Visas

We will be on Arcadias world cruise 2015 and are starting the process of obtaining visas. At the time of booking I did not realize how expensive they would be. Taking into account the cost of photographs ,postage and service fees the visas for China and India alone for two people will cost, if done through p&o's recommended provider, around 650 pounds. DIY can reduce the cost but not by much. Now, for stops which do not involve an overnight I feel this does not represent value for money but there is not a lot we can do about it short of petitioning p&o to give India and China a miss. I will now admit to being a Yorkshireman but this is a bit too much even for me. Am I alone or is there anyone else who could find a better way of spending this money.

We will be on Arcadias world cruise 2015 and are starting the process of obtaining visas. At the time of booking I did not realize how expensive they would be. Taking into account the cost of photographs ,postage and service fees the visas for China and India alone for two people will cost, if done through p&o's recommended provider, around 650 pounds. DIY can reduce the cost but not by much. Now, for stops which do not involve an overnight I feel this does not represent value for money but there is not a lot we can do about it short of petitioning p&o to give India and China a miss. I will now admit to being a Yorkshireman but this is a bit too much even for me. Am I alone or is there anyone else who could find a better way of spending this money.

I dont think anyone would disagree that there are better ways to spend your money than on government requirements, but I think its a case for P&O that they are dammed if they do and dammed if they dont stop there.

Maybe a longer stay would make the expense seem more worthwhile? Its a shame they cant have a policy agreed that if you dont disembark then you dont need a visa, then at least you have a choice, but this wouldnt work.

We will be on Arcadias world cruise 2015 and are starting the process of obtaining visas. At the time of booking I did not realize how expensive they would be. Taking into account the cost of photographs ,postage and service fees the visas for China and India alone for two people will cost, if done through p&o's recommended provider, around 650 pounds. DIY can reduce the cost but not by much. Now, for stops which do not involve an overnight I feel this does not represent value for money but there is not a lot we can do about it short of petitioning p&o to give India and China a miss. I will now admit to being a Yorkshireman but this is a bit too much even for me. Am I alone or is there anyone else who could find a better way of spending this money.

You are not alone...we are also on this cruise and feel the visa unreasonable for the short time we're in Mumbai. We don't need a visa for China as we embark in Hong Kong and have booked a trip in Sanya where a visa can be issued at the port.

Maggs

davej5939 - do you think you would still have booked if you knew the costs in advance?

Hi richleeds, I would still have booked but as I said I,m a Yorkshireman and would like to know of full costs before I do so. My fault for not fully researching but I have been in touch with p&o to say I think it would be a good idea to indicate possible cost in their literature. What chance of that??

Hi richleeds, I would still have booked but as I said I,m a Yorkshireman and would like to know of full costs before I do so. My fault for not fully researching but I have been in touch with p&o to say I think it would be a good idea to indicate possible cost in their literature. What chance of that??

I think its fair and reasonable that if there are unavoidable costs associated with a cruise then these should be highlighted at the time of booking, though I dare say that somewhere in the small print it does say "visas will be required" so they have covered their backs.

But an additional sentence of "Approximate costs of visa issue will be XYZ" would be helpful.

Interesting that P&O have not included India for any stops on their 2016 World Cruises. Visas for India are just not worth the cost for one or two days.