Vietnam Visa

I had previously read that you can get your visa for Vietnam on the ship (HAL). But I found out today that there is a caveat. We are doing an overnight tour that starts in Cambodia and ends in Vietnam. We will be coming into Vietnam by plane. In that situation, you cannot get the Vietnam visa on the ship but you must get it on your own in advance. If you are coming into Vietnam via the ship then you can do it onboard.

Hope this info helps.

Helen

Correct, Helen.

The visa issued on the ship (no need for passengers to do anything in advance)is only for arrival & departure on the ship.

If you enter or leave Vietnam by any other means you need to fix your own tourist visa.

(Brits can now enter Vietnam without a visa. I've been told that this is a trial, and if successful will be extended to other nationalities)

JB :)

If you are arriving by plane at certain airports and require a visa you can do what is called a visa on arrival. Do a google, self explanatory. Essentially two choices-single and multiple entry.

We arrive by land from Cambodia so we will be getting our Vietnam visa in Cambodia (Phnom Phen).

Note that the visa prices have recently been reduced. I think you will also need a passport type picture. We always carry an extra one or two just in case.

Just off Mariner of the Seas, and as others have said, for the day visit the cruise line arranged the visa. There had been much discussion about the cost as the price had gone up. The cruise documentation indicated that the visa would be $US45 - very expensive but a captive audience and not much you could do about it. In the end it was $US6 so it had reverted to the amount that previously had been charged.

Just off Mariner of the Seas, and as others have said, for the day visit the cruise line arranged the visa. There had been much discussion about the cost as the price had gone up. The cruise documentation indicated that the visa would be $US45 - very expensive but a captive audience and not much you could do about it. In the end it was $US6 so it had reverted to the amount that previously had been charged.

Did you need to provide a passport photo? We'll be on Mariner of the Seas in March.

Did you need to provide a passport photo? We'll be on Mariner of the Seas in March.

No...we brought one with us for our Mariner Asia cruise (Singapore-Shanghai) but we didn't need it or was it asked for.

Our Vietnam visa was easily done (just a card actually that was left in our cabin the night before we got to Phu My) by the ship onboard and was $6.00pp..couldn't have been easier.

No...we brought one with us for our Mariner Asia cruise (Singapore-Shanghai) but we didn't need it or was it asked for.

 

 

 

Our Vietnam visa was easily done (just a card actually that was left in our cabin the night before we got to Phu My) by the ship onboard and was $6.00pp..couldn't have been easier.

Thank you so much for your prompt response!

Anyone with experience with visas on Celebrity?? same process??

Celebrity will organise your visa if arriving by ship to Vietnam.

Last year they were charging $5 not sure if the rate has changed

Going on a back to back with Celebrity. On both cruises we enter Vietnam. Will we have to apply a multiple visa in advance or will we be able to get it from Celebrity on arrival?

Going on a back to back with Celebrity. On both cruises we enter Vietnam. Will we have to apply a multiple visa in advance or will we be able to get it from Celebrity on arrival?

We recently visited Vietnam while on Millennium. Celebrity looked after Visa's for Canada/US citizens (for a small fee). Was an easy process but just remember to hand in your paperwork that they give you onboard! Cannot comment on other nationalities.

I believe the fee was $6 (or $8) pp if returning to the ship each night. We paid $28 pp as we left the ship for 1 night to overnight in Hanoi.

If you are doing a B2B am sure that Celebrity will be able to sort it out for you.

Enjoy!!

Jan

Wow only $8 princess are quoting us US$56 dollars per person for vietnam. Does anyone know the cost if you arrange the visa yourself? Thanks

Wow only $8 princess are quoting us US$56 dollars per person for vietnam. Does anyone know the cost if you arrange the visa yourself? Thanks

Princess has recently upped the price of visas for a number of countries to outrageous prices as a way of getting more money from cruisers.

There are a number of nationalities that are given a 15 day visa free for Vietnam (British for example) but if you need to get one it will cost more that the ship is currently charging. ie for Australians it is $75 Aust (which is close to the ship cost) and you need to organise it before you leave home.

The prices for some Vietnam visas have recently been reduced. We got our 30 day single entry visa (Canadian passports) ten days while in Cambodia. We did a land crossing. The cost was $42usd. 25 for the visa, the balance for processing. You pay a processing fee regardless if you go to the consulate or if you do it via a travel agency(which we did). We did not submit pictures but they may have scanned our passport picture.

Going on a back to back with Celebrity. On both cruises we enter Vietnam. Will we have to apply a multiple visa in advance or will we be able to get it from Celebrity on arrival?

I am assuming you arrive to Vietnam towards the end of the back to back and assuming that is the case Celebrity will get the proper visa for you so no worries.

Keith

Wow only $8 princess are quoting us US$56 dollars per person for vietnam. Does anyone know the cost if you arrange the visa yourself? Thanks

Until a couple of years ago cruise lines were charging around $25 to $35, then without warning the cost shot up, then after a month or two settled back at around $6. I don't know why, but I'll guess it was to do with the Vietnamese Govt rather than the cruise lines because this happened with all of them.

I just wonder whether your info is out-of-date. This may be the case even if you were told $56 by Princess very recently - cruise line head offices are often the source of inaccurate or out-of-date info on visas.

So hopefully you'll get a pleasant surprise when you are actually charged.

JB :)

I just wonder whether your info is out-of-date. This may be the case even if you were told $56 by Princess very recently - cruise line head offices are often the source of inaccurate or out-of-date info on visas.

