Passport stamps in the Carribean

[HP_Lovecraft]

This question gets asked once in a while, but I've never really seen a good answer.

My question:
Is is possible to get stamps in my passport from various countries while travelling through the Carribean? (in particular: Jamaica, Caymans, and Mexico).

Most of the threads I have found have said that it was easy before 9/11, but harder after 9/11. OK, exactly how hard?
It just seems like the ultimate soveineer to have a passport stamp from that particular country.

Has anyone actually, recently, managed to get a stamp in there passport from jamaica? or the caymans? or in Cozumel? If so, where?

thanks

Nick

[lougee1043]

i dont even remember showing my passport when i went to these stops

[springtxbill]

If you really wanted to get it stamped, you might have a chance by going to the airport and seeing if you could get them to stamp it. As far as the ship goes, your passport is never seen by the country officials, only the manifest of the ship.

[kitty9]

Since passports aren't required, you won't get stamps anywhere on your cruise. I don't know if you want to hassle and waste time by going out to the airports just to get stamps in a passport and for that matter, I doubt that you can just go to an airport without having a ticket just to get a stamp. Believe it or not, even when cruising in Europe you're most likely not to get stamps in a passport. When I flew into Rome and Paris, all the agents did at Immigration was look at my passport, but neither place put a stamp in the passport.

[JanetMarie]

And I remember some of the islands that USED to stamp your passports no longer do. When we vacationed in Aruba, they did not. But a couple of years ago, they did. I'm speaking of a weeklong stay there as opposed to a cruise stop.

[springtxbill]

It's not like it used to be. I miss all the stampsshowing where you had been.:(

[mirrajay]

I was told in Canada, you can simply ask the people at customs and they will stamp it for you? Anyone know if this is different than the Carribbean or am I out of luck as far as stamps go as well?

[springtxbill]

The problem on a cruise is you never see the Customs people, that is why I said previously you might be able to get it done at a airport as you may be able to find one. No guarantee however.

[lougee1043]

they dont even stamp your passport when you leave or return to the usa- its just scanned now

[mirrajay]

Sad sad....Oh well...Maybe I'll get a random Canadian to sign it for me and write "Carey was in Halifax" :)

Just kidding - I'm sure that null and voids it or something!

Thanks for the info...now I wont be dissapointed when I dont get a stamp.

[HP_Lovecraft]

I know they they no longer stamp them. Heck, its not even required in the Carribean for an American. And we are told to actually leave them ON THE ship if we have one.

But... just seems like a fun thing to do.

So, I guess the only real solution is to find an airport, and find a customs guy, and haggle a bit for a stamp. That sounds like a good waste of my time? ;)

Oh, I suppose if I happen to pass an airport, or have absolutely nothing to do... I'll give it a shot, and let you guys know how it turns out.

Nick

[imsulin]

I've gotten my passport stamped when I've FLOWN in. Aruba (has a great BON BINI stamp!), Jamaica, Cayman, St. Lucia. Mexico. I was just in Cancun in may, and my passport was stamped. Just not on cruise ships.

[mirrajay]

You wont be able to even get close to the customs guys in an airport without a ticket. :( We will all have to deal with being stamp-less on our cruises and enjoy the stamps on our land based vacations.

[lougee1043]

So, I guess the only real solution is to find an airport, and find a customs guy, and haggle a bit for a stamp. That sounds like a good waste of my time? ;)

actually its an immigration officer that would stamp a passport

[imsulin]

Correct, lougee.

[HP_Lovecraft]

We will all have to deal with being stamp-less on our cruises.

Oh, I guess that sums it up.

At least it saves me the time and effort of trying to get one.... heck.. I'd probobly end up getting into trouble!

Nick

[lougee1043]

once on a land trip we passed through customs in paris and we were being waved through and my wife asked him to stamp our passports and he looked at us like we were crazy -he did it but had that look that we had asked him to do something very very hard

[Ta421sBtrHalf]

My son loves looking at all of my stamps from Europe in my old passport. He was soooo excited when he got his passport and couldn't wait to get his first stamp. When we got to the D.R. and the Bahamas on our last cruise he asked if they could stamp it and they said no. He was one mad customer!

[ty's mom]

I may be a little late to add to the forum, BUT I was able to get my passport stamped in La Guira (sp?), Venezula. In the shopping area where passengers are directed (can you imagine?!?) there was an immigration office. We simply walked in and asked them to stamp our passports. I think they thought we were crazy for asking, but they complied.

As for someone writing in your passport, I was in Heathrow and literally ran into Bill Clinton. I mumbled something and pushed my pp in his face. He graciously signed it on the very last page. It makes for a good story even if you can't fully read the signature.

