In Italy it is SOP for your hotel to take your passport for a day.
Really? Will they accept a photocopy of your passport in normal hotels there? I am very unwilling indeed to surrender my passport to a hotel, although I do carry colour photocopies with me.
I've not been to Italy, but didn't know they did that. I guess different countries have different rules.
Other countries I've been to in Europe haven't asked to keep my passport. (I can't remember if they asked to see it at check-in or not at any of them). like I said, each country is prob different.
I know most folks don't like giving up their passports. on cruises that depart out of the US they simply take that information when you check in at the departure counter. I can't recall if they write it down, or just verify what was already given in the reservation, or if they "scan it". But you get it right back.
One other thing I recommend people get when renewing their passport is the "passport card". It's a drivers license size ID card. It will also serve as proof of citizenship in the US and is easier to carry "on your person" (in your wallet) than a passport is. And if you loose your passport, it will help you show citizenship better than your state issued drivers license.
it's not designed for air travel though. just for sea travel that originates and terminates in the US. (otherwise what they call "closed loop cruises".) It can also be used for car border crossings from Canada and Mexico.
In the case of this cruise, if you had your wallet on you when they "abandoned ship", you'd at least have your passport card with you even if they took your passport, to use as ID/citizenship in booking air travel back to the US, or to use at the US consulate to hopefully expedite getting a real passport done.
For those here who have young kids (under age 16) that don't have drivers license, this also gives you a form of "picture ID' that is legal to use for them for other purposes, such as ID at a bank, etc.
here's the passport card.