JD Lasica/Special to Cruiseable
On most shore excursions, you can leave your passport on the ship and bring a photocopy (paper or digital) with you.
Your passport — it's your ticketinto magical foreign lands and your proof of identification. The freedom that comes with owning a passport is incredible, but lose it while exploring one of those magical foreign lands and you could find yourself in a situation that is not only incredibly inconvenient but one that could end up costing you a small fortune.
In the video below, globe-hopping Sonia of Sonia's Travels has some quick tips on how you can protect your passport when traveling abroad.
I've been keeping my own little list of advice on how to ensure your passport is kept safe at all times when traveling abroad on a cruise. I'd love to hear your tips too!
Here are my big 6 tips for safeguarding your passport while traveling:
1
Never put your passport or any other important items like credit cards in the back pocket of your pants or shorts. This is the first place a pickpocket will look and if they find it, you probably won’t know anything about it until several hours later.
2
Don’t keep your passport stored in an outer pocket on your bag or backpack. If you do keep it in your bag ensure it is in a hidden, inside compartment and make sure main zip on your bag is closed. An open bag is an open invitation and it defeats the point of hiding your valuables in the first place.
3
If you don’t need to take your passport ashore, then don’t! Leave it locked securely in your safe within your stateroom. There is no point in risking loss or theft.
4
Where possible, hide your passport on your immediate person. In some countries, passports are hot property and are worth a small fortune on the black market. Usually, these are also the countries in which you will face the biggest problems should your passport be lost or stolen. My advice: Hide it on your body. You can buy discreet travel underwear, the ideal option for hiding important documents, or you could just hide it in a hidden money belt under your clothes. So long as it's on your body and out of sight.
5
One option is to photograph you passport I.D. page with your mobile phone, bring your smartphone & leave the passport on the ship
Most of the time you will not need to show your passport when going ashore; however, it is still sensible to take some form of identification with you and I suggest bringinga photocopy of your original passport. You may be stopped by a police officer or need to show proof of I.D. when boarding a train, and a photocopy of your passport will work perfectly. If you'd prefer, you could always memorize your passport number and expiration date as these too should be accepted if accompanied by a photo I.D. card. Another option is to photograph your passport I.D. page with your phone or digital camera and then email it to yourself. This way you don’t need to carry extra documents and the image will always be easily accessible.
6
If you venture ashore independently and use a local bus or train service then be sure to remove all documents and cash from your bag if you plan on using the luggage compartments. Never EVER leave your passport unattended!
Safeguardingyour most valuable document
The above tips should help keep your passport and other belongings safe when ashore, but please always remember — if you don’t need it then leave it on board!
Should something go wrong and you find yourself without your passport, then you must contact the local police immediately followed by your cruise ship. It is vitally important to contact the local police as you will need the crime reference details to pass on to your embassy. Once you have these details, contact the local embassy or consulate and complete any paperwork promptly. Your passport will then be cancelled and provisions made to issue you with an emergency passport to get you back home — hopefully before your ship sails!
Your take
How about you?Have you ever lost your passport abroad? What tips do you have for keeping your passport safe?
Updated from an earlier post. See anything wrong? What did we overlook? Be a co-creator!
FAQs
Keep the Passport in a Safe Place
A small, portable lockbox may be a better option. If you need to keep the passport on your person, there are other options. Avoid leaving the booklet in a back pocket, as this is ideal for thieves. A money belt attached to your body would be the safest, portable option.
How can I keep my passport safe? ›
Keep the Passport in a Safe Place
A small, portable lockbox may be a better option. If you need to keep the passport on your person, there are other options. Avoid leaving the booklet in a back pocket, as this is ideal for thieves. A money belt attached to your body would be the safest, portable option.
What do you do with your passport on a cruise ship? ›
Always carry your passport book with you in case of an emergency. You may need your passport in the event of an unexpected medical evacuation or if the ship docks at an alternate port. You should bring your passport even if your cruise says you won't need it.
Should you put a copy of your passport in your suitcase? ›
Copies of All Identification Documents
You want a copy of all your identification – one for each checked bag. Keep a hard copy of your documents in your carry-on and each checked bag of luggage with which you are traveling, in case any of them go missing during the trip.
How do you protect yourself on a cruise ship? ›
Lock your doors, including the door to your balcony if you have one, at night when you're asleep and when you're not there. Use the buddy system, don't flash your cash, and keep your wits about you at all times. Obviously, taking it easy on the alcohol is a given.
What makes a passport secure? ›
Personal data should be inserted inside the document structure, not just on the surface. This will make it difficult for fraudsters to reach, alter, or recreate it. Personal data should be interlocked with security features. The forged passport will, therefore, show clear and visible traces of alteration.
What is the fastest way to secure a passport? ›
Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY) to request expedited service for an extra $60. You may also add a 1-2 delivery service of your completed passport book for an extra $19.53. One-to-two day delivery is not available for passport cards.
Should I take my passport on excursions? ›
Taking Your Passport
Should you take your passport with you on shore excursions? No, you shouldn't bring your passport, unless your tour requires it. We recommend bringing your driver's license as a form of ID instead. You don't want to risk losing your passport ashore.
What happens if you lose your passport while on a cruise? ›
What Should I Do if I Lose My Passport While Traveling? You will have to replace the passport before returning to the United States. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. Contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates is also available in our country information pages.
Do they check passports on cruises? ›
Everyone will need to present an accepted form of identification to board the ship. We strongly recommend that all guests present a passport as their form of ID on boarding day, and for some guests a passport is required. The passport must be valid for six months after the day your cruise ends.
While it may be convenient to keep your passport in your carry-on bag, we recommend against it. You never know when you may be required to check in the suitcase or leave it behind in an emergency. To be safe, always carry your passport in your cross-body bag, fanny pack or passport pouch that will always be with you.
Where do you put your passport when going through security? ›
The bottom line: always, always, always keep your passport on your person or in your personal item — one that will never be gate-checked.
Should you leave your passport in your hotel room? ›
Leave your passport at the hotel.
Leaving your passport at home comes with another benefit: You'll be able to better protect it from anything that might ruin the pages, like humid weather or water.
Which cruise line is the safest? ›
What is the Safest Cruise Line? The CDC gave ships with Disney Cruise Lines a score of 96 or above on their 2016 inspections. According to their voluntary disclosures in Q2 of 2016, there was 1 claim of theft exceeding $10,000 and 2 claims of sexual assault.
Can you get condoms on a cruise ship? ›
Of the cruise lines surveyed six – Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, MCS Cruises, Holland America, Disney and Crystal Cruises – stocked condoms. Only three cruise lines offered the morning after pill – MSC, P&O Cruises International and Princess Cruises.
Is it safe to leave a passport in a hotel safe? ›
Leave your passport at the hotel.
According to the US Department of State, one of the safest things you can do is secure your passport under lock and key at home or your hotel as you would with any other valuable.
How do I protect my passport from scanning? ›
Shop for an RFID-blocking wallet, sleeve or bag before you leave on your next trip. Stack RFID cards in your wallet. This makes them harder for a scanner to read just one of them. Keep your passport closed as much as possible.
How do I know if my passport is safe? ›
To verify that a U.S. passport is not fraudulent, the jurisdiction can check via USPVS that the passport number and date of birth on the passport matches the passport's electronic record, as recorded in U.S. government files.
