Past Vietnam visitors please

There is lots of confusion between Windstar’s reading of Vietnam Visa requirements and what the official Vietnam government website and the embassy says.

Windstar says that we can apply on line for a $25 e-visa which would be good for the entire voyage. Vietnamese e-visas are good for single entry, our itinerary includes three port stops in Vietnam.

The e-visa is $25, the multiple entry visa is much more complicated and costs $135. Not worth taking the chance I know but if any past cruisers have dealt with this and found that the e-visa works, please let me know. Windstar’s record of being right on visas is not good, I experienced this.

Barrycat: We're on the January 27 departure from Hong Kong with multiple stops in Vietnam. Welcome you raising this topic--I've not started working on visas for the trip.

Steve

We were on the Star Pride in December 2014 and had the same problem. Windstar in Seattle was no help and neither was our TA. We finally decided to get the full visa from the Vietnamese Consulate in San Francisco that cost $100 each.

At our first port in Vietnam customs officials came on board and collected $25 from all the passengers that didn't have visas and stamped their passports.

So, I would think that the e-visas would work.

We were on the Star Pride in December 2014 and had the same problem. Windstar in Seattle was no help and neither was our TA. We finally decided to get the full visa from the Vietnamese Consulate in San Francisco that cost $100 each.

 

At our first port in Vietnam customs officials came on board and collected $25 from all the passengers that didn't have visas and stamped their passports.

So, I would think that the e-visas would work.

I love it. Another example of a "visa" that's really a "tourist tax."

Unfortunately I can beat J&MSails story.

We were on a great 34 day cruise on the Legend from Athens to Singapore. Visas were required for Egypt, Jordan, India, Sri Lanka. The information from Windstar changed with every new email and ended up never being right. Almost every cruiser on board was upset with the confusion and to make matters worse, the on board crew knew nothing of the problem before we informed them, inexcusable. We ended up taking the safe approach and spent over $1200 on visas and services, and as it turned out some were not required. My guess is we will end up buying the more expensive multiple entry visas since we cannot trust the Windstar “guidance”.

Steve, we are on the January 27 cruise as well, staying on to Singapore

Cruised on Celebrity Millenium in March. We stopped at 3 ports 4 days in Vietnam. Visa info was very confusing. I was very stressed. My TA made inquiries. We got visas on the ship. Vietnam officials issued them. When we boarded, we were asked to show a visa or a color copy of our passport photo page. For those who did not have a visa, their photo copy was stamped. It was delivered to our cabin before our first Vietnamese port. Cost was low. Less than $25. Vietnam was amazing.

I was caught when we visited. Obtained the multi-entry visa as I was unable to a response from the embassy if it was required. It wasnt.

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On Celebrity, all passengers got a Vietnam visa onboard, valid for all 3 ports in Vietnam.

If you stay overnight on the cruise ship, the Vietnam visa costs only $6 (charged to the on board account).

If you stay overnight in a hotel in Hanoi or elsewhere, the Vietnam visa costs $25

There is visa confusion on many of the cruise lines, not just Windstar. Oceania has flip flopped on whether we need an expensive visa in Mozambique if we don't plan on leaving the ship. The Embassy officially said no, but Oceania is now requiring that we get one anyway in case of an emergency. I think cruise lines tend to "play it safe" when it comes to visas.

Barrycat: We're on the January 27 departure from Hong Kong with multiple stops in Vietnam. Welcome you raising this topic--I've not started working on visas for the trip.

 

Steve

Also on the January 27 HK to Singapore and still investigating Vista's to Vietnam. Have you finalized your visas? Windstar directed me to the following

EVISA.XUATNHAPCANH.GOV site provides entry and exit ports questions . So far this seems to be the best site I've found. Are you considering any private excursions?

Dave & Pat

Dave & Pat: We have not yet secured visas--I will probably wait and deal with it on the ship. While the ship makes multiple stops in Vietnam, we only make one "entry" in to the country, so I figure it will work out. We live outside Washington, DC, so I may check at the Embassy here next month.

We have not focused on shore excursions so far. We will review the Windstar options, and then check these Boards and Tripadvisor for suggestions. This is our first Windstar voyage, so we hope to get advice/suggestions from experienced Windstar sailors!

Thanks,

Steve

Dave & Pat: We have not yet secured visas--I will probably wait and deal with it on the ship. While the ship makes multiple stops in Vietnam, we only make one "entry" in to the country, so I figure it will work out. We live outside Washington, DC, so I may check at the Embassy here next month.

We have not focused on shore excursions so far. We will review the Windstar options, and then check these Boards and Tripadvisor for suggestions. This is our first Windstar voyage, so we hope to get

advice/suggestions from experienced Windstar

sailors!

Thanks,

Steve

I have some email correspondence with Windstar about the visa which would be helpful. If interested send me your email. Likewise we have not spend A lot of time on the excursions but will get on in soon. I only see you, Barrycat and myself so far on this site. We are also first timers on Windstar and Asia so looking for any suggestions. Are you on the 23 day cruise? If so notice that the Bangkok excursions are short and end at airport or hotels. A private tour here would be wise.

Dave & Pat

Hello! We are joining this thread, hoping to get information on Viet Nam excursions either experienced or planned.

Traveling in November this year, all Vietnamese ports.

Conny

On 9/1/2018 at 6:31 AM, DAVE & PAT said:

 

I have some email correspondence with Windstar about the visa which would be helpful. If interested send me your email. Likewise we have not spend A lot of time on the excursions but will get on in soon. I only see you, Barrycat and myself so far on this site. We are also first timers on Windstar and Asia so looking for any suggestions. Are you on the 23 day cruise? If so notice that the Bangkok excursions are short and end at airport or hotels. A private tour here would be wise.

