Passports - Why leave them on ship when ashore?

[mshinrockford]

Can someone help me understand why the advice is to leave our Passports on the ship (presumably in our stateroom safe) when we go ashore in St. Martin and St. Thomas? It seems to me that this is exactly when you would want to have your Passports on your person (i.e. when ashore). I understand that the Passports themselves may be "safer" if they are secured in our stateroom safe, but it seems to me that my family would be "safer" if we had our Passports with us when we go ashore. After all, I'm more concerned with the safety of my family than the safety of my Passport. Am I missing something? Why would I want to leave our Passports on the ship when we go ashore? After all, DCL only requires your KTTW card to reboard. I figure that if anyone questions our nationality, it's NOT going to be DCL (other than at our initial check-in at Port Canaveral). Can anyone explain why the conventional wisdom is to leave your Passport onboard? Thanks!!

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

Nope. Nothing in the entire customs process seemed very logical to me. Get me up at 6 am so you can hand me my passport and confiscate it again. What exactly was that about?

 

[mickeyfanmom]

I believe that the idea is that the actual passports are safer onboard locked away than travelling with you on your person where they could be lost. You should carry a copy with you for proof and then if you did need the actual paasports the US Consulate or whomever could always get Disney to get them out of the safe if necessary.

Stolen US passports are a hot commodity and a paper copy should suffice if there ever was a question as to your nationality.

Honestly, nobody ever even looks at them (or birth certificates) if you are a US citizen other than before you first board and then the one early immigration morning of St. Thomas. We wanted to get ours stamped, but then found out that we would have to leave them with guest services and were afraid they might get misplaced so we returned home stampless (again!)

We left a copy of our driver licenses in the safe and carried the originals- but left the original passports in the safe and carried copies.

Non US citizens do have to give their passports to DCL. They are issued a receipt for them and are held by the crew.

HTH!

 

[jrabbit]

After all, DCL only requires your KTTW card to reboard.

AND Photo ID - that's why we bring our drivers licenses along. We use the passport to get through the airports and onto the ship and once onboard we only carry our KTTW card and D/L's (the kids carry their school id cards - not even close to official, but it makes them feel all grown up!)

The passports should remain on the ship for safe keeping. Keep a copy of the identification page (the one with your photo and other identification and most importantly your passport number.) Any US consulate can look you up in the system via your number (and presumably by your name too). I'm starting to believe that it's not so much that you have your passport physically with you as that you HAVE a passport.

 

[Billinaz]

We took our passports onto Nassau to get them stamped.

Last year I left them in the room safe.

Next year, Id like to get them stamped in St Maartin and St Thomas....

Im not too worried about DCL loosing them, Im sure they will pay for the fees for another!

 

[mickeyfanmom]

Billinaz-

We found out that you only have to leave them with Guest Services the night before you arrive in port and they will have them stamped by the officials and will return them to you the next day.

I do wish that we would have done it- as of yet our passports are still blank!

You are right about them being safe- I wish that I could have talked my husband into it.

Besides, all the non US citizens have to have DCL hold theirs anyway!

 

[anlashokna]

I was asked to throw in my two cents.

Technically you do not need a passport for islands like St. Thomas, St. John (US Holdings), this is why they have the immigration check on ship. Neither will you need it for St. Maarten. So technically you do not need a passport for entry/ exit into these countries. So yes your passport would be safer left in your stateroom safe. Most people want the souvenier stamp from say St. Maarten that is why they want to carry it. If you have no need of that, Leave it secured. Remember pick pockets are problematic on St. Thomas.
Just make sure you have the required ID/Card to reboard your ship. Another new thing..in light of the tsunami, the Dept of State has set up a system to register your travel dates and what countries you'll be in. That way the state department will know where you are at if a worse case scenario happens. They won't have to depend on relatives calling to report you missing. Something to consider.

Main reason for carrying a passport on these cruises is an easier entry / exit into the United States at Port Canaveral or its occasional alternative ports. It is advisable to carry your passport number with you in case of problems while in the ports. You should carry proof of vehicle insurance also if you're renting a vehicle to avoid any problems if you have an accident. If you encounter any other problems go to the consulate or request a representative. I personally have never heard of any problems in the realm of the normal everyday travellor.

Mind you this advise is for US Citizens only. Other nationalities need to get info directly from their embassy or govt.

Now with that said there is a catch 22. I've said this on another thread as well. Mexico..the repo cruise appears to be hitting a port where it has been said DCL is saying passports will be needed. The central american countries are starting to crackdown on there entry / exit requirements. Over the years you could come and go and get away without a passport for travel. Your odds are not as favorable now. The FCG states that you need to keep your passport with you at all times while in Mexico or you need to get a travel card. I'm not sure how DCL will handle this situation with travel cards and it might be best to talk to them prior to going. Also please check the state dept travel advisories concerning Mexico and some crime issues that have become problematic to safety of foreign visitors.

Hope this addresses the issue a little bit better.

 

[tvguy]

The whole reason I take my passports IS to have them while in port. I leave them locked up in the safe on the ship when we are at sea. Yes, it's correct, technically, you don't need passports in any of the ports, but you COULD be required to show proof of citizenship. I keep them in a ziplock bag in my fanny pack in port.

 

[mshinrockford]

Thank you all for the information, and the advice. It sounds to me that you can do it either way (keep them in your stateroom or bring them ashore). Since we would like to get our Passports "stamped" in St. Martin and St. Thomas, I think we'll carry ours ashore and keep them guarded closely. (With a copy of page 1 stored in our stateroom safe.) While we're aboard the ship, we'll keep the Passports stored in our stateroom safe. Since losing a Passport isn't the end of the world (I believe you just contact the DOS and they deactivate your old one and reissue you a new one...for a small fee of course), I think that the risk of losing them while ashore (which should be very small) is out-weighed by the benefit of getting them stamped.

tvguy > I like your idea of carrying the Passports in a ziplock bag inside your fanny pack while in port. Thanks!

