Lisbon-Capetown Nov 2022 Visas or not?

[Lazy Sailor]

Seen various social media posts and forums on this, without seeing much clarity. If anyone has any information from Azamara, that would be helpful.

Using the excellent Gov.UK/foreign travel advice I have gleaned the following "entry requirements" (current July 27th) but it doesn't mention cruise ship visits - maybe not a lot of those to some of the nine destinations, and of course is written of UK nationals

Maderia, Tenerife - normal EU entry rules, so no visas required

Dakar, Senegal - No visa required

Banjul, The Gambia - No visa required

Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire - VISA REQUIRED, no exemptions

Takoradi, Ghana - VISA REQUIRED (also Yellow fever certificate)

Luanda, Angola - VISA REQUIRED, no exemptions

Walvis Bay, Namibia - No visas required

Capetown, S Africa - No visa required

Hopefully Azamara will get exemptions for the 3 visa required stops and/or clarify well in advance!

Any corrections to the above ?

[Lazy Sailor]

ok, Thanks - I am trying that approach (Not a Facebook user, so missing all that activity!)

[blag]

1 hour ago, Lazy Sailor said:

ok, Thanks - I am trying that approach (Not a Facebook user, so missing all that activity!)

Please report your findings and I'll feed them into Facebook fora. 

[CruisinAddict]

We were booked on this sailing since 2020. A few weeks ago, I read about the Visa requirements. I was able to find out that Visas are required in Gambia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Angola. I talked to someone at Azamara to get more info and was told to use Azamara Visa Central to get the Visas, The prices are quite high, Another, cheaper, site to get info is visahq.com. 
 

The biggest issue, besides the price, was that both Gambia and Ghana require you to mail your passport to them in order to get the required visa. Since we have 2 other cruises before December, and we will need our passports for them AND I did not want to mail my passport, I decided to cancel this cruise. What a disappointment!

 

I did ask Azamara if we could not get the required visas and just stay on the ship. They said yes. But, that left only 4 African ports to visit on a 21-day cruise.

[blag]

1 hour ago, CruisinAddict said:

We were booked on this sailing since 2020. A few weeks ago, I read about the Visa requirements. I was able to find out that Visas are required in Gambia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Angola. I talked to someone at Azamara to get more info and was told to use Azamara Visa Central to get the Visas, The prices are quite high, Another, cheaper, site to get info is visahq.com. 
 

The biggest issue, besides the price, was that both Gambia and Ghana require you to mail your passport to them in order to get the required visa. Since we have 2 other cruises before December, and we will need our passports for them AND I did not want to mail my passport, I decided to cancel this cruise. What a disappointment!

 

I did ask Azamara if we could not get the required visas and just stay on the ship. They said yes. But, that left only 4 African ports to visit on a 21-day cruise.

For UK residents if the three visas are required, and Azamara are not arranging them shipwide I believe that these can be obtained electronically.

Here are some resources in case Azamara don't arrange visas:

https://www.ghanahighcommissionuk.com/passports/VisaApplication.aspx

http://www.smevisa.gov.ao/Consulate.aspx

https://snedai.com/e-visa/

 

For non-UK residents (like me) things are more difficult, and to avoid mailing passports visits to embassies/consulates/High commission etc. may be necessary. In some cases it may not be possible to stay on board without the visa. I don't know whether this requirement applies to any of the ports on this cruise. 

I might add that I am surprised that those who have booked this cruise did not check things like visas and vaccines before booking!

 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by blag

[Izzywiz]

Thank you for the links Blag. They are very helpful. I’m not sure about the need for a visa for Angola. We visited Luanda on a Princess cruise in 2015 and the cruise line obtained the day visit visa for passengers so I have hopes that Azamara may be able to do the same.

[mj_holiday]

We had a cruise that required in person visit to get a visa.  My TA had a company that would do this for a fee.  So we mailed our passports to the company,, they walked over to present the visa and mailed passport and visa back to us.  This will depend on location of offices in the US for the government you need the visa from.

[blag]

13 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

We had a cruise that required in person visit to get a visa.  My TA had a company that would do this for a fee.  So we mailed our passports to the company,, they walked over to present the visa and mailed passport and visa back to us.  This will depend on location of offices in the US for the government you need the visa from.

I am in Italy, TA in UK. No such service here, as far as I am aware.

Ghana may be the problem for me: no online service in Italy (but the online service is available in the UK). I am an UK passport holder. 

