Any Aussies entered Egypt on a cruise ship

[Pushka]

We are travelling on the Holy Lands cruise, and am hopeful that we will be proceeding to Egypt and Israel as planned.

 

I am hoping someone has entered Egypt on a cruise before - and can help me with Visas. I am getting lots of mixed, and non messages.

 

Princess line wont help because I'm not American (but my money seems to be acceptable ;) ); the Tour company I am booking with (private - the Princess Tours for an overnighter are $1200!) say that this is handled by their Immigration people before we disembark, but that does mean Princess have to do something, like collect our passports and hand them over); and the Egyptian Embassy in Australia have said that I should get them here, but then go on to say I can get them in the Port.:confused:

 

I would get them here to save any drama, but to do so would cost I think, around $300 as we are in Adelaide and need to use a Visa company.

 

I have booked online.

So, my heart says wait til we get there, my brain says do it before we go.

 

Help?:o

[Jacs]

We did Holy Lands with RCI I October and did the ship overnighter. They collected our passports when we boarded and on the second sea day (day before Egypt) we had our interview with Israli immigration and got our Isreal pass. Our passports were also stamped for Egypt at this time. We never bought a visa or had to organize anything, but I don't know if this was because of the ship tour. Australian citizens don't need to pre apply for visas though, so at worst all you will need to do is pay a small fee at the port. But I can not recall anyone getting off the ship actually having to do this when we got there, everyone just go off te ship an onto waiting busses.

[Pushka]

Thanks Jacs. It seems like we don't need to do anything just yet.

 

Did you enjoy the Holy Lands cruise?

[Gaznjo]

when we were on the Dawn princess we didn't have to get any visa's ... obviously all handled by the ship...

[bazzaw]

when we were on the Dawn princess we didn't have to get any visa's ... obviously all handled by the ship...

 

Same here for our visit to Sharm el Sheikh with P&O

 

Barry

[springaussie]

when we were on the Dawn princess we didn't have to get any visa's ... obviously all handled by the ship...

The same for Voyager of the Seas no visas.

BUT India you need a visa if going there.

Glen

[Sutho]

Back in 2006 I did require a visa to stop at Port Said and Safaga on Oriana. Things have obviously changed since then as it was very clear on the P&O documentation as an Australian I needed a visa for Egypt. If the regulations have changed since then it probably explains the confusion if you need one or not.

[pkw]

Hi pushka

 

We travel on Australian passports and went to Egypt in November on board Celebrity Solstice.

 

The ship collected our passports when we boarded and organised the visa for Egypt for us at no cost - because we were going through the suez canal we had to and our passports in again and then a second visa was issued for our next Egyptian port.

 

Can't help you with Israel sorry.

 

Enjoy your trip.

 

Regards

 

pkw

[Big Kev]

Hi pushka

 

We travel on Australian passports and went to Egypt in November on board Celebrity Solstice.

 

The ship collected our passports when we boarded and organised the visa for Egypt for us at no cost - because we were going through the suez canal we had to and our passports in again and then a second visa was issued for our next Egyptian port.

 

Can't help you with Israel sorry.

 

Enjoy your trip.

 

Regards

 

pkw

 

Ditto re pkw comments.. We were also on Australian passports on same 2012 Solstice repo.

 

In 2011, with NCL, we had also visited Port Said and Alexandria, where Egyptian authorities also processed visas whilst travelling on board. (Issued without interview).

 

Also 2011, Holy Lands with NCL we had Israeli authorities travelling on-board for a 'face to face " interview where they issued and an identity/entry card which needed to be carried whilst ashore..... (Because of problems in the area, they do not stamp your passport, because that could cause you problems when entering other countries).

 

The ships did all the work in organizing this, at no cost, so guess that if arriving and leaving that mode, you would also have no worries..

 

Hope that helps.

 

Sue and Phil

 

 

.

[Jacs]

Thanks Jacs. It seems like we don't need to do anything just yet.

 

Did you enjoy the Holy Lands cruise?

 

It was amazing, I still get shivers thinking about it and looking at photos. We did the overnighter down to Luxor and then back to Cairo, we weren't able to do the Cairo museum because of riots, but other than that it was fine and felt very safe.

 

Israel we did Jerusalem/Bethlehem on the first day and Masada/Dead sea the second. If you haven't booked anything yet I can highly reccomend Guided tours Israel, they were fantastic, particularly our Guide Mickey (female).

[Pushka]

Ditto re pkw comments.. We were also on Australian passports on same 2012 Solstice repo.

 

In 2011, with NCL, we had also visited Port Said and Alexandria, where Egyptian authorities also processed visas whilst travelling on board. (Issued without interview).

 

Also 2011, Holy Lands with NCL we had Israeli authorities travelling on-board for a 'face to face " interview where they issued and an identity/entry card which needed to be carried whilst ashore..... (Because of problems in the area, they do not stamp your passport, because that could cause you problems when entering other countries).

 

The ships did all the work in organizing this, at no cost, so guess that if arriving and leaving that mode, you would also have no worries..

 

Hope that helps.

 

Sue and Phil

 

 

.

 

Thankyou so much to everyone who has posted! Much appreciated indeed!

 

Big Kev, the highlighted bit in red is really important as we are travelling back through Dubai (and with the Qantas tie up with Emirates, this is going to be even more significant) so this is good to know. It's good that Israel recognises this issue with travellers and tries to accommodate their needs if travelling through Arabic countries, esp UAE and the like.

 

We've signed up for a private overnight tour in Egypt and going to see the sites sounds simply amazing. Bucket list stuff. Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks for the Israel tips Jacs.

[Pushka]

I've just found this handy little booklet - seems like no pre visa required as everyone here said!:p

 

http://www.princess.com/pdf/global/cab/Cruise_Answer_Book.pdf

[kuldalai]

Travelled on OCEAN PRINCESS recently Rome to Singapore as an Australian Passport holder .

 

Egypt - Visa on arrival at both ports, Jordan - At Aqaba ONLY free Visa on arrival, Oman - on arrival, Dubai - on arrival.

 

India - Visa required . Must obtain in Australia before departure . Indians are real bureaucrats and getting the visa requires quite a bit of documentation.

The British invented RED tape, but it took the Indians to really perfect it and stuff you around.

[Pushka]

How did you enjoy Ocean Princess? She's the sister ship of Pacific.

 

I know what you mean about Indian Visas. Three times I had to go to the visa processing area because of those stupid non standard passport photos.

 

 

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