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Sapphire Princess - Vietnam visa - Asia cruise


mishfromva
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I’m a United States citizen and I’m cruising on the Sapphire Princess out of Shanghai January 5, 2019. It includes a stop in Vietnam.

This was released from the Vietnam Embassy and was approved by the Prime Minister. It indicates a change in visa fees for cruise ship passengers to $5.  I’m wondering why Princess still lists the fee as $56!? Anyone have insight.  Or know when Princess will adopt the new fees? Or is it just a fleecing?

Here is the article:

https://vietnamvisaembassy.org/vietnam-visa-fee-cruise-passengers-back-us5-per-pax/

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Talked to a Princess rep last week. The fee will remain at $56 pp.

Attempted to get clarity via email on obtaining a visa from the Vietnamese embassy but never received a response.

Have read many boards over the past several weeks and am still looking for answers.

 

 

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3 hours ago, mishfromva said:

I’m a United States citizen and I’m cruising on the Sapphire Princess out of Shanghai January 5, 2019. It includes a stop in Vietnam.

This was released from the Vietnam Embassy and was approved by the Prime Minister. It indicates a change in visa fees for cruise ship passengers to $5.  I’m wondering why Princess still lists the fee as $56!? Anyone have insight.  Or know when Princess will adopt the new fees? Or is it just a fleecing?

Here is the article:

https://vietnamvisaembassy.org/vietnam-visa-fee-cruise-passengers-back-us5-per-pax/

The site your referenced is not the official Vietnamese embassy site it is a commercial site that processes visa applications.  The message you are referencing is actually an old message and the Prime Minister referenced left office in 2016.  

As such the site and posting is not relevant to the cruise (which I will be on)

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Wow!  Thank you for your correction! I’ve been bamboozled!  Looked like a legitimate page! Thank you for the clarity.

 Curious if I’m better off obtaining a visa at the embassy (I’m 10 miles from DC) or just paying the $56 from Princess?  Thank you again for correcting my mistake.

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12 minutes ago, mishfromva said:

Wow!  Thank you for your correction! I’ve been bamboozled!  Looked like a legitimate page! Thank you for the clarity.

 Curious if I’m better off obtaining a visa at the embassy (I’m 10 miles from DC) or just paying the $56 from Princess?  Thank you again for correcting my mistake.

Someone in the roll call went the get it himself route.  It cost him more than the amount Princess is charging.

I would only get one myself if I was planning to do something it Vietnam that required a Visa covering more than the Princess one would, such as if I was planning to go back to Vietnam after the cruise for example.

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We did a 21-day B2B out of Singapore last January.  You turn in your passport as part of the boarding process and Princess takes care of everything related to visas/country clearances for all the countries on your itinerary. You didn't have to do anything special for Vietnam as long as you arrive/depart on a cruise ship the same day. If you take the cross country excursion to Ankor Wat, then a special visa is required.

Enjoy!

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On 10/16/2018 at 11:35 AM, crawford said:

Talked to a Princess rep last week. The fee will remain at $56 pp.

Attempted to get clarity via email on obtaining a visa from the Vietnamese embassy but never received a response.

Have read many boards over the past several weeks and am still looking for answers.

 

 

I went to search for who told me how to get inexpensive visa online when I found this posted by someone who will be on the Sapphire Princess in January.  It says that Vietnam has lowered visa price for ship passengers to $5.

 

https://vietnamvisaembassy.org/vietnam-visa-fee-cruise-passengers-back-us5-per-pax/

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Have been on two Princess Cruises this year  with port stops in Vietnam, both times  July & October Princess charged me US Passport $30.00 for visa.  My wife presented her Philippines Passport and the visa fee was zero. I have heard these numbers quoted 56.00 by never know anyone charged this amount in USD.  In AUD dollars yes the fee is higher and charged at AU$56.00 but never talked to a passenger charged* US$56.00 for the visa.

 

*Charged means added to your ship account and paid..... I know Princess says US $56.00 but what they say and do seem to be two different things.

 

 

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I live in Vietnam; and can tell you the only thing constant about visas is change... all is flux. 

 

Anything you read about visas for past cruises is anecdotal - it may or may not apply by this December. The links above in mishfromva's and LBSKY's posts, stating a cruise ship pax visa is $5, is to an article published on Jan. 14, 2015.

