Passport nearly full and 8 countries to visit

[cruisemom42]

Since the original poster indicated they were cruising to the Far East, I assume they are primarily concerned about visas, which indeed often list as a requirement that the passport have 1 (or even 2 adjacent!) blank pages in order to affix the official visa.

 

Since the advent of the EU, passports on cruise ships within Europe are generally only stamped when you enter and exit the EU. So you don't get a stamp at every stop. But if you go from Greece to Turkey (non-EU) and then back again to Italy, you might find a stamp from Turkey and then again one from Italy marking your return to the EU.

 

On one memorable cruise, I got 3 Egyptian stamps -- one for entry into Cairo to join the cruise and then one each at 2 different Red Sea ports -- all without visiting any other country in between!

[ldubs]

I have visited Ireland, by Cruise ship too, plus, Croatia, Montenegro, England,besides France and Italy in Europe. I only have a stamp for France and England from my land trips,no stamps for the others.

 

I am sure some countries require a stamp for your passport, I imagine that is when the cruise ship keeps your pass port because it is necessary for that reason, but I doubt the OP has to worry about where to put all 8 stamps, unless he/she just wants them. Also, as others have pointed out more than one stamp can go on the same page. I know my passport has more than one stamp per page in some places even though I still have a couple of empty pages. To be honest I never even thought about it could be a problem until I read this thread.

 

As I said in the earlier post, it depends on the country, especially if you travel outside of the EU. Additionally, most countries will place the stamp so that you can have four to a page. I'm aware of at least one that will take up one entire page with their visa. In another the agent placed the stamp on the last notes page. I think because it was just easier for him to flip open the back cover.

[zoncom]

I have had agents ask if I wish to be stamped when I had a rather full book. You can ask to not have it stamped also.

[jsmeeker]

I have visited Ireland, by Cruise ship too, plus, Croatia, Montenegro, England,besides France and Italy in Europe. I only have a stamp for France and England from my land trips,no stamps for the others.

 

I am sure some countries require a stamp for your passport, I imagine that is when the cruise ship keeps your pass port because it is necessary for that reason, but I doubt the OP has to worry about where to put all 8 stamps, unless he/she just wants them. Also, as others have pointed out more than one stamp can go on the same page. I know my passport has more than one stamp per page in some places even though I still have a couple of empty pages. To be honest I never even thought about it could be a problem until I read this thread.

 

it can be an issue for people who travel frequently. And not just via cruise ship. Border control agents frequently have make no real attempt or effort to consolidate stamps on pages that have space. They may just stamp where they feel like it. Maybe whatever open page they happen to flip to. OR maybe they go to a blank page because some other agent didn't bother to place a stamp carefully, preventing the page from being filled up as much as it could have. Visas can take a page or more. When you need a visa, the visa isn't optional like a stamp might be.

Edited January 21, 2014 by jsmeeker