In due course I'll speak with the Ghanaian High Commission in Rome to see if a personal visit can be avoided. 

[Lazy Sailor]

Updates:

Gambia

http://www.visitthegambia.gm/visas-and-passports gives latest information - says Commonwealth and EU citizens do not need visas to visit, USA can get visa on arrival

Angola

Angola-Visa.com ( a commercial visa company replied to me that "All UK visitors to Angola must obtain a visa in advance, before entering Angola." So that looks definitive - unless Azamara tells us differently I guess, from reply re: Princess above

No updates yet for Ivory Coast and Ghana, except the other replies above

[blag]

11 minutes ago, Lazy Sailor said:

Gambia

http://www.visitthegambia.gm/visas-and-passports gives latest information - says Commonwealth and EU citizens do not need visas to visit, USA can get visa on arrival

Angola

I am surprised that you included this 'news'. Gambia did seem to be an issue. You stated as much in your original post!

[Lazy Sailor]

Well, I believe CruisinAddict thought US citizens had to obtain visas beforehand and post off their passport! So I think it might  warrant a second look.. Anyway, main thing is we are looking forward to 21 days on Azamara, with a few amazing places added in. An old fashioned ocean voyage.

[blag]

1 hour ago, Lazy Sailor said:

Well, I believe CruisinAddict thought US citizens had to obtain visas beforehand and post off their passport! So I think it might  warrant a second look.. Anyway, main thing is we are looking forward to 21 days on Azamara, with a few amazing places added in. An old fashioned ocean voyage.

Understood. But so that we can understand the purpose of your posts, it might add clarity if you were to quote the relevant part of the post to which you are, in effect, responding. 

[blag]

2 hours ago, Lazy Sailor said:

Well, I believe CruisinAddict thought US citizens had to obtain visas beforehand and post off their passport! So I think it might  warrant a second look.. Anyway, main thing is we are looking forward to 21 days on Azamara, with a few amazing places added in. An old fashioned ocean voyage.

Understood. But so that we can understand the purpose of your posts, it might add clarity if you were to quote the relevant part of the post to which you are, in effect, responding. 

Edited July 28, 2022 by blag
Cruise Critic insisted that the first post had been submitted!

[blag]

Here is what you will find if you commence the electronic application process for a visa for Angola (I have emphasised the inconvenient bits) :

Before you start the process of applying for the Visa, please take sometime to read carefully and note the following:
1. This site is a Visa online service, approved and certified by ministry of Interior authorities that are responsible of the Visa issuing in Angola.

2. This online service, represent only the collection of your application process digitally and the safe delivery to SME. The E-Visa will be sent to you by email provided all the data and documents are validated and visa request is approved by SME. It is not designed to substitute your physical presence at the consulate (which is mandatory at a subsequent phase), which means the Visa itself can only be granted after a visit to the consulate has taken place, including an interview and biometric data collection and Visa fee payment have all successfully done.

3. The service is designed to help people avoiding visits to the consulates to deliver the documents and the forms, only to go back again to submit the passport. It is ideal for those who live far away from the nearest consulate, where traveling will have costs both financially and in terms of time.

4. In some cases where the country of origin or residence does not have an Angolan consulate, using the service means the applicant will avoid the cost of traveling to the nearest country with an Angolan consulate and have to either stay there for the period during which the Visa is processed, or have to come back to his country for that period, only to go back again to collect the Visa.

5. Please before you advance make sure you read and agree to the terms and conditions , and the privacy policy of this service.

6. Please ensure that you read and understand the steps and requirement for this service

7. Please ensure that you read the technical explanations, the requirement and specifications needed before you start the process.

8. Not following the steps to the letter, and not meeting the technical specification precisely may result in the rejection of your application, which will mean more delays in your Visa processing.

I do not know whether this means there is a pre-approval process which allows one to collect and pay for one's visa on arrival. Imagine how long that would take for even a small ship like one of Azamara's! 

Edited July 28, 2022 by blag
typo

[audobon_tx]

1 hour ago, blag said:

Here is what you will find if you commence the electronic application process for a visa for Angola (I have emphasised the inconvenient bits) :

Before you start the process of applying for the Visa, please take sometime to read carefully and note the following:
1. This site is a Visa online service, approved and certified by ministry of Interior authorities that are responsible of the Visa issuing in Angola.

