I consider myself a somewhat seasoned traveler, yet I found myself with a never-ending list of questions before embarking on my first cruise. It didn’t take long for me to realize that tips and tricks of air travel don’t apply to the ‘cruise life’, which comes with its own set of travel nuances.
As I packed for my first-ever cruise, I found myself wondering where to put my passport on a cruise. I wondered if you’d need to take it off at each port and if it was necessary to carry it around with me. Below, travel experts share their best cruise passport tips to help keep your documents safe throughout your journey.
Leaving your passport in the cabin safe
In most cases, travel experts agree that the safest place for your passport on a cruise is in the safe in your stateroom. According to Carlos Nasillo, CEO of Riderly, most cruisers will only need to bring their cruise card along with them, which acts as a room key, onboard payment, and ID.
However, this is dependent on your cruise line (Virgin Voyages uses bands instead of cruise cards, for example). It’s always best to follow the specific directions of your cruise line and itinerary. When cruising, Nasillo says keeping the passport in a stateroom safe is safer than keeping it on you, which increases the odds of losing it.
Keeping your passport in the cabin safe is generally the best move for closed-loop cruises departing and disembarking in the U.S., which start and end at the same port. But some travel experts say other types of cruises may require keeping your passport with you, such as open-jaw cruises, international cruises, or cruises that port in multiple countries.
According to travel advisor Georgia Fowkes of Altezza Travel, in these cases, “The passport belongs in your bag, not the cabin safe. Just like your phone and wallet. Because if you miss the ship or need to fly home fast, or get into an emergency, you’d need your passport for sure, as well as your phone and wallet.”
Ultimately, however, the choice is up to what you feel most comfortable with. During my recent cruise in Greece & Turkey, I chose to keep my passport stored safely in my stateroom safe, as it was not recommended by the cruise line to keep it on me at all times.
When you’ll need your passport
While roaming on board your cruise, you won’t need your passport at all — which means it’s safer kept in your stateroom safe. However, you will need to show your passport when going on a cruise that begins or ends in a foreign port, or on an open-loop cruise from the U.S. that stops at different countries before returning to the U.S.
For example, on my recent cruise to Greece and Turkey, I was only required to show my passport when getting on the cruise. Regulations for specific countries can make these rules tricky, however, which means it’s always best to keep an eye on specific guidance provided by your cruise.
Passport tips for cruising smart
The “rules” of where to put your passport on a cruise aren’t quite black and white, as there are many different types of cruises, rules per cruiseline, and cruise destinations. To add to the matter, each traveler may have a different level of comfort about where they wish to store their passport during a cruise. Regardless of where or how you’re cruising, however, experts say these smart passport tips can help all cruisers:
- Keep a paper copy of your passport in your bag at all times and a photo on your phone, in case of emergencies.
- If your passport is lost or stolen while traveling, contact your emergency assistance provider through your travel insurance policy. They can assist you with obtaining an emergency passport and help you find the local embassy or consulate.
- Ask a cruise staff member on embarkation day about specific policies related to your voyage.
