DCL holding non-US passports??

[josenk]

When I went on Disney Cruise last year, I was a little shocked when they took my Canadian Passport. The guy told me they would give it back at the end of the cruise.

When I asked "Why"??? He said it was for "our safety", they take all non-us passports and we would have problems if we lost them...

Anyways... This has been bugging me and now I'm posting to see if anyone else had this problem and if they know the real answer? :veryconfu

 

[Bill Smugs]

Keep in mind DCL is only abiding by the laws of the countries they are visting, and as someone posted eariler part of the agrement with the bahamas is that all non US pasports are to be kept by the Cruise LIne. I am shure they keep them extremly safe. So if you are asked to surender your pasport to them you should do it as they have a reason to do it.

Just two question you said you have it on you at all time do you shower with and do you take it to the beach or pool and swim with it?

 

[Honor]

Customary for cruise line to hold passport

We've been on many cruises to many foreign countries (Australia, New Zealand, China, Vietnam, Japan, Bermuda, etc.). Each time, the cruiseline holds all passports (U.S. and otherwise) until the end of the cruise. Then immigration officials from each country just flip thru the passports all in one location, eliminating the need for each passenger to personally clear immigration. Not unusual. So if you don't hand over your passport, you simply don't get to cruise!

 

[shadsdad]

The cruise line gathers the non US citizens passports so it is easier for the ship to clear customs in each port and on returning to the US.

 

[josenk]

Not for long. As of December 28, 2006 Passports will be negin to be required.

From the State department Web site.




New Requirements for Travelers


The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.
In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

• December 31, 2006 - Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
• December 31, 2007 - Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

Does this mean that EVERYONE (including US citizens) will require to submit their passports to take the cruise?

 

[RedBaron]

I dont see the big deal about letting the cruise line hold your passport. I would feel much more at ease if someone else was holding it for me since it would be one more thing I dont have to worry about. Anytime I travel out of the country I leave it in the room safe (if there is one) with my plane tickets. I hate carrying that stuff around with me for fear I will loose it.

 

[coastermaster83]

Im sorry but I dont trust any one holding my personally information. Just look at the US Goverment they can't even keep personal records of people safe or AGI. I just prefer to have my stuff on me and to answer your question yes I did swim, shower and all that good wet stuff with it on me safely tucked away in my tummy pouch in a plastic bag. I even had it on me when I jumped off a 50 foot waterfall into a natural spring.

 

[Passport]

The cruise line gathers the non US citizens passports so it is easier for the ship to clear customs in each port and on returning to the US.

Exactly.

I have been on many cruises with many different cruise lines and they all hold all non-U.S. passports. A non citizen is not going to leave the ship upon return without their passport.

 

[Bill Smugs]

Acutely no one an leave the ship until all non - us citizens have presented themselves with there passport to Us customs officials who actually board the ship. Oh yeah and you have to be there at 6 in the morning, however Disney does have free coffee for you there. Also everyone in your party who isn't a us citizen has to be there.

 

[sbkline]

Does this mean that EVERYONE (including US citizens) will require to submit their passports to take the cruise?

I believe so. If you are not a US citizen, you will need a passport to enter the US and to re-enter. If you ARE a US citizen, you will need a passport to leave the US and stop at whatever stops the ship makes outside of US jurisdiction, and then to get back in the US. So either way, you will have to have a passport.

And for those who asked, no you don't need a passport to fly within the US. You will just have to have a passport to go to Canada, Mexico or any of the Islands, all of which you used to need just a birth certificate and/or picture ID for. Now you will need a passport. At the end of this year, you will need one to fly to these places or take a boat. At the end of next year, you will need one to walk or drive accross the border. Or ride your bike, or go over in a wheel barrow, or cartwheel accross, or whatever your preferred method of border crossing is. :lol:

 

[coastermaster83]

I believe so. If you are not a US citizen, you will need a passport to enter the US and to re-enter. If you ARE a US citizen, you will need a passport to leave the US and stop at whatever stops the ship makes outside of US jurisdiction, and then to get back in the US. So either way, you will have to have a passport.

And for those who asked, no you don't need a passport to fly within the US. You will just have to have a passport to go to Canada, Mexico or any of the Islands, all of which you used to need just a birth certificate and/or picture ID for. Now you will need a passport. At the end of this year, you will need one to fly to these places or take a boat. At the end of next year, you will need one to walk or drive accross the border. Or ride your bike, or go over in a wheel barrow, or cartwheel accross, or whatever your preferred method of border crossing is. :lol:

What if I raft Across the mexican border?:lol:

 

[davewasbaloo]

Folks, the passport thing is common practice on cruises (US - mine, and foreign - my wife's) and in some countries I have visited - Dubai, China, Russia during the Cold War - the tour operator had to keep the passport.

It is no big deal. Just photocopy the original. If something happens, you then go to the US embassy or consolate.

And since 9/11, here in the UK passports or photo driver's licences have been required for all flights internal or otherwise. Given the paranoia by Homeland Security, I would not be surprised if this were introduced across the US too.

 

[justducky78]

I agree with the above ^^ post. Just make a copy of the passport and keep one on you and one at home. They can keep the original during the cruise and if something happens (it gets lost, which it probably won't) you'll have a backup. No worries!