cruise visiting India read this!!

[Tony UK]

Just returned from an Azamara cruse Dubai to Singapore. On embarkation visas for India should have been checked but somehow some with no visa and a large number (I heard over 70) with an E-visa got on board.

These people were not allowed ashore in our 1st 2 stops in India and it was only with the ships intervention to obtain a group visa for them, at an additional charge, that they were able to get off at the last stop. Actually the ship would have been in their right to deny them boarding at Dubai.

Many thought they would be ok with the e visa but this was only good for entry by the AIRPORTS specified. Some had been told by their TA that the ship would do it.

For all nationalities seek advice from your Indian consulate and embassy. Arrangements are changing all the time so don't rely on old information, check again before you apply. Get the right visa and enjoy India. I know we did!

[uktog]

Just returned from an Azamara cruse Dubai to Singapore. On embarkation visas for India should have been checked but somehow some with no visa and a large number (I heard over 70) with an E-visa got on board.

These people were not allowed ashore in our 1st 2 stops in India and it was only with the ships intervention to obtain a group visa for them, at an additional charge, that they were able to get off at the last stop. Actually the ship would have been in their right to deny them boarding at Dubai.

Many thought they would be ok with the e visa but this was only good for entry by the AIRPORTS specified. Some had been told by their TA that the ship would do it.

For all nationalities seek advice from your Indian consulate and embassy. Arrangements are changing all the time so don't rely on old information, check again before you apply. Get the right visa and enjoy India. I know we did!

 

Very sensible advice - two riders

 

1. Never rely on what a travel agent tells you

2. Never ever ever rely on advice on these boards other than this good advice - speak to the Indian consulate.

 

There are so many things now that impact on your visa for example not only the country of passport issue but also where you were born and what other visas are in your passport. So for the sake of a call, save yourself hassle and worry and the possible ruination of a cruise

[chemmo]

This is not an isolated issue.

 

When we cruised from Hawaii to Sydney there were several guests on board from several countries who were not aware they needed a visa to enter Australia. Some had been given wrong information from TA, a couple we met in Michael's Club had just thought the ship would sort it.

 

Fortunately both Michael's club staff and guest relations were supportive and helped guests to complete on line applications. Perhaps as well as customs was cleared on board before arrival. Very efficient.

 

Also amazes me when people do not research suggested medication, injections...for more exotic destinations.

[Jade13]

We were on this itinerary a couple of years ago and there were something like 10-13 onboard without visas so I believe Azamara knew people did not have them, but unlike other ships still let people onboard. Some were part of the staff as i just ran into someone on a Celebrity ship who was also on that cruise in 2013 working in one of the shops. He and his girlfriend were from Australia and the ship was able to assist to get a group visa by one of the later India stops (He indicated some money exchanged hands but it sounded like the Australians paid it) but I was told the Americans without Visas were not able to get one so had to stay onboard.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Jade13

[Jade13]

This is not an isolated issue.

 

 

 

When we cruised from Hawaii to Sydney there were several guests on board from several countries who were not aware they needed a visa to enter Australia. Some had been given wrong information from TA, a couple we met in Michael's Club had just thought the ship would sort it.

 

 

 

Fortunately both Michael's club staff and guest relations were supportive and helped guests to complete on line applications. Perhaps as well as customs was cleared on board before arrival. Very efficient.

 

 

 

Also amazes me when people do not research suggested medication, injections...for more exotic destinations.

 

 

They were fortunate because for Americans the Visas can be obtained online so that is what they did when they could have taken care of this before leaving home.

[NorbertsNiece]

Was on a repo with Royal, Singapore - Dubai, earlier this year.

 

RCL did allow those without visas for India to board. We had 4 stops and they were allowed ashore at the last (Mumbai). Not sure what arrangements were made in the meantime for them.

[Haworth]

A couple of years ago we were joining a cruise in Manaus (Brazil) for an Amazon cruise and then up to Fort lauderdale via a number of different Caribean Islands. Yellow fever vaccination was a requirment of one of the stops.

 

One couple from the UK were denied boading as they did not have all the required visas and vaccinations, a very sad and expensive mistake.

 

I agree 100% with the advise from UK Tog, do your own research and understand what is required for where.

[4774Papa]

Just returned from an Azamara cruse Dubai to Singapore. On embarkation visas for India should have been checked but somehow some with no visa and a large number (I heard over 70) with an E-visa got on board.

These people were not allowed ashore in our 1st 2 stops in India and it was only with the ships intervention to obtain a group visa for them, at an additional charge, that they were able to get off at the last stop. Actually the ship would have been in their right to deny them boarding at Dubai.

Many thought they would be ok with the e visa but this was only good for entry by the AIRPORTS specified. Some had been told by their TA that the ship would do it.

For all nationalities seek advice from your Indian consulate and embassy. Arrangements are changing all the time so don't rely on old information, check again before you apply. Get the right visa and enjoy India. I know we did!

We did the Celebrity Century's next to last cruise in March/April. It was Singapore to Dubai with four Indian ports.

 

We have been to China and Russia where the visa process is a bit of a pain, but the whole Indian experience was the worst. We used a visa company and I had to redo the online application a couple of times for very petty issues. However, one issue was the answer to the question on the form:

where are you staying while in India? I put down the ship, since we were not staying ashore. Visa company told us that if we wanted to have the application approved, we had to put a hotel name in the box, even though we were not staying there. In effect, we had to lie to get the visa.

