Turkey Visa

[retired1]

We are on the Black sea cruise and then continuing to Lisbon. Why do we have to purchase a Visa for Turkey? I thought you only needed one when flying in or out of Istanbul.
I called Oceania and asked and they said it was needed.

Thanks, Vicki

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Originally Posted by retired1

We are on the Black sea cruise and then continuing to Lisbon. Why do we have to purchase a Visa for Turkey? I thought you only needed one when flying in or out of Istanbul.
I called Oceania and asked and they said it was needed.

Thanks, Vicki

You're probably overnighting in Istanbul right? That's probably why.

[JimandStan]

Originally Posted by retired1

We are on the Black sea cruise and then continuing to Lisbon. Why do we have to purchase a Visa for Turkey? I thought you only needed one when flying in or out of Istanbul.
I called Oceania and asked and they said it was needed.

Thanks, Vicki

I think that you are probably correct about not technically needing a Visa if you are not leaving the custody of the ship in Turkey, however, as the Regatta makes three calls in Turkey on the first leg of your cruise, if it were ME, I'd prefer buying the Visa rather than having to explain that situation to all of those various Turkish officials.

Being singled out and treated differently in a foreign country can be upsetting under the best of circumstances, but even more so if you might run into the same thing in several ports.

East of Istanbul, the customs people don't deal with many American Tourists and any way that you can stay "under their radar" will make your life much easier.

[LHT28]

Originally Posted by retired1

We are on the Black sea cruise and then continuing to Lisbon. Why do we have to purchase a Visa for Turkey? I thought you only needed one when flying in or out of Istanbul.
I called Oceania and asked and they said it was needed.

Thanks, Vicki

Maybe the O rep s wrong
http://turkey.visahq.com/
Call the Turkish Embassy or consulate & tell them you are on a cruise & ask the requirements for multiple stops
http://turkey.visahq.com/embassy/United-States/

You could always get one at the port if you feel safer having one

[kcanada]

I am on the Pearls of the Aegean Regatta trip leaving Venice on Aug. 8th. We have a stop in Kudasi. Do we need a visa? There are 4 in our group, 3 are Canadian and 1 American. Are there different requirements for us based on nationality?

[Lola911]

You are to buy your Visas before you leave your home country. We sail October 12 from Istanbul and we have purchased our Turkish Visas with Oceania for $99 each. I researched buying here in Vancouver, but a hassle and did not save a lot doing on my own. If you are going to Turkey it should automatically be on your Guest Statement...my TA brought it up when we booked.

[LHT28]

Originally Posted by kcanada

I am on the Pearls of the Aegean Regatta trip leaving Venice on Aug. 8th. We have a stop in Kudasi. Do we need a visa? There are 4 in our group, 3 are Canadian and 1 American. Are there different requirements for us based on nationality?

NO
Unless you are flying out of Turkey or staying on land in Turkey after your cruise

[retired1]

Thanks everyone,

I guess I will just take it up with Oceania on the ship. I did look at the Visa requirements and it didn't think we needed one...not unless we flew in or were flying out.

[LEESRE]

We just pruchased ours at the aiport once we have landed. That is if you are joining your cruise in Turkey straight from the airport.

[RetiredFL]

Originally Posted by Lola911

You are to buy your Visas before you leave your home country. We sail October 12 from Istanbul and we have purchased our Turkish Visas with Oceania for $99 each. I researched buying here in Vancouver, but a hassle and did not save a lot doing on my own. If you are going to Turkey it should automatically be on your Guest Statement...my TA brought it up when we booked.

For US citizens the fee appears to be only $49. Based on previous cruises involving Turkey, we have always bought one for the peace of mind it brings to know we won't have problems.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by retired1

We are on the Black sea cruise and then continuing to Lisbon. Why do we have to purchase a Visa for Turkey? I thought you only needed one when flying in or out of Istanbul.
I called Oceania and asked and they said it was needed.

