we're told that we need to, we keep it in the safe.