1st cruise

[jknapp925]

We are taking the Solstice on 9/7 for 11 days. Questions that have come up are: do you or do you not need a visa to go on a private tour in Turkey? We really do not want to do the ships tours but we find mixed replies for this answer. Ekol Tours says no visa is needed, Celebrity says we may need them. Has anyone done a private tour off a ship in Turkey? If so did you have to get a visa?

The general answer we get is you need a visa if you arrive via air or land.

 

p.s. Anyone else out there taking this cruise at this time?

 

JIM & ARLENE

[Denny01]

I recommend you go to your Cruise's Roll Call and join in. Celebrity Roll Calls are threads for specific cruises. Go to the top of this forum and click on 'Celebrity Roll Call Forums', then to 'Solstice' then your cruise by date.

 

Here is your cruise thread to go directly, but it's good to understand how to get to it through the forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=860736[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=860736][/url]

 

Also, you may want to join the Celebrity Connections Party. On each cruise, Celebrity hosts a Cruise Critic get-together of those that register. There is a hook at the top of this forum also called 'Regisster to attend a Connections Party'. You'll meet the people who use CC, and so on.

 

Have a great cruise! We are behind you by 2months.

 

Denny

[Shir Hayam]

We were on a Celebrity cruise two years ago with a stop in Kusadasi, Turkey. No visa was needed. My understanding is that you would need a visa only if you were staying for several days on land. We had a wonderful private tour to Ephesus - the highlight of the trip for me :D.

 

Sheila

[biker1972]

Currently there is a visa requirement for US citizens by Turkey. At this time it can be as simple as a 90 day sticker applied to your passport for $20 and can be obtained upon entry into Turkey. Quite possibly a blanket visa is purchased for ship sponsered shore excusions and is included in the price.

[mari10]

Hi Jim & Arlene,

I posted this on our roll call as well, here's the official link:

http://turkey.visahq.com/

 

You do not need a visa.

 

Mari

[firstplacechef]

Visa is only required for US citizens if you begin or end your cruise in Turkey, not docking overnight or a day stop. Also not needed for private tours.