Istanbul - visa requirements for cruise passengers

Can anyone confirm that the following is indeed correct?

""According to the Law on Foreigners and International Protection which entered into force on 11th April 2014, those foreigners who arrive at sea ports and intend to visit the seaport city or nearby provinces for touristic purpose are exempt from visa provided that their stay does not exceed seventy two (72) hours.""

I copied this off the Turkish government website: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/info/

The cruise line that we are going on (Princess) says that if we take a shore excursion through them that we do not need a visa but if we go on our own, we will need a visa.

I am so confused! Would appreciate assistance.

Thanks!

Princess is pulling the oldest trick in the book in order to get you to buy one of their shore excursions.

For as long as I've been traveling to Turkey via cruise ship (since 2005, almost annually) no visa has been required for any cruise ship passenger UNLESS your cruise will begin or end in Turkey.

Otherwise you are good to go.

Can anyone confirm that the following is indeed correct?

 

""According to the Law on Foreigners and International Protection which entered into force on 11th April 2014, those foreigners who arrive at sea ports and intend to visit the seaport city or nearby provinces for touristic purpose are exempt from visa provided that their stay does not exceed seventy two (72) hours.""

 

I copied this off the Turkish government website: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/info/

 

The cruise line that we are going on (Princess) says that if we take a shore excursion through them that we do not need a visa but if we go on our own, we will need a visa.

 

I am so confused! Would appreciate assistance.

Thanks!

Its been a few years but in 2008 we did two private tours and didn't need anything special. Cruisecard to get off and ditto to get on, of course they secured our passports upon embarkation.

Scam to get you to buy a tour from Princess IMHO.

my understanding is that cruise passengers STOPPING in Turkey do not need a visa (if not otherwise needing a visa..ie because of citizenship). if your cruise starts or ends in Turkey you need a visa

been on a few cruises to Istanbul and Kusadasi and no visa needed and always went on our own

Thanks so much everyone! Just didn't want to get to Istanbul & have to stay on the ship. Looks like it's quite easy to get around to the major sites so we will go it alone - without a Princess excursion!

So looking forward to our first cruise!

These forums have been invaluable. I hope that I will be able to contribute something useful after our cruise.

Thanks so much everyone! Just didn't want to get to Istanbul & have to stay on the ship. Looks like it's quite easy to get around to the major sites so we will go it alone - without a Princess excursion!

So looking forward to our first cruise!

These forums have been invaluable. I hope that I will be able to contribute something useful after our cruise.

Yes, this forum is fantastic!

As for contributing, just be sure to come back here after your cruise. I return from every cruise with some piece of information I feel I want to share. :)

Princess is pulling the oldest trick in the book in order to get you to buy one of their shore excursions.

 

Not to mention that it is only about $20 for US citizens to get a Turkish visa that is valid for 90 days. Again though, not needed anyway unless your cruise begins or ends in Turkey.

Thanks so much everyone! Just didn't want to get to Istanbul & have to stay on the ship. Looks like it's quite easy to get around to the major sites so we will go it alone - without a Princess excursion!

So looking forward to our first cruise!

These forums have been invaluable. I hope that I will be able to contribute something useful after our cruise.

Even if you needed a VISA, and you don't, they would sell that at the port. They are more of a entry tax than anything else. You would not be stuck on the ship. Don't let your cruise line scare you into taking their excursions.

BTW you don't need one in Kusadasi either.

It is really annoying that some of the cruise lines continue to mislead (out and out lie) in order to get you to take their pricey excursions. And some travel agents have bought into this as well. When I was organizing tours for a group of us I had to convince one couple who booked the cruise with an agent that they would not need to take a ships tour from Alexandria.

I went online last Sept to get our Turkish visa...took 30 seconds and cost about $20. The ship would do it for $50.

We are on the Celebrity Equinox in September...went through travel agent, he is the one who told us we needed the visa as we are ending cruise in Turkey and flying out of their airport. I am glad he told us, otherwise we would not have known to get one! We will be doing it online as well, cheaper and quicker.

