Passport Requirement for Martinique

[PG Cruiser]

Has anyone been on a Royal cruise that visited Maritinique?  How did it go with the passport requirement to visit?  Were you allowed to be without a passport at embarkation on Day 1?

[TXcruzer]

4 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

Has anyone been on a Royal cruise that visited Maritinique?  How did it go with the passport requirement to visit?  Were you allowed to be without a passport at embarkation on Day 1?

If your cruise stops in Martinique you will not be allowed to board the ship without a passport. 

[PG Cruiser]

40 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

If your cruise stops in Martinique you will not be allowed to board the ship without a passport. 

 

I agree with you based on what I've read on the Royal website:

 

But this is where it gets confusing.   Someone from our group called Royal and this is what she posted:

"I just got off the phone. The representative said that since it’s a closed loop cruise- we do NOT need to have a passport AND we WILL be able to get off the ship with ONLY our sea pass. We will not need to carry around our documents at the port. I’m going to double check as soon as I arrive to board the cruise but for safe measures, I am skipping an excursion for Martinique just in case. PHEW!!!!"

This is what the Admin in the Roll Call group posted:

"Yes you can still cruise just not allowed off the ship."

 

[PG Cruiser]

49 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

If your cruise stops in Martinique you will not be allowed to board the ship without a passport. 

This is a comparison of the ID options I've seen when I checked in for my upcoming cruises this November:

 

If the others are right, all will go well.

But if we are right, people will be denied boarding on embarkation day.

 

[Atlantix2000]

6 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

But this is where it gets confusing.   Someone from our group called Royal and this is what she posted:

"I just got off the phone. The representative said that since it’s a closed loop cruise- we do NOT need to have a passport AND we WILL be able to get off the ship with ONLY our sea pass. We will not need to carry around our documents at the port. I’m going to double check as soon as I arrive to board the cruise but for safe measures, I am skipping an excursion for Martinique just in case. PHEW!!!!"

This is what the Admin in the Roll Call group posted:

"Yes you can still cruise just not allowed off the ship."

I wouldn't put much faith in a phone call to a representative that doesn't specifically mention Martinique in their answer.  The reply as written is the standard reply for most normal cruises.  If the representative didn't understand that there are exceptions, they'll just repeat the standard scripted answer.  As for the Roll Call admin, I also disagree with that statement.  My understanding is that you enter a country by entering their waters.  Staying on the ship changes nothing.  If you don't have the proper documentation to enter a country, you will be denied boarding.

[TXcruzer]

I hate to bring up the other site, but over on CC there was a thread some time ago about a fair number of folks being denied boarding on a closed loop cruise stopping in Colombia because they did not have passports.  
Do NOT trust a Royal phone rep with questions about immigration rules. 

[Pattycruise]

On 10/28/2023 at 4:35 PM, PG Cruiser said:

 

I agree with you based on what I've read on the Royal website:

But this is where it gets confusing.   Someone from our group called Royal and this is what she posted:

"I just got off the phone. The representative said that since it’s a closed loop cruise- we do NOT need to have a passport AND we WILL be able to get off the ship with ONLY our sea pass. We will not need to carry around our documents at the port. I’m going to double check as soon as I arrive to board the cruise but for safe measures, I am skipping an excursion for Martinique just in case. PHEW!!!!"

This is what the Admin in the Roll Call group posted:

"Yes you can still cruise just not allowed off the ship."

 

I did a closed loop cruise out of Galveston that required passports due to the Columbia stop.  
if Royal had it on their pages I would think it’s accurate, ok-I would pray it’s accurate.

[PG Cruiser]

... and three days before our sailing (Nov 14th), Royal sends us this info in an email.  They should have told us this months ago.  I feel bad for guests who were planning to get off in Martinique but didn't have passports.

 

[Paid4c4]

I know this isn't exactly the answer you're looking for however, I've been to Martinique and have no intention of ever going back.  I found the inhabitants to be hateful toward anyone who was different than themselves.  I've been on 71 cruises and in many islands and countries, I would rate Martinique as the absolute worst.

Bill