 

While I cannot speak for Princess, I think what they do is set a price - $56 - based on a worst case scenario (HAL is currently quoting $63) so as to not have pax ending up with 'visa shock'. The lines quite literally don't know what it's going to cost by the time the ship gets there... and neither do the Vietnamese.

 

It is quite likely the charge will end up being much less than what they are quoting. This has been my experience on past cruises and is backed up by Expat Cruise's experience.

 

In the past, unless one needs a visa for pre or post-cruise travel, the easiest and least expensive way to obtain a visa/landing clearance is to let the cruise line handle it.... of course, this is anecdotal. 

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22 hours ago, LBSKI said:

I went to search for who told me how to get inexpensive visa online when I found this posted by someone who will be on the Sapphire Princess in January.  It says that Vietnam has lowered visa price for ship passengers to $5.

 

https://vietnamvisaembassy.org/vietnam-visa-fee-cruise-passengers-back-us5-per-pax/

Already said up above 

 

The site you referenced is not the official Vietnamese embassy site it is a commercial site that processes visa applications.  The message you are referencing is actually an old message and the Prime Minister referenced left office in 2016.  

As such the site and posting is not relevant to the cruise

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19 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

Have been on two Princess Cruises this year  with port stops in Vietnam, both times  July & October Princess charged me US Passport $30.00 for visa.  My wife presented her Philippines Passport and the visa fee was zero. I have heard these numbers quoted 56.00 by never know anyone charged this amount in USD.  In AUD dollars yes the fee is higher and charged at AU$56.00 but never talked to a passenger charged* US$56.00 for the visa.

 

*Charged means added to your ship account and paid..... I know Princess says US $56.00 but what they say and do seem to be two different things.

 

 

Somebody from the Feb 2019 cruise tried the do it yourself route through the Vietnamese embassy.  Cost him more than $56.

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2 hours ago, RDC1 said:

Already said up above 

 

The site you referenced is not the official Vietnamese embassy site it is a commercial site that processes visa applications.  The message you are referencing is actually an old message and the Prime Minister referenced left office in 2016.  

As such the site and posting is not relevant to the cruise

I realize it is a commercial site and could be used if wanted.  However, seems like Princess doesn't usually charge $56 so might as well leave it to them.

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13 hours ago, LBSKI said:

I realize it is a commercial site and could be used if wanted.  However, seems like Princess doesn't usually charge $56 so might as well leave it to them.

It is a commercial site giving incorrect information. Not exactly an encouragement for one to want to use them. The question is if the obsolete posting is by intent trying to get people to order through them, or due to incompetence.  In either case not a site I would care to use.

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I received a Visa notice from Princess this morning citing the $56.  I found the article with the $5 but then found the actual Vietnam government site which had a price of $25.  Was thinking of pursuing directly but am encouraged by what others have said about the likelihood of Princess charging a lower amount if warranted.

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  • 1 month later...
On 10/16/2018 at 12:34 PM, mishfromva said:

Wow!  Thank you for your correction! I’ve been bamboozled!  Looked like a legitimate page! Thank you for the clarity.

 Curious if I’m better off obtaining a visa at the embassy (I’m 10 miles from DC) or just paying the $56 from Princess?  Thank you again for correcting my mistake.

You are actually correct in assuming that the Vietnam government is charging $5 USD for the group rate for cruise ship passengers. I am currently in a battle with Princess cruises about this. They refuse to lower their fee even though Celebrity cruises charges $6 USD. I have read many forums on this and I have a recent email from Celebrity stating they will charge $6 USD per person. Please email customerrelations@princess.com to complain about this overcharge. 

Kari

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On 10/23/2018 at 10:26 AM, azbirdmom said:

I received a Visa notice from Princess this morning citing the $56.  I found the article with the $5 but then found the actual Vietnam government site which had a price of $25.  Was thinking of pursuing directly but am encouraged by what others have said about the likelihood of Princess charging a lower amount if warranted.

The last few conversations I have had with Princess are not encouraging. They refuse to lower the fee at this time. One rep said they need proof that Celebrity is charging $6. All they have to do is phone them. The $25 fee you found is probably for a visa on arrival which is only for arriving at an airport. 

