Visas for India

For those you that have sailed the "Spice Route" and other cruises that stop in India what was the procedure for Visas in India. Individually handled prior to booking or taken care of by the ship? Please reply if you have recent personal experience. Thank You.

We are booked on a 2017 cruise that starts and finishes in Mumbai and have visited India with other cruise lines. On all occasions Indian visas have to be obtained in advance by the passengers.

For those you that have sailed the "Spice Route" and other cruises that stop in India what was the procedure for Visas in India. Individually handled prior to booking or taken care of by the ship? Please reply if you have recent personal experience. Thank You.

All guests must have Indian visas, the paper kind affixed into their passport, not the e-visa, prior to boarding the ship. The ship cannot arrange visas in India. Guests will not be allowed to disembark in India without the visa, no exceptions. In November I was on the Spice Route and there were 42 unhappy shipbound guests in Mumbai and Goa.

All guests must have Indian visas, the paper kind affixed into their passport, not the e-visa, prior to boarding the ship. The ship cannot arrange visas in India. Guests will not be allowed to disembark in India without the visa, no exceptions. In November I was on the Spice Route and there were 42 unhappy shipbound guests in Mumbai and Goa.

Hi Bonnie

We are on the Spice route part 2 on the Journey in November. We board in Chennai and then sail to the Andaman Islands en route to Myanmar. As I understand it, we can enter Chennai, by air, with an e-visa and the Andaman Islands issue their own visa at Port Blair. Can you confirm that we will be allowed to board in Chennai with an e-visa in these circumstances?

Many thanks ( in anticipation !)

Elizabeth

Hi Bonnie

 

We are on the Spice route part 2 on the Journey in November. We board in Chennai and then sail to the Andaman Islands en route to Myanmar. As I understand it, we can enter Chennai, by air, with an e-visa and the Andaman Islands issue their own visa at Port Blair. Can you confirm that we will be allowed to board in Chennai with an e-visa in these circumstances?

Many thanks ( in anticipation !)

Elizabeth

Hi Ebeth 63,

I'm really not an authority on the rules of visas, immigration, etc. You should ask your travel professional to help you on this.

Hi Ebeth 63,

 

I'm really not an authority on the rules of visas, immigration, etc. You should ask your travel professional to help you on this.

Thanks Bonnie - it was just what you said about Azamara not letting people board with an e-visa. It made me wonder whether the company has its own policy on this as my own research suggests that an e-visa is sufficient for this itinerary.. Thanks for your prompt response though!

Have a look at the Quest roll call for 15 April. This has been the no.1 topic recently. It'll make your brain hurt

Good luck

Tony

Hi Bonnie

 

We are on the Spice route part 2 on the Journey in November. We board in Chennai and then sail to the Andaman Islands en route to Myanmar. As I understand it, we can enter Chennai, by air, with an e-visa and the Andaman Islands issue their own visa at Port Blair. Can you confirm that we will be allowed to board in Chennai with an e-visa in these circumstances?

Many thanks ( in anticipation !)

Elizabeth

I am no expert, but I doubt it. A visa would be needed in case of emergency. Say you happened to need medical treatment or there is an issue with the ship. Stuff happens. I would get the information from the ship, the indian government and from multiple source before I would risk ruining my vacation because of denied boarding.

If it is Azamara "Policy" for you to have a 6 month indian visa before boarding, then they are in rights to deny boarding. I would not risk it. I have run into other "Azamara policies" that make no logical sense, but they can NOT be argued with....only accepted.

Just over 12 months ago we did the spice route & many passengers had to disembark at Dubai due to the fact that they did not have Indian visas, as the next 2 cruises ended in Indian ports, Mumbai & Chennai. Theses passengers were Canadian, English and Australian. The Indians are very good at bureaucracy and could not be swayed despite the intensive efforts of Azamara. It spoilt their holiday, as India was a very much anticipated experience, as well as the extra expense of hotels in Dubai & flights home.

Some others had not got a multiple entry visa, & as such were unable to return to India following our stops in the Maldives & Sri Lanka, so disembarked at Galle.

I would check with your Indian embassy and get it in writing if they say you don't require a visa & carry this with you.

Karyn

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We're on the Spice Route voyage on the Quest from Singapore 15 April, simple answer, get a 'multi-entry tourist visa' end of story......

Just over 12 months ago we did the spice route & many passengers had to disembark at Dubai due to the fact that they did not have Indian visas, as the next 2 cruises ended in Indian ports, Mumbai & Chennai. Theses passengers were Canadian, English and Australian. The Indians are very good at bureaucracy and could not be swayed despite the intensive efforts of Azamara. It spoilt their holiday, as India was a very much anticipated experience, as well as the extra expense of hotels in Dubai & flights home.

Some others had not got a multiple entry visa, & as such were unable to return to India following our stops in the Maldives & Sri Lanka, so disembarked at Galle.

I would check with your Indian embassy and get it in writing if they say you don't require a visa & carry this with you.

