nuvolablue

22 hours ago, 40yearcruiser said:

Thank you for your offer of information. First, did you enjoy visiting that port?  I'm concerned about the visa. We are from the USA. Did you get the evisa and how far in advance did you apply for it? Was it the special cruise visa and how much did it cost? I've googled but keep getting conflicting information. What did you do in port and was it a ship tour?  I've been trying to gather information about what to do but there isn't a lot out there that I've found so any sources of information would be very helpful.

We are Muslim so you used the opportunity to visit the Grand Mosque in Mecca; I don't think that would be an available option for you unless you are Muslim.

Another couple on our cruise did the Jeddah old city tour and found it quite underwhelming.

I tried very hard to get the transit visa (see my earlier reference to that thread), but didn't understand the process fully. I think if you are comfortable playing a game of "chicken" then the transit visa is much cheaper and a good option........for me the risk of not knowing whether I would have a visa or not till the day off arrival was too much. I opted for the Tourist Visa; it's very quick and gets approved and emailed within 5-10mins. 

30 minutes ago, 40yearcruiser said:

We will have a port stop in Jeddah on MSC World Europa in early April. Any information you can pass on about this port stop would be greatly appreciated. We will just have a day stop and will continue on with the ship. Any help from MSC on getting the special cruise visa for Saudi Arabia?

This thread is helpful:

If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help, Jeddah was a port of call on our Red Sea Cruise in Dec 22.

22 hours ago, stephenSJ said:

The way the transit visa works is you apply and pay. Nothing then happens until 48hrs before the ship docks when MSC send the ships manifest to the Saudi visa people. They check the ships manifest and if you have successfully applied for a transit visa it is emailed to you. If MSC send the manifest late the visas are late . You will not get a transit visa sooner than MSC submit the manifest. 

4 hours ago, stephenSJ said:

I have copied and pasted a copy of the info given by the Saudi Governement cruise people to the ship explaining the system. It could be that for their own reasons on occasion the Saudis issue transit visas early  based on the earlier ships manifest they have been given. 

 

Transit Visa online application – Ship Management Notes

You will receive an updated guideline once there is any change in the MOFA portal

❖ To the Ship management:

1. Ensure the manifest details (Passengers list) are correct as per the passenger passport.

2. Share the confirmed booking list (manifest) continuously with Cruise Saudi team, including (passenger’s full name, passport number, date of birth, nationality, and gender), to approve the eVisaimmediately by the authorities.

3. Share the final manifest 48Hrs before the ship arrivals to Jeddah/Dammam.

4. Please ensure the applicant has the eVisa printed or downloaded on their devices and presented at the Immigration counter

These posts are very helpful, but a great pity that MSC do not make this clear to passengers prior to them embarking. Why can't they just add some of the detail above to their Red Sea Cruise visa page:

https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/assets/document-visa-red-sea.pdf

???

I note that the 2023/2024 season of Red Cruises aboard MSC Orchestra have dropped KSA Yanbu Al Bahr as a port of destination and replaced it with Sharm El Sheih. I wonder if this has anything to do with the KSA visa issues.

Arrived back from our 18-25 December sailing of Red Cruise. I didn't speak to lots of other passengers, but the ones I did speak to all had to get the more expensive tourist visa. Not heard of the transit visa being issued to anyone.

3 hours ago, Nikita4 said:

Not free, but two devices per Person with the browse package are included in YC.

Sounds free to me 😃

10 hours ago, hawkeyetlse said:

I am afraid you will be disappointed if you are hoping that "Type of service: included" means that the internet is free at the Internet Café on these ships. It is not. It is "included" in the same way that the casino is "included". The venue is open and accessible to you, but if you want to actually use the computers for your e-mail or whatever, be prepared to pay for it.

Got it. That's a helpful analogy. Thanks. 

Would be great to hear from someone who can confirm the above from first hand experience. 

1 hour ago, wallyj said:

I do not believe there is ‘free’ WiFi on MSC, be friendly and make a new friend that might have internet.
 

Unfortunately, MSC also restricts you to the device you register, unlike other cruiselines that allow you to switch devices even if you have only one device plan. For those cruise lines you can only have 1 device active at a time. 

 

You might get lucky and meet a solo traveler who got free WiFi for 2 devices and will only be using one.

 

Ask on your roll call, if anyone might be willing to share.

Thanks for that since I made my post I found the following which confirms they do have free WiFi in certain areas. 

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/on-board/internet-apps/wifi

Hi, does anyone know if MSC has 

any areas of the (Splendida) ship where there is free Internet available, perhaps in an on board business center or Internet cafe?

I'm really trying to avoid buying the extortionately priced Internet package. 

I only intend on using Internet on the ship if really necessary; for port  days I have access to an international sim. 

Thanks all. 

2 hours ago, Travelnplane said:

Does anyone has successfully obtained the Transit Visa sea on visa.mofa.gov.sa and if yes, how long did it take from application to approval?

 

Have entered our applications almost two weeks ago and paid everything but the status remains unchanged as „under process“…

Getting closer to our departure date and starting to worry a bit.

Yes mine has been the same under process status for around three weeks now. 

The embassy don't answer the phone and don't answer emails. 

I will give it another week tops and then apply for the more expensive tourist visa. 

On 11/24/2022 at 12:44 AM, Lisichka said:

I have a group for my specific sailing and it seems all of us have a different payment due date.  Some of us December 7 (110 days before cruise) where as others say their final payment is not until 30 days before the cruise.

 

is this a difference between the US and Europe or what is going on?

Which cruise is that? 

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

History has taught me that I have ZERO interest in ever entering that Country.  

Okay,....... slightly irrelevant post for this particular thread.

