Stamps in Passports

[LLSullie]

How do we go about getting stamps from the places we visit?

[lawsoncd3]

Great Question... I never thought about it.. I don't know as I haven't been anywhere that needed a passport, but can't wait to find out.

[Boo Boo]

Either the immigration people stamp your passport or they don't (I don't think putting anything unofficial in a passport is a good idea - since it is an official document and may cause you problems in future...)

 

The US always stamps visitors passports - they stamp the visa waiver stamp with date of entry on it. Same with Australia (which do both entry AND exit stamps). Many European countries don't stamp.

 

Boo

[erisajd]

How do we go about getting stamps from the places we visit?

 

if you actually arrive in some carib islands [sXM, Anguilla, St. Barts[ they'll stamp your passport - not so in Belize, Mexico etc. where they just don't care and for cruise customers- since you retain your passport and there is not immigration at the pier, exactly who would you have stamp it??

 

practical thoughts!

[springtxbill]

Some times the Pursuer can get the passport stamped when the officials come on the ship to clear it, so you might ask them. Otherwise, you may check around the pier for an immigration office that might do it for you.:)

[policecruiser]

On one of our cruises, we left our passports with the purser's desk and they had them stamped at every port we visited. We picked them up the day before we returned to port. Hope this helps.

[nordic30]

I have had my passport stamped at post offices - actually, in some very small places, it is the only place to get your passport stamped. They can stamp it with their post mark which gives date and time and may have a unique image - or buy a picturesque stamp and have it then post marked.

[rgnok]

Either the immigration people stamp your passport or they don't

 

This is only sort of true -- yes, either they do it or they don't, but that doesn't mean that if they don't automatically do it that they won't if you ask. I have a passport full of stamps from all over the world -- many from places that do not routinely stamp passports anymore (much of the EU when driving across borders these days), but would still do it if we took the time to ask.

 

Now, that said, there is still the matter of cruise pax actually finding an imigration officer, since, as was already mentioned, cruise pax do not normally go through any sort of imigration in ports of call. As was suggested - sometimes you can ask on the ship (purser) and they might get it done for you. You can also carry your passport into the port city and ask for an imigration office. If you find one that you can conveniently get to (sometimes they're only at the airport and you're nowhere near the airport), they will usually stamp for you.

 

Make it into a hunt . . . a passport full of foreign stamps can be a great reminder of travels past! And remember, when your passport expires and you send it in to get a new one, you won't lose all those stamps -- you will (at least in the US) get the old passport, stamps and all, back!

[ChoosinCruisin]

There was a thread previously regarding this issue, check it out if you like.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=253615

[LLSullie]

On one of our cruises, we left our passports with the purser's desk and they had them stamped at every port we visited. We picked them up the day before we returned to port. Hope this helps.

 

Hi Policecruiser,

 

Does this mean we just need to carry a copy of our passport when we leave the ship in port? I was hoping we wouldn't have to take them with us anyway ;)

[fireguy091]

Hi Policecruiser,

 

Does this mean we just need to carry a copy of our passport when we leave the ship in port? I was hoping we wouldn't have to take them with us anyway ;)

 

You don't need to carry a copy of it at all. All you really need is your room key but a drivers licence wouldn't hurt.

[Coolcruise02]

On our last cruise I made it a "hunt" to get my passport stamped at all ports. At every pier there is a customs office. Just ask any local person and they will show you. Every agent I talked with was very happy to stamp our passports for us. I got a stamp from Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Curacao. Some are very pretty! (I went to the wrong place in Aruba and then I was too late)

 

BooBoo - I'm not sure why you think it would cause problems in the future. We were at these countries and I don't think the customs officials would stamp them for us if it were a "problem".

 

Good Luck :)

[mrstrod]

Hi Policecruiser,

 

Does this mean we just need to carry a copy of our passport when we leave the ship in port? I was hoping we wouldn't have to take them with us anyway ;)

 

I always suggest bringing it in to any port that is not classified as the cruielines private beach.

My reasoning is simple, noone ever anticipates not making it back to the ship but what if some god aweful incident occurs? Like say you decide to go off the beaten path and book a private tour (not affiliated with cruiseline) and your tour guides vehicle gets a flat. Now, usually the cruise ships do wait for late passangers, but there is always a time where they have to say "we've waited long enough". So, now, there you are in the rain forest of dominica (or anywhere else) stuck with a tourguide and a flat tire. Once you are back on your way, you catch a glimpse of the port and see a big gaping spot where your cruise ship once was. I think you're going to feel a whole lot better knowing that you've got your passport in your pocket and not just a "Sign & Sail" card - which only counts as ID to the cruise line.

Sound good?

[Treven]

How do we go about getting stamps from the places we visit?

Are you talking about obtaining visas?

[Martin and Lindsey]

I was on a land vacation and crossed the border into Argentina, and asked them to stamp our passport, but they wouldn't :(