 

Dave & Pat

Steve,

 Wanted to check in with you about several excursion options. A fellow passenger, Barrycat, has a dialogue with a travel agency called Authentic Asia Travel, 5 star rated, and we have their proposals for some Vietnam excursions. It looks like a combination of several private tours and Windstar tours would be a good way to go. If you send me your email I can forward those options. 

 Also got my Visa for Vietnam, per Windstars recommendation, and it was online and very easy. $25 each and you get the visa within several days. Glad to send you that site also.

Dave & Pat

On 8/30/2018 at 10:05 PM, Cortesefam said:

Dave & Pat: We have not yet secured visas--I will probably wait and deal with it on the ship. While the ship makes multiple stops in Vietnam, we only make one "entry" in to the country, so I figure it will work out. We live outside Washington, DC, so I may check at the Embassy here next month.

We have not focused on shore excursions so far. We will review the Windstar options, and then check these Boards and Tripadvisor for suggestions. This is our first Windstar voyage, so we hope to get advice/suggestions from experienced Windstar sailors!

Thanks,

Steve

Steve,

  THought I would check in with you. A fellow passenger, Barrycat, has a dialogue with Authentic Asia Travel and they have sent us some excursion options for private tours. I would be glad to forward them if you want to send me your email. If we can get a small group the pricing gets really attractive and would be nice to mix some private and ship excursions during our trip. Also I obtained my VIsa, per ship recommendation, and it was very simple to do on line and they email you the Visa in about 3 days. Cost $25 each. Would be glad to share that info also.

 We are new to WIndstar and not sure on how far in advance to book the excursions. I am now trying to get a handle on the ship offerings and how they compare to private tours. The key is finding other passengers who are interested. My personal email is Davemoynihan@aol.com.  Often hard to find previous contacts on this site so direct email is good.

Dave

I’m glad to join this forum as we are facing the same challenges in planning our trips. We are on the Nov 19 cruise from Bangkok to Hong Kong with four stops in Vietnam,

Dave & Pat - I would appreciate getting details on how you went about getting your visas for you trip. I have been getting wildly inconsistent information from various sources, and I’m still trying to wade through it. 

On another note, we are leaning toward going on our own for some day trips, but may consider some private tours as well.  I’m interested if anyone has experience just getting a cab to Hoi An or other sites and exploring them yourself.  IS an organized tour absolutely necessary? 

I’m so glad to find this forum and I’m looking forward to hearing your replies.

Scott

Scott

Send  me your email  at dwrobinso3@aol.com and I will send you some information on what me and Dave of Dave and Pat have come up with so far regarding Vietnam excursions.

Barrycat

Thanks, BarryCat, much appreciated. I replied via email.

Regarding the Visa, I just got off the phone with Windstar. They said that Windstar does not offer visa-issuing services on the ship, and each traveler needs to make those arrangements in advance. They directed me to use the site Evisa.immigration.gov.vn. She explained that a single-entry visa is valid since the ship does not go to any foreign ports between the Vietnamese ports. For our trip on 11/16/18, we will use the Hon Gai Seaport at Ha Long Bay.

If this is in conflict to anything you have heard (confirmed), I would be interested in hearing!

Thanks,

Scott

This  is what Windstar has been saying for awhile and what Dave and Pat did. I’m sure it is correct since Windstar has been to Vietnam a couple of times in the past. Before this specific explanation came out from Windstar added to some misinformation that they gave us regarding visas on a previous cruise,I did the suspenders and belt thing and got the $135 multiple entry visa from  the consulate. Probably not necessary but It’s done and I’m sleeping well.

DAVE & PAT:  Dave--Just sent an email to you--look forward to connecting.

Steve

Hello, ScottJJ, we will be on the same cruise as you, I believe.  I (Conny) have not yet started planning any excursions, but will get on it it soon. I received some great help from David "BarryCat" in terms of options, and I see you have connected with him also. We are planning several days in Bangkok before the cruise, but will do that with local guides from the hotel, as I did before and it worked out well. Happy planning.

Mel and Conny

On 10/22/2018 at 12:06 PM, ScottJJ said:

Thanks, BarryCat, much appreciated. I replied via email.

 

Regarding the Visa, I just got off the phone with Windstar. They said that Windstar does not offer visa-issuing services on the ship, and each traveler needs to make those arrangements in advance. They directed me to use the site Evisa.immigration.gov.vn. She explained that a single-entry visa is valid since the ship does not go to any foreign ports between the Vietnamese ports. For our trip on 11/16/18, we will use the Hon Gai Seaport at Ha Long Bay.

 

If this is in conflict to anything you have heard (confirmed), I would be interested in hearing!

 

Thanks,

 

Scott,

 I have obtained my Visa on line with the company Windstar recommended. Not sure which trip your on but we received emails yesterday from Windstar about the Visas and it provided the same on line company. You will need to scan your data page of your passport along with passport photos and upload them on their application page. Went very smooth and they emailed me our Visa's within a few days. Let me know your itinerary and feel free to email me . We are on the same trip as Barrycat(David) Hong Kong to Singapore departing on January 27.

Dave & Pat

davemoynihan@aol.com

Dave and Pat,

Thanks for your follow up. Yes I followed the instructions listed above and it was very easy. For $25 each we got our Evisas in two days. I think we’re good. 

Enjoy your cruise!