Princess is pulling the oldest trick in the book in order to get you to buy one of their shore excursions.

 

For as long as I've been traveling to Turkey via cruise ship (since 2005, almost annually) no visa has been required for any cruise ship passenger UNLESS your cruise will begin or end in Turkey.

Princess trying to pull a fast one?

Surely not. ;) :D

Seriously, I think they're probably the most culpable in the industry.

Other cruise lines will try to mid-lead with careful phraseology, Princess don't bother with such niceties - they write lies and they tell lies. :mad:

JB :)

I went online last Sept to get our Turkish visa...took 30 seconds and cost about $20. The ship would do it for $50.

I am leaving from Turkey on July 25 but I don't see Istanbul in the drop down menu from the link provided to get your visa. I also don't see "visa" as an option, I only see "passport" types. Help?

:confused:

https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/info/

This is where I got my info. Hope it helps!

https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/info/

This is where I got my info. Hope it helps!

Got it, thank you! Should have entered USA instead of Istanbul.

It is my understanding that one needs a visa if they are leaving the province/state in which the port is located. So if one wanted to go from Kusadasi to visit Pamukkale one would need a visa.

It is my understanding that one needs a visa if they are leaving the province/state in which the port is located. So if one wanted to go from Kusadasi to visit Pamukkale one would need a visa.

No. From the FAQs on the link provided above;

"According to the Law on Foreigners and International Protection which entered into force on 11th April 2014, those foreigners who arrive at sea ports and intend to visit the seaport city or nearby provinces for touristic purpose are exempt from visa provided that their stay does not exceed seventy two (72) hours."

It is my understanding that one needs a visa if they are leaving the province/state in which the port is located. So if one wanted to go from Kusadasi to visit Pamukkale one would need a visa.

I don't believe that's the case.

We did not need any kind of visa to go from Kusadasi to Aphrodisias (a similar distance away) last October from our cruise ship.

We are booked on two cruises back to back on Celebrity Constellation. The first cruise leaves Nov 2/16 out of Rome and ends in Istanbul on Nov 14/16. The second cruise starts in Istanbul on Nov 14/16 and ends in Abu Dhabi on Nov 28/16. I have talked to Celebrity cruises and they say it is two separate cruises ending and starting in Istanbul and therefore we need a Turkish visa.

I have contacted the Turkish embassy and they replied that you will only need a visa if you arrive/depart from airports. Anyone have experience with this situation?

Last sentence is correct only to arrive/ leave by airports or stay on land in Turkey do you need a visa, not for excursions either ship or private.

The previous poster is correct. VISA are required ONLY if you arrive by airport. I checked prior to my recent cruise.

The previous poster is correct. VISA are required ONLY if you arrive by airport. I checked prior to my recent cruise.

OR, as those posts, LEAVE by airport. Or any means other than the cruise ship.

The visa-free concession is for ports-of-call in Turkey, no longer than 72 hours in a port (no ships exceed this).

And any overnites have to be on the ship & not in a hotel - the trips mentioned by cruisemom would have been day-trips :)

JB :)

I had asked my question of the Turkish government. Clearly they made some assumptions when they responded to my question, because they did not provide the important additional details tat you did. I will tuck this info away for future reference.

Do you have to purchase the visa ahead or is it available at the airport as I thought I read somewhere else???

Do you have to purchase the visa ahead or is it available at the airport as I thought I read somewhere else???

I think it's still available at some places, such as the major airports - the Turkish govt had intended to drop that on-arrival facility once e-visas were up & running, about 3 / 4 yrs ago, but decided to keep it for the foreseeable future.

But if it is still available, it's likely to be by using a machine at the airport linked to the internet to buy & print-off an e-visa, same routine as doing it in advance. It's more expensive than buying in advance, & you really don't need the uncertainty or potential problems on arrival - so I very strongly advise doing it in advance.

JB :)