Rio Carnival?

[ciana]

HI -- we are considering a Celebrity cruise during Rio's Carnival but wonder what kind of cost (ballpark figure) would it be to do a shore excursion to the event?

 

Thanks for your help!:)

[WestLakeGirl]

Has this been offered before? You may not be able to find out what the cost is if this is a new itinerary

[sanger727]

Absolutely no clue, but I do know that Brazil's visa process is a nightmare. My parents looked at doing a cruise there because it was affordable but gave up over the visa process and went to Peru instead. So just be aware that you have sufficient time to get one before you book.

 

 

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[ciana]

We were just in Brazil in November. I agree - the Brazilian visa is a nightmare !! It is not for the faint of heart to apply. It can often be rejected. We almost gave up! Since we have it now, it is good for 5 years so we thought we might look at going back to Rio ( which we quite liked!) on a cruise. Celebrity is offering one on the Eclipse in 2019 but if the shore excursion is too much $$ we will look at doing something different. Thus we are trying to get a ball park figure on what might be charged for the shore excursion to attend a session of Carnival. It looks like the Eclipse will be docked in Rio for 3 days. We won't look into it any further if the cost of the shore excursion is beyond us.

Anyone with any idea as to possible cost??

[GottaKnowWhen]

We were just in Brazil in November. I agree - the Brazilian visa is a nightmare !! It is not for the faint of heart to apply. It can often be rejected. We almost gave up! Since we have it now, it is good for 5 years so we thought we might look at going back to Rio ( which we quite liked!) on a cruise. Celebrity is offering one on the Eclipse in 2019 but if the shore excursion is too much $$ we will look at doing something different. Thus we are trying to get a ball park figure on what might be charged for the shore excursion to attend a session of Carnival. It looks like the Eclipse will be docked in Rio for 3 days. We won't look into it any further if the cost of the shore excursion is beyond us.

Anyone with any idea as to possible cost??

 

 

No idea about cost, but wonder why go with ship's excursion? With three days in port, seems like that would be ample opportunity to go ashore and find a taxi...

 

Our Brazil visa issued January 2016 is valid for 10 years. Not sure why yours is limited to five. We had to submit a form, photo, our passport, a money order for the cost. Nothing unusual or nightmarish about the process. Also not sure why you say that applications might be rejected...

 

 

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[jelayne]

For the 2017 Carnival sailing Celebrity's shore excursions are $ 600 pp for Grandstand seating and $2000 pp for box seats. The grandstand seating provides great views. We purchased our tickets from a tour operator- tickets in section 8 (directly across from section 9 where X grandstand are) were $540 for the 2 of us.

 

We used a visa service to get our Brazil visit back in 2010 which made very easy & it took just 10 days.

[sanger727]

Looked into it out of curiosity.

 

This company offers a 3 day tour package for cruises in 2017 on that itinerary

 

https://www.dobrazilright.com/product/2017-rio-carnival-3-day-tour-26feb-27feb-28feb-celebrity-infinity-passengers/

 

for $300 pp.

 

as well as a variety of other Carnival related tours, tickets, and transfers.

[jelayne]

Looked into it out of curiosity.

 

This company offers a 3 day tour package for cruises in 2017 on that itinerary

 

https://www.dobrazilright.com/product/2017-rio-carnival-3-day-tour-26feb-27feb-28feb-celebrity-infinity-passengers/

 

for $300 pp.

 

as well as a variety of other Carnival related tours, tickets, and transfers.

 

The $300 pp is what we found to be about standard for a 3 day tour. In actually the tour is over a 3 day period but is not a full 3 days. There is a short day on the day of the parade (so you can rest up for the long at the parade) and the day after the parade the tour starts later.

 

The $300 does not include tickets/transpiration to the parade. We are figuring the stop in Rio will cost about at least $1300 and probably closer to $1500.

[kobecat]

We went in 2013 and bought expensive seats privately - worth every cent, an experience I will never forget.

 

 

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[TravelerThom]

... Brazil's visa process is a nightmare...