 

Well, we did get the visas and the fun started at the first port of Cochin, when about 8 Indian ladies took their sweet time reviewing our passports and paperwork before approving our going ashore. We were delayed almost two hours going ashore.

 

Also, we heard from other passengers that about 300 persons on the ship had no Indian visas and that the ship was trying to arrange for a group visa. Don't know how that worked out, but in a way the message was, why spend over $400 going through a visa service for the visa, when the ship will do it for you at a lesser cost. Of course, the ship may not have been successful.

 

We would eventually like to go back to India and visit Delhi and the Taj, but going through the visa process is a deterrent. Also, for this reason, we may never go to Brazil, due to their absurd requirements.

 

Every country has the right to control who enters that country, but why can't they be more efficient or thoughtful regarding tourists?

[cle-guy]

Here's a good resource to start from (though somewhat out of date).

 

http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/travel_documents/Passport_and_visa_information_03-17-09.pdf

 

Here's more current info direct today from the X website though it seems less detailed than the above.

 

I always use Travisa.com to handle my passport and VISA needs, been using them since 2003 and have never had a problem with their services.

 

These resources are quite specific to US and Canadian residents. Immigration issues are so complex, one really does have to do their own research. Rules vary based on travel history, passport country, country one was born in, countries planned to visit, method of entry into those planned countries, how ling in each country, etc.

 

So many "If this then that" scenarios.

Celebrity VISA Info.pdf

[Jade13]

A couple of years ago we were joining a cruise in Manaus (Brazil) for an Amazon cruise and then up to Fort lauderdale via a number of different Caribean Islands. Yellow fever vaccination was a requirment of one of the stops.

 

One couple from the UK were denied boading as they did not have all the required visas and vaccinations, a very sad and expensive mistake.

 

I agree 100% with the advise from UK Tog, do your own research and understand what is required for where.

 

 

Interesting. We were on a cruise with HAL that required yellow fever vaccinations and my understanding is that HAL was able to give the vaccination to those who did not have it. Also those with a doctors letter that they could and should not have the vaccine were allowed to board.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Jade13

[Jade13]

We did the Celebrity Century's next to last cruise in March/April. It was Singapore to Dubai with four Indian ports.

 

We have been to China and Russia where the visa process is a bit of a pain, but the whole Indian experience was the worst. We used a visa company and I had to redo the online application a couple of times for very petty issues. However, one issue was the answer to the question on the form:

where are you staying while in India? I put down the ship, since we were not staying ashore. Visa company told us that if we wanted to have the application approved, we had to put a hotel name in the box, even though we were not staying there. In effect, we had to lie to get the visa.

 

Well, we did get the visas and the fun started at the

 

first port of Cochin, when about 8 Indian ladies took their sweet time reviewing our passports and paperwork before approving our going ashore. We were delayed almost two hours going ashore.

 

Also, we heard from other passengers that about 300 persons on the ship had no Indian visas and that the ship was trying to arrange for a group visa. Don't know how that worked out, but in a way the message was, why spend over $400 going through a visa service for the visa, when the ship will do it for you at a lesser cost. Of course, the ship may not have been successful.

 

?

 

 

The group visa also requires that they travel on land as a group.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Jade13

[Tony UK]

Thank you all. My purpose in posting this was to try to highlight the issue. Celebrity is cruising to this destination soon and it isn't always made clear what is needed. My heart went out to those left behind on the ship whilst we were experiencing India.

Hopefully we will by posting here help to ensure our cruise critic friends make the necessary enquiries before travelling,

 

Angie

[smtcan]

We did the Celebrity Century's next to last cruise in March/April. It was Singapore to Dubai with four Indian ports.

 

We have been to China and Russia where the visa process is a bit of a pain, but the whole Indian experience was the worst. We used a visa company and I had to redo the online application a couple of times for very petty issues. However, one issue was the answer to the question on the form:

where are you staying while in India? I put down the ship, since we were not staying ashore. Visa company told us that if we wanted to have the application approved, we had to put a hotel name in the box, even though we were not staying there. In effect, we had to lie to get the visa.

 

Well, we did get the visas and the fun started at the first port of Cochin, when about 8 Indian ladies took their sweet time reviewing our passports and paperwork before approving our going ashore. We were delayed almost two hours going ashore.

 

Also, we heard from other passengers that about 300 persons on the ship had no Indian visas and that the ship was trying to arrange for a group visa. Don't know how that worked out, but in a way the message was, why spend over $400 going through a visa service for the visa, when the ship will do it for you at a lesser cost. Of course, the ship may not have been successful.

 

We would eventually like to go back to India and visit Delhi and the Taj, but going through the visa process is a deterrent. Also, for this reason, we may never go to Brazil, due to their absurd requirements.

 

Every country has the right to control who enters that country, but why can't they be more efficient or thoughtful regarding tourists?

 

We were on the same cruise. Luckily we live in a major city with an Indian visa office close to our home. We completed the forms online, printed them and took them to the office where they checked them and we collected the visas in five days. I can't remember the exact cost but it was around $100CAD each, plus $30 for a photo that was so bad the immigration official on the ship said I looked as if I was standing against a wall. When I said that in fact I was, and didn't even know when the photo was actually being taken, he said 'sometimes I am ashamed of my country!' Personally I would have been more ashamed of the crazy system they had for face to face checks. BTW we were told to put the address of the port agent on the form and this was accepted.

 

Sheila

[biker1972]

Also, for this reason, we may never go to Brazil, due to their absurd requirements.

 

Their requirements are in answer to what the U.S. requires. If you travel with a UK passport, no visa is required for Brazil. Quid pro quo.