Sanya Visa?

[yogimax]

We will be on Rhapsody which has two stops in Viet-Nam and one in Sanya, China.

 

I emailed RCCL regarding visas. o.k. for Viet-Nam. They will provide.

 

In regard to Sanya, they said to check with the U.S. State Department.

 

Well, thanks for the helpful information!

 

I know that you do not need a visa for Hong Kong (port of embarkation and debarkation), but what about Sanya?

 

Obtaining a Chinese visa is both expensive and time-consuming. Does anyone know what the current requirements are? Too bad RCCL is of no real help!

[hooked-on cruising]

Hi Yogimax!

 

My family and I are also going on ROS, stopping in two Vietnam ports and Sanya, China. Departure is Port of HongKong.

I also read that the visas for Vietnam may be arranged on board, and cost per visa is about $25.00-30.00

Visas are required for China (Sanya), but not for (China) HongKong. Visit your local Chinese Consulate. They have several options and prices do vary. Choose the one best suited for your trip(s?). It took us a few days on regular priority.

[greatam]

You will need to apply for a Chinese visa. The OP has it relatively easy as there is a Consulate at 512 12th Ave, NYC. No visa service fees, no extra fees except the visa fees.

 

Just a helpful hint-the Chinese are now allowing MULTIPLE entry visas good for 24 months for the same $100.00. The actual application form states that you must be Chinese/American to get the multiple entry 24 month visa, but I have successfully gotten one and I am not Chinese (but I do travel there for business). It all depends on the agent who takes the application. But in any case, you should at least get the LONGEST visa with the most entries possible-it costs the same.

 

So get the multiple entry visa-who knows, you may want to go back to China in the next two years. Your multiple entry visa will still be good. IF you purchase what the cruise line tells you to purchase (single or double entry, depending on cruise), IF you decide you want to go back to China in the next 24 months, you will have to get another visa. NO sense wasting the $100 when you can get a visa good for two years (or at least one year) and multiple entries.

 

Also, if you are planning any kind of land vacation in China in connection with your cruise, you will need at least a double entry visa.

[anthk333]

We are also taking the Rhapsody in a few weeks. RCI has been going back and forth about the Vietnam visa (yes, we'll do it, no - not for US citizens, etc) so we took no chances and got our visa for Vietnam at the same time we got our China visa. Our China visa was $100 for multiple entries, valid for one year.

[Paul&Kathy]

Costa got visas for us on our recent call at Sanya on the Allegra. If you took a ship's tour it included the visa and they also ran a shuttle bus which was 5 euros for the bus and 15 euros for the visa. I am surprised that Royal Caribbean are not doing something similar - might be worth asking again ? If you get your own visas it would be an easy port to do on your own. The cruise terminal is on a little island linked to the land by a bridge and there is a nice looking beach right there. We took the shuttle because we had to in order to get the visa but I should think it was only half a mile or so from the ship to the town centre.

[camNaud]

UK passengers with Costa are covered by the following (Sanya is on Hainan Island).

 

from fco.gov.uk website travel advice.

 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Visas

British nationals require visas to enter Mainland China, but not Hong Kong. Visas cannot be obtained on arrival except at Hainan Island.

 

Citizens of other countries will have differing requirements.

[camNaud]

oops double post

[Philip217]

camNaud,

 

Sanya is not ON Hainan Island.

 

Sanya IS Hainan Island.

[camNaud]

camNaud,

 

Sanya is not ON Hainan Island.

 

Sanya IS Hainan Island.

 

Philip? are you sure about that... every atlas / map I view has Sanya as a city / town in the south side of Hainan island. Looks like Sanya is ON Hainan Island from here...... unless Hainan Island is A.K.A. Sanya Island.

 

[camNaud]

Sanya = City...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanya

[yogimax]

If you do a google search on Sanya or Hainan, you will find that either...

 

A visa is not required for stays of less than 15 days or

 

A visa will be issued on arrival for stays of under 15 days.

 

My question is simple...

 

Why doesn't Royal Caribbean know the answer?

[anthk333]

If you are a US Citizen, sailing on Royal Caribbean to Sanya, you need a Chinese visa. It's actually in the cruise documents.

[ShuswapCruisers]

If you are a US Citizen, sailing on Royal Caribbean to Sanya, you need a Chinese visa. It's actually in the cruise documents.

Again my 2 cents...

Just got off the Rhapsody B2B's

This is what happened to us.

We are Canadian and follow the same Visa requirements as US citizens.

We also paid to get Chinese Visas prior to.

 

The immigration rules changed in January.

The ship will apply for your Visa similar as it does for Vietnam.

There was no need for the Chinese Visa ahead of time.

Only UK residence were given a letter on who and how to apply for a refund.

 

The Sanya stop was the only stop that was... for us... poor.

Have a great time!

[yogimax]

If you are a US Citizen, sailing on Royal Caribbean to Sanya, you need a Chinese visa. It's actually in the cruise documents.

 

WRONG!

 

To reiterate - No Visa is needed for Sanya for Americans.

 

Just off Rhapsody on March 12th.

 

If we had spent the $260 for two visas, I would have been seething!

[anthk333]

WRONG!

 

To reiterate - No Visa is needed for Sanya for Americans.

 

Just off Rhapsody on March 12th.

 

If we had spent the $260 for two visas, I would have been seething!

 

This changed after our documents were printed. I'm not upset about having to get the visas - ours are valid for one year, and there is a very good chance of us getting back there before the year is up.

[yogimax]

This changed after our documents were printed. I'm not upset about having to get the visas - ours are valid for one year, and there is a very good chance of us getting back there before the year is up.

 

The only good thing about the $130 China visas is the fact that are now good for multiple visits.

 

I wonder what we charge residents of China for American visas. I assume it would be similar.

 

One question, though. If the policy indeed "changed" after the documents were printed, why didn't RCCL notify the affected passengers?

[anthk333]

One question, though. If the policy indeed "changed" after the documents were printed, why didn't RCCL notify the affected passengers?

 

As I mentioned in my review; they were not very organized in how they handled documentation and immigration issues.

 

Luckily for us, we got our visas before they went up to $130, we paid $100 for our one year, multiple entry visas.