Rip off visas on princess

Can anyone tell me why Bali visas are a lot more expensive on the ship and how easy is it to get one on shore.

Can anyone tell me why Bali visas are a lot more expensive on the ship and how easy is it to get one on shore.

There is a thread about this somewhere.

You will have to get your visas prior if you don't want to pay the ship costs. I believe if you are a British passport holder you can get the visa costs partially waved. Again there is a post in that thread about someone who had success doing it.

If you require a visa for Bali you will be charged $US35 by the ship irrespective of whether or not you go ashore. This is an Indonesian govt requirement and no way around it. If you aren't happy about it take it up with your government and get visa free status. Last year we had to pay $US35 this year we are exempt

If you require a visa for Bali you will be charged $US35 by the ship irrespective of whether or not you go ashore. This is an Indonesian govt requirement and no way around it. If you aren't happy about it take it up with your government and get visa free status. Last year we had to pay $US35 this year we are exempt

Its a bit more with Princess. Like $60 US. They add in a $25 processing charge.

I do not think there is a cheaper way around paying the ship u less you live in a city that has the embassy of the country. It is too expensive for postage to send passports away otherwise. Princess now charges a service fee for Vietnam as well. For my cruise on Diamond Princess it is $106USD for my visa (day) in Bali and Vietnam. I just have to think of it as a cruise cost and pay the price and be happy that I am able to cruise.

I do not think there is a cheaper way around paying the ship u less you live in a city that has the embassy of the country. It is too expensive for postage to send passports away otherwise. Princess now charges a service fee for Vietnam as well. For my cruise on Diamond Princess it is $106USD for my visa (day) in Bali and Vietnam. I just have to think of it as a cruise cost and pay the price and be happy that I am able to cruise.

I agree. Its very inconvenient, but it is not a rip off. Its just the way it is. Govts needs to keep track of who is in their country and why should we as tax payers subsidise those who can afford to travel . Its just one of the costs of travel these days.

I do not think there is a cheaper way around paying the ship u less you live in a city that has the embassy of the country. It is too expensive for postage to send passports away otherwise. Princess now charges a service fee for Vietnam as well. For my cruise on Diamond Princess it is $106USD for my visa (day) in Bali and Vietnam. I just have to think of it as a cruise cost and pay the price and be happy that I am able to cruise.

Interesting as RCI charged me $US6 last week for the day visa to Vietnam. I was surprised it was so low as it had been indicated in the cruise documentation that it would be $US45. I know the government of Vietnam has been changing the amount it charges (it increased then it decreased again). I had heard that Princess charge a processing fee on top of the visa cost, which is fair in my opinion as they are doing the arranging.

Interesting as RCI charged me $US6 last week for the day visa to Vietnam. I was surprised it was so low as it had been indicated in the cruise documentation that it would be $US45. I know the government of Vietnam has been changing the amount it charges (it increased then it decreased again). I had heard that Princess charge a processing fee on top of the visa cost, which is fair in my opinion as they are doing the arranging.

I begin to suspect that the "cruise line" as such does not have an overall policy for their ships. It looks like the Captain/ First Officer/ Hotel Manager/ Purser ,or whoever controls the computer runs, can do what they see fit .

I do not think there is a cheaper way around paying the ship u less you live in a city that has the embassy of the country. It is too expensive for postage to send passports away otherwise. Princess now charges a service fee for Vietnam as well. For my cruise on Diamond Princess it is $106USD for my visa (day) in Bali and Vietnam. I just have to think of it as a cruise cost and pay the price and be happy that I am able to cruise.

Cant you get Vietnam visas online? And yes the $US60 fee (includes Visa $35usd) is an expensive fee charged by Princess. At least on our cruise we go to Lombok and Bali.

Visa on line is only for flights coming in to Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi. There is a $22 USD service fee then at the airport I pay $25USD stamping fee this is for Australian citizen for 3 months stay. The stamping fee used to be $45 before January 2016. It is cheaper now.

