Some cruise line passengers have rituals once they get on board.
Most look to take care of any needed business before they have any fun. Those tasks include visiting their muster stations and making reservations that must be made onboard.
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Many will also make sure they can log into the ship's internet and slide their phone into airplane mode, which to some is the official start of their cruise.
Once the must-dos are out of the way, what passengers will do varies. Some will head for the closest bar because it's not a cruise vacation until they have a tropical drink in front of them. Others will hit the buffet because that's also a cruise ritual that marks the official beginning of your trip.
On a Carnival Cruise Line cruise, most passengers will still have their carry-on luggage with them, so they will head to their rooms as soon as they're allowed to (usually between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.).
Once in the room, some people will simply drop their carry-ons and maybe change into a bathing suit to hit the pools before they get crowded. Some passengers like to unpack and get their cabins set up exactly the way they like them.
For many, one of the big choices is what to do with their passport. Some simply leave it in their carry-on, which gets placed in a closet or under the bed. Others consider it a safety measure to put it into their safe.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently shared some key advice on passports in response to a question. Responding on his Facebook page, he explained how passengers should handle their passports once they board the ship.
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Carnival passenger offers a port passport opinion
In most ports that cruise ships call on when they leave from the U.S., you do not need to bring your passport with you when you leave the ship. In most cases, an ID plus your ship card will be all that's required.
If you need a passport in a specific port, the cruise line will announce that, put it in the daily schedule, and make sure you have yours with you when you leave the ship.
Some people say, however, that it's always best to have your passport on you when you get off the ship.
"You need to be corrected, John. Passports should always be taken into port as your ID. If I'm ever on a cruise (Bahamas, Mexico, or any of the other island nations I always take my passport. Everyone should," wrote one unnamed passenger.
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They explained their reasoning for bringing their passport with them.
"If for some reason you miss the boat (broken down excursion bus/cab or injured sitting in a hospital, etc.) your passport will sail on and you'll be stuck in a foreign country with a piece of paper with a picture of your passport which is good for nothing," they wrote.
"If you are not worried about losing your driver's license or phone, why would your passport be any different? John, why are you even here if you provide incorrect information that could become a disaster for your passengers?"
Carnival shares key passport advice
While the angry passenger seems to have a valid point, Heald's response explains why they were wrong.
"Thank you to this lovely lady for her opinion, here though is mine. You should not take your original passport with you when you go ashore," he wrote. "Some people will take a photocopy of their passport or use a driver’s license or something similar to show the local security when returning to the ship. This is adequate and all that is needed."
(It's generally best to have an actual piece of identification like a license, not just a photocopy of one.)
Heald explained what happens if a passenger does not return to the ship.
"In case of an emergency which meant you could not return to the ship, we do indeed have a policy in place. Your passport would be collected from the guest cabin (including retrieving it from the safe) by our housekeeping officers, a Guest Services Officer, and someone from our security team," he wrote. "We would then return the passport to the ship's agent."
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Carnival's app and documents sent to passengers before their cruise have the phone number for the port agent should passengers miss the ship.
"We have one in every single port who takes care of the ship's needs during the time there. The agent would return the original passport to you," he added.
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Keeping your passport in the safe in your cabin or in another place where security could easily retrieve it will smooth this process in the unlikely event you ever miss your ship and get stuck in port.
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