Saudi Arabia - visa?

[Aussie Jeep]

THe conditions on the MSC Ticket state that you are responsible for all visas.  I had a situation several years ago on a Caribbean Cruise where they would not let the person I was travelling with because they did not hold a US Visa  We were going to pass through the US Virgin Islands and they would not let him board. When I complanied they said that the condition is noted in the ticket that we are responsible for all visas not the cruiseline.

[little britain]

I believe this is the official site ( this is the site the Uk Gov page links to) and the cost  for a 1 year multi entry visa 

Edited September 18, 2022 by little britain

[alistairg]

That is for a 1 year e-visa. The link that I posted is for a 48 hour transit visa which is considerably cheaper. For some reason visit Saudi do the one year visas but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do the transit visas. It is not clear of you can just apply for a transit visa when you get there, I would hope applying before you leave saves some time.

 

As I am going in February I am hoping we get a bit more info from the cruises in late December as to the exact procedures.

 

https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index2?service_type=1

[little britain]

1 hour ago, alistairg said:

That is for a 1 year e-visa. The link that I posted is for a 48 hour transit visa which is considerably cheaper. For some reason visit Saudi do the one year visas but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do the transit visas. It is not clear of you can just apply for a transit visa when you get there, I would hope applying before you leave saves some time.

 

As I am going in February I am hoping we get a bit more info from the cruises in late December as to the exact procedures.

 

https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index2?service_type=1

Yes I stated it is the 1 year multi entry visa which we personally need. 
 

I have trouble getting the Mofa site to open and translate so the million $$ question is how much is the 1 day cruise visa? 

Edited September 18, 2022 by little britain

[alistairg]

The 48 hour visa is 100 SAR.

 

There are also $10.50 in fees plus insurance. One company was offering it for 99c, which seemed a little suspect.

 

So you are talking around $40.

 

The hassle is worse than the cost. We have five people so I would have to fill out forms for every person, the form asks every foreign trip you have been on in the last five years. That is a lot of information.

 

Also the payments are all taken separately, there is a note saying they will be combined in the future. So I would need to make 15 payments.

 

Hence waiting to see if necessary!

Edited September 18, 2022 by alistairg

[little britain]

1 hour ago, alistairg said:

The 48 hour visa is 100 SAR.

 

There are also $10.50 in fees plus insurance. One company was offering it for 99c, which seemed a little suspect.

 

So you are talking around $40.

 

The hassle is worse than the cost. We have five people so I would have to fill out forms for every person, the form asks every foreign trip you have been on in the last five years. That is a lot of information.

 

Also the payments are all taken separately, there is a note saying they will be combined in the future. So I would need to make 15 payments.

 

Hence waiting to see if necessary!

It would take me 5 years to recall every trip I’ve been on! 😆 

[Lisichka]

On 9/18/2022 at 7:58 AM, alistairg said:

That is for a 1 year e-visa. The link that I posted is for a 48 hour transit visa which is considerably cheaper. For some reason visit Saudi do the one year visas but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do the transit visas. It is not clear of you can just apply for a transit visa when you get there, I would hope applying before you leave saves some time.

 

As I am going in February I am hoping we get a bit more info from the cruises in late December as to the exact procedures.

 

https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index2?service_type=1

Do you have a link to the English version? My Arabic is a tad rusty.

[alistairg]

Just click on the E in the top left corner and it changes to English

[Cruise Wonderland]

The following information is provided by MSC Asia office

- TRANSIT SAUDI ARABIA:

All guests can apply for Transit e-Visa by Sea.

Single entry visa valid for 48 hrs (USD 50 / person)

Guests can apply any time before arrival. Visa approval and insurance will start 48 hours before arrival to the port. Link to apply: visa.mofa.gov.sa

(if not provided guests will be allowed to remain onboard duriing the port of call in any Saudi port)

 

The following nationalities are not allowed to apply for transit e-Visa to Saudi and must refer to Embassy / Consulate (if not provided cannot remain onboard during the port of call in any Saudi port): Israel, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan

[benitz8]

18 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

The following information is provided by MSC Asia office

- TRANSIT SAUDI ARABIA:

All guests can apply for Transit e-Visa by Sea.

Single entry visa valid for 48 hrs (USD 50 / person)

Guests can apply any time before arrival. Visa approval and insurance will start 48 hours before arrival to the port. Link to apply: visa.mofa.gov.sa

(if not provided guests will be allowed to remain onboard duriing the port of call in any Saudi port)

 

The following nationalities are not allowed to apply for transit e-Visa to Saudi and must refer to Embassy / Consulate (if not provided cannot remain onboard during the port of call in any Saudi port): Israel, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan

 

Hello. 

 

Did you get this via email or it is something posted somewhere in MSC website?

 

If email, please forward a copy to me at cft0168 AT gmail DOT com.

 

If website, can you send the link?

 

If ok with you, can you provide me with the name and contact details of the person who advised you of this? 

 

We are a group of 11 passengers and would prefer to NOT apply for a visa and just stay on board on the Damman port stop.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

[TheGlobeGirl]

We have tried every online visa companies and they have such high service fees and no customer service . I tried the visa.mofa.gov site and I can’t get it in English… this is extremely difficult and frustrating!! My travel agent suggested a site that offered discounts to customers and it was over $300 !! ANY SUGGESTIONS would be greatly appreciated!!!

we are leaving November 14th on MSC…I’m getting very nervous about getting a visa at a decent price!!! HELP

kristina

[little britain]

The mofa site is the official one. It is about $40. Are you on laptop so you can see the EN to translate? 

[Cruise Wonderland]

On 10/11/2022 at 12:20 PM, benitz8 said:

 

Hello. 

 

Did you get this via email or it is something posted somewhere in MSC website?