We charge the Indonesians for a visa to come to OZ, so they charge us, way it is around the world. I don't see an issue in having to pay a handling fee to Princess, thems the rules.

Visit Brazil, Argentina and Chile, like we have and see what they hit you for like, $100 - $150 each, USD of course.

If you require a visa for Bali you will be charged $US35 by the ship irrespective of whether or not you go ashore. This is an Indonesian govt requirement and no way around it. If you aren't happy about it take it up with your government and get visa free status. Last year we had to pay $US35 this year we are exempt

Whilst NZ, along with 74 other countries, was added to the visa free list last year; Benoa seaport is not a designated entry port for this facility.

(Bali airport is)

Therefore my understanding is: no change to current rule of having to get a visa on board the ship.

(If on cruise ship to such ports as Bali, Lombok, Komodo)

The list below are the allowed Immigration Check Points for Visa-Free Short Visits TOURISM PURPOSE ONLY:

Point of Entry

Airports

Soekarno Hatta - JAKARTA

Juanda - SURABAYA

Ngurah Rai - BALI

Kuala Namu - MEDAN

Hang Nadim - BATAM

Seaports

Sri Bintan Pura - TANJUNG PINANG

Sekupang - BATAM

Batam Centre - BATAM

Nongsa Terminal Bahari - BATAM

Marina Teluk Senimba - BATAM

Citra Tri Tunas (Harbour Bay) - BATAM

Bandar Bentan Telani Lagoi - TANJUNG UBAN

Bandar Seri Udana Lobam - TANJUNG UBAN

Tanjung Balai Karimun - TANJUNG KARIMUN

We charge the Indonesians for a visa to come to OZ, so they charge us, way it is around the world. I don't see an issue in having to pay a handling fee to Princess, thems the rules.

 

 

 

Visit Brazil, Argentina and Chile, like we have and see what they hit you for like, $100 - $150 each, USD of course.

Yep. Fine with the VOA. China was the most expensive for me. DIY at the time. And port time basically halved due to weather.

Can anyone tell me why Bali visas are a lot more expensive on the ship and how easy is it to get one on shore.

Because they have to take away a crew member for duties that are not related to their job description wasting company time and money and have to recoup the lost costs and manpower needed to process these things. If you want a crew member to process your visa you have to pay them for it and cover their work shift. Unfortunately some people think a cruise ship can be a charity case to passengers and do things for nothing.

Actually think it is Indonesian immigration.

Whilst NZ, along with 74 other countries, was added to the visa free list last year; Benoa seaport is not a designated entry port for this facility.

(Bali airport is)

 

Therefore my understanding is: no change to current rule of having to get a visa on board the ship.

(If on cruise ship to such ports as Bali, Lombok, Komodo)

 

 

The list below are the allowed Immigration Check Points for Visa-Free Short Visits TOURISM PURPOSE ONLY:

 

Point of Entry

 

Airports

 

Soekarno Hatta - JAKARTA

Juanda - SURABAYA

Ngurah Rai - BALI

Kuala Namu - MEDAN

Hang Nadim - BATAM

 

 

Seaports

 

Sri Bintan Pura - TANJUNG PINANG

Sekupang - BATAM

Batam Centre - BATAM

Nongsa Terminal Bahari - BATAM

Marina Teluk Senimba - BATAM

Citra Tri Tunas (Harbour Bay) - BATAM

Bandar Bentan Telani Lagoi - TANJUNG UBAN

Bandar Seri Udana Lobam - TANJUNG UBAN

Tanjung Balai Karimun - TANJUNG KARIMUN

Indonesia increased the number of countries allowing visa free access for short stay tourists during the past year and also increased the number of airports and seaports where such entry into the country was permissible. The number of seaports was increased to 21 and Benoa was one of those.

