Question about Visas for Turkey and Egypt

[Frisbie]

Hi, all. I am booked on a cruise with stops in Turkey (Istanbul) and Egypt (Cairo). I see that U.S. Citizens must have a visa to enter those two countries. Should I be concerned about that, or can cruise visitors fairly quickly and easily obtain tourist visas at the port? If so, does it matter if I am traveling alone (i.e., not as part of a tour)? I seem to recall that in St. Petersburg, Russia I didn't have to worry about a visa but only if I was on a cruise-sponsored tour. I would appreciate any guidance people could give me about Turkey and Egypt visa issues. Thank you,

 

Adam

[CC Help Michell]

Hi, all. I am booked on a cruise with stops in Turkey (Istanbul) and Egypt (Cairo). I see that U.S. Citizens must have a visa to enter those two countries. Should I be concerned about that, or can cruise visitors fairly quickly and easily obtain tourist visas at the port? If so, does it matter if I am traveling alone (i.e., not as part of a tour)? I seem to recall that in St. Petersburg, Russia I didn't have to worry about a visa but only if I was on a cruise-sponsored tour. I would appreciate any guidance people could give me about Turkey and Egypt visa issues. Thank you,

 

Adam

 

I truly do not think that this is a question on which to rely on anonymous web advice from posters here. Check what your cruiseline says, then check with the Egyptian and Turkish equivalents of State Departments. Get the visas. Don't assume the ship can or will (if you read your fine print, the odds are it says that getting the correct visas is YOUR reponsibility, not the cruiseline's). There are all kinds of weird things in the world which neither the CC folks or your cruiseline might know about (I'm thinking of learning today about a $131 per person charge in Chile for some kind of "administrative services," and if you didn't pay it, you didn't enter).

 

It's fine to ask for advice here, get some links and advice... but then you HAVE to go check them out and get correct, current information. Please do NOT risk your vacation and shore excursions on anonymous webadvice. Get definitive answers and then do what's necessary to have the correct visas, is my view.

[Court's DH]

I've never been to Egypt, so you may want to check with the Egyptian embassy's website or give them a call. Turkey, however, is no match for Russia's iconic bureaucracy - you just show and they put a stamp in your passport for a few bucks. ;)

 

Have a good trip!

 

G.

[cruisemom42]

You do NOT need a visa for Turkey if you are on a cruise ship and you are only visiting for the day. If you are beginning or ending your cruise in Turkey, you will likely need one.

 

As for Egypt, check with your cruiseline. On our Princess cruise that stopped in Egypt, Princess collected our passports and when they were returned, they had a "quick stamp" visa, which is apparently all you need for a day visit. When I traveled to Egypt for a land trip, I had to buy a different type of visa at the airport upon arrival -- easily done; I handed them $15 US and the visa was affixed to my passport.

[socalcruising]

I was on Legend of the Seas last summer and you do NOT need your own visa for either country if the ship you are on is there less than 24 hours. You can do the country on your own, private tour or ship tour with the ship's visa. They buy a group visa for the whole ship and stamp the passports for all of the passengers.

 

I spent a lot of time researching this before my trip to verify that this was true and I found it to be true when I did my cruise.

[anniecat]

On our cruise last November... on X Galaxy, we also worried about the Visa ?. Our TA advised us that it wouldn't be a problem. Egypt: Our passports were returned to us before we left the ship, with a visa stamp in it. We were not charged anything. We were told to keep the passport with us (be careful...lots of opportunities for theft...although I didn't hear of any). No problem. In Kusadasi...no mention of passports or visas at all and X kept the passports..all we had was a picture id and our ship card. In Istanbul, we were told NOT to take passports off the ship but to carry the official transit card (basically a piece of cardboard) which HAD to be turned in at the end of the port stop. again, no big deal at all. Have a wonderful time....we did

[smeyer418]

I can see the worry warts are all over this thread. the post immedialtely above has the correct info. Even if you are flying into either Turkey or Egypt, you can buy at the airport a visa for $15.00(egypt) and $20.00(turkey) for US citizens...it will cost you more in time and money to get them from the embassy/consulate. Just get them when you land(for some reasons Canadians have to pay more in Turkey)...

 

The question here is specific, its not about Russia, Chile, Brazil etc which do have different rules. You can best get information on what is actually done(the embassy info is sometimes incorrect) on the Port of Calls threads....from people who have been there recently.

[topo]

Hi

Would like to know if for one day stop in Brazil we will need a Visa?

 

Many thanks

[smeyer418]

Hi

Would like to know if for one day stop in Brazil we will need a Visa?

 

Many thanks

 

You should post this on the Brazil or South America ports board my understanding that Brazil is really angry at the US requirements for Brazilian citizens and probably will require it but people who have cruised there will know better..