Carnival Cruise - Passports - Do you take it ashore in ports?

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eccentric_78

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We are cruising to Grand Cayman, Belize, Isla Roatan & Cozumel. When we go ashore in those ports, do you take your passport & get it stamped? If not, then do you just leave it in the safe on the boat? What do you experienced cruisers suggest? We are going on a couple excursions where water is involved. Thank you!
 
Whenever I've cruised, the "sign and sail" or "sea pass" (My room card) was the only thing I needed for identification when getting on and off the ship while it was in port. When I first began my cruise, as I boarded, they took my photo, and entered my card into the machine that goes "BINNG!!" My identification from that point was in the ship's computer system. After that, whenever I needed to exit the ship or re-board it while in port, I'd simply insert my card into the machine, "BINNG!", it brought up my information, let their system know I was either exiting or boarding the ship. It's all I needed.

Of course, I booked excursions through the cruise line, and never ventured away from the main crowd. I suppose, if I had gotten brave, and decided to venture out on my own, and there was a risk I may become separated from the cruise passengers, perhaps that would be an occasion when it would be wise to bring my passport (or copy of it).

Because I stayed with the group, the sign and sail card was all I needed when leaving and re-boarding the ship. I kept my passport locked up in my room's safe.
 
This is a hotly debated question, really because there is no right answer. It depends on exactly what you will be doing ashore.
For your cruise , particularly for the water excursions, I'd leave the passport on the boat & either take a paper copy in a waterproof wallet with your sign & sail card. I have yet to find a waterproof container large enough to hold the passport that I could wear comfortably and snorkel etc.
You will have to show your passport to get back into the U.S. I carry mine all the time in Europe and anytime I would be shopping or changing currency. Many shop owners are demanding to see additional ID now days. I also carry a back-up copy on my flash drive
 
Cruise ship passengers usually do not need to present their passports when they go ashore. If you participate on a guided tour offered by the cruise line just leave it on the boat. Should you explore the port of call on your own you better take your passport. A friend of mine has visited Belize on a cruise and has used the time of stay to visit a friend who lives in Santa Elena. On the way back to the port the taxi first had a flat tire and later on broke down completely. He had missed his cruise ship (with the passport on board) and had a hell of problems to get an emergency passport issued at the U.S. Embassy to get him on a flight back home..
 
Most of the time I took my passport, but you do not get it stamped. That only happens when you go through customs. Sometime they do stamp them and sometimes they do not. They will tell you on the ship if you should bring your passport on shore or not. Sometimes the ship will suggest that you do not bring your passport on to shore, so pay attention to what the ship says. Just be super careful if you do and guard it with your life.
 
Nope, you don't need to take your passport ashore, and there is no one there to stamp it. You can put it in your room safe when you board and leave it there until it's time to disembark at the end of the cruise.

Enjoy!
 
it is actually considered a better idea to just take a photo copy of it instead of the original. leave the PP in the safe in your cabin. less chance of it getting lost or stolen while in port. if you wish to get them passport stamped they may be able to arrange to do that on board or just outside the security area.
 
I never bring my actual passport but leave it in my stateroom safe and carry around a color photocopy in a waterproof case with my ID, cash/credit card and S&S card.....
 
Usually you do not have to take it ashore. Carnival will advise you what the requirement is as you arrive in each port. Most ports you just need your room key card and maybe a photo ID. You can just leave it in the safe. I always take it with me becasue I feel more secure knowing that if there is an emergency I will have my passport with me. If you are worried about loosing it then you may want to leave it on the ship. They also make waterproof pouches that you can keep your passport in.
 
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