Arrange Visas independantly or through the Cruise Liner?

[mat090]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just wondering what is easier or more cost effective, to prearrange your Visas yourself before you board the cruiseship or just let the Cruise ship arrange it. We need three for a 14day cruise. One for Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia The visa for Indonesia is US$25 more per person than paying for it on arrival, not sure how much extra the other countrys are as I havent never been there before.

 

Just wondering what everone else does.

 

FYI we are all Australian Citizens

 

TIA

[Keith1010]

Easier is clearly to let the cruise line do this on board.

 

In the scheme of things we are not talking about a lot of money so for us we have always had the cruise line arrange this for each of these ports of call.

 

Keith

[John Bull]

Visas for most countries are simpler & cheaper left for the ship to arrange - if that facility is available.

For instance the ship-issued visa for Vietnam nowadays costs only around $6 for most ships. It isn't a full tourist visa, it's one specifically issued to cruise passengers but only to cover their arrivals & departures on the ship. To arrive or depart in any other way, most nationals have to apply in advance for a regular tourist visa.

Visas for Indonesia & Cambodia issued by the ship also cost only a few dollars.

All the above applies to most - perhaps all - nationalities.

 

But for some countries, eg India & mainland China, you have to apply in advance for your own visa.

 

The difficulty is figuring which countries need a visa (which can depend on your nationality) and, if so, whether the ship arranges them. That's not as easy as it sounds, because cruise line head office don't always know their stuff or different staff give conflicting advice, and some countries waive the visa requirement for cruise passengers on a port-of-call visit but fail to mention this on their official websites

I've seen on Cruise Critic examples of folk who've unnecessarily gone through the hoops to get a visa when they didn't need to, and others who've had difficulties boarding because they hadn't arranged their own visas in advance - this incudes some who weren't intending to get off the ship in that particular port & incorrectly thought that they therefore didn't need a visa.

 

Forums like Cruise Critic are sometimes your best source of information, from folk who've recently visited those places on a cruise - as long as they're the same nationality as you.

 

From a few months back Vietnam has been trialling visa-free travel for British citizens, and word is that if it works out OK that will be extended to other nationalities including Americans.

So if you cancel your cruise & re-book for a couple of years' time you might save yourselves $6 ;)

 

JB :)

Edited March 17, 2016 by John Bull

[Clarea]

I would let the cruise line handle the Visas.

[moniquet]

I would DIY. Could be careless 21 yr olds applying for you. Last week in UK news a British man left it to a TA to apply for esta for a cruise departing USA. He was held by immigration overnight because the stupid TA had ticked the box which asks something like 'are you or have you been involved in terrorist activities':rolleyes:

[Keith1010]

I would DIY. Could be careless 21 yr olds applying for you. Last week in UK news a British man left it to a TA to apply for esta for a cruise departing USA. He was held by immigration overnight because the stupid TA had ticked the box which asks something like 'are you or have you been involved in terrorist activities':rolleyes:

 

We are talking about very easy visas that the ships get for everyone on board. And a lot easier than doing it yourself. I have been to each of these ports several times and let the ship do it as just about everyone I know. In fact, we wish the ship could do every visa but that is not possible for selected ones.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

I would DIY. Could be careless 21 yr olds applying for you. Last week in UK news a British man left it to a TA to apply for esta for a cruise departing USA. He was held by immigration overnight because the stupid TA had ticked the box which asks something like 'are you or have you been involved in terrorist activities':rolleyes:

I'd still leave leave the Visas to the cruise line.

[mat090]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

If the cost do do the visa on the ship was reasonable I would not even be asking the question, however the prices quoted seem to be expensive. US$56 for Vietnam US$55 for Cambodia and US$60 for Indonesia X that by 3 people and it adds a lot to the total cost of the cruise.

 

Not sure why it's so expensive on princess cruises :(

[Ashland]

For these ports let the cruiseline do it. Our Vietnam visa onboard RCI Mariner was only $6.00pp those that got them pre-cruise paid a lot more and were very disappointed they had gotten the advice to do so.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Ashland

[mat090]

I would let the cruise liner do it, if it was only $6, but $55 seems a bit much

[xxoocruiser]

deleted

Edited March 18, 2016 by xxoocruiser