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How/where can we get our passports stamped?


NJCruisers

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I'm in the process of getting new passports and our expired ones do not have any stamps - how sad.  

We are traveling to Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire & St. Thomas - any idea how to get this done?  And if so is it something that can be done close by to where the ships are in port?

I'm more worried about taking our passports with us while on the beaches.  Since it's only 2 of us constantly switching off to swim doesn't sound like much fun.  

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I believe someone here has done it and they said they had to pay to get the stamp.   However, may I ask why?  My passport is 3 yrs old.  I have no stamps.  3 cruises and Australia.  I laugh now bc I want to know why on earth am I carrying around this passport book.   Can't we just make something like a drivers license? I pity my Hubby bc he floats between 2 passports due to work.  Neither one has a stamp.

Please don't answer, bc I know the answer.  My cousin is a consultant for a company that makes the glue for the passports.  

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22 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

I believe someone here has done it and they said they had to pay to get the stamp.   However, may I ask why?  My passport is 3 yrs old.  I have no stamps.  3 cruises and Australia.  I laugh now bc I want to know why on earth am I carrying around this passport book.   Can't we just make something like a drivers license? I pity my Hubby bc he floats between 2 passports due to work.  Neither one has a stamp.

Please don't answer, bc I know the answer.  My cousin is a consultant for a company that makes the glue for the passports.  

LOL - sorry I'm going to answer.  My daughter used to work for Disney in Epcot and had a souvenir passport that they stamped at all the countries there.  Now she travels internationally and we joke that her real passport isn't as fun. Mine looks really lame so I figured if it was easy to just get it stamped then I would like to.  It's certainly not a must do. 

Thank your cousin - my daughter's work visa for China has held up pretty good!

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13 hours ago, Psycho and Barb said:

Some of us have two official passports...One for countries we’ve been to that we don’t want known and one for countries we don’t care if it’s known 

Or in my hubby's case.  1 for personal travel and 1 for work.  I have traveled with him both on his business trips and our personal vacations.  We laugh on the business trips bc we get off the plane, and I go one way (personal passport) and he goes the other way (work) for customs.  I have a long line and he walks straight through.    

OBTW his 2nd passport has no stamps on it either.  

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21 hours ago, NJCruisers said:

Mine looks really lame so I figured if it was easy to just get it stamped then I would like to.  It's certainly not a must do. 

It might look lame, but the fact is everytime I travel overseas all they do for the US passports is just scan the barcode and BOOM you are in.  

When I was in Australia last May, they had kiosks for your passports when entering the country.  You just scanned your passport and declaration forms, than walked straight to the luggage carousel.  You did not meet any custom agent.

Back on topic. For all of my RCCL cruises they bring on board custom agents and corral you into a specific area at a specific time (ours has always been in the theatre)  You bring your docs/passport to the meeting place.   I never got a stamp.  It was scanned and done.  

We never carry our passports with us.  We keep them in the safe.  We only take our license, sea pass and 1 credit card.  Just me, but 

1. We always plan to be back on board at least 90 mins prior to sail away.  G forbid there is a traffic issue, I won't have to worry about running to the dock

2. We do book with RCCL for certain excursions.  IE we are going to snorkel in Bermuda, and used RCCL because I know that if the catamaran breaks down, or is late returning, since it is with RCCL they will hold the ship.  For the Bahamas we are going to Graycliffs (Chocolate Factory) and Queens Anne staircase on our own because we are docked for 12 hrs., and I am not needing a tender or bus to get there.

3. FEAR.  G forbid my bag is stolen and I have our passports in my bag.  Now I am stuck trying to fix the problem while I am at sea.  No thank you.  

Just me and how I feel

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Some places you can get your passport stamped in the cruise terminal at others it is at a location a short walk away at like a post office.  Ask when you get in port and a local or port official may can direct you to where you can get a stamp.  The only place I have ever had to pay was at Grand Turk and it was only $1

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On 2/23/2019 at 10:58 AM, Pima1988 said:

It might look lame, but the fact is everytime I travel overseas all they do for the US passports is just scan the barcode and BOOM you are in.  

When I was in Australia last May, they had kiosks for your passports when entering the country.  You just scanned your passport and declaration forms, than walked straight to the luggage carousel.  You did not meet any custom agent.