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On 10/22/2018 at 8:42 PM, LBSKI said:

I realize it is a commercial site and could be used if wanted.  However, seems like Princess doesn't usually charge $56 so might as well leave it to them.

Princess will be charging $56 USD per person. And if you are making more than one non-consecutive stop (as in the 22 day cruise in December) then you have to pay twice.

kari

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Be aware that Princess cruise lines is still ripping off their passengers and charging $56 USD for the Vietnam loose leaf visa. The Vietnamese government is currently charging $5USD as a group rate to cruise ship passengers. This could change of course, but I have written to Celebrity and they have been charging $6 USD per person for quite awhile. Numerous posts also state that RCL charges $6 USD. Please write customerrelations@princesscruises.com to complain about this outrageous overcharge. 

On top of all this, did you know you have to pay the $56 twice if you visit Vietnam twice unconsecutively. 

Kari

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3 minutes ago, karioncruising said:

Be aware that Princess cruise lines is still ripping off their passengers and charging $56 USD for the Vietnam loose leaf visa. The Vietnamese government is currently charging $5USD as a group rate to cruise ship passengers. This could change of course, but I have written to Celebrity and they have been charging $6 USD per person for quite awhile. Numerous posts also state that RCL charges $6 USD. Please write customerrelations@princesscruises.com to complain about this outrageous overcharge. 

On top of all this, did you know you have to pay the $56 twice if you visit Vietnam twice unconsecutively. 

Kari

On our last cruise to VN this last Oct., we were only charged $34 despite info indicating we would be charged $56. In the big picture, If I don't have to take 7 hours of my time to go get our Visa like I did for China, the cost was worth it.

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24 minutes ago, TheRabbit said:

On our last cruise to VN this last Oct., we were only charged $34 despite info indicating we would be charged $56. In the big picture, If I don't have to take 7 hours of my time to go get our Visa like I did for China, the cost was worth it.

Thanks for the info. 

If we are only charged $34, I will be happy.

 

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1 minute ago, karioncruising said:

Thanks for the info. 

If we are only charged $34, I will be happy.

 

Not sure if you are going to China on your trip, but the Visa for China was $140 and you had to go to the consulate and wait twice. Once for turning in your passport and application (yes, they take and hold your passport for 3 to 4 days for processing) and another time for picking it up. You can avoid the wait by paying $100 extra each ($240 total) to an agency that will do the foot work for you. Makes the $34 look like a bargain!

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40 minutes ago, karioncruising said:

Be aware that Princess cruise lines is still ripping off their passengers and charging $56 USD for the Vietnam loose leaf visa. The Vietnamese government is currently charging $5USD as a group rate to cruise ship passengers. This could change of course, but I have written to Celebrity and they have been charging $6 USD per person for quite awhile. Numerous posts also state that RCL charges $6 USD. Please write customerrelations@princesscruises.com to complain about this outrageous overcharge. 

On top of all this, did you know you have to pay the $56 twice if you visit Vietnam twice unconsecutively. 

Kari

If anyone can find a cheaper alternative to using the Princess option, please walk us through the steps. I sure can't find any. Have talked to Princess directly myself about this issue. They don't really seem to care what anyone else charges. 

 

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5 minutes ago, crawford said:

If anyone can find a cheaper alternative to using the Princess option, please walk us through the steps. I sure can't find any. Have talked to Princess directly myself about this issue. They don't really seem to care what anyone else charges. 

 

There is no cheaper option at this point on Princess. Just need to pass it on to as many people as possible to spread the word what Princess is doing.

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48 minutes ago, karioncruising said:

Be aware that Princess cruise lines is still ripping off their passengers and charging $56 USD for the Vietnam loose leaf visa. The Vietnamese government is currently charging $5USD as a group rate to cruise ship passengers. This could change of course, but I have written to Celebrity and they have been charging $6 USD per person for quite awhile. Numerous posts also state that RCL charges $6 USD. Please write customerrelations@princesscruises.com to complain about this outrageous overcharge. 

On top of all this, did you know you have to pay the $56 twice if you visit Vietnam twice unconsecutively. 

Kari

 

There was a thread a few weeks ago that the sites that referred to the $5US for the Vietnam visa were not authentic. You may have your facts wrong in that case. You should try and find the previous thread and see if your claims are,in fact, correct.  

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