2. This online service, represent only the collection of your application process digitally and the safe delivery to SME. The E-Visa will be sent to you by email provided all the data and documents are validated and visa request is approved by SME. It is not designed to substitute your physical presence at the consulate (which is mandatory at a subsequent phase), which means the Visa itself can only be granted after a visit to the consulate has taken place, including an interview and biometric data collection and Visa fee payment have all successfully done.

3. The service is designed to help people avoiding visits to the consulates to deliver the documents and the forms, only to go back again to submit the passport. It is ideal for those who live far away from the nearest consulate, where traveling will have costs both financially and in terms of time.

4. In some cases where the country of origin or residence does not have an Angolan consulate, using the service means the applicant will avoid the cost of traveling to the nearest country with an Angolan consulate and have to either stay there for the period during which the Visa is processed, or have to come back to his country for that period, only to go back again to collect the Visa.

5. Please before you advance make sure you read and agree to the terms and conditions , and the privacy policy of this service.

6. Please ensure that you read and understand the steps and requirement for this service

7. Please ensure that you read the technical explanations, the requirement and specifications needed before you start the process.

8. Not following the steps to the letter, and not meeting the technical specification precisely may result in the rejection of your application, which will mean more delays in your Visa processing.

I do not know whether this means there is a pre-approval process which allows one to collect and pay for one's visa on arrival. Imagine how long that would take for even a small ship like one of Azamara's! 

 

Nothing good in Angola anyway.  Add a sea day.

[blag]

7 minutes ago, audobon_tx said:

Nothing good in Angola anyway.  Add a sea day.

Except that maybe (I don't know) you need the visa even if you don't go on land?

BTW I think that this visa costs $120!

[audobon_tx]

1 minute ago, blag said:

Except that maybe (I don't know) you need the visa even if you don't go on land?

BTW I think that this visa costs $120!

 

If that is true, the ship should skip the port.  

 

Angola requirements are ludicrous.  Most other lines doing west coast itineraries don't even bother.  

[blag]

54 minutes ago, audobon_tx said:

 

If that is true, the ship should skip the port.  

 

Angola requirements are ludicrous.  Most other lines doing west coast itineraries don't even bother.  

Well, maybe they will. Maybe they won't. Angola is also on the return itinerary in March 2023, so it looks to me as if it's not going to change. Post #6, above, seems to offer a glimmer of hope.

But, if they do skip it, there will be six, possibly seven consecutive sea days! 

[blag]

Here is information I received yesterday from my TA

 

There are a few grammatical errors etc... (What follows is verbatim). I believe that items 5. are due to a carriage return generating the next number.

 

Good news! We have been working with our ground agents and land team, and have just had back the following information on these FAQ’s which is very helpful as follows:

 

The Gambia

Kindly note that UK citizens do not require a visa to visit The Gambia. Therefore, they can disembark upon arrival in The Gambia and join the Shore Excursions should they wish to do so.

 

Ivory Coast

1. On the Azamara shore excursions page for the Ivory Coast , under important information,  it says that a visa is required. However, having looked at the Ivory Coast government visa web site and various visa websites it seems that they are not currently accepting maritime visitors. Other sites suggest visas can only be collected at the airport but obviously we are not entering through an airport. Is this true? Ivory Coast is accepting maritime visitors. We have notified the various agencies to update their websites. Visas can be arranged and issued at the port when the ship arrives. The port agent will work the ship to arrange this.
2. If we they are unable to get a visa for a country, will they still be allowed to board and just not get off the ship at that particular destination? You will need a visa otherwise you will not be able to disembark from the ship. Again these visas will be issued at the port, facilitated by the port agent.
3. If they are booked on a ships tour do they need to have a visa as we are technically not staying in the country overnight and can be classed as in transit? Yes you will need a visa to get on the bus and participate in any kind of tour.
4. Would you please be able to confirm specifically the visa requirements for each your on this this? You will need a visa for Ivory Coast as explained above.
5.  

Ghana

Please can you let me know if any visas are required if guests take Azamara Shore Excursions? Yes, each  guest would require a visa to go on a tour.

1. As UK citizens according to their government offices visas are also required for Ghana. Correct
2. If they are unable to get a visa for a country, will they still be allowed to board and just not get off the ship at that particular destination? They will be issued visa on arrival at the Port. The Port agent will laisse with Immigration officials to have transit visas issued on board the ship for those who do not have visa but want to get down.
3. If they are booked on a ships tour do we need to have a visa as they are technically not staying in the country overnight and can be classed as in transit? They will need a visa before they can go on a tour.
4. Would you please be able to confirm specifically the visa requirements for your Country on this this? A valid passport that is a least 6 months to expiration.
5.  

