Caribbean cruising - how many pages in my passport will I need

[tim_london0]

I'm on Marella Discovery - Tropical Shores/Exotic Islands next year - 12 ports in 14 days.

 

I've been told that it's normal for a cruise ship to hold my passport for such trips and that they will deal with immigration requirements at each port.

 

Is it usual for Caribbean island countries to stamp passports in this circumstance or do they just rely upon the ship holding my passport as "security" and not bother?

 

As per title, how many free pages am I likely to need before embarking upon this trip - some number close to 0, or some number close to 12? 

 

thanks

 

tim

 

 

[lionstc]

The only times I needed my passport in January was at check in at Gatwick and for US immigration (wasted day).. Other than that never showed it to anyone.

[tim_london0]

OK

 

though there is no US immigration that might waste a day.  The connecting flight is a Thomson flight to Barbados.

 

There is, however, 2 US Dominions (or whatever they call them) on the trip which require an ESTA (yes I do have one) which someone will need to check and record. Possibly even with the finger print confirmation.

[lionstc]

Even though you have anESTA you still have to have  is a face to face with US immigration on the ship. It’s done by getting a number that are issued at 7 in the morning. I got there about quarter past and didn’t get called until about 2 o clock then queued for an hour. That was why it was a waste of a day! The way around this is to book a trip with Marella on that day as you’ll get seen first. Ours was done on the first stop in the US Virgin isles. Hope this helps

[gramwold]

hi Tim, we have been with Marella many times  to Caribbean out of Barbados. first off Barbados, your luggage is bonded so when you put your case on the belt at your local airport you will see it next outside your cabin on the ship, also you wont enter the terminal building in Barbados. when the plane lands you will walk down the steps and onto a buss that takes you to the port for check in for the ship, so about 40 mins from plane to boarding ship. you have to fill in Barbados imm igration form online 3 days before travel its easy to do.  All other Caribbean islands unless the ship tells you  your cruise card will be ok to get back onto the ship. we also have photo copy of passport  but have not needed them.  The exception as you say is the  US Virgin Isles, Puerto Rico  and US mainland. Our experience was  2 Virgin Isles fairly quick face to face onboard and we did not do trips. Puerto Rico was a long que in the terminal building which i think was  about an hour to get through and again we were not on a ship excursion. hope this helps  and have a great cruise.

[lionstc]

Immigration was done in Frederiksred USVI with 5 desks in the Squid and Anchor. St Croix and Puerto Rico were just walk offs with the cruise card

[tim_london0]

wow

 

so you are saying that they make you wait 8 hours before you can get off at the first (US) port of call to check your ESTA.  meaning that effectively you don't get to see that destination at all.

 

That's disgusting

 

why can't they do that during the previous At Sea day?

 

first port of call is San Juan.  Everything that a first time visitor might want to see is walking distance from the dock.  Why would I want to book a tour?

 

 

 

 

[lionstc]

As I said our immigration was done in Frederiksted a tiny island. Puerto Rico will hopefully be different. People who book tours get seen first.

[suech1970]

Are these immigration checks because Marella sails out of Barbados and not the US? Because we’ve been to San Juan and USVI in recent cruises on NCL and we’ve just walked right off, no immigration. 

[tim_london0]

Almost certainly.

 

Recently been to Guam and immigration just looks like part of the US.

 

The Americans on our tour just walked though the "fast track" section with their pre-checked passports, and the rest of us had to queue for an hour.