Immigration Issues in Maputo on Nautica 10 Dec 2018

We had a posting on our roll call thread that the Nautica experienced some significant immigration issues on Dec 10th during their visit to Maputo.

Appreciate any first hand reports

We will be there on the Holland America ship ms Amsterdam next March

We were in Maputo on Nautica on December 1. The delay was due to a required "face to face" with Mozambique officials who boarded the ship. The process took a long time because they took a photgraph and finger prints. Initially there were only 2 officials but when Nautica respectfully "complained", they added a third person. We waited nearly 2 hours and luckily had a ship tour that day as all the tours had a delayed start time.

We were told that the officials were on board most of the day processing the visas (and enjoying Nautica's wonderful food). A copy of the photo taken in the morning was included on the visa that they added to our passport. Not a very flattering photo after waiting in the que for hours so keep that in mind when you finally get in front of the camera.

Not sure if the process would be different if we had procured our visa ourselves - we let O do it as did most passengers- but probably would still have had to do the face to face. Some passengers chose not to purchase the Mozambique visa so not all got off but you can probably expect a significant wait with 2x the number of passengers. Go with the flow and just remember that you're on "Africa time".

Nautica docked within sight of Caminho de Ferro de Mocambique - one of the mose beautiful trainstations in the world. If the same holds true for Amsterdam, you could easily see most of the major sights on your own in Maputo.

Maputo as seen from Nautica

We were in Maputo on Nautica on December 1. The delay was due to a required "face to face" with Mozambique officials who boarded the ship. The process took a long time because they took a photgraph and finger prints. Initially there were only 2 officials but when Nautica respectfully "complained", they added a third person. We waited nearly 2 hours and luckily had a ship tour that day as all the tours had a delayed start time.

 

We were told that the officials were on board most of the day processing the visas (and enjoying Nautica's wonderful food). A copy of the photo taken in the morning was included on the visa that they added to our passport. Not a very flattering photo after waiting in the que for hours so keep that in mind when you finally get in front of the camera.

 

Not sure if the process would be different if we had procured our visa ourselves - we let O do it as did most passengers- but probably would still have had to do the face to face. Some passengers chose not to purchase the Mozambique visa so not all got off but you can probably expect a significant wait with 2x the number of passengers. Go with the flow and just remember that you're on "Africa time".

 

Nautica docked within sight of Caminho de Ferro de Mocambique - one of the mose beautiful trainstations in the world. If the same holds true for Amsterdam, you could easily see most of the major sights on your own in Maputo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maputo as seen from Nautica

Thanks for your reply. Appreciate the first hand report.

TIA (This is Africa). You can see most without a tour. Just a short walk to the little train (Maputo Express) that takes you around the city. However guard you valuables -- I have been to most bad places in the world (including Iraq and Iran), and in Maputo I actually felt unsafe.

TIA (This is Africa). You can see most without a tour. Just a short walk to the little train (Maputo Express) that takes you around the city. However guard you valuables -- I have been to most bad places in the world (including Iraq and Iran), and in Maputo I actually felt unsafe.

Many of us will be starting overland Safaris in Maputo and will be facing long drives into South Africa. Hopefully we will be able to get an early start......but....TIA! We will bring an extra serving of patience...

Many of us will be starting overland Safaris in Maputo and will be facing long drives into South Africa. Hopefully we will be able to get an early start......but....TIA! We will bring an extra serving of patience...

Yes please be patient. Mozambiqueans are very friendly. Big eyes big smiles...

Maputo is unsafe. We are not fearful people. We have been to Egypt, Kenya and other places with state department warnings.

Nothing to see unless u like fish museums. I would stay on ship and save money on visa

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We are currently on Nautica, and stopped in Maputo the day before yesterday. We were scheduled to arrive at 10:00 am, and the officials arrived on board at 11:00 am.

The crew said that on the previous stop in Maputo it took 4 hours to clear the ship. When the immigration officials arrived, they had a problem with their equipment, and could not start processing passengers. By 1:00 pm the problem was still not solved, and the decision was made to leave for the next port.

All in all a very frustrating experience.

Maputo is unsafe. We are not fearful people. We have been to Egypt, Kenya and other places with state department warnings.

 

Nothing to see unless u like fish museums. I would stay on ship and save money on visa

 

 

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What do you mean by unsafe? What type of criminality?

Maputo, previously called Lorenco Marques, is not a beautiful city and I agree that there is not much "to see", specially in only one day. As a matter of fact maybe we can say the same about several ports of call.

However, you can still have a nice day in Maputo for example if you go to the Polana Hotel or to the Costa del Sol. In google there is a lot of information about those places.

Thanks for the information. Being patient is easy most of the time, but makes me wonder if it is even going to be worth disembarking when Insignia is currently scheduled to depart Mozambique at 3:00p (8a arrival). At $169pp the visa is quite costly if we get just a few hours ashore instead of the anticipated 6 hours. Something to ponder.

Thanks for the information. Being patient is easy most of the time, but makes me wonder if it is even going to be worth disembarking when Insignia is currently scheduled to depart Mozambique at 3:00p (8a arrival). At $169pp the visa is quite costly if we get just a few hours ashore instead of the anticipated 6 hours. Something to ponder.

That is really too short. I would not spend that money for a visa for such a short time. This not only in Maputo, no where in the world...

That is really too short. I would not spend that money for a visa for such a short time. This not only in Maputo, no where in the world...

That is all well and good, but you'll waste a great deal of time and effort explaining why you never got off the ship in Cuba............. on your cruise to Cuba

Sometimes, we just have to bite these unexpected bullets. :halo:

That is all well and good, but you'll waste a great deal of time and effort explaining why you never got off the ship in Cuba............. on your cruise to Cuba

Sometimes, we just have to bite these unexpected bullets. :halo:

Do they also stop that short in Cuba?:confused: You are right.