[Ta421sBtrHalf]

I may be a little late to add to the forum, BUT I was able to get my passport stamped in La Guira (sp?), Venezula. In the shopping area where passengers are directed (can you imagine?!?) there was an immigration office. We simply walked in and asked them to stamp our passports. I think they thought we were crazy for asking, but they complied.

As for someone writing in your passport, I was in Heathrow and literally ran into Bill Clinton. I mumbled something and pushed my pp in his face. He graciously signed it on the very last page. It makes for a good story even if you can't fully read the signature.


You are so lucky! I waited in the July Miami sun for 9 hours for him to sign my copy of "My Life" ...

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have traveled extensively all over and have los of expired passports - very few stamps in any of them and I would say that we have been to at least 72 different countries - husband keeps track.

[tin01]

You can get stamps into your passport, but you have to ask for an immigration officer in the port ( every port has one ). It's better to have it stamped when you leave the ship, because some close their office before 4PM. Got my stamp in Barbados, Antigua , St.lucia and Tortola.

Tin

[MikeNJ1109]

My wife and I were able to get our passports stamped at the cruiseport area on Aruba. As you get off the ship, the Aruban immigration authority is right in the terminal area, and they were most gracious in stamping our travel documents. Just ask any of the immigration officers, and they can direct you to the right location.

Michael

[springtxbill]

The immigration people are probably very excited to actually have something to do.http://messages.cruisecritic.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[TravellerMel]

I know this post is rather old, but thought I'd let you all know I returned yesterday from a cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Mexico, and was able to get a passport stamp from the first two ports. In Jamaica, the Customs officer was at the security desk just inside the port terminal - very easy to get, just had to ask. In Grand Cayman, it was just outside the tender dock - up the stairs and again just had to ask for it. That's a cool one by the way - looks like a peg-legged pirate turtle!

[Amlee]

I did a 10 day Southern Caribbean last year and got stamps to all of my ports of call. Before I left home, I made 2 photo copies of my passport to keep. One to go in the safe and one to keep with me. I then went down to the Guest Relations desk and asked them to have my passport stamped. I was given a reciept that I had to have in order to pick my passport back up. I also had to show photo id (DL's).

I put the reciept in the safe, and on the last day I went down like I was told to do. My passport was stamped with all of port of calls.

I meant to do it on my 10 Day British Isle/Western Europe cruise, but I forgot to.

[NoelsCat]

As the previous poster stated, if you ask the purser's desk they will get all the stamps for you.

[michmike]

Here's an easy solution... give up on the passport stamp idea and simply pick up a refrigerator magnet in each port of call.. and then spend the time you'd waste running after stamps, in a local bar, sampling the local rum and admiring your magnet.

[ala-kat]

Flew into and out of Mexico last month. According to my passport, I'm still in Mexico. Don't count on the airport.

[Amlee]

Here's an easy solution... give up on the passport stamp idea and simply pick up a refrigerator magnet in each port of call.. and then spend the time you'd waste running after stamps, in a local bar, sampling the local rum and admiring your magnet.


No running around at all. You leave the passport with the ship and they get it stamped for you. Simple and Easy!

[Namvet4]

No running around at all. You leave the passport with the ship and they get it stamped for you. Simple and Easy!
Amlee... Thanks for the info.. Do you know if that is customary on all ships? I would be interested to know if Cunard (QM2) would accomodate!

[Amlee]

Your welcome.

I would suggest that you call them and ask. That is what I did and knew going aboard what to do. I know Royal and Disney does this. Both had the passport reciept for me to fill out and keep. Since they had the form already, I assumed they do this often.

[momofmeg]

This question gets asked once in a while, but I've never really seen a good answer.

My question:
Is is possible to get stamps in my passport from various countries while travelling through the Carribean? (in particular: Jamaica, Caymans, and Mexico).

Most of the threads I have found have said that it was easy before 9/11, but harder after 9/11. OK, exactly how hard?
It just seems like the ultimate soveineer to have a passport stamp from that particular country.

Has anyone actually, recently, managed to get a stamp in there passport from jamaica? or the caymans? or in Cozumel? If so, where?

thanks

Nick

LOL! I have never worried about that! After all my cruises I have only 3 stamps in my passport, two for London and one for Brussels , we flew to London and Brussels years ago and then recently we flew back to London before taking a transatlantic cruise, so even though we were also in France and Ireland, no stamps for them, as we did them by ship! but heck, I don't need the stamps, I know I was there!

I have heard of people going to like what I would call a visitor's center and getting stamps, I have never cared to bother though.