Any other comments, suggestions, or tips are most welcomed!!

 

[pppiglet]

Which port in Mexico needs the passport? When I called DCL they said we wouldn't need one, but then we aren't on one of the repo ones so maybe it's one of those ports. Just want to be sure. Thanks

 

[Skallywag]

It does seem rather strange to leave passports onboard to me. We are from UK and are trying to clarify our position. Have been told they taeke the passport from us and we do not get it back until the end of the cruise. This could be difficult for us also as we sometimes need this to cash travellers cheques and need the photo i.d. Our driving licences do not have a photo on like yours.

Am having problems getting any information from Disney cruise and just hope someone will know the position regarding this before we sail.

 

[chasbos]

Being Canadian citizens I felt rather vulnerable giving up our passports before boarding. I am not sure why Disney (they are not the only ones I am sure) has to keep them? Is it so we do not just stay on island and never return back to the US? We always made it back to the ship in plenty of time but what if something drastic happened while on an island and you could not get back on board? What would we have done without passports? I am sure this happens very little - but what if?

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

I think the chances of someone being stopped on the street (or anywhere) on a Caribbean island and asked to prove their citizenship are virtually none. I've been on many cruises, both DCL and with other lines, have never taken my passport ashore, and have never needed it once off the ship.

As was mentioned above, I find it easier to get through Customs/Immigration with a passport. Once I'm on board, I leave it in the safe and take my driver's license and room key ashore.

Regarding non-U.S. citizens, I'm not exactly sure why they take your passports, but I think it is because they need to be physically examined by the Immigration agents in the ports visited. That's just a guess on my part, though. I'm told that when you check in at Port Canaveral, they'll make a copy of the photo page for you if you need it as photo ID to re-board at ports. I would guess that you could use that at Guest Services on board to cash traveller's checks, but I suspect it would not do at a bank in port.

 

[Skallywag]

It is rather strange that our passports are confiscated. They have presumably got us through all the airport procedure so have asked our TA to try and find out. Usually dont carry any other i.e. our drivers licences do not have photos on. Will post on the board if I eventually find anything out. Thought we wuld probably need them and would have liked to get them stamped at Cayman Isles being a sort of British Island.

 

[tecdavidt]

Disney is not the only cruise company that confiscates the foreign passports. Carnival, Celebrity and Princess cruiselines also have this practice. I always assumed it was because of US Custom laws. When we had to board in Nassau due to missing the ship our US passports were taken by Carnival and we had to go through immigration just like all other foreigners on board when we returned to Port Canaveral. Maybe somebody knows the scoop on why cruiselines do this? Kathy

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I would always take my passport with me when we leave the ship, except for Castaway Cay or any of the "private" islands. I keep copies at home, and in the room of the ship in the event of an issue. If you loose your D/L while on an excursion, what recourse would you have. With a passport, there are US Consulates all over, and they can help easier with a passport than a D/L.

 

[wnissen]

I saw a comment that carrying a passport in a fanny pack is a good idea. This is a horrible idea. If you carry valuables anywhere except a money belt or a "hidden pocket" under your clothes, it is very easy to lose them to thieves. They are too good and too fast, don't think you will be able to spot them in advance. Most of the time you are safe, but that 1% of the time can really ruin a vacation. A hidden pocket is cheap insurance.

As far as passports go, hotels used to hold the passports of their guests. I don't know why this is done, but if there is some trouble (an immigration question, etc.) I'd rather have my passport safe in the room than with me.

Walt

 

[SandraLee]

My sister had her passport stolen out of a 'backpack' type purse. They were in the subway in Paris and it was gone before either of them noticed anything.


Carrying a copy and your DL is just as good as having the real thing. Stolen US passports are a hot commodity and there is no need to have it with you walking around a city.

You need it to get in and out of a country -- that is about it.

 

[ivanova]

I was asked to throw in my two cents.

I've said this on another thread as well. Mexico..the repo cruise appears to be hitting a port where it has been said DCL is saying passports will be needed. The central american countries are starting to crackdown on there entry / exit requirements. Over the years you could come and go and get away without a passport for travel. Your odds are not as favorable now. The FCG states that you need to keep your passport with you at all times while in Mexico or you need to get a travel card. I'm not sure how DCL will handle this situation with travel cards and it might be best to talk to them prior to going. Also please check the state dept travel advisories concerning Mexico and some crime issues that have become problematic to safety of foreign visitors.QUOTE]

This is what is on the State Dept website:

Getting Into Mexico
The Government of Mexico requires that all U.S. citizens present proof of citizenship and photo identification for entry into Mexico. While U.S. citizenship documents such as a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable, the U.S. Embassy recommends traveling with a valid U.S. passport to avoid delays or misunderstandings. U.S. citizens have encountered difficulty boarding onward flights in Mexico without a passport.

Tourist Cards
U.S. citizens do not require a visa or a tourist card for tourist stays of 72 hours or less within “the border zone,” defined as an area between 20 to 30 kilometers of the border with the U.S., depending on the location. U.S. citizens traveling as tourists beyond the border zone or entering Mexico by air must pay a fee to obtain a tourist card, also known as an FM-T, available from Mexican consulates, Mexican border crossing points, Mexican tourism offices, airports within the border zone and most airlines serving Mexico. The fee for the tourist card is generally included in the price of a plane ticket for travelers arriving by air.

What it is not clear about is cruise ships and if ports are considered "border zones".

 

[Skallywag]

Our travel agent has told us they take our british passport and we do not get it back but I wanted to take it ashore and try and get some more stmaps on it. So few places do that now.