Angola

I have received feedback from our local supplier regarding the few uncertainties on the visas for Angola.

1. Guest arriving with a cruise ship, attending shore excursion booked via the ship would not require a tourist visa for Angola
2. Should guest depart form the ship for a night or longer staying overnight off the ship they would require to have a tourist visa

 

Generally as long as the guest have excursion or services booked for a day excursion and returning back to the ship on the same day they should not have any need for a tourist visa for Angola as they would then as mentioned below be considered as “in transit” with the ship being in port and departing with the ship again end of the day.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 7/27/2022 at 12:12 PM, blag said:

On 7/28/2022 at 6:59 AM, blag said:

I am surprised that you included this 'news'. Gambia did seem to be an issue. You stated as much in your original post!

 

Oh my goodness!  We booked in 2019!  At that time the Ivory Coast had not shutdown and stopped allowing transit passengers.  The embassies weren’t refusing visitors or limiting the, and there was a belief that the cruise line would likely help with many of them.  But that wouldn’t be known for a while.  Since our cruise wasn’t the first one we were led to believe that those things would be long worked out from the previous sailings, or most as Azamara tries not to do identical cruises ports.  So now that the cruise is back on, I think the ports may have changed, Azamara is saying they are trying to negotiate same day or waived visas hopefully by 90 days.  There is no indication which ports are even being considered although they are telling TA which visa are required and omitting Ivory Coast in the list.  We looked that one up early, and discovered their rules say we file online and pick up the rest of the final approval papers at the airport!  Yep, that’ll be easy to do … not!   S

 

si ply put many of the directions don’t assume entry from the sea.  And yes there are ports arid the world where entry by air and entry by sea are different.  CIBT does know those rules but they are expensive but get the visas back in time and check applications so the embassy doesn’t reject them for silly things! 
 

if you want a separate challenge try to figure out whether you need a yellow fever jab or whether a waiver will suffice.  

Edited August 12, 2022 by Benthayer Gonbak

[blag]

33 minutes ago, Benthayer Gonbak said:

 

Oh my goodness!  We booked in 2019!  At that time the Ivory Coast had not shutdown and stopped allowing transit passengers.  The embassies weren’t refusing visitors or limiting the, and there was a belief that the cruise line would likely help with many of them.  But that wouldn’t be known for a while.  Since our cruise wasn’t the first one we were led to believe that those things would be long worked out from the previous sailings, or most as Azamara tries not to do identical cruises ports.  So now that the cruise is back on, I think the ports may have changed, Azamara is saying they are trying to negotiate same day or waived visas hopefully by 90 days.  There is no indication which ports are even being considered although they are telling TA which visa are required and omitting Ivory Coast in the list.  We looked that one up early, and discovered their rules say we file online and pick up the rest of the final approval papers at the airport!  Yep, that’ll be easy to do … not!   S

 

si ply put many of the directions don’t assume entry from the sea.  And yes there are ports arid the world where entry by air and entry by sea are different.  CIBT does know those rules but they are expensive but get the visas back in time and check applications so the embassy doesn’t reject them for silly things! 
 

if you want a separate challenge try to figure out whether you need a yellow fever jab or whether a waiver will suffice.  

From my post #19, it seems, to me at least that Azamara are going to arrange the visas. 

As for vaccinations, my research on that is complete. Nevertheless, we will go in due course to our local centre for vaccines for foreign travel, give them our list of countries to be visited, and they will administer them! Simple - apart from the inevitable long wait when we get to the centre!

[Benthayer Gonbak]

3 minutes ago, blag said:

From my post #19, it seems, to me at least that Azamara are going to arrange the visas. 

As for vaccinations, my research on that is complete. Nevertheless, we will go in due course to our local centre for vaccines for foreign travel, give them our list of countries to be visited, and they will administer them! Simple - apart from the inevitable long wait when we get to the centre!

 

I’m truly hoping that Azamara does all the visas, but I’ve seen that fail in China.  It certainly was unknown in 2019 when we first booked the cruise. 
 

As for travel inoculations please go early, some are more than one shot, others can’t be given at the same time.  As for the yellow fever you may very well end up with a waiver rather than the vax.  Some places imply you just need something on your yellow card, others sound like the inoculation must be on the yellow card.  I don’t expect any travel clinic to know what a country is actually going to do with waivers! 
 