So hopefully you'll get a pleasant surprise when you are actually charged.

 

JB :)

Princess have admitted they are now charging a handling fee on Asian visas. A few people who have posted here and on FB have queried the increase in costs since last year and been told it is a handling fee. :eek:

Not sure what the hike is on Vienamese visas, but on Indonesian visas it went up from US $35 (which we paid last August) to US $60, an extra US $25pp. On a cruise like our upcoming one on Golden Princess, that's around US $65,000 just to handle the visas. :eek: :eek: I can't see their costs coming anywhere near that - fly a few Indonesian officials to Darwin, put them up on the ship for three nights, and maybe one night in Darwin if the flights don't fit the port time. Can't see that costing more that US $5,000, if that! :mad:

The prices I haven quoted have been emailed to me, only 2 days ago, so assume they are current. We were on the same cruise ship last November and only paid USD$ 35 for Indonesia their new prices are price gouging. I called a few visa agency's for Vietnam and Cambodia and they told me they cannot do visa for travel on a cruise ship. So guess we have no choice but to pay. :(

If you are arriving by plane at certain airports and require a visa you can do what is called a visa on arrival. Do a google, self explanatory. Essentially two choices-single and multiple entry.

 

We arrive by land from Cambodia so we will be getting our Vietnam visa in Cambodia (Phnom Phen).

You cannot get a Visa on arrival if you hold a US Passport. But you can apply online for visa that will be issued at the airport upon arrival. If you do not apply in advance it is a long process that will involve much extra time and payments.

Unlike when you fly into many other countries here in SE Asia with a US Passport you get a true Visa on Arrival. Cambodia also requires a visa but issued at the airport (bring picture or pay small fee for no picture under $5.00)

I called a few visa agency's for Vietnam and Cambodia and they told me they cannot do visa for travel on a cruise ship. So guess we have no choice but to pay. :(

Why call a visa agency? Why don't you apply directly at the consular service (located in the embassy) of these 2 countries? I posted their websites 1 or 2 days ago.

The prices I haven quoted have been emailed to me, only 2 days ago, so assume they are current. We were on the same cruise ship last November and only paid USD$ 35 for Indonesia their new prices are price gouging. I called a few visa agency's for Vietnam and Cambodia and they told me they cannot do visa for travel on a cruise ship. So guess we have no choice but to pay. :(

As has already been said here for Cambodia the with your US passport when you show up at the airport, or entry point they will issue you a visa. I have done this no less than 15 times, both land crossings and airport.

Vietnam if flying into the country with a US passport, you can apply for the visa on line and with that online visa your passport will be stamped. Very easy takes 10 minutes online.

Both countries require visa more for the revenue generated than anything else.

I had previously read that you can get your visa for Vietnam on the ship (HAL). But I found out today that there is a caveat. We are doing an overnight tour that starts in Cambodia and ends in Vietnam. We will be coming into Vietnam by plane. In that situation, you cannot get the Vietnam visa on the ship but you must get it on your own in advance. If you are coming into Vietnam via the ship then you can do it onboard.

 

Hope this info helps.

 

Helen

Maybe this helps too: The Vietnamese Embassies issue also authorization letters and on showing them on arrival at the airport (two, Hanoi and HoChiMinh) are specifically mentioned) the visa will be issued. Those letters are not valid upon arrival by ship! You pay (on arrival) US$ 50 for a multiply entry visum. I cannot find the fee for issuing the letter of approval (issued by the authorities in Hanoi).

Lenny

There has been a lot said on TA in recent months. I am talking for Brits, so not sure if it works for others.

It seems there is a special arrangement currently for arrivals to Vietnam by plane only (I think the fee is actually waived, but not totally sure). This is only a temporary arrangement for a number of months and it is only for arrivals by plane.

Entry by ship is different, but if you are just on a port visit by cruise ship there is a small fee (I think that may be a fee for each port - not sure), but that fee is much less than a full visa - again I am not totally sure of the amount, but it is something small, like £5. That is arranged by the ship.

However, if you are not returning to the ship at night a full visa is needed. For instance we are booked on an overnight trip to The Mekong from HCMC and our tour details say we will need a visa which will be arranged on arrival and our onboard accounts will be charged US$50 for that visa.

This info may also be helpful for some people.

Maybe this helps too: The Vietnamese Embassies issue also authorization letters and on showing them on arrival at the airport (two, Hanoi and HoChiMinh) are specifically mentioned) the visa will be issued. Those letters are not valid upon arrival by ship! You pay (on arrival) US$ 50 for a multiply entry visum. I cannot find the fee for issuing the letter of approval (issued by the authorities in Hanoi).

Lenny

VOA by airplane for Americans has increased as of the end of Aug/beg of September. Americans are now ONLY offered a one year multiple entry visa and the price has gone up. VOA is now $135. (and the letters vary depending on source) It's $220 if you get a visa from the Consulate ahead of time. http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-visa-fees-granted-to-us-tourists-set-to-skyrocket-from-late-august-3462537.html

I'm still trying to find out if the cruise ship (single entry/day/group) that has been used in the past will still be valid on our upcoming Nov/Dec cruise, but this is a new change and not a lot of information yet....

FYI

we are on a Mekong river cruise and needed a "multi" entry visa.

We used GenVisa and the cost for 2 was $390...took just over 3 weeks...we paid extra for insurance if passports were lost......

the visas arrived yesterday via Fed Ex and I was able to track the package.