Thanks, Vicki

It sounds like you are doing a B2B cruise. Does the ship overnight in Istanbul between cruises? If it does, you will need a Visa even though you will be overnighting on board.

[Rickey 88]

Originally Posted by retired1

Thanks everyone,

I guess I will just take it up with Oceania on the ship. I did look at the Visa requirements and it didn't think we needed one...not unless we flew in or were flying out.

If you wait and "take it up with Oceania on the ship", you may very well run a chance of not being allowed to board in the first place.

Oceania does check all your cruise documents before boarding, and will not let anyone board who is missing any visas or other documents.

Luckily, I believe that Turkish visas which are simply stamps stuck inside your passport may be purchased from the ship. However, please be sure before you leave - avoid disappointment!!

[no fuss travel]

Originally Posted by kcanada

I am on the Pearls of the Aegean Regatta trip leaving Venice on Aug. 8th. We have a stop in Kudasi. Do we need a visa? There are 4 in our group, 3 are Canadian and 1 American. Are there different requirements for us based on nationality?

We were in Kudasi for one day on our cruise last year and we did not require a visa.

[Mura]

On our cruise onMarina last October we met some people who were going to get their visas in Kusadasi. I know from my research last night that theoretically you can get the visa at ANY entry port.

That would seem to indicate that on our August 18th Black Sea cruise it should be possible to get the visa at Trabzon, our first Turkish port.

OTOH, we received our final documents by email today from Oceania and they clearly said the visa is required ... which makes me think that comments that Oceania might not let you board without a visa could be correct ...

We took the easy way out and let Oceania provide them. When we were on a Renaissance cruise I got our own which was easy enough as NYC residents. But Ren charged a vastly greater surcharge for a Turkish visa than Oceania does.

Mura

[retired1]

Thanks everyone,
I did get the Visa....I just didn't think that I needed to get it since we were continuing on to Lisbon.
Vicki

[Mexfolkart]

We have never gotten a visa for Turkey on our own during multiple stops. When we disembarked in Istanbul we were all given visas at that time by O.
Sherry

[Mura]

BUT!! BUT!! You paid for those visas. I'll agree, it isn't an exorbitant cost. We opted to use O for our visas for our August 18th cruise, but they DO charge you.

It is cheaper to get your own ... but it can be a hassle.

If you fly into Istanbul for a cruise, you can get your visa for a lot less money at the airport. (Supposedly you can get them at any entry port but we've never tried that since we've always arrived on a ship.)

Mura

[grmmybtty]

If you are flying in to Istanbul, you can purchase the visa at the airport right before immigration for $20. You cannot enter Turkey through the airport without purchasing a visa. We were initially going to purchase the visas through Oceania, but it is $99 vs. $20 at the airport.

[JimandStan]

Originally Posted by grmmybtty

If you are flying in to Istanbul, you can purchase the visa at the airport right before immigration for $20. You cannot enter Turkey through the airport without purchasing a visa. We were initially going to purchase the visas through Oceania, but it is $99 vs. $20 at the airport.

That is fine for your situation, but not everybody who reads this thread will be joining their cruise in Istanbul.

Oceania offers those Visa's in order to accommodate passengers who want an easy, "I don't have to think about it" alternative.

If you're willing to do the research and the legwork, then go for it!

[kuldalai]

As usual these things become quite complex .

1. For Americans and Australians Tourist Visas are issued on arrival at entry ports in Turkey , but can be obtained in advance from Turkish Embassies abroad.

2. However for cruises transiting through A Turkish port as part of a Mediteranean Cruise originating and terminating outside Turkey then :
"The passengers of cruise ships are allowed to enter and stay overnight in the port cities of Turkey upon the permission given by local border police authorities. These passengers are not required to obtain an entry visa to Turkey. " (Source Turkish Embassy Canberra - Australia website)

3. When one comes to multiple cruise stops in Turkey I would be getting the Visa in advance as required by Oceania, otherwise you may well be denied boarding the ship at the start of the cruise wherever that is .