Egypt visas -- please provide your experience!!

I don't usually post on this board, but I know that Azamara has itineraries that include Egypt and I'm hoping some of you will help.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about whether cruise ship passengers to Egypt need to obtain their own visa or whether the ship will provide them with one. Sadly, cruise line reps and TAs seem to provide incorrect information to many. In the interest of collecting as much information as possible that will be helpful to future Egyptian cruisers, I'm asking everyone to please provide their own experience here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1008588

If you have done Egypt on Azamara (or another line) would you please take the time to share your visa experience (at the link listed) in order to help future travelers?

Thanks, much appreciated!

I am a TA and with these cruises, if you stay on the ships tours and although I'm sure there are people who will dispute this, I would recommend them in Egypt, the cruiseline will get the visas. If you want to do it on your own, you will need to get them. Just had some people come off an RCCL cruise there and that's the way it works. It's always been like that. This is normal in many ports, i.e., St. Petersburg.

. If you want to do it on your own, you will need to get them. Just had some people come off an RCCL cruise there and that's the way it works. It's always been like that. This is normal in many ports, i.e., St. Petersburg.

That was not our experience with Azamara ...we did a private tour from Alexandria to Cairo and the ship provided a visa for us. Unfortunately, a woman on our cruise spent hundreds of dollars needlessly to obtain Visas prior to her cruise, at the recommendation of her TA.

(I've responded with more details on the link provided by the OP.)

I am a TA and with these cruises, if you stay on the ships tours and although I'm sure there are people who will dispute this, I would recommend them in Egypt, the cruiseline will get the visas. If you want to do it on your own, you will need to get them. Just had some people come off an RCCL cruise there and that's the way it works. It's always been like that. This is normal in many ports, i.e., St. Petersburg.

This is also not true of Princess, as reported by many. All the passengers receive the same "Quick Stay" visa whether or not they take a ship-sponsored tour.

It is a different situation altogether from the one in St Petersburg.

We did ships tours in Egypt last September on the Journey on both days, and did not need visas.

Hope that helps.

I just came back from Egypt on Azamara.

I think it depends on your nationality - US, UK and some other nationalities do not need a visa arriving on cruise but I called and emailed the embassy prior to leaving and I was given a emphatic "No" - Singapore passport does not qualify for this visa - so we did it, and we got through. No problems. Those folks at the gangway did specifically ask for us to show our visa.

We are booked on the Azamara Journey which stops in Egypt in October 2009. We recently received our Shore Excursion guide which states "US and Canadian citizens can obtain their Egypt Quick-Trip visa upon vessel arrival in Egypt" The extra information that we received from our travel agent seems to indicate that these Quick Trip visas are only for those on Azamara 's shore excursions. We are wanting to book our own private tours so aren't sure what to do. Has anyone taken Azamara to Egypt and received the Quick Trip visa on a privately booked tour?

Thanks for all responses.

Azamara/RCI/X provides a 72 hr Quick Trip visa for anyone in Egypt. It is currently free. You do not have to do the ship's tours. It applies for certain countries such as the UK, USA, Canada. Israeli citizens not covered.

We were in Egypt last month on RCCL. We had to turn in our passports at embarkation, and we got them before we arrived in Egypt, stamped with the "quick-trip" visa at no cost (at least no cost we were separately charged for--probably part of the cruise cost).

No need to get your own visa in advance as part of a cruise ship visit.

Oceania does the same as above - takes care of it for all cruisers regardless of whether or not one uses a ship or private tour. How would Egyptian immigration (who are the ones stamping your passports) know (or care) what you are doing for an excursion or even if you are getting off at all?

The extra information that we received from our travel agent seems to indicate that these Quick Trip visas are only for those on Azamara 's shore excursions.

We took a private tour in Egypt and only required the 'quick trip visa' provided by Azamara. Unfortunately, some TA's provide inaccurate info on this....we met a woman on our cruise who was quite annoyed with her (now former) TA, over the money that she spent needlessly on Visas for Egypt and Turkey for herself and her family.

Thanks to everyone....especially Cruisemom42

We are going to Egypt next year on AZ and I've just begun to start beginning our research, gathering info and making our to do lists for the planning stage!

this is invaluable info.....

and you are saving me a lot of leg work/time/energy by having it in one location!

K.

Well.

A lot of good information has been posted here.

A travel agent who suggests you get a visa is covering all bases. I am not certain that a "ships visa" extends to all nationalities or all types of passports. Also, rules for that sort of thing can and do change overnight.

If it isn't an inconvenience and you can afford it, I would recommend you get a visa also, especially if I were a travel agent. They look sort of cool in your passport anyway.

Now what I have just said will mean nothing to a lot of people, but it is sound advice based upon more that a little experience.

Still, the choice is yours.

Smooth sailng....

I don't usually post on this board, but I know that Azamara has itineraries that include Egypt and I'm hoping some of you will help.

 

There seems to be a lot of confusion about whether cruise ship passengers to Egypt need to obtain their own visa or whether the ship will provide them with one. Sadly, cruise line reps and TAs seem to provide incorrect information to many. In the interest of collecting as much information as possible that will be helpful to future Egyptian cruisers, I'm asking everyone to please provide their own experience here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1008588

 

If you have done Egypt on Azamara (or another line) would you please take the time to share your visa experience (at the link listed) in order to help future travelers?

 

Thanks, much appreciated!

Direct from email from X UK:

Most guests are provided with a Quick Trip Visa onboard the vessel which is valid for 72 hours and allows entry to Egypt. This service is available to citizens of the UK, US, Canada, European Economic Community, Scandinavian countries, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Please note this service is not available to Israeli citizens.

Then there is a big list of who does need to get the visa beforehand:

ALL AFRICAN COUNTRIES

ALL SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES

ALL COUNTRIES AT WAR

TEMPORARY PASSPORTS / BRITISH VISITOR PASSPORTS ALLOWED ONLY WITH APPROVAL OF IMMIGRATION

ALBANIA

BARBAROS

BELIZ

CAPE VERDE

HONDURAS

MALAYSIA

NAMIBIA

NIPAL

NICARAGUA

SERBIA

SIERRALEONE

SERILANKA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

YEMEN

MONTENEGRO

SCOPIA

KAZAKHISTAN ( ONLY IF LANDING )

AFGHANISTAN

ALGERIA

BANGLADESH

CHAD

PEPOLE'S RREPUBLIC OF CHINA

GHANA

INDIA

INDONISIA

IRAN

IRAQ

ISRAEL

LEBANON

LIBERIA

MALI

NIGERIA

PAKISTAN

PALESTINE

PHILIPPINES

RWANDA

BOSNIA

SIERRALEONE

SOMALIA

SERILANKA

SUDAN

THAILAND

TURKEY

TUNIS

MOLDOVIAN ( ONLY FEMALE PAX FROM 15 TO 35 YEARS OLD) .