SeaGayGuy

Hmm, everything I've read says to make sure you get your passport stamped when leave the Schengen Zone because you need to prove you left. And if its all done by computer, then what's with the stamps in the first place?

It seems very odd. We did a TA cruise coming to Europe this spring and even though our first port of call was also Ponta Delgada, and we stopped at three Spanish ports of calls, our passports weren't stamped until Barcelona when we cleared immigration. So as far as I can tell, our Schengen time didn't start until five days after we actually entered the EU.

So going back -- we're out side of the EU right now -- I want to make sure our passports get stamped when we exit, but given there was no passport control when we transited Ponta Delgada entering the EU, I'm wondering if they will do anything leaving Ponta Delgada. Honestly, I'm not sure why they would bother.

I'm looking at doing a transatlantic cruise from Barcelona back to the US this fall. One thing I'm not clear on is when I would be stamped out of the Schengen Zone. Our final European port of call would be Ponta Delgada. Would they check our passports there and stamp us out there? Thanks!