For what it is worth, I also found somewhere that said proof of polio inoculation is required.  I can’t imagine the nightmare that that’s going to cause for the documentation officer to provide.
 

 

[blag]

11 minutes ago, Benthayer Gonbak said:

 

I’m truly hoping that Azamara does all the visas, but I’ve seen that fail in China.  It certainly was unknown in 2019 when we first booked the cruise. 
 

As for travel inoculations please go early, some are more than one shot, others can’t be given at the same time.  As for the yellow fever you may very well end up with a waiver rather than the vax.  Some places imply you just need something on your yellow card, others sound like the inoculation must be on the yellow card.  I don’t expect any travel clinic to know what a country is actually going to do with waivers! 
 

For what it is worth, I also found somewhere that said proof of polio inoculation is required.  I can’t imagine the nightmare that that’s going to cause for the documentation officer to provide.
 

 

Here follows the fruits of my research,  for what it's worth. Waivers are irrelevant, surely, if one has had the vaccination?

 

South Africa: Hep A, Tetanus, Typhoid
Namibia: Hep A, Tetanus, Typhoid
Angola,  The Gambia, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire:Hep A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever
Canary Islands: Tetanus
Madeira/Portugal: Tetanus

 

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/201/south-africa
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/157/namibia
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/7/angola
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/89/ghana

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/86/gambia#Vaccine_recommendations

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/112/cte-divoire-ivory-coast

 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

57 minutes ago, blag said:

Here follows the fruits of my research,  for what it's worth. Waivers are irrelevant, surely, if one has had the vaccination?

 

South Africa: Hep A, Tetanus, Typhoid
Namibia: Hep A, Tetanus, Typhoid
Angola,  The Gambia, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire:Hep A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever
Canary Islands: Tetanus
Madeira/Portugal: Tetanus

 

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/201/south-africa
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/157/namibia
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/7/angola
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/89/ghana

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/86/gambia#Vaccine_recommendations

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/112/cte-divoire-ivory-coast

 

 

i think it was Angola that said yellow fever vaccinations are required to leave the ship.  The others I think just say highly recommended.   Hep A used to have to be repeated every 6 months, but it’s fairly easy to avoid. Typhoid is a three part initial vax, then single shots I think 5 or 10 years.  Rabies was also listed but mostly for those in remote living conditions.   I thought one of the items suggested Cholera although the old vax is known to never have worked.  And, I found a site that included COVID vaxes.  
 

of course a waiver isn’t needed if one has a vax unless the vax is expired.  Yellow fever is supposed to be a once and done hubby has had 4-6 of them!   I’d like to be able to get off with a waiver though. 

[blag]

16 minutes ago, Benthayer Gonbak said:

 

i think it was Angola that said yellow fever vaccinations are required to leave the ship.  The others I think just say highly recommended.   Hep A used to have to be repeated every 6 months, but it’s fairly easy to avoid. Typhoid is a three part initial vax, then single shots I think 5 or 10 years.  Rabies was also listed but mostly for those in remote living conditions.   I thought one of the items suggested Cholera although the old vax is known to never have worked.  And, I found a site that included COVID vaxes.  
 

of course a waiver isn’t needed if one has a vax unless the vax is expired.  Yellow fever is supposed to be a once and done hubby has had 4-6 of them!   I’d like to be able to get off with a waiver though. 

 

 

My list of vaccines includes the recommended vaccines for most people,  but Rabies, Cholera, Hep B, Meningococcal Disease, and TB  are advised for some travellers. 

 

Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Banjul, and other places adjacent the river in The Gambia have a high risk of Malaria.

 

Here is what is stated about Yellow Fever certification in the info for Angola:

 

• Under International Health Regulations, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 9 months of age.
• According to World Health Organization (WHO), from 11 July 2016 (for all countries), the yellow fever certificate will be valid for the duration of the life of the person vaccinated. As a consequence, a valid certificate, presented by arriving travellers, cannot be rejected on the grounds that more than ten years have passed since the date vaccination became effective as stated on the certificate; and that boosters or revaccination cannot be required. 
• The yellow fever vaccine is not suitable for all travellers, there are specific undesirable effects associated with it. This vaccine is only available at registered yellow fever vaccination centres. Health professionals should carefully assess the risks and benefits of the vaccine, and seek specialist advice if necessary.