Getting Passports stamped in each country

[Uncwrn93]

I know not everyone carries their passport off ship. My daughter would love to collect stamps on her passport in each country we stop. Is the customs person at the port going to do that? I know when we did our Alaskan cruise and stopped in Victoria you had to ask for them to stamp it when we walked through.

[paul929207]

It depends on where you are sailing. Africa and Asia usually inspect passports and stamp them. Caribbean islands do not require them, so you would have to search to find someone to stamp it. In much of Europe there are no border controls within Europe, o you might have difficulty finding to stamp it.

[John Bull]

As Paul's post, stamping passports is ancient history at most ports. And even at airports, where passports are normally required.

 

Yes, more prevalent in Asia & north Africa (don't know about the rest of Africa, I'll take Paul's word for that). And even when I go through the border between the (non-Schengen) UK & Schengen countries like France, Spain, Italy etc, my passport isn't stamped.

 

Where passports aren't automatically stamped I guess you can ask, but I'd fight shy of getting it stamped (for a fee) at some unofficial place such as a shop - it might be considered to deface the document.

 

JB :)

Edited December 16, 2015 by John Bull

[Uncwrn93]

Thanks for the replies. When I've flown to London our passports are always stamped. We're going to Cozumel, Belize and Honduras guess we'll see if they can be stamped. I would only get them stamped by official custom agents

[NMLady]

Thanks for the replies. When I've flown to London our passports are always stamped. We're going to Cozumel, Belize and Honduras guess we'll see if they can be stamped. I would only get them stamped by official custom agents

 

Flying into a country is different from cruising. Cruise ports do not ordinarily stamp passports.

[Keith1010]

We sail on a cruise line that holds our passports. In many places they are stamped.

 

If your doesn't hold them ask at the front desk if they know where you can get them stamped. They can ask the clearance officer.

 

Keith

[zqvol]

It depends on where you are sailing. Africa and Asia usually inspect passports and stamp them. Caribbean islands do not require them, so you would have to search to find someone to stamp it. In much of Europe there are no border controls within Europe, o you might have difficulty finding to stamp it.

 

 

Surprisingly in Europe your passport is almost always stamped. That is the one area where I have gotten dozens of stamps. May not be the case when traveling by land, but by sea you still get stamped.

[biker@sea]

Thanks for the replies. When I've flown to London our passports are always stamped. We're going to Cozumel, Belize and Honduras guess we'll see if they can be stamped. I would only get them stamped by official custom agents

 

For a stamp in Cozumel.

 

Go past Punta Langosta pier towards the ferry terminal.

 

Go in the Plaza del Sol. Down the back end.

 

The Department of Tourism on the 2nd floor does offical passport stamps. :D

[Langley Cruisers]

Surprisingly in Europe your passport is almost always stamped. That is the one area where I have gotten dozens of stamps. May not be the case when traveling by land, but by sea you still get stamped.

 

No, not always true. Not one stamp in any of our Med ports - only in the airports.

[Uncwrn93]

For a stamp in Cozumel.

 

Go past Punta Langosta pier towards the ferry terminal.

 

Go in the Plaza del Sol. Down the back end.

 

The Department of Tourism on the 2nd floor does offical passport stamps. :D

 

Thank you. Let's see if I can find it

[zqvol]

No, not always true. Not one stamp in any of our Med ports - only in the airports.

 

 

Must depend on the size of the ship. I have one from every island we stopped at in Greece, Turkey, Croatia, and Montenegro. Of course our ship had fewer than 100 passengers on each voyage and they always hold passports which may explain why they were stamped.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Skip the stamps and choose itineraries to countries that require visas. Some are quite artistic and detailed (e.g, China)

[NMLady]

Surprisingly in Europe your passport is almost always stamped. That is the one area where I have gotten dozens of stamps. May not be the case when traveling by land, but by sea you still get stamped.

 

Not necessarily true. We did not get passports stamped at any of our Mediterranean ports even though three different countries: Italy, Gibraltar, Croatia.

[CallyCruzer]

Actually very easy in the Caribbean ports - just ask at the security gates at most of the ports - they can tell you where to go to get them stamped. We have had ours stamped at most all of them - we have taken about a dozen Caribbean cruises - St. Maartin, St. Lucia, etc. etc. Usually the offices are in the main town square. A few have been at the port. We have found they are happy to do so - and never for a fee.

