Are Visa's needed for Aussies cruising to Asia

Hi,

Am new to Cruise Critic and cruising in general. My husband and I are booked on the HAL Volendam - Singapore to Vancouver in April 2011.

We are both travelling on Australian passports and we will be visiting the following places:

• 16 April - Ko Samui -THAILAND
  
• 17/18 April - Bangkok- THAILAND
  
• 19 April - Sihanoukville - CAMBODIA
  
• 21 April - Nha Trang - VIETNAM
  
• 23/24 April -Hong Kong - CHINA
  
• 27/28 April Shanghai - CHINA
  

I need some advice from anyone who has sailed this cruise before and can advise what VISA's Australians need for the above countries. I guess An Aussie cruiser might be best placed to advise. But at this stage I welcome all help. We booked online with a US company (cheaper than the locals) and they tell me to "do it yourself". So here I am. Have done some research online and am more confused than ever.:confused: Appreciate your help.

Apologies if this post is too long (it's my first).

Cheers

Joseda.

Hi Joseda,

We were on a Costa cruise in March this year in Asia to some of those ports and Costa organised all the visas and charged your account for the costs. I think most cruise companies are similar. Have a look at the roll call for your cruise. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1116271

You could post your question there and find lots of information there also.

Preston

http://www.dfat.gov.au/visas/

At least here in the US, we recommend that Dept of State site as the best updated source of info for visa requirements.. did you check this comparable site for Australians traveling abroad?

Hi,

 

Am new to Cruise Critic and cruising in general. My husband and I are booked on the HAL Volendam - Singapore to Vancouver in April 2011.

We are both travelling on Australian passports and we will be visiting the following places:

• 16 April - Ko Samui -THAILAND
  
• 17/18 April - Bangkok- THAILAND
  
• 19 April - Sihanoukville - CAMBODIA
  
• 21 April - Nha Trang - VIETNAM
  
• 23/24 April -Hong Kong - CHINA
  
• 27/28 April Shanghai - CHINA
  

CheersJoseda.

Hi Joseda,

For Thailand,Cambodia and Vietnam, the ship arranges visas and charges your account on board. For China you will probably have to arrange your own.

Thats what we have found travelling on NZ passports and I think it is the same for Australians.

Also , if you visit the P&O Australia board on Cruise Critic you may get more help as that board talks about all cruises and cruise lines from Australia.

Hi,

 

Am new to Cruise Critic and cruising in general. My husband and I are booked on the HAL Volendam - Singapore to Vancouver in April 2011.

We are both travelling on Australian passports and we will be visiting the following places:

 

• 16 April - Ko Samui -THAILAND
  
• 17/18 April - Bangkok- THAILAND
  
• 19 April - Sihanoukville - CAMBODIA
  
• 21 April - Nha Trang - VIETNAM
  
• 23/24 April -Hong Kong - CHINA
  
• 27/28 April Shanghai - CHINA
  

I need some advice from anyone who has sailed this cruise before and can advise what VISA's Australians need for the above countries. I guess An Aussie cruiser might be best placed to advise. But at this stage I welcome all help. We booked online with a US company (cheaper than the locals) and they tell me to "do it yourself". So here I am. Have done some research online and am more confused than ever.:confused: Appreciate your help.

 

Apologies if this post is too long (it's my first).

 

Cheers

 

Joseda.

No visa required for Thailand or Hong Kong. Cambodia and Vietnam done on board. Conflicting advice for Shanghai. Best advice is to get a single entry visa. The problem is you may have to send someone in person to a China consulate. Go to their websites in Australia for details. Your passport has to have 6 months left on it and a blank page. I'm not sure if you need a visa if you plan to stay on the ship. You should e-mail the ship for that question I suspect you will need one in any case. We have the same issue upcoming for Canton on Oceania. Luckily the Chinese consulate is only 25 minutes away across the bridge.

Hi,

 

Am new to Cruise Critic and cruising in general. My husband and I are booked on the HAL Volendam - Singapore to Vancouver in April 2011.

