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Vietnam Visa for Cruise Ship Passengers


Barry H
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Just noticed some articles are dated 2015. Just came across this article stating that Vietnam visa cost would be reduced to $5 for cruise ship passengers. I don't understand. Is this separate from the visa for my passport or does it replace it?

 

https://vietnamvisaembassy.org/vietnam-visa-fee-cruise-passengers-back-us5-per-pax/

 

Does anyone have any information when this will take effect and how it will be implemented?

Has anyone visited Vietnam under the new system?

 

Barry

Edited by Barry H
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Just noticed some articles are dated 2015. Just came across this article stating that Vietnam visa cost would be reduced to $5 for cruise ship passengers. I don't understand. Is this separate from the visa for my passport or does it replace it?

 

https://vietnamvisaembassy.org/vietnam-visa-fee-cruise-passengers-back-us5-per-pax/

 

Does anyone have any information when this will take effect and how it will be implemented?

Has anyone visited Vietnam under the new system?

 

Barry

 

We just came off a cruise with 2 stops in Vietnam. We did not get visas prior to the cruise so the ship got it for us and charged $6 per person

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It's not a regular "tourist" visa.

It's good for arrival & departure on the ship (one ship-issued visa covers all Vietnamese ports), so for most folk it's all you need. Certainly OK for western nationals, and I think for all nationalities.

 

But it's no good if you plan to arrive or depart by any other means (eg breaking your cruise to visit Cambodia).

And I don't think it's any good for overnite stays ashore. If for example you plan to overnite in Hanoi you need better advice than I can give.

 

The price of the ship-issued visa has yo-yo'd in recent years, I've seen up to about $40 - a combination of government price changes & some cruise lines fleecing their passengers.

 

JB :)

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Do not get it prior to your cruise....the cruise ship automatically does it and charges the $6.00 pp to your onboard account.

 

Unfortunately many on our cruise had been told by their TA's to get them pre-cruise and paid a considerable amount...Were these cruisers upset...yes ! And from different countries...so don't listen if you're told to do this.

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Do not get it prior to your cruise....the cruise ship automatically does it and charges the $6.00 pp to your onboard account.

 

Unfortunately many on our cruise had been told by their TA's to get them pre-cruise and paid a considerable amount...Were these cruisers upset...yes ! And from different countries...so don't listen if you're told to do this.

 

All so true but not all cruise lines will charge $6. Princess is one that charges a lot more, as an earlier poster said. - fleecing passengers.

  • Haha 1
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I can only talk about Celebrity.

 

 

If you are only doing 1, 2 or 3 ports (arriving and leaving Vietnam by ship) visitthen Celebrity will charge you US $6, but if you have a passport that belongs to one of 5 European Visa Exemption Program then you should not be charged (we weren't British and German passports).

 

 

If you are doing an overnight stay i.e. Halong Bay / Hanoi,then Celebrity will charge you US $28 for the visa.

 

 

This information from March 2018.

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  • 2 months later...
Princess today is quoting $56 ($76 if you are taking a tour).

 

 

HI Brandi & Greg, We are traveling on Princess in December with two stops in Vietnam, HCMC & Nha Trang. In HCMC we are booked with a local tour company for a private 1/2 day tour (not through Princess). I thought the $76.00 charge was if you were spending the night on shore, not if you were taking a tour and re-boarding same day.

 

Also, it just occurred to me if we do a self guided tour (DIY) will we be charged the $56.00 or the $76.00 again, or is this a one time charge to cover both ports?

 

Thanks for any clarification you can give me on this subject!

E

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Interesting thread. We are planning on doing an overnight in Halong Bay on an Indochinese Junk (Bhaya Cruises) and they told us to go through our cruise line (Azamara) rather than through them or on our own. I'll probably call Azamara ahead of time.

 

On the Azamara Website is the following info for Vietnam:

 

Vietnam

 

Ship will assist guests required to secure this visa.

 

The ship will charge a one time nominal fee to the guests onboard account for guests securing a visa onboard. This visa fee includes a small processing charge by our local representative.

 

 

 

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Interesting thread. We are planning on doing an overnight in Halong Bay on an Indochinese Junk (Bhaya Cruises) and they told us to go through our cruise line (Azamara) rather than through them or on our own. I'll probably call Azamara ahead of time.

 

On the Azamara Website is the following info for Vietnam:

 

Vietnam

 

Ship will assist guests required to secure this visa.