 

If email, please forward a copy to me at cft0168 AT gmail DOT com.

 

If website, can you send the link?

 

If ok with you, can you provide me with the name and contact details of the person who advised you of this? 

 

We are a group of 11 passengers and would prefer to NOT apply for a visa and just stay on board on the Damman port stop.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

I tried to find this information on different countries of MSC website, but got no results unfortunately.

 

The above information is provided from MSC regional office to the local travel agencies to the guests here. Regret that I am not able to provide the contact of MSC staff to you.

 

But I believe MSC offices in all countries should receive the same information. It should be provided by MSC headquarters to each sub-office. Please try your best to ask MSC in your region, and perhaps you need to find a supervisor to verify this Saudi Arabia visa issue.

 

 

Also, I found some discussion on the Facebook group "MSC Cruises Voyagers Club". Note that it is about another Saudi Arabian port Jeddah for other MSC ships, but not Dammam for MSC World Europa.

 

 

[Noncon]

Re: visa.mofa.gov.sa

 

On 10/10/2022 at 4:47 AM, Cruise Wonderland said:

The following information is provided by MSC Asia office

- TRANSIT SAUDI ARABIA:

All guests can apply for Transit e-Visa by Sea.

Single entry visa valid for 48 hrs (USD 50 / person)

Guests can apply any time before arrival. Visa approval and insurance will start 48 hours before arrival to the port. Link to apply: visa.mofa.gov.sa

(if not provided guests will be allowed to remain onboard duriing the port of call in any Saudi port)

 

 

Which visa on visa.mofa.gov.sa site is for Transit by Sea?  I see a Visitor's tab, but none of the options refer to visit by sea.  

[benitz8]

8 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

 

I tried to find this information on different countries of MSC website, but got no results unfortunately.

 

The above information is provided from MSC regional office to the local travel agencies to the guests here. Regret that I am not able to provide the contact of MSC staff to you.

 

But I believe MSC offices in all countries should receive the same information. It should be provided by MSC headquarters to each sub-office. Please try your best to ask MSC in your region, and perhaps you need to find a supervisor to verify this Saudi Arabia visa issue.

 

 

Also, I found some discussion on the Facebook group "MSC Cruises Voyagers Club". Note that it is about another Saudi Arabian port Jeddah for other MSC ships, but not Dammam for MSC World Europa.

 

 

 

Thank you for the detailed reply.

 

I will definitely try to contact my local/regional MSC office in the hopes they can also give the same information in an official capacity.

 

A question though if you don't mind. You mention "The above information is provided from MSC regional office to the local travel agencies to the guests here". Does this mean the information you gave "if not provided guests will be allowed to remain onboard during the port of call in any Saudi port" was sent officially by MSC to a booked guest by email?

 

 

[Cruise Wonderland]

8 hours ago, benitz8 said:

You mention "The above information is provided from MSC regional office to the local travel agencies to the guests here". Does this mean the information you gave "if not provided guests will be allowed to remain onboard during the port of call in any Saudi port" was sent officially by MSC to a booked guest by email?

 

It is not automatically sent by email (at least not until now). Neither guests nor travel agencies here receive any email notifications. Only when the travel agency asks MSC, then MSC replies with this answer.

 

I am not sure if some guests directly booked at MSC website will receive this visa information.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

My MSC cruise next years begins in Jeddah, ends in Jeddah and has one other enroute port in Saudi Arabia. Don't think a single entry visa will work for me.....or maybe it will.

[benitz8]

On 9/16/2022 at 11:36 PM, little britain said:

The TA advises that this will be posted on the MSc website 

 

Hello,

 

Can you ask you TA if this has been posted on MSC website yet? And the link if he/she has.

 

Thank you.

 

[Aussie Jeep]

I called MSC and asked about this and they advised that if we did not have a visa arranged pre cruise that we would not be allowed to embark on the cruise  I think we will cancel this cruise.

[kofferradio]

Don't rely on a random callcenter-agent. On the German website it is clearly stated, that you don't need any visa if you stay on bord.

 

https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/assets/reisedokumente-und-visa-rotes-meer.pdf

 

It says, that they are working on a convenient solution for a "transit visa", so guests should wait. Guest who can not wait can alread buy a "e-Visa-Transit-by-Sea" online.

[Aussie Jeep]

Couldn't take the risk. We have cancelled this cruise. Going to do a 7 day Nile river cruise instead. Same price.

[Bobblehat71]

I had an email from MSC a couple of weeks ago confirming that I did not need a Visa If I was staying on board. I am on Europa stopping at Damman .

[perakcruiser]

8 hours ago, Bobblehat71 said:

I had an email from MSC a couple of weeks ago confirming that I did not need a Visa If I was staying on board. I am on Europa stopping at Damman .

Very simple, if this arrangement will not work, MSC will completely cancel Dammam as they did last winter. MSC will never ever go there on this route if it is not possible for guests to stay on board without visa. Anyway, the whoe cruise Saudi thing also will never work if guests have to make their own visa arrangements. MBS just seems not to be ready to understand this.  

[benitz8]

On 11/3/2022 at 10:32 AM, Bobblehat71 said:

I had an email from MSC a couple of weeks ago confirming that I did not need a Visa If I was staying on board. I am on Europa stopping at Damman .

 

Can you forward the email you received to me at cft0168 AT gmail DOT com? Just so I have something in writing...

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[emmas gran]

7 hours ago, benitz8 said:

 

Can you forward the email you received to me at cft0168 AT gmail DOT com? Just so I have something in writing...

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Hi you keep posting about visas and I remember answering your question previously maybe 3/4 months ago. You have family with Philippine passports if I remember correctly and I believe you are a large group travelling together 

You will need to go to the visa website and get the correct information yourself no-one can give you the information for your circumstances  

 

https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index2?service_type=1