lfplenore

Sarawut Sarawut can be reached on WhatsApp at +66 636 094 881

Having been to the Middle East twice on cruises, I completely disagree. We did private tours at every port and, as a woman, had no issues whatsoever.

Excursions in the Middle East are very expensive. Much less expensive to do private tours (not through the cruise line). We saved a ton of money doing this. Is there a roll call for your cruise? That's a great place to find groups that are planning tours.

Only what I have already posted. From the information I have been given, your conclusion is correct. I know NCL will procure visas for us (at a steep charge); not sure about Celebrity. My guess is that they will; there should be information on their website. Due to time constraints, we are taking the easy way out and having NCL get the visas for us for our cruise.

https://vietnamembassy-usa.org/content/visa-application-process

If this is your port of entry, I was told no by the Vietnam Embassy. If your ship docks elsewhere in Vietnam first, then maybe. Check the embassy website; there is a list of ports that are approved. I assumed (incorrectly) that Phu My was the same as HCMC but was informed that this is not true.

Chan May is listed on the e-visa website: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt?fbclid=IwAR0UNAseidYS_ebsTzN5ZVKDJQP43Xn9qNUdVHdzTAGqHoecnaN49S_94DU

I checked with the Vietnam Embassy regarding the e-visa. Be sure that your first port of call in Vietnam is on the list of approved entry ports. Our first stop is Phu My, which is NOT. The port of HCMC is not the same as Phu My, though NCL calls it HCMC. For my cruise, I cannot do the e-visa😥.

I finally heard back from the Vietnam e-visa people. Their response is copied below. It appears that if Phu My is your entry port to Vietnam, an e-visa will not work. Hope this helps clarify the issue. It seems that you will dock at Phu My port as soon as you arrive in Vietnam. However, Phu My port is not on the list of E-visa. (Phu My port is different from HCM seaport (called Sai Gon seaport). In this case, you should obtain a visa from Vietnam Embassy nearby.

Did you ever get clarification regarding this? I emailed both the e-visa and US Vietnam Embassy to verify that Phu My is considered the same as HCMC but received no response from either.

$99, I believe. E-visa is $25. Be sure to find the Vietnam government site; there are lots of official sounding scam sites out there.

Great news! We are going to be in Vietnam in October as well as visiting on a cruise in December. Only one visa needed!

This is from the NCL website, so yes, Phu My is HCMC and should work for e-visa. I really hope that the post saying that there will be a $5 cruise passenger visa is correct!

As for Vietnam, you are correct. I misread the information on the website. Some countries count from the day you receive your visa, and the Vietnam e-visa website was not clear. You can apply 6 months ahead of time. From the NCL website: Please note that electronic visas “e-visas” obtained online are only valid to enter Cambodia by air or land. These visas cannot be used to enter Cambodia by sea onboard cruise ships. Additionally, from the Cambodian website:

I believe your best bet would be the government site for Vietnam visas. Tbe application process is simple and only costs $25pp per visa, so a huge cost savings. You will need to time out when you apply because they are only valid for 30 days and require 3 days to process. We will apply 30 days before we dock in Vietnam. You can also do the Cambodian visa on your own but it requires mailing in your passports to the Cambodian Embassy up to 90 days before you arrive in Cambodia. Very doable (we've done it twice before). Good luck!

If your port of embarkation is international, you will need your original bottles. NCL doesn’t care but immigration for the country you are entering might. Better safe than sorry. If you are embarking from a port in the US, you won’t need your prescription bottles.

Thank you for posting the visa information. There are lots of scammy, yet official sounding visa agencies in Vietnam. Hopefully, you will hear back from the official government website and they will confirm the information given.

For $99, hopefully only once! Are you doing a B2B? If so, they may charge twice😓. If you find out, please post. Good luck!

From the Vietnam e-visa website: An electronic visa (E-visa) is one of visa types issued to foreigners by Vietnamese Immigration Department via electronic system. Vietnam E-visa is valid for maximum of 30 days, single entry. Single entry should indicate entry into the country, rather than port by port. In other words, if you are stamped in on your first port, the visa should remain valid until you leave the country; not that particular port. So, if you have 2 or 3 port stops in Vietnam, your visa should remain valid for the entire time unless your ship leaves Vietnam and then returns. I plan to verify this with NCL. Worst case scenario is that I get my own visa and then find out it doesn't work. At that point, I pay my $99 to NCL.

Visa through the Vietnam e-visa website: $25

NCL is arranging visas for Vietnam. From the NCL website: Passport holders from all nationalities require a visa to go ashore in ports in Vietnam. The visa on arrival will be arranged by the onboard team. Guests will be charged $99 USD per person. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests on the ship. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard in Vietnamese ports. It is less expensive to arrange your own visa (there is an e-visa available for Vietnam): Vietnam evisa - National portal on Immigration (xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn)

You are most welcome. Incidentally, go with the long-tailed boat. It is a traditional Thai style boat. We live in northern Thailand for much of the year, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

No USD will be accepted in Thailand. The local currency is the Thai Baht. ATM fees are steep (220 Baht is about $6.32 US right now). If you open a Charles Schwab checking account (free to do), they will provide you with a debit card. ATM fees are reimbursed. It’s the cheapest way to get cash. As for excursions, Sarawut Sarawut is recommended by many. You can find him on Facebook.