Indonesia has over recent months been very acutely aware that visas are creating a deterrant to tourism and are doing away with many of them. I think the reason why Australia has yet to get visa free status although it was to be the first off the rank is underlying tensions between the two governments and Australia's Stop the Boats policy.

Actually think it is Indonesian immigration.

Its the crew who do all the passport collecting sorting and checking aginst passenger lists. Indonesian immigration just stamp them.

Its the crew who do all the passport collecting sorting and checking aginst passenger lists. Indonesian immigration just stamp them.

That's what the Hotel Directors staff are there for to look after the welfare of passengers. Celebrity don't charge a service fee nor should Princess. Perhaps someone affected should vent their spleen on Facebook and see what responses they get. I had an issue with Celebrity once that I couldn't get resolved but as soon as I posted my concern on Facebook it was resolved in three days

Its the crew who do all the passport collecting sorting and checking aginst passenger lists. Indonesian immigration just stamp them.

On our last Princess cruise on Dawn, Fremantle to Sydney, which included a stop at Lombok, passports were collected during the check-in process. Even with 2000 passports it wouldn't have taken much time to sort them into whatever order Indonesian immigration required, then to re-sort them by cabin number afterwards. At that time there was no handling fee but if there had been it would have brought in an extra $50,000 for Princess. I'm sure the costs of handling the passports would have been no more than $1000, if that.

On our upcoming cruise, on Golden, Princess will score around $65,000 on Indonesian visa processing, and around $39,000 on Vietnamese visa processing, $104,000 in total. That seems a little excessive to me.

That's what the Hotel Directors staff are there for to look after the welfare of passengers. Celebrity don't charge a service fee nor should Princess. Perhaps someone affected should vent their spleen on Facebook and see what responses they get. I had an issue with Celebrity once that I couldn't get resolved but as soon as I posted my concern on Facebook it was resolved in three days

It was vented on Facebook about a month ago. That's where I first heard of it and subsequently created this post http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2296009

Princess haven't removed the handling fee since then. :mad:

Its the crew who do all the passport collecting sorting and checking aginst passenger lists. Indonesian immigration just stamp them.

I expect they will be taken at checkin. Pretty sure there's a nice profit in $25 usd per person.

Indonesia increased the number of countries allowing visa free access for short stay tourists during the past year and also increased the number of airports and seaports where such entry into the country was permissible. The number of seaports was increased to 21 and Benoa was one of those.

That would be very good news, but may I ask where that info came from please.

I was using this page for Visa-free info.

It shows Benoa as a designated point of departure for Visa-free, but not as a point of entry.

Thanks.

http://www.kbri-canberra.org.au/index.php/visa-service-kbri-canberra/visa/visa-free-for-short-visit

That's what the Hotel Directors staff are there for to look after the welfare of passengers. Celebrity don't charge a service fee nor should Princess. Perhaps someone affected should vent their spleen on Facebook and see what responses they get. I had an issue with Celebrity once that I couldn't get resolved but as soon as I posted my concern on Facebook it was resolved in three days

Just because Celebrity don't charge a fee isn't going to dictate what Princess will do.

Some things they do differently and they would expect to do that to differentiate. Just like Princess handle payments locally hasn't stopped Celebrity from processing their payments offshore.

That would be very good news, but may I ask where that info came from please.

 

I was using this page for Visa-free info.

It shows Benoa as a designated point of departure for Visa-free, but not as a point of entry.

 

Thanks.

 

http://www.kbri-canberra.org.au/index.php/visa-service-kbri-canberra/visa/visa-free-for-short-visit

One site I found was the Indonesian Embassy website in Washington DC USA which I have to assume is a reputable source

http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/wordpress/?page_id=188

If you require a visa for Bali you will be charged $US35 by the ship irrespective of whether or not you go ashore. This is an Indonesian govt requirement and no way around it. If you aren't happy about it take it up with your government and get visa free status. Last year we had to pay $US35 this year we are exempt

We were charged AUD 49.40 but being British got it reimbursed after the cruise