Visa for Egypt

[mlkitt3]

Hi we will be in Egypt in May aboard Holland ship Noordam.

Could some one who has been on a cruise in 2012 and called in Egypt please help with information.

We are doing a ship tour from Port Said to Cairo.

Then the next day a Private tour from Alexandria.

My question is will we need a visa or can we get it at the port like we have been told?

Does the ship organise visa for the ship tour?

Any information would be wonderful.

[arzz]

We visited Egypt in April, 2011 on Holland America - toured independently, overnight from Alexandria to Port Said --

 

We visited Egypt again last November on Seabourn -- we stopped at Hurgada, Sharm el Sheik and toured Luxor, overnight, again independently.

 

Both times all visas were handled on board by the cruise line. We did not have to do anything.

 

Do not know if it is different if you are from Australia. Check with Holland America.

[SwissMyst]

Just back from a Suez passage on the Rotterdam - did the Luxor ship excursion from Safaga (our only landing port) and don't recall needing an visas or if they were obtained for the tour group by the ship.

 

We tried to do a private Cairo day trip (Jan 2013) from Safaga but the local tour operator said no one was going into Cairo from there any longer - situation too unstable.

 

And then the very next day after we departed, the country blew up again on the anniversary of the earlier government over throw. However, all that being said, the day we did our overland trip to Luxor all was very well, quiet and highly scenic.

 

And getting up a 3am to watch the entrance into the canal at Port Said was a sight never to be forgotten, particularly when some scruffy looking traders came up along side and got their boat hauled up on the forward deck so they could sell "things" to the crew - all very odd, but an officer was there monitoring the whole thing. Part of the Suez bakeesh that comes with the territory?

[twonga]

I would also like this confirmed too. I emailed Hal and they said it will be stamped on arrival, but I've also heard that its sorted on the ship before arrival?

[cruisemom42]

I've visited Egypt on HAL and 3 other lines. All ships handle this more or less the same way.

 

The Egyptian officials stamp everyone's passport with what is called a "quick stay" visa stamp. It's usually done on board the ship before your arrive in your Egyptian port. They will collect everyone's passport (or may already have your passport due to earlier collection) to do this; then you'll have to pick up your passport (or in some cases your steward will return it) and tou will take it with you, as Egypt is one of the countries that requires you to carry it when ashore.

 

This is done for EVERY traveler, whether you are on the ship's tour or on a private tour (or just getting off the ship on your own).

 

On some smaller ships they may not do the sorting/stamping of passports until your arrival, but on larger ships they handle it in advance by having the Egyptian officials board the ship at the previous port.

[mlkitt3]

Thank you for the information. :)

[bishop84]

And getting up a 3am to watch the entrance into the canal at Port Said was a sight never to be forgotten, particularly when some scruffy looking traders came up along side and got their boat hauled up on the forward deck so they could sell "things" to the crew - all very odd, but an officer was there monitoring the whole thing. Part of the Suez bakeesh that comes with the territory?

 

They are actually employees of the Suez Canal and are supposed to be there in case something goes wrong and they need to tie the ship up somewhere on the canal. However most of the time they sell souveniors to crew and sometime to the passengers as well depending on the ship.