I had heard this and was prepared for the worst when I applied a year ago. I went on-line and CAREFULLY read everything and had everything in order when I went to the Consulate in DC (I am local). The official spent 5-8 minutes checking that I had all the proper documentation while I stood there. Passport with Visa mailed back to me in one (1) day, and received the following day. They are picky on getting all the info they request, but IME if done correctly it was pretty easy. I think that Brazil used to make it intentionally difficult for US citizens in retaliation for the difficulty Brazilians encounter getting a US Visa, but they seemed to have ceased the intentional difficulty (no doubt partially due to the slowing of the Brazilian economy, and the need for tourist dollars - during the recent Olympics Brazil got so desperate that they temporarily dropped Visa requirements for a number of nationalities including the US).

 

Brazil issues US citizens a 10 year Visa which remains good even if you get a new passport (as long as you also bring the old Visa bearing passport). Length of Visa or whether you even need one may vary by nationality.

 

Thom

[cruisestitch]

"Our Brazil visa issued January 2016 is valid for 10 years. Not sure why yours is limited to five. "

 

Maybe because they are in Canada, you are in the US.

[HokiePoq]

Not on X, but our HAL excursion to Carnival this February is $499pp. It can be booked privately for less but we were concerned about logistics.

We had no problems with the Visa process (except the cost) using Travisa. We did book early and have plenty of time to apply.

[ciana]

Yes we are Canadian and the visa process is difficult! Some members in our group had to submit bank statements and 2 years of income tax statements in order to get the visa. While we waited in the Consulate office for our turn -- 2 different couples had their application rejected. They argued about it but still were turned away to come back another time. I wasn't sure what they hadn't completed correctly. The Brazilian Consulate in Vancouver seemed to have different requirements than the one in Toronto-- but you were only permitted to apply to the one based on where you lived.

Our visas are only good for 5 years -- not 10.

In addition, we had to pay an Argentina reciprocity fee (approx. $100CAD) but that is good for 10 yrs and it was easy to get as it is done on-line. I don't think the US has to pay this.

Thanks for some idea of costs for Carnival. We went to the grandstands on our trip in November and thought we would love to come back there during Carnival time. Private tours are always an option as long as it's not on the day the ship sails -- traffic would be a nightmare!!

[HokiePoq]

Yes we are Canadian and the visa process is difficult! Some members in our group had to submit bank statements and 2 years of income tax statements in order to get the visa. While we waited in the Consulate office for our turn -- 2 different couples had their application rejected. They argued about it but still were turned away to come back another time. I wasn't sure what they hadn't completed correctly. The Brazilian Consulate in Vancouver seemed to have different requirements than the one in Toronto-- but you were only permitted to apply to the one based on where you lived.

Our visas are only good for 5 years -- not 10.

In addition, we had to pay an Argentina reciprocity fee (approx. $100CAD) but that is good for 10 yrs and it was easy to get as it is done on-line. I don't think the US has to pay this.

Thanks for some idea of costs for Carnival. We went to the grandstands on our trip in November and thought we would love to come back there during Carnival time. Private tours are always an option as long as it's not on the day the ship sails -- traffic would be a nightmare!!

 

Folks on our roll call agree with you that Canadians seem to have an even harder way to go to get the visa. I don't understand that. Coming in on the ship seems to help...why I can't say. Yes, US has to pay Argentina reciprocity fee like you do. We have one we got a couple of years ago when we did a round the horn cruise on Infinity.

[TommyD3]

Yes we are Canadian and the visa process is difficult! Some members in our group had to submit bank statements and 2 years of income tax statements in order to get the visa.

 

Consulate in Miami also requests bank statements. We cancelled February cruise because we refuse to release financial info to foreign countries !!!

[TravelerThom]

...Yes, US has to pay Argentina reciprocity fee like you do...

No longer true. The Argentine fee for US citizens was temporarily suspended on 24 Mar 2016 and made permanent (at least for now) on 23 Aug 2016 by Argentine Presidential Decree 959/2016. Reciprocity Fees still apply to Canadians and others.