Mariner to China? Visa Requirements

Hi All, I am looking at a March 2018 on the Mariner that debarks from Singapore with a stop in Vietnam and finally on to China. It has 3 ports in China culmnating in Shanghai. Will I need to get a Visa if I fly directly from Shanghai after the cruise, no hotel stays? I would like to stay one night in China, but not if I need to obtain a Visa.

DEAL 9 NIGHT EXOTIC ASIA CRUISE

Leaving from: Singapore Arriving in: Shanghai (Baoshan), China

Onboard: Mariner of the Seas

This cruise visits 5 ports

Singapore

Ho Chi Minh (Phu My) Vietnam

Hong Kong, China

Xiamen, China

Shanghai (Baoshan),

China

Do NOT believe any info on Visa's given on Cruise Critic!!!! You cruise line has a Visa Service, use it. They know the specific requirements for EACH itinerary. Do NOT run the risk of being denied at the Airport or a the port... too important to risk your entire trip

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Here it is,

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do

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Do NOT believe any info on Visa's given on Cruise Critic!!!! You cruise line has a Visa Service, use it. They know the specific requirements for EACH itinerary. Do NOT run the risk of being denied at the Airport or a the port... too important to risk your entire trip

 

 

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Don't worry, I would verify any info :D...just throwing around the idea of doing this cruise and wondering if anyone has already done similar itineraries.

Just call the number for Visa Central in my link. They will advise you for Free and then you will know immediately what the answer is. I would say yes, but get your answer from the experts.

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Just call the number for Visa Central in my link. They will advise you for Free and then you will know immediately what the answer is. I would say yes, but get your answer from the experts.

 

 

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I just called RCCL and they told me I would need a Visa for China, they take care of the visa's for Singapore and Vietnam.

Subscribing because I am interested in how they go through with things like this. I went to China for 17 days in 2014 on a land trip and I needed a Visa, and I have always wondered what they did with cruise ship passengers, especially now with the cruise ship boom.

Enjoy your cruise, it's a beautiful area of the world! :)

I wonder if I go through a full service travel agency instead of booking it online....if they will do the legwork on getting a visa for us?

Though I book all my cruises myself it might be worth it to go through a TA for this type of vacation.

I just called RCCL and they told me I would need a Visa for China, they take care of the visa's for Singapore and Vietnam.

visa's for Singapore too?

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I wonder if I go through a full service travel agency instead of booking it online....if they will do the legwork on getting a visa for us?

 

Though I book all my cruises myself it might be worth it to go through a TA for this type of vacation.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do

This is how you get the Leg Work done, you use a Visa Service. Every cruise line has one they prefer but there are many you can use. The reason A always use the cruise lines preferred one is they have all the info required based on your particular sailing. And often have a discount prearranged for their services by the cruise line.

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visa's for Singapore too?

 

 

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Yes, according to RCCL, if you take an excursion with them, they will take care of the Visa, but if you do an on your own trip, then you have to get your own Visa.

Yes, according to RCCL, if you take an excursion with them, they will take care of the Visa, but if you do an on your own trip, then you have to get your own Visa.

Do you have the link by any chance? I don't think we need one for Singapore, but just to make sure. Thanks

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Do you have the link by any chance? I don't think we need one for Singapore, but just to make sure. Thanks

 

 

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I don't. This is what I was told by the RCCL service rep on the phone, he was reading off his notes...

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do

 

This is how you get the Leg Work done, you use a Visa Service. Every cruise line has one they prefer but there are many you can use. The reason A always use the cruise lines preferred one is they have all the info required based on your particular sailing. And often have a discount prearranged for their services by the cruise line.

 

 

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I see the number, thanks. I know it's $140 pp for US citizens, plus whatever service fee the agency charges.

I don't. This is what I was told by the RCCL service rep on the phone, he was reading off his notes...

Same ship and also out of Singapore, will be spending 3 days pre-cruise. No visa is needed.

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Just done this cruise but in reverse.

What I would say is don't take the visa companies as gospel, they want to sell you a visa regardless.

However, alas, as you're visiting a part of China not covered by the 144 hr visa waiver that's specific to Shanghai you will need a visa.

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I see the number, thanks. I know it's $140 pp for US citizens, plus whatever service fee the agency charges.

I just did an Asian cruise from Singapore ending up in Beijing with Princess.

We let the ship take care of the Vietnam Visa which cost us $30.00.

We're Canadian where no Visa is required for Singapore or Hong Kong. Double entry Visa was required for mainland China stops in Shanghai and Beijing.

We have a Chinese Consulate locally so we did it there. Applied for a double entry and it came back as multiple good for 10 years. :)

BTW... there was a change as of October 1 that a Chinese Visa would not be needed if you arrive by cruise ship and are on a licenced tour but that's a different debate. Cruise line still wanted to see our Visa prior to boarding where they would have denied boarding if we didn't have it.

I just called RCCL and they told me I would need a Visa for China, they take care of the visa's for Singapore and Vietnam.

Did the RCCL staff ask you if you are a US Passport holder? If you are, you don't need a visa for Singapore. I learned it here in CC from those who actually experienced it, and from my own actual experiences after.

Oh my PLEASE do not accept any Visa advice given here as gospel! Visa services will tell you the truth and have served me well over the years. Letting me know when I needed a Visa or did NOT.... I never found them selling or pushing unneeded Visas.

This type of trip is too expensive to risk unprofessional advice.

PS don't trust the CS Agents at the cruise line as they are not qualified to provide Visa info

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Oh my PLEASE do not accept any Visa advice given here as gospel! Visa services will tell you the truth and have served me well over the years. Letting me know when I needed a Visa or did NOT.... I never found them selling or pushing unneeded Visas.

 

This type of trip is too expensive to risk unprofessional advice.

 

PS don't trust the CS Agents at the cruise line as they are not qualified to provide Visa info

 

 

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FWIW a professional visa service totally messed up some of DH's coworkers once. They aren't all great.

From the link there's a PDF that has good info BUT they formatted so stupidly they messed someone up here on CC. http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/Passport_and_Visa_Requirements_82014.pdf

From that link, unless you're going to Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Sanya, you need a visa. (the info in the link reads: Sanya, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan", which can make it LOOK like they are listing four places. But it's "Sanya, China" as in "area of China, in China the country".)

Well I did a bit of online research and China now offers 10 years multiple entry visa...so that should cover any and all port stops and over night stays.

You will need a visa. We cruised Shanghai to Singapore last month but with no additional stops in China. There is a 144 hour visa waiver for certain airports and ports in China. It's a little complicated but in your situation, you will need a visa. This is the visa info on the Travel website that we used to book our private tours and train tickets while we were in China. It has the best info on a visa I have found.

I hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did!

Do you have the link by any chance? I don't think we need one for Singapore, but just to make sure. Thanks

 

 

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RCI organised the Vietnam visas and they were $6 per person. We had no visa when we arrived in Singapore but were given a card to give to immigration. One small section of it we had to hand in at the airport when we checked in. I believe there is a 30 tourist visa waiver for Singapore but you would need to check that out to be sure.

I wanna do a preliminary check here before i venture out on the web, what is this card? will this be included on cruise documents when you print out?

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Your citizenship will dictate whether or not you need a visa ...

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