[ARcruisin2]

Thanks for the replies. When I've flown to London our passports are always stamped. We're going to Cozumel, Belize and Honduras guess we'll see if they can be stamped. I would only get them stamped by official custom agents

 

Roatan - At the top of the hill(far end of the port area from ship) there is a booth to get your stamp. I think it's the first booth in the big pavilion you walk through to get a taxi.

 

I did not use it, personally... but wish i had taken my passport off ship to get stamped...will try to remember next time :-)

[AKman2495]

Surprisingly in Europe your passport is almost always stamped. That is the one area where I have gotten dozens of stamps. May not be the case when traveling by land, but by sea you still get stamped.

 

Not any more. We were on a TA recently and got them stamped in London. They had Dutch customs officials on board in South Hampton and when we boarded, we got them stamped as entering Holland (our first stop). after that-nada. We were in France, Spain and Portugal and do not see a customs agent...

[K&RCurt]

I have to ask. Why would you want your passport stamped if you can avoid it?

 

The State Department will no longer add pages to passports, so once it is full, you will have to pay for a new passport. The stamp shows everyone who inspects it where you have been. Some countries are not friendly with other countries and that can also change over time. Why create the possibility of extra scrutiny at a boarder in the future if you can help it?

 

A Passport is a legal document not a scrap book to record your travelogue, I don't understand the desire to get unnecessary stamps in it.

 

Can anyone help me understand how getting a passport stamped when not needed is a good thing?

[kelkel2]

We like to get ours stamped in the caribbean when we are there as well. When first arriving in the port there usually isn't an issue finding a port officer or someone uniformed who can point you in the correct direction to do this.

There's absolutely no reason you can't get this done. You have your passport in a foreign country, you can get a stamp if you take the time to find the correct place to have it done.

Edited to add, I don't worry about filling the pages. I would never fill my pages by the time my passport expires. I try to get a stamp from every island I have visited. After all, it is a foreign country I have visited.

Edited December 17, 2015 by kelkel2

[rockdoctor]

The no stamping business has one good byproduct. A standard passport is more likely to last 10 years without sending it in for additional pages.

[K&RCurt]

The no stamping business has one good byproduct. A standard passport is more likely to last 10 years without sending it in for additional pages.

 

You can no longer get additional pages added, you have to get a new passport.

[biker@sea]

I have to ask. Why would you want your passport stamped if you can avoid it?

 

The State Department will no longer add pages to passports, so once it is full, you will have to pay for a new passport. The stamp shows everyone who inspects it where you have been. Some countries are not friendly with other countries and that can also change over time. Why create the possibility of extra scrutiny at a boarder in the future if you can help it?

 

A Passport is a legal document not a scrap book to record your travelogue, I don't understand the desire to get unnecessary stamps in it.

 

Can anyone help me understand how getting a passport stamped when not needed is a good thing?

 

ADD PAGES???

 

I collected a dozen stamps in the past 8 years and still have 10 blank pages.

 

How many places you been to that stamped ??

 

I would love to fill a book in 10 years and would gladly pay for a new one.

.

Edited December 17, 2015 by biker@sea

[NMLady]

You can no longer get additional pages added, you have to get a new passport.

 

If you make the request for extra pages before 12/31 you can get them.

The rule about no additional pages start January 1st.

[Uncwrn93]

While we travel overseas periodically I have never filled my passport and sadly am doubtful I will ever travel that much.

 

Never considered that people wouldn't get their passport stamped. Maybe in the future all countries will go to passport cards since so few countries stamp them anymore by what people say here.

 

Thank you everyone for your information.

[griffy116]

Two Med cruises and I think my passport has been stamped twice. Visited Ireland, Italy, France, Turkey, Greece, Spain, without a stamp in any of these. Can't even remember what country I have stamps for. I do, however, have photos of us in the countries....lol

[Flatbush Flyer]

ADD PAGES???

 

 

 

I collected a dozen stamps in the past 8 years and still have 10 blank pages.

 

 

 

How many places you been to that stamped ??

 

 

 

I would love to fill a book in 10 years and would gladly pay for a new one.

 

.

 

 

Some of us have filled multiple passports (including extra pages) over our "working" years. International travel for business sounds interesting until you step back and realize you are often spending more time getting to and from a place than "visiting" it.