 

Karyn

 

 

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I remember that Karyn. We were on the same cruises. What a mess that was for some. I'd planned to get off in Mumbai, but decided to carry on for the following cruise, only firmed up because I had a multi-entry visa (even though I'd applied for a single fortunately they'd given me a multi entry).

Phil

Our Cruise Director Philip reiterated to me over the weekend that guests must obtain the proper (paper in the passport) visa to enter India on a ship.

Per our Port Agent in India, "Please be advised the passengers need to enter India by air if they have an e-visa. This is because the airports have facilities for taking bio-metrics which is mandatory for e-visa, and the sea ports do not."

So now we know the reason our ships' guests cannot disembark in India if they only have an e-visa.

Thank you Bonnie, and I'm sorry to be a pain, but my question really is whether having entered India by air ( in Chennai), with an e-visa, will we be allowed to board the ship bearing in mind that our only other Indian Port is the Andaman Islands and my research suggests that Port Blair issues visas at the port.... I completely understand that an e-visa is not sufficient for the previous cruise which makes several stops at Indian ports....

Hi Ebeth 63,

I'm really not an authority on the rules of visas, immigration, etc. You should ask your travel professional to help you on this.

Ebeth 63,

Bonnie has already answered your question. If you believe your research is correct then you should follow that. You are the one to bear the consequences good (saving ~ 100 pounds) or bad (not being able to disembark at the next port, or possibly losing your whole vacation).

Ebeth 63,

 

Bonnie has already answered your question. If you believe your research is correct then you should follow that. You are the one to bear the consequences good (saving ~ 100 pounds) or bad (not being able to disembark at the next port, or possibly losing your whole vacation).

I suppose I should approach Azamara directly for clarification, but Bonnie is always so helpful and it was her post that originally raised my query - hence my request for clarification: can we BOARD in Chennai (having already entered India legally, by air, with an e visa)when we are not visiting any further Indian ports, or does Azamara have its own own rules...?

Is Chennai the embarkation port? If so, wouldn't everyone (not doing a b2b cruise) have entered by air?

The Andaman Islands (Port Blair) are Indian. Better to be safe than sorry.

And more emphatically from the onboard Hotel Director Philip...."Bonnie, although the e-visa will be acceptable to arrive in to Chennai and board the ship the guests will need a paper visa for Port Blair. Recommend all guests obtain multiple entry visa for this routing. Thanks a lot. Philip"

Thank you Bonnie for clarifying that beyond any doubt! I appreciate your efforts to find the definitive answer.

I suppose I should approach Azamara directly for clarification, but Bonnie is always so helpful and it was her post that originally raised my query - hence my request for clarification: can we BOARD in Chennai (having already entered India legally, by air, with an e visa)when we are not visiting any further Indian ports, or does Azamara have its own own rules...?

Please don't take offense but why would you seek the advice of a board moderator instead of calling the embassy or travel professional that can give you a quick answer - probably quicker than the multiple posts about it?

Please don't take offense but why would you seek the advice of a board moderator instead of calling the embassy or travel professional that can give you a quick answer - probably quicker than the multiple posts about it?

Because a previous comment from Bonnie contradicted what the Indian embassy in London had already told me - which made me wonder whether Azamara has its own requirements. Bonnie has now clarified Azamara's position for me and we will, of course, comply.

Because a previous comment from Bonnie contradicted what the Indian embassy in London had already told me - which made me wonder whether Azamara has its own requirements. Bonnie has now clarified Azamara's position for me and we will, of course, comply.

Yes - I would go with the embassy answer -

Not if the embassy said and EVisa was OK!

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Not if the embassy said and EVisa was OK!

 

This is a quote from the Govt. of India website:

11.e-Tourist Visa (eTV) once issued on arrival is Only single entry , non-extendable , non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas. (their emphasis)

So it seems that the e-visa is good only for a single entry, and not for re-entry.

So, not being able to put it off any longer, I have now started to fill in my visa application for our cruise from Chennai to Singapore in November... I have reached the question that asks for my 'reference in India'. Can anyone tell me what I should put here? My first thought was Azamara Club Cruises, but their address would presumably be Miami, so not in India. The following question asks for my 'reference in the U.K.'; should that just be a reputable person here who would vouch for me if required (like someone authorised to sign a passport application)?

If anyone has any experience of this, I'd appreciate some advice.

Many thanks.

So, not being able to put it off any longer, I have now started to fill in my visa application for our cruise from Chennai to Singapore in November... I have reached the question that asks for my 'reference in India'. Can anyone tell me what I should put here? My first thought was Azamara Club Cruises, but their address would presumably be Miami, so not in India. The following question asks for my 'reference in the U.K.'; should that just be a reputable person here who would vouch for me if required (like someone authorised to sign a passport application)?

 

If anyone has any experience of this, I'd appreciate some advice.

Many thanks.

In 2015 I used azamara club cruises as my reference while in India. Seemed to be fine.