We were there and the ship couldn't clear customs as the customs people had a glitch so no Maputo for us....no Mossel Bay, no Port Elizabeth. Our dream African Adventure has turned into a nightmare of sitting on a ship with nothing to do. It seems Maputo is always a problem. Oceania needs to drop this port!

The Maputo immigration situation is being discussed in the local African online papers.

Many folks are furious that the government is screwing up the tourist industry and lost all the revenue from the cruise ship. They also discuss how many passengers don't even bother to leave the ship.

Comments are in Portequese but you can use google translate to read them.

http://www.verdade.co.mz/tema-de-fundo/35/64300

http://allafrica.com/stories/201712130420.html

Our cruise stopped in Maputo last year. We were aware of 3 incidences that happened well in port.

First was a pickpocket that used a cigaretteto burn the arm of a fellow cruiser. This happened within a few blocks of the port.

Second was another pickpocket of a couple we had toured with. As they were walking into the market the husbands had his pocket picked, the wife saw what was happening and grabbed the hand of pickpocket. The money was dropped.

Our experience was a little more concerning. We were on an Oceania tour and the last stop was about 4 blocks from the entrance of the port. One of the couples on the tour asked if they could walk back to the ship. It took us a few minutes to get the bus loaded and start back. Within a block from the port we could see a police car and the couple talking with them. The bus stopped behind the police car and the couple came running to the bus. The police wanted to see their passport and of course we don’t carry them. They did show their cruise card but then the police wanted money. When they said they didn’t have any they were told to get into the police car. Boy where they relieved when the bus pulled up. It is not a port I would like to return too but if going would take an Oceania tour.

Our cruise stopped in Maputo last year. We were aware of 3 incidences that happened well in port.

 

First was a pickpocket that used a cigaretteto burn the arm of a fellow cruiser. This happened within a few blocks of the port.

 

Second was another pickpocket of a couple we had toured with. As they were walking into the market the husbands had his pocket picked, the wife saw what was happening and grabbed the hand of pickpocket. The money was dropped.

 

Our experience was a little more concerning. We were on an Oceania tour and the last stop was about 4 blocks from the entrance of the port. One of the couples on the tour asked if they could walk back to the ship. It took us a few minutes to get the bus loaded and start back. Within a block from the port we could see a police car and the couple talking with them. The bus stopped behind the police car and the couple came running to the bus. The police wanted to see their passport and of course we don’t carry them. They did show their cruise card but then the police wanted money. When they said they didn’t have any they were told to get into the police car. Boy where they relieved when the bus pulled up. It is not a port I would like to return too but if going would take an Oceania tour.

Here is a report from Maputo...Sounds like the passport scam is still being attempted

Also an update on the fallout from the Nautica visit

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/report.php?p=54767234

Here is a report from Maputo...Sounds like the passport scam is still being attempted

 

Also an update on the fallout from the Nautica visit

 

 

 

Maputo port immigration officials to be disciplined

Crystal Symphony is in Maputo today - no significant issues - Here is a link to a live report.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/report.php?p=54767234

Thanks for posting this ... looks like the backlash from lost revenue is working to resolve the issue. I noted how Crystal brought the officials on the ship early. We don’t have any sea days prior to Maputo, but we do leave Richards Bay early, so technically the immigration process could be started after sail away with face-to-face meetings conducted accordingly. I hope Oceania has considered this course of action to help solve the problem in the aftermath of the Nautica disembarkation issues.

sorry , computer problem.

sorry , computer problem.

We were on Nautica (this month) when the scheduled port visit was cancelled.

Here is a report from Maputo...Sounds like the passport scam is still being attempted

 

Also an update on the fallout from the Nautica visit

 

 

 

Maputo port immigration officials to be disciplined

Crystal Symphony is in Maputo today - no significant issues - Here is a link to a live report.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/report.php?p=54767234

Thanks for sharing. We were on this cruise and it was one of several very frustrating days. Glad to hear some action is being taken.

Been there, done that. Would never go back. I have visited several other countries in Africa and this is the only one I would not go back to.

My husband and I were on the Nautica when the immigration problem occurred on 10 Dec. We docked at 10:00 as scheduled, but the immigration authorities sauntered onto the ship about an hour late. We had periodic updates over the ship's tannoy to say that the authorities were having problems with a piece of equipment used to scan passports and that passengers should get out of line and go and get some lunch. The next announcement was to tell the ship's crew that all shore leave had been cancelled. At that point, my husband said he realized that no-one was getting off the ship. Finally, at 13:00, the captain announced that the problem still had not been resolved and that, even if it were to be fixed, there would not be time to clear the ship and get passengers off on tours before the ship was due to depart that evening. The ship left Maputo without a single person going ashore. We were later told by the Cruise Director that it had taken 5 hours to clear the ship the week previously. This article states that the 7 immigration officials involved will be disciplined for "sabotaging the visit of a cruise ship" http://clubofmozambique.com/news/maputo-port-immigration-officials-to-be-disciplined/

When did Nautica charge for visas such as the one for Tanzania, Mozambique, etc? We opted not to pay for the visas in advance and have them charged against OBC. We’re waffling on Maputo, so I would like to know how long we have to make up our mind about our Maputo plans once we embark the ship.

When did Nautica charge for visas such as the one for Tanzania, Mozambique, etc? We opted not to pay for the visas in advance and have them charged against OBC. We’re waffling on Maputo, so I would like to know how long we have to make up our mind about our Maputo plans once we embark the ship.

The charges for the visas that we purchased on board appeared on our invoice the day after we visited the port.