We are both travelling on Australian passports and we will be visiting the following places:

 

• 16 April - Ko Samui -THAILAND
  
• 17/18 April - Bangkok- THAILAND
  
• 19 April - Sihanoukville - CAMBODIA
  
• 21 April - Nha Trang - VIETNAM
  
• 23/24 April -Hong Kong - CHINA
  
• 27/28 April Shanghai - CHINA
  

I need some advice from anyone who has sailed this cruise before and can advise what VISA's Australians need for the above countries. I guess An Aussie cruiser might be best placed to advise. But at this stage I welcome all help. We booked online with a US company (cheaper than the locals) and they tell me to "do it yourself". So here I am. Have done some research online and am more confused than ever.:confused: Appreciate your help.

 

Apologies if this post is too long (it's my first).

 

Cheers

 

Joseda.

For Shanghai go to http://visalink.com.au/frontpage.aspx?FROM=CIBT

Option 2 is A$ 150 per person!

No visa is required for Australians on a short visit to Hong Kong. I think you will find the other information you need here:

http://www.visaforchina.com.au/visaen/visaView.html?method=index

It is not a difficult process.

Cheers,

Sue

No visa is required for Australians on a short visit to Hong Kong. I think you will find the other information you need here:

 

http://www.visaforchina.com.au/visaen/visaView.html?method=index

 

It is not a difficult process.

 

Cheers,

 

Sue

Truly amazing that an advanced economy like China doesn't have a link to this site from it's consular sites. Also interesting how different their process is in each country ie canada, OZ, and USA

Hi,

 

Am new to Cruise Critic and cruising in general. My husband and I are booked on the HAL Volendam - Singapore to Vancouver in April 2011.

 

We are both travelling on Australian passports and we will be visiting the following places:

 

• 16 April - Ko Samui -THAILAND
  
• 17/18 April - Bangkok- THAILAND
  
• 19 April - Sihanoukville - CAMBODIA
  
• 21 April - Nha Trang - VIETNAM
  
• 23/24 April -Hong Kong - CHINA
  
• 27/28 April Shanghai - CHINA
  

I need some advice from anyone who has sailed this cruise before and can advise what VISA's Australians need for the above countries. I guess An Aussie cruiser might be best placed to advise. But at this stage I welcome all help. We booked online with a US company (cheaper than the locals) and they tell me to "do it yourself". So here I am. Have done some research online and am more confused than ever.:confused: Appreciate your help.

 

Apologies if this post is too long (it's my first).

 

Cheers

 

Joseda.

Hi, You will need to get a visa for China and by the looks of your itinerary a single entry one should do. You can go to the Chinese consulate if you live anywhere near Sydney. Give yourself plenty of time to get it organised. If you organise it in late February you should be fine since they only last 6 months I think from processing point. We went through our tavel agent Harvey World Travel who sent the forms and our passports down to Chinese Embassy in Sydney. Make sure that you have the right forms. They had changed the forms since our original application and it took twice as long. I think from memory it was a $50 fee to organise that plus the cost of the visa. We had a multiple entry one because we went to Beijing first before catching the Sapphire Princess cruise. Shanghai is fascinating! we want to go back. Do a tour that takes you to the Yu Yu'an Gardens. Remember to bargain with a smile!:)

Check with your High Comission ( Foreign Affairs). They are the best and only source you should trust when it comes to what you need. As a citizen from a fellow Commonwealth Country (Canada) I had no idea that I needed a visa to visit yours but infact I did. Found that out from External Affairs here.

