glenswatman

9 hours ago, SteveH2508 said:

We have just applied for and got Chinese visas for a mid-October trip (from the London centre).

We got 2 year multi-entry visas (as did our travelling companions, one of whom is travelling on a Gibraltar passport but applied for her visa in London). That seems to be the default if there are no 'issues'.

 

TOP TIP - make sure your paperwork. copies of docs. etc. are completely in order, and it was actually a comparatively painless (but expensive process) (unless you are a convicted axe murderer or some such).

 

If your itinerary clearly shows when you will enter and leave China they will accomodate you WRT dates - they want your tourist Yuan after all.

 

NB you cannot pay for the visa by credit card.

Thank you for the info.  Having toured much of China before we have decided to stay on board in this instance and pick up Shanghai on a future visit combined with other places.  

HI there.  Any suggestions please.  We leave uk early October on a round the world trip.  According to the Chinese embassy in London you can only apply for a visa up to 3 months ahead of the arrival.  We don't arrive there until mid March on a cruise ship.  144 hour T.W.O.V no good as our cruise docks in both Tianjin and Shanghai which are in different provinces.  Can we buy a China visa from the embassy whilst in Australia pre cruise?  Can we just use the Shanhai TWOV and not get off in Tianjin?  Basically what can we do other than cancel the cruise please?  

Just returned from fabulous cruise to Mumbai, Azamara Quest. Unfortunately there were some Americans on board who had to disembark early at Fujiarah (Emirates) because they didn't have visa to enter India. I'm sure it cost them big bucks to get home! I think some passengers believe that if they just go to airport in Mumbai, and not tour, they won't need visa. They are sooooo wrong. You must have a visa! Indian custom officers are first to board vessel when it reaches Mumbai. They meet every passenger disembarking face to face.

 

It was sad to meet these "left-out" Americans on board. Azamara was nice to them, gave them specialty dinners and so on, but there was nothing they could do to get them into India.

 

Be sure to get a visa!! I was hesitant at first when I found out Indian Embassy in Chicago used Travisa Outsourcing exclusively for Indian visas but, after receiving two Indian visas from them, I can't say enough about their professionalism--and speed!

 

Have a great time in Mumbai, an absolutely wonderful city!

Guess this kind of gives me the answer to a question, (as they were obviously not allowed to stay on the ship in India and just miss disembarking at that port)

HAL are insisting we have a visa for India even though

a/ we don't intend going ashore and

b/ the High Commission of India in England say British passport holders don't need one if staying on the ship.

How come cruise lines can impose rulings that are not the law of that country - can't imagine all the crew on board have visas.

If anyone has any further knowledge of this situation a reply within next 2 days would be much appreciated to glenswatman@gmail.com

Actually I don't much care not going on land in Mumbai and Cochin.

 

It may sound sour grapes but it may be safer to stay on board in view of terrorists warnings. Azamara won't take my booking without Indian visa though.

 

From now on I will avoid any cruise visiting India, Azamara or otherwise.

We are presently having the same problem for our HAL Rotterdam cruise on 4th March 2016 from Singapore to Southampton . Having visited India before we have no interest in going ashore and in fact due to heath problems giving us low immune systems we have no desire to.

However India High Commission in London say we do not need a visa to stay on the ship BUT HAL say we MUST HAVE A VISA EVEN IF STAYING ON BOARD IN INDIA, and they will refuse boarding if we don't have one and won't refund the cruise price.

Banging my head against a brick wall as the underlying info from HAL is that it is up to everyone to check what their countries visa requirements are therefore not up to HAL to enforce what is not a ruling for British citizens according to our High Commission.

Anyone else had this scenario or anything to help us, if so due to shortness of time please Email me at glenswatman@gmail.com it would be much appreciated before we capitulate.

Worst case we are already in Australia and will have to pay out well over £300 for our visas and stall our travels in order to make arrangements to get the visa.

Now I remember why we said we were never going back to India !

Just returned on a Princess cruise that went into many of the ports you will be visiting. I have put together information of what we did in each port of call on our own to help others.

http://glenswatman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/diamond-princess-ancient-capitals-9-day.html

Great help, thank you very much for going the trouble to do that.