When visiting different ports of call (different countries) do you get your passport stamped? It'd be a shame to travel all that way and not get stamped.
On the two European cruises I've been on the passports were collected by the ship at embarcation and returned at the end of the cruise. The only passport stamps we received were at the points of entry and exit.
I didn't really like the idea either--but it wasn't optional.
And considering there were several incidents of pick-pocketting and purse-snatching ashore, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.
You should always make a copy of the front page of your passport and keep the copy in a separate location in case something does happen to your passport.
During my 1st Cruise on the Fascination in 2004, Carnival Collected my passport and gave it back at the end of the cruise.
That is the only time they ever did that.
On all of my other cruises, I have never had to turn in my passport, they checked it during boarding to verify that it matches the records I provided when I booked, an then gave it back to me.
When you leave the ship, you do need your "Ship ID" or Sail and Sign card and a photo ID like a driver's licence, but not a passport, I have taken my passport ashore as ID, Port Security will just look at the photo to make sure it is you, make sue you should be on the ship - Your Sail and Sign card, and then let you go on your way!, The only time my passport gets stamped is when I arrive at US Customs at the end of the cruise.
Originally posted by f-mattox:
On the two European cruises I've been on the passports were collected by the ship at embarcation and returned at the end of the cruise. The only passport stamps we received were at the points of entry and exit.
Wha-a-a-a????
You're telling me that during the cruise....when you got off the ship IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, they didn't let you have your passport?????!!!???
Like, passengers NEVER miss the boat?
Please....this May, if I get off the ship in Turkey and God forbid I miss the boat, I do NOT want to be without my passport.
How can they do this? Let THEM make photocopies and keep them!
I really don't know for sure what the thinking was--nobody said. We had a visa stamp from Turkey on our passports when we got them back; maybe it was just easier to collect them all at once rather than trying to get everyone to bring them in to get the stamp.
As for missing the ship, we each received a card with the port agents contact numbers in each port. Maybe they felt this was safer than taking the passport ashore and possibly losing it or having it stolen.
I never take my passport ashore--just a photocopy.
Like I said, I didn't like the idea of surrendering my passport, but it was not optional.
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