Weird Visa notice from HAL

[Fouremco]

19 minutes ago, Ka Honu said:

I got the same notice on an upcoming Circle Japan cruise (with a stop in Korea). Having played this game before, I checked out Japanese & Korean government websites and found there was no requirement for US citizens to have visas in either place.

 

HAL lays off their visa business to CIBT who is almost always much more expensive and often more difficult than going through the issuing (government) authority. There are exceptions, usually when you need multiple visas for one cruise and have to physically get them from consulates far from where you live - like LA and Hawaii for us.

 

I've seen CIBT charge $60 for an electronic visa available from the issuing government on line for under $10 so you'd do well to check them out before them your business.

 

Jus' sayin'...

CIBT is just one of many similar companies that take advantage of people by charging usurious rates for visas and the like that are readily available online or through contact with foreign embassies/consulates at a far lower cost. It's a pity that HAL has chosen to promote this company without pointing out alternative courses of action.

[broberts]

34 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

CIBT is just one of many similar companies that take advantage of people by charging usurious rates for visas and the like that are readily available online or through contact with foreign embassies/consulates at a far lower cost. It's a pity that HAL has chosen to promote this company without pointing out alternative courses of action.

 

It's only usurious if one doesn't value the time and bother required.

 

I don't think anyone is forcing the use of CIBT.

[bigbeergut]

14 hours ago, mightycruisequeen said:

On the Welcome Back email I received about an upcoming HAL cruise, there was this notice:

VISA(S) ARE REQUIRED

One or more visas are REQUIRED for someone in your party. We encourage you to confirm which visa(s) with our partner CIBTvisas that can help you secure these for a fee.

Visit CIBTvisas website     (Mind you, this is a Caribbean cruise, and we are both US citizens.) Why would visas be required for either of us???

Did you go to the CiBTvisa website and check what they think you need?

[mightycruisequeen]

1 hour ago, bigbeergut said:

Did you go to the CiBTvisa website and check what they think you need?

Yes, it looks like I don't need anything, if I'm reading the results right.

[mightycruisequeen]

So, yesterday I got another email from Holland America, again saying the someone in our party needs a visa for this sailing, with the link to CIBTvisas, and again according to CIBTvisas, US citizens don't need a visa for less than one day in any of the ports we'll visit.  What the heck??? Seems as though the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing at HAL.

I emailed HAL's Documentation Dept about it this morning, trying to get some clarity.