Back on topic. For all of my RCCL cruises they bring on board custom agents and corral you into a specific area at a specific time (ours has always been in the theatre)  You bring your docs/passport to the meeting place.   I never got a stamp.  It was scanned and done.  

We never carry our passports with us.  We keep them in the safe.  We only take our license, sea pass and 1 credit card.  Just me, but 

1. We always plan to be back on board at least 90 mins prior to sail away.  G forbid there is a traffic issue, I won't have to worry about running to the dock

2. We do book with RCCL for certain excursions.  IE we are going to snorkel in Bermuda, and used RCCL because I know that if the catamaran breaks down, or is late returning, since it is with RCCL they will hold the ship.  For the Bahamas we are going to Graycliffs (Chocolate Factory) and Queens Anne staircase on our own because we are docked for 12 hrs., and I am not needing a tender or bus to get there.

3. FEAR.  G forbid my bag is stolen and I have our passports in my bag.  Now I am stuck trying to fix the problem while I am at sea.  No thank you.  

Just me and how I feel

You bring up many good points.  I know for a fact, 2 port days we will be coming back to the ship in between so I figured if I could just get my passport stamped nearby I would do it.  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Back when I went on my very first cruise, we were able to drop off our passports at the front desk, and they would ask the customs official clearing the ship for debarkation to stamp them for us. I didn't even try on m last cruise and I don't know why. but it may be worth a shot!

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Agree that on cruises since much of the work is done for you the passport doesn’t really get used.  Just adding a couple of quick notes.

- we have not done most of the OP’s islands yet so can’t give specifics and agree it should be possible to find a place to get the stamp but it can be tricky locating that actual spot.  

- confirming the Bahamas passport stamp, it is free and is in the small building to the left of the port shops.  It is just outside the fence.  There is a guard that will let you out there so you don’t have to walk into the area with all the taxi and horse carriages trying to get you to ride with them.  

- question for the OP, about the stamp in St. Thomas, not sure that will work with a US passport.  Your screen name has NJ so guessing you are New Jersey and that was in the US.  Not sure that US territory will stamp a US passport, technically you are in the country of your passport.

- during our Panama Canal crossing they had a rep at the desk onboard the ship that would provide the stamp.  That was the only time other than in Scotland where i’ve Seen someone on the ship.  (In Scotland they setup reps in the theater the day before arrival and everyone on board was given a time to be processed and it was mandatory.)

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When we went to the UK, I asked to the agent to stamp my passport (Husband and Daughter rolling their eyes at me).  He had to get off his stool and go in an office look around for a bit, then he asked a co-worker, finally found it.  Came back and stamped my card.  I haven't asked since.

I'm with Pima1988, if they don't need to stamp anymore, give use a laminated card (hard plastic) and not the books.  I know they have a passport card but I read it is a not the same as a passport book.

I think I just figured it out, please be kind if it was really obvious.  I should've gotten both when I just renewed so we could carry the card on port days and not worry about the book, is that what the card it for?

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3 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

When I go to the EU on biz they still stamp my passport.

You made me curious so I pulled out my husband's biz passport (not the traditional blue) and he has 0 stamps.  He travels overseas at least 2x a yr. on business, but usually to 1 country at a time.  He has a trip next week, but this time he will be going to 3 countries over 2 weeks, so I will check to see if he got stamped in any of the countries.  

He also has the traditional blue that he uses for personal use when we travel together.  He has 0 like me.

Back to the regular scheduled program.

 

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16 hours ago, MicDay said:

When we went to the UK, I asked to the agent to stamp my passport (Husband and Daughter rolling their eyes at me).  He had to get off his stool and go in an office look around for a bit, then he asked a co-worker, finally found it.  Came back and stamped my card.  I haven't asked since.

I'm with Pima1988, if they don't need to stamp anymore, give use a laminated card (hard plastic) and not the books.  I know they have a passport card but I read it is a not the same as a passport book.

I think I just figured it out, please be kind if it was really obvious.  I should've gotten both when I just renewed so we could carry the card on port days and not worry about the book, is that what the card it for?

The card will only let you travel by boat or car. To fly you will still need your passport book. 

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