On A Transatlantic Cruise From Europe When Are You Stamped Out of the Schengen Zone

[SeaGayGuy]

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!

[Hlitner]

As I recall, there is no "stamping out" when you leave Schengen countries.

 

Hank

[Floridiana]

Hank,

Yes, there has been for a few years now for non Schengen passports.

 

SeaGayGuy,

The ship will probably handle this with the authorities in your last Schengen port. On 3 cruises within the Schengen zone, the ship kept our US passports for inspections with the authorities. There were only a few countries with face to face passport inspections during the cruise. For us they were Australia, Russia, the UAE, and Japan.

[Heidi13]

Last year, our passports were stamped both entering & leaving Shengen Zone countries.

[Hlitner]

The thing is that the OP is doing a Transatlantic which means they do not go through Passport control at a departing airport. When we have done TAs we will get the usual entry stamp when we enter Europe, including Schengen countries. But we not recall even passing through any kind of Passport control when our ship left the last Schengen port. On most of those cruises we had possession of our Passports (there are some cruises where the cruise line does hold Passports for clearance purposes) and there was just no place where we got our Passport stamped as we returned to the ship at our last Schengen Port. When we have exited at a Schengen airport our Passports were stamped. We will soon be doing another TA from Europe and will carefully check :). Since I just got a new Passport (renewal) and its a "virgin" it will be easy to spot any stamps. Our last Schengen country will be Norway .....so we shall see.

 

Hank

[SeaGayGuy]

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.

[whogo]

I assume that most immigration is tracked by computer instead of passport stamps. We had no passport stamps leaving the Schengen area on our 2016 transatlantic.

[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?

[pris993]

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!

 

We were on the Royal, Princess TA from Barcelona to Florida last year... no stamping out...

[SRF]

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?

 

Backup.

[cruising cockroach]

No passport control on a sailing to Florida 6 years ago. I recall Portuguese customs making themselves available for stamping VAT-refund forms at the last Schengen stop (Lisbon IIRC as the Azores may be outside the customs zone).