On 11/28/2022 at 11:02 AM, nuvolablue said:

@Lisichka Are you also doing the Red Sea Cruise ? And if so how is the progress of your Saudi Visa application ? Please do share any insights or advice. Thanks.

@Lisichka Are you also doing the Red Sea Cruise ? And if so how is the progress of your Saudi Visa application ? Please do share any insights or advice. Thanks.

On 11/28/2022 at 10:38 AM, Newleno said:

My understanding was that you could stay on the ship if you did not have a saudi visa for my particular voyage, dont know about future voyages

On 11/28/2022 at 2:50 AM, Newleno said:

I hope for you guys that Saudi and MSC got their act together, we were given the same exact  promises that never materialized, disembarking passengers in the customs terminal were in line getting the visa on arrival that took a lot of time, some of us basically got the same visa on line, the cost was over $140.  I embarked in Rome.  MSC consistently gave us wrong or no information on our journey. 

On 11/26/2022 at 4:13 PM, Newleno said:

Just got off the splendida in Jeddah, I dont know of one person that was able to obtain the transit visa for $50,   Although we all tried

@Lisichkait's all detailed on @Newleno's previous posts. 

Very sorry to hear that. I'm a first time cruiser myself so unlikely to be able to offer much advice. Is your travel insurance in place yet, and could this offer any recourse ?

35 minutes ago, Lisichka said:

When was your cruise and what promise did MSC make? 
 

I do not see any promises by MSC.

I don't think the matter is totally in MSC's hands. They are also reliant on what the Saudi Embassy(s) (in the various countries) are telling them. In my case they have told me something completely different to what (on the face of it) they have advised MSC.

@Lisichka are you also in a cruise that will go to Saudi Arabia ?

10 hours ago, Lisichka said:

I don’t know why you are confused.  That is where my link came from too (MSC) and the UK is not on the list of countries not allowed to apply for this.  You said you had previous experience with them though and didn’t want to fight them.

@Lisichka Are you also doing the Red Sea Cruise ? And if so how is the progress of your Saudi Visa application ? Please do share any insights or advice. Thanks.

7 hours ago, Lisichka said:

I don’t know why you are confused.  That is where my link came from too (MSC) and the UK is not on the list of countries not allowed to apply for this.  You said you had previous experience with them though and didn’t want to fight them.

Okay so how do you suggest I tell the Saudi Embassy that they are wrong and MSC are right? Do you really think they will care what I have to say?

On 11/24/2022 at 10:48 AM, nuvolablue said:

Hi All, I will try and update this on other threads as well....I've just got off the phone to the Saudi Embassy in London to check the status of my Transit Visa application. This was the one applied for using the following link:

 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

 

The embassy have advised me that the Transit Visa is no longer offered to UK travellers, so they have cancelled my application. Very annoying that this was not made clear on the application status, nor did anyone bother to call me from the Embassy.

 

So for UK travellers the only option is to apply for the more expensive Tourist Visa.

 

I know some are going for the option of getting MSC to sort this for them on board, but Jeddah is a key port for me to visit so I'm not going to leave it to chance. I hope that's a useful update for all in the UK at least.

Following on from my previous post, I also followed up with MSC UK and received the following response. Now I'm really confused as they appear to giving information which is contrary to what the Saudi Embassy in London have told me:

1 minute ago, Lisichka said:

That isn’t right.  The counties that do not qualify for a transit visa are listed and the UK isn’t one of them.

Yes I agree, but history has taught me not to argue with the Saudi Embassy.

On 11/6/2022 at 7:09 PM, SolandBud said:

Update - we did actually just manage to apply for 2 transit visas via the Saudia visa website - https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/

 

You need to create a profile and then submit an application. Choose E on the top left to switch to english and one of the visa options is transit. It cost us about £45 which is $50.

 

The status is showing as 'sent to embassy' (we chose London as the 'mission' to send it to), I'll post back on here if it's succesful.

Hi  ...I've just got off the phone to the Saudi Embassy in London to check the status of my Transit Visa application. This was the one applied for using the following link:

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

The embassy have advised me that the Transit Visa is no longer offered to UK travellers, so they have cancelled my application. Very annoying that this was not made clear on the application status, nor did anyone bother to call me from the Embassy.

So for UK travellers the only option is to apply for the more expensive Tourist Visa.

I know some are going for the option of getting MSC to sort this for them on board, but Jeddah is a key port for me to visit so I'm not going to leave it to chance. I hope that's a useful update for all in the UK at least.

@SolandBud I believe you are also from UK - what is status of your transit visa ? Have you checked with the Embassy in London ?

Hi All, I will try and update this on other threads as well....I've just got off the phone to the Saudi Embassy in London to check the status of my Transit Visa application. This was the one applied for using the following link:

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

The embassy have advised me that the Transit Visa is no longer offered to UK travellers, so they have cancelled my application. Very annoying that this was not made clear on the application status, nor did anyone bother to call me from the Embassy.

So for UK travellers the only option is to apply for the more expensive Tourist Visa.

I know some are going for the option of getting MSC to sort this for them on board, but Jeddah is a key port for me to visit so I'm not going to leave it to chance. I hope that's a useful update for all in the UK at least.

On 11/6/2022 at 7:09 PM, SolandBud said:

Update - we did actually just manage to apply for 2 transit visas via the Saudia visa website - https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/

 

You need to create a profile and then submit an application. Choose E on the top left to switch to english and one of the visa options is transit. It cost us about £45 which is $50.

 

The status is showing as 'sent to embassy' (we chose London as the 'mission' to send it to), I'll post back on here if it's succesful.

Hi @SolandBudany updates on the status of your transit visa ? Mine has been stuck on "under process" status since I applied on 15 November. Any help appreciated.

12 hours ago, Lisichka said:

This is directly from MSCs website (says required for cruises stopping in SA):
 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

This is very helpful. Thank you.