Where do you put your BC or Passports?

[pbharris4]

Do you have something and hang them around your neck or keep them in a purse or wallet? I bought lanyards (cheap Nautica ones) that I was going to find something to put the BC's and next year..passports, but DH doesn't think it's safe to have them on your neck like that. I told him that your purse can get stolen or someone can pick his pocket, but at least if someone rips it off your neck you'll probably see who it is and plus it's probably harder to get it off your lanyard than to pickpocket a purse. Any suggestions?

 

[jel0511]

You really don't need your passport (or birth certificate for that matter) while getting off the ship while in port. You only need a photo ID, your drivers license will surfice. I lock mine up in the safe once boarding and don't take it out until we disembark.

 

[TiggerKing]

I agree with your DH. Once you board the ship, you will not need them again most likely until you leave the ship. We had a plastic file folder that had a flap to seal it. We kept all important documents in there and placed them in the safe in the room. You don't want to risk losing those documents.

An additional note for the passports: Just in case something happens to them anyway, you should have two color copies of everyone's passport that is maintained in a location separate from the passport. This is highly recommended by the State Dept.

 

[Lynderella]

We kept ours in the in room safe.

 

[kcashner]

I have a little travel document case from my TA. I keep it in a zipper pocket of my carry on. As above, you don't need these documents once you board. You need only your Key to the World card and a photo ID. Since we now have passports for everyone, I may carry these in port, but would never take a birth certificate off the ship.

 

[zellda]

If you wish to carry proof of your citizenship with you when off the ship, it is safer to carry the copy of your passport rather than the original. Should you need help from the US Embassy, they can use the photocopy until you can retrieve the original. Also, US passports are a high theft item, just makes sense to leave it in the safe, unless you need to have it with you for a specific purpose.

 

[tvguy]

I would NEVER get off the ship in a foreign port without my Passport.
I wear a fanny pack, and keep the Passports in a ziplock bag. In U-S ports a photo ID is enough, and then I keep the Passports in the room safe.

 

[DrCavin]

I would NEVER get off the ship in a foreign port without my Passport.
I wear a fanny pack, and keep the Passports in a ziplock bag. In U-S ports a photo ID is enough, and then I keep the Passports in the room safe.

Do you take a copy of your passport or the real thing? I would be nervous carrying around the real thing, but since we didnt need them last time maybe I am just over-worrying about carrying them..

 

[Belle2002]

I wouldn't worry about carrying your passport with you all the time. If you are from any other country besides the U.S. (I am Canadian) They take your passports away from you as soon as you check in for the cruise and we don't see our passports again until the cruise is over. A little weird, I know, but I don't go anywhere without a copy of my BC and photo ID. I know those can be replaced easier than a passport.

 

[tvguy]

Do you take a copy of your passport or the real thing? I would be nervous carrying around the real thing, but since we didnt need them last time maybe I am just over-worrying about carrying them..

I carry the real thing. Not nervous at all, they've safe in my fanny pack which is an odd name I guess since it's in front, not in back. Haven't had a problem doing this on 6 cruises, 4 trips to Canada, 2 trips to Europe and 1 trip to Mexico.
I'm just would be afraid something would happen when I was off the ship and I'd have to prove citizenship, can't do that without the passport. Never heard of them taking Passports, how do you clear customs when you get off the ships in port? On my Disney cruise they checked passports in St. Thomas, and on my Alaska cruise you had to show a Passport to Canadian customs to get off the ship in Victoria.

 

[DrCavin]

I carry the real thing. Not nervous at all, they've safe in my fanny pack which is an odd name I guess since it's in front, not in back. Haven't had a problem doing this on 6 cruises, 4 trips to Canada, 2 trips to Europe and 1 trip to Mexico.
I'm just would be afraid something would happen when I was off the ship and I'd have to prove citizenship, can't do that without the passport. Never heard of them taking Passports, how do you clear customs when you get off the ships in port? On my Disney cruise they checked passports in St. Thomas, and on my Alaska cruise you had to show a Passport to Canadian customs to get off the ship in Victoria.

DCL takes passports for all non-American guests, don't know if other cruise lines do this or why DCL does...

 

[Disney Fans]

Just a FYI
For a non-US citizen, DCL has to have possession of either the passport or the US residence card ("Green card") - if applicable. If you choose DCL to take the green card, you will then have the opportunity to get the passport stamped on the island.

For Foreign visitors, however, you will need to ask DCL about having the passport stamped, as the green card option is obviously not viable.

DH of Disney Fans

 

[pbharris4]

I thought that you HAD to have your passport and a photo ID when you get off and on the ship? I am a US citizen (BTW). I have certified copies of our BC's but when we do a 7 nt cruise next year we'll need to get passports. WHen you get a passport do they give you a copy as well? Don't they stamp your pasport or something when you leave a country? I don't know the process on leaving the ship and returning. We're planning on the Western DCL cruise, but may end up doing the Eastern. So what's the purpose of the passports if you don't have to take them with you? I am confused.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Do you really want to know!

 

[tvguy]

I thought that you HAD to have your passport and a photo ID when you get off and on the ship? I am a US citizen (BTW). I have certified copies of our BC's but when we do a 7 nt cruise next year we'll need to get passports. WHen you get a passport do they give you a copy as well? Don't they stamp your pasport or something when you leave a country? I don't know the process on leaving the ship and returning. We're planning on the Western DCL cruise, but may end up doing the Eastern. So what's the purpose of the passports if you don't have to take them with you? I am confused.

Generally in the Caribbean, the only place you need a passport is when you arrive in a US port after visiting a foreign port. On the Eastern, you need to show your passport twice, once in St Thomas (a US territory) because you were in St. Maarten the day before, and when you arrive back in Orlando to get off the ship.
On the Western, you only have to show your passport when you arrive back in Orlando, because it is the first US port you visit after visting foreign ports.
And remember, Castaway Cay is in the Bahamas, and thus is a foreign port.
HOWEVER, some nations in the Caribbean may soon require a passport.

In pulling out my Navigators, I see that Disney does collect passports of non-US citizens, but they give them back to you for example in St. Thomas to clear customs, then collect them back.

 

[pbharris4]

I see!!! Thank you for clarifying that for me! I've been to Tiajuana (what fun) a few times and Canada once (looong time ago). So I've never had to get a passport. So you only need it when entering the U.S.or a U.S. Territory. So if we ventured into Cozumel or Grand Cayman and got back on the ship we wouldn't need to show our passport..only when disembarking the ship back in Orlando. So I do not need to take it ashore with me (just copies in case something should happen. (Unless this policy changes between now and the time of the cruise for freign ports).

Now if I was going to the UK or Greece or another country would I have to show it then when I ENTER those countries? Not that I plan on it, but it would be nice to know.

 

[AdventureGuru]

This was one of BF's biggest things...While we had to carry around our passports and stuff he got a small "bag" that was on a lanyard that he wore around his neck-he got it at eastern mountain sports...when we didnt need them-they were in our safe in the stateroom...I orginally thought he was crazy for wanting to carry them like that but it actually worked out really well!