Visas-are they needed for the Sth Pacific?

[sherri3802]

My husband and I and some friends are off on a cruise in January on Sun Princess and I just idly checked out the cruise personaliser.

Imagine my shock to see a note in the section, 'My important messages" that says we require a visa before we sail and it can be obtained for a fee from princess cruises.

Our online travel agent said to my friend quite emphatically that we don't need visas.

But I am unnerved, I don't know what to think!:(

We are all Australian citizens and off (hopefully, if they let us sail) to Noumea, Vila, places like that.

 

Do we or do we not need to panic and get a visa immediately?:eek:

[MsMinx]

No need for visa's. If you're travelling on an Australian passport you'll be fine :)

 

My hubby has done 4 cruises on a Dutch passport with his Aus residency stamp in it and he's never needed a visa either.

 

Twice though his passport has been taken away for a 'random' check in Noumea. Apparently they're pretty selective as to who they let in LOL :D:p

[sherri3802]

Thanks, Jo.

You have relieved my mind a lot.

What I can't understand is why princess lines can't fix their website so it shows accurate information for Australian passengers.

It says Australia-then proceeds to say we need a visa. It knows where we are going, so it shouldn't be a hard job to tweak their website for accuracy. If my friend had not had it from the travel agent that that was inaccurate, I would have been ringing Princess in a panic to buy one.

[MargnGrah]

Before we went on our last cruise I was a little concerned, as I thought we may have needed a visa to enter Tonga (we hadn't been that far out before), did an enquiry, but no everything was fine and no visa needed!!!! :D

Cruising up to PNG next year, suppose I will have to find out if visa is needed there!!!:rolleyes:

....Anyone know????

[Rasa Sayang]

Cruising up to PNG next year, suppose I will have to find out if visa is needed there!!!:rolleyes:

....Anyone know????

 

YES.

 

We require Visas for Rabaul on our Oriana trip in February09.

 

P&O World Cruises arranges them and just charges the shipboard account.

 

Can't comment on other cruise lines.

 

To quote the P&O letter:

 

"Visas for Papua New Guinea are compulsory for Australian and NZ passport holders and will be issued upon the ships arrival, whether you are staying on board or going ashore. You do not need to obtain a visa for PNG in advance of the cruise. Applicable charges will be applied to you onboard account".

[Ela 2]

Hi Sherri 3802,

I think the Princess website has information for American passport holders and that the information has not been adjusted for Australians. You definitely do not need a visa for any South Pacific ports, and that includes Tahiti.

Evon.

[MargnGrah]

YES.

 

We require Visas for Rabaul on our Oriana trip in February09.

 

P&O World Cruises arranges them and just charges the shipboard account.

 

Can't comment on other cruise lines.

 

To quote the P&O letter:

 

"Visas for Papua New Guinea are compulsory for Australian and NZ passport holders and will be issued upon the ships arrival, whether you are staying on board or going ashore. You do not need to obtain a visa for PNG in advance of the cruise. Applicable charges will be applied to you onboard account".

 

Thanks Dennis, will have to look into what I have to do for our cruise. :)

 

We are going with Princess Cruises......Dawn Princess.

[arxcards]

My husband and I and some friends are off on a cruise in January on Sun Princess and I just idly checked out the cruise personaliser.

Imagine my shock to see a note in the section, 'My important messages" that says we require a visa before we sail and it can be obtained for a fee from princess cruises.

Our online travel agent said to my friend quite emphatically that we don't need visas.

But I am unnerved, I don't know what to think!:(

We are all Australian citizens and off (hopefully, if they let us sail) to Noumea, Vila, places like that.

 

Do we or do we not need to panic and get a visa immediately?:eek:

Hi Sherri,

Just some extra confirmation for you. No Visa is required for nearly all of the Pacific cruises operated from Oz. The Princess personaliser has a glitch - it assumes all passengers are from North America (as Evon mentioned). I was told this glitch would be fixed over a year ago, but the wheels turn slowly. I can imagine that their call centre receives calls about this every week, tying up their resources.

[Kinkacruiser]

Hi Marg,

Our TA mentioned a visa would be needed for Rabaul. She believes Princess will organise them for all pax for around $35, but she won't know for sure until about 3 months before we leave.

I also tend to panic when I see something off-putting like that on the Princess personliser.

Cheers,

Anna

[MargnGrah]

Hi Anna,

 

We booked through an on-line T/A, and as yet have not spoken to anyone about Visas......was going to ring Princess when cruise gets closer.:confused:

 

It would be great if Princess did organise this for us and even if it went up higher in price it will be worth it for them to do it.:rolleyes:

[Ela 2]

Hi Marg & Anna,

 

Passengers on the Cherry Blossom cruise (7th March 09) on the Dawn Princess have been told to get visas for their visit to Rabaul. They are getting them themselves. A TA can organise it for you and there will be a courier fee involved. Otherwise, if you can get to the New Guinea consulate in Brisbane or Sydney, you can organise it yourself. It might not be worth the bother doing it yourself because I think you would have to visit the Consulate twice.

 

Evon.

[Kinkacruiser]

Thanks Evon, it's always good to know what to expect. Looks like another job for our TA.

The PNG govt will receive some much needed revenue.

Cya,

Anna

[rugbypopsie]

Hi Marg & Anna,

 

Passengers on the Cherry Blossom cruise (7th March 09) on the Dawn Princess have been told to get visas for their visit to Rabaul. They are getting them themselves. A TA can organise it for you and there will be a courier fee involved. Otherwise, if you can get to the New Guinea consulate in Brisbane or Sydney, you can organise it yourself. It might not be worth the bother doing it yourself because I think you would have to visit the Consulate twice.

 

Evon.

 

Hi Evon, according to the sheet I received from Princess we do not have to do this (arrange visas ourselves)...visas will be arranged on board for holders of Australian passports.

[Ela 2]

Hi Evon, according to the sheet I received from Princess we do not have to do this (arrange visas ourselves)...visas will be arranged on board for holders of Australian passports.

Hi Rugbypopsie,

You are going on that cruise so would know what the latest is. It is a couple of weeks since my friends were talking about visas, so I don't know if things have changed since then. Sorry if I gave anyone incorrect or out of date info.:):)

Evon.

[MargnGrah]

Hi Evon, according to the sheet I received from Princess we do not have to do this (arrange visas ourselves)...visas will be arranged on board for holders of Australian passports.

 

Thanks for that info Rugbypopsie!!!:)