You should possibly only require a single entry visa. Thinking back to last year if you are leaving Shanghai on the day you arrive you might not need a visa at all but I would be checking the info on http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/

this page has the following information that backs up the possibility you won't need a visa if you are leaving Sg=hanghai within 48 hours of the ship docking

http://www.visaforchina.com.au/visaen/visaView.html?method=readNotify&notifyId=1120#Menu=ChildMenu2

No visa is required for citizens of the following 30 countries, who transit through China via Shanghai within 48 hours, no matter what type of passports they may hold: Republic of Korea, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Schengen states -- Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Estonia, Poland , Czech Repoublic,Latvia,Lithuania, Malta, Switzerland , Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.

have a read of the pages supplied

For Australian Passport Holders :

1. For Hong Kong (SAR). No visa required for Tourist Visit up to 3 months.

2. Mainland China :

Single or Multiple Entry Tourist Visa required. Apply at Chinese Embassy in Canberra, or Chinese Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth .

Papers required : Passport, Detailed Itinerary, Copy of Cruise/Air Bookings In/Out, completed application form (download on line) and fee . IIRC something like $ 60 Aus for Single Entry .

Do a Google search for Chinese Consulate by City > Consular > Visas and it gives all the info, fees and , application form. Do not apply more than 3 months in advance of your entry to China.

NB: The website quoted in earlier posts charges higher fees and is not the Chinese Government, rather a Private Company providing a Visa procurement service, thus the higher fees .

Canberra Embassy only issues for certain States, Melbourne does Victoria, Sth Aus & Tasmania, Sydney for NSW, Brisbane for Queensland, and Perth for Western Australia.

You should possibly only require a single entry visa. Thinking back to last year if you are leaving Shanghai on the day you arrive you might not need a visa at all but I would be checking the info on http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/

 

this page has the following information that backs up the possibility you won't need a visa if you are leaving Sg=hanghai within 48 hours of the ship docking

 

http://www.visaforchina.com.au/visaen/visaView.html?method=readNotify&notifyId=1120#Menu=ChildMenu2

 

No visa is required for citizens of the following 30 countries, who transit through China via Shanghai within 48 hours, no matter what type of passports they may hold: Republic of Korea, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Schengen states -- Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Estonia, Poland , Czech Repoublic,Latvia,Lithuania, Malta, Switzerland , Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.

 

have a read of the pages supplied

DO NOT believe that website. The Transit Visa's (or lack thereof) in Shanghai are for IN TRANSIT AIRLINE passengers or those visiting the Expo. This system was originally set up because when more and more airlines started flying into Shanghai, connections OUT of Shanghai were lacking. Example: you could fly USA/Shanghai but you really needed to go to Llhasa. Your flight from the USA arrived at 6PM on Day 1 BUT your flight to Chengdu (and on to Llhasa) did not leave until 9PM on Day 2. So you essentially had 27 hours to wait for your flight. Now the Chinese have added the Expo to the visa free 48 hours. You MUST have a flight booked OUT of PVG to a third country AND have a departure card (which you would have been given on the airplane inbound)

I seriously doubt you will be allowed to board the ship WITHOUT a Chinese visa.

DO NOT believe that website. The Transit Visa's (or lack thereof) in Shanghai are for IN TRANSIT AIRLINE passengers or those visiting the Expo. This system was originally set up because when more and more airlines started flying into Shanghai, connections OUT of Shanghai were lacking. Example: you could fly USA/Shanghai but you really needed to go to Llhasa. Your flight from the USA arrived at 6PM on Day 1 BUT your flight to Chengdu (and on to Llhasa) did not leave until 9PM on Day 2. So you essentially had 27 hours to wait for your flight. Now the Chinese have added the Expo to the visa free 48 hours. You MUST have a flight booked OUT of PVG to a third country AND have a departure card (which you would have been given on the airplane inbound)

 

I seriously doubt you will be allowed to board the ship WITHOUT a Chinese visa.

thanks Greatam, I'll defer to your amazing Asia knowledge.

We did get visas last year for our Legend cruise, although not sure if we got single or multiple as we were in Shanghai for three days pre-cruise then visited two more Chinese ports apart from HK.

That visaforchina link I posted didn't exist last year, or at least we didn't use it.

I'm lucky enough to have the Brisbane consulate across the road from my office so I went in there and was given the forms I needed after showing them the itinerary

pete