Passport Retention

[Renfrew]

For all tourists travelling overseas, it is advisable to request from your travel agent, cruise company, airline and/or accommodation whether your passport will be withheld by them, duration & means of identification should an incident arise.
A recent cruise was more than upsetting when our passports were requested prior to mounting the gangplank. When asked for an explanation, we were advised "a requirement of the Indonesian Government & if you do not comply, you will not permitted to board the P&O ship."

Upon inquiry to Dept of Foreign Affairs & Trade, the following advice:-

"The Australian Passport Office advises that you should keep your passport secure at all times. It is a document accepted internationally for identity purposes and should be kept in your possession while travelling overseas. We would suggest you enquire with P&O, or any future tour company as to whether you could provide a copy of your passport so that you can retain your physical passport in your possession."

Make this part of your Travel Insurance Plan.

[slydar]

 we had to hand ours over at hotels in Italy and Greece, its their law - when you're boarding a foreign ship you would come under their laws to some extent as well. its not a comfortable feeling but as long as you keep other forms of identification with you there's probably not a lot to worry about. we all want to have our papers with us but in some countries even if you are lawfully (or unlawfully) arrested in a foreign country your visa/passport can be confiscated and there's not a lot you can do about it unless you can get a message to your embassy/consulate and make it a diplomatic issue

[Moggy]

Another reason i would never travel overseas.
Shit, Tasmania is as far overseas that i would want to go & even then only to see the two headed people i heard so much about ?

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[rags]

Another reason i would never travel overseas.
Shit, Tasmania is as far overseas that i would want to go & even then only to see the two headed people i heard so much about ?

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 New Zealand is the extent of my O/S travel,and as we share a reciprocal health agreement which my wife experienced with nil cost just like being in an Aust state. Although I  would not want to be there tonight, as wallabies are getting another towelling 34-6 at 60min mark.

[tk421]

To get a Loatian Visa I had to handover my passport to the person at the desk of a guesthouse /travel agent in Phnom Penh in Cambodia for 48 hours. It's a well known guesthouse but it was a very nervous time, but I got 30 day Visa and not the usual two week visa at the end of it. 😀

Sometimes you need to trust.

[DaveR]

It is normal practise for shipping etc to carry passports for all personnel onboard. I don't see passenger ships being different.
You should carry a copy with you.

[jw2170]

We recently returned from Hawaii via an 18 day cruise.

Our passports had to be retained until after we left French Polynesia.

I would believe it was a requirement of the French Govt. to make sure all the passengers returned to the ship...

[weeds]

Another reason i would never travel overseas.
Shit, Tasmania is as far overseas that i would want to go & even then only to see the two headed people i heard so much about ?

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Soo you don't have a passport, don't want to travel overseas and thread gives you another reason.


Why is handing over a passport a reason for people not to travel?? I haven't experienced it to date (haven't travelled that much plus haven't been on a cruise) but if it was a requirement than I wouldn't have a problem. There would be a rigorous system in place for an organization to cleft passports..........there is always an embassy near by

Thanks to the original poster for pointing it out, I'm now a little wiser.

[Steffo1]

I'm afraid going to Indonesia is a foreign concept to me!
Steve

[tk421]

It is normal practise for shipping etc to carry passports for all personnel onboard. I don't see passenger ships being different.
You should carry a copy with you.

I've scanned mine and emailed it to myself so ive always got a copy

[plusnq]

I've scanned mine and emailed it to myself so ive always got a copy

All our documents are in Dropbox in PDFs. This means as long as we can access the net we can get to them from any device, anywhere. It includes passports, licenses, birth certificates, bank account numbers but not passwords, urgent telephone numbers and next of kin details, Medicare numbers, private health insurance numbers and lists of any medical conditions and drugs, travel insurance policy details and phone contact, should the worst happen, we or someone we give the passwords to could get all the info needed to try to get us out of any trouble. It only takes an hour or so to create all of it and then just needs updating before a trip

[bobnrob]

Another reason i would never travel overseas.

Yep, plenty to do and see here 
Besides the fact, I can't get one   

[gronk]

All our documents are in Dropbox in PDFs. This means as long as we can access the net we can get to them from any device, anywhere.

We took a copy of our passports to USA 4 mths ago, but if the sh*t hits the fan, I'm not sure what good a copy would do.....but better to have something than nothing..

Been on 2 cruises in America and passport was only needed to get on the ship, but going on one in 2 mths ( Australia ) so will see if there is any difference ( all are Carnival )