Do cruise ships in Europe take American passports from passengers and hold them for the duration of the cruise? If so, are their occasions when you would want to retrive it and take it ashore? Thanks.

Yes, I recall handing over my passport upon boarding the ship. There really was no need for it when visiting ports. You're usually told that should you need it because you find yourself in some kind of "trouble" your cruise ID card should be shown directing authorities to contact the ship.

On an Eastern Med. cruise Holland America collected our passports on embarkation; they had customs people on board to check, stamp, etc. our passports BEFORE we arrived in port, so we didn't have to spend our time doing that. If they don't collect your passport, do take it with you (in a money belt) when you are in port.

I was on a European cruise last year with RCCL, and they asked for our passports upon boarding the ship for the first time, but that was the last time. We used our ship ID card the rest of the time, and I always had my passport in my possesion. I was a little upset that I could not get a stamp in my passport for all the countries that we went to, but I guess that just means I have to go back!!

Hi Joe, yes, they take your passport upon entering the ship,as stated above,and return to you at end of cruise, we carry a copy of our passport with us and leave the real passport in hotel safe.

On the NCL Dream Scandinavian Capitals trip this summer we held on to our passports- the ship did not collect them. the only time we used them at a port was in St. Petersburg where they were checked and stamped by the Russian officials. The only other stamp was in London--

I'm Canadian and this is done EVERYTIME we cruise the Caribbean.