 

The ship will charge a one time nominal fee to the guests onboard account for guests securing a visa onboard. This visa fee includes a small processing charge by our local representative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funny we did the same thing except we did a 2 night cruise on Bhaya and 3 nights in Hanoi flying back to the ship in Saigon. It was an identical B2B.

As far as the visa if you are going north and HaLong is your last stop then you might be ok. If you are sailing south and it’s your first stop you best get your own visa. You will need your passport for the cruise and it’s best to have a real visa at the first point if you want to get off. But you will have time because they will pick you up around 11am.

Great line. We had a rear suite with a wrap around balcony. Fantastic. One night a bit rushed but nothing like a day trip.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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  • 2 weeks later...

Princess are fleecing passengers by the outrageous imposition of a processing fee well in excess of what it should be. Would not sail with them if it could be avoided.

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I was on the Sun Princess in July with the same two port stops Saigon & Nha Trang, with my US Passport Princess charged my account $30.00 plus $3.00 in port fees, $33.00 total. The $3.00 came from the $75.00 total port charge for the cruise. My wife was only charged $3.00 total, using her Philippines Passport. I have seen higher prices but these are current and only from last month.

 

We did private Tours in both ports from Pham Tours, we did not do overland which I have been told is a higher price.

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It is clear Princess is making a profit here, but for US passport holders not really any other good choices. Yes you can apply online for visas but the total fee paid will be more than the $30.00 Princess is charging. as some others have said UK passport holders do not require a visa.

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I was on the Sun Princess in July with the same two port stops Saigon & Nha Trang, with my US Passport Princess charged my account $30.00 plus $3.00 in port fees, $33.00 total. The $3.00 came from the $75.00 total port charge for the cruise. My wife was only charged $3.00 total, using her Philippines Passport. I have seen higher prices but these are current and only from last month.

 

We did private Tours in both ports from Pham Tours, we did not do overland which I have been told is a higher price.

 

I would be happy if Princess charged us $33 if that is what they are doing. I guess more of us have to complain about the ridiculous profit they are making.

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I would be happy if Princess charged us $33 if that is what they are doing. I guess more of us have to complain about the ridiculous profit they are making.

 

The Visa fee charged for US Passport Holders is US$30.00 plus the $3.00 port fee which is already included in the port fees charged to the original booking. This is what it was 35 days ago on my account. I reached out to Princess and they confirmed no changes have been made for these fees. The information about a higher fee is wrong.

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Not $33 for our Princess cruise...

For our up coming Diamond cruise in January, Princess is taking $56, and it clearly published on our Princess cruise personalizer as a Vietnam visa charge

 

 

Srpilo

 

Not a bad earner for Princess, if Celebrity can do it for $6 USD then assuming approx 2,000 pax get a ship issued visa from Princess, the profit is $100,000 USD if the price is $56. Phew, what an outrage!

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Not $33 for our Princess cruise...

For our up coming Diamond cruise in January, Princess is taking $56, and it clearly published on our Princess cruise personalizer as a Vietnam visa chargeSrpilo

 

Do not know what to tell you again I paid $30 in July, ($30 + $3 port fee=$33). And that is the price they have quoted and confirmed for October. So that is what I will be paying again. The fee is $30 dollars for US Passports.

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  • 3 weeks later...
All so true but not all cruise lines will charge $6. Princess is one that charges a lot more, as an earlier poster said. - fleecing passengers.

 

I spoke with Princess late last week. The service rep told me $56. I inquired how can they say it's a VISA charge of $56 if Vietnam Visa by ship is only $5. He said that was the latest/current info he had. Transferred me to customer relations who, again, confirmed they charge $56. I told her I was reading on line from Vietnam Embassy article that they charge $5 for cruise ship passengers and offered to forward the article. She wasn't interested. She said she'd need to contact their "policies" department, so I said I'd hold. She came back and said they didn't know. I politely asked if she would push the issue up hill. And if Princess continues to charge $56, I suggested they change what they are calling the fee, since it is NOT a VISA fee. We were disconnected. Interesting.

 

We are considering 20 cruise on Sapphire Princess in Nov; however, this is so concerning to me, that we will most likely find another cruise line with similar ports. Just straight out dishonest in my my small mind.

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We are considering 20 cruise on Sapphire Princess in Nov; however, this is so concerning to me, that we will most likely find another cruise line with similar ports. Just straight out dishonest in my my small mind.

 

If you decide against Princess, let them know why with a letter preferably. There are plenty of cruise lines on this itinerary.

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