HELP with India e visa on Celebrity Constellation PLEASE

Hi,

I’m am booked to sail on Celebrity constellation January 2,2018. According to Indian Consulate in Australia, I am able to Enter India on e-Visa from GOA port. Hence I have obtained an eVisa. I am now getting information that eVisa is not accepted in Celebrity constellation. Is this correct? I do NOT have time for a passport stamp visa as I leave Australia for UK next week?

Will I be denied boarding at Abu Dhabi on Celebrity with an E-Visa to India?

What are my options now?

What is the possibility of getting off at Muscat Oman, flying to Mumbai (where e-visa is accepted) and rejoining the ship again in Mumbai.

Thanks in advance

You may also post on Celebrity Cruise Forum for response from those who had actual experience on Celebrity’s india visa requirement for check-in.

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If you're only stopping in Goa, India then you're fine with an e-visa. Just print out the following page from the official Indian E visa website for proof.

https://www.e-visaindia.com/

It clearly states that it's valid for entry via Goa Port. All cruiseline staff at their offices are clueless when it comes to visa issues etc. We went with Royal Caribbean a couple of years ago, and there were cruisers who didn't have a visa at all, as they didn't want to get off in India, and they were allowed to board.

Thank you for the responses. I am panicking about being denied boarding, and my 2 kids have been looking forward to this cruise.

Anyone ever been denied boarding by Celebrity with only eVisa to India.

Ports of call are Goa and Bombay.

Anyone ever been denied boarding by Celebrity with only eVisa to India.

Ports of call are Goa and Bombay.

I would contact Celebrity for their assistance with this. If they can't answer directly perhaps they can suggest who you can talk to that can.

OP - do not rely on the anecdotal advice given on this forum or even on the Celebrity forum. Call Celebrity and get their response and if they agree that the E-visa alone is sufficient get it in writing especially if it contradicts any of the written cruise documentation you have received.

Have to agree with previous poster, contact Celebrity, get response in writing (email). Check DFAT site for entry requirements. We put our application in for standard visa for multiple entry, 2 ports in India for March 2018, submitted on Wednesday, received notification today, Friday, we can pick them up on Monday.

Submitted in Brisbane and have to be sent to Canberra. I’m sure they could do express process for you if required.

This was through VFS.

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Celebrity will not give you anything in writing, they will just point to a page on their website, which states all visa and passport issues are the responsibility of the cruiser and not the cruiseline. The official Indian visa website states that entry to India via the port in Goa is acceptable on an E-visa. This will be fine, as Celebrity are putting the onus on you to provide the correct documentation to enter India which, with an e-visa, you have.

We had a similar problem with Celebrity last year going to Shanghai, has they were bringing in a visa waiver scheme at the time. Celebrity were clueless and you would get 3 different answers of 3 different staff members.

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I know as a UK citizen the E-Visa is not valid for Mumbai but Goa is fine!

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Celebrity will not give you anything in writing, they will just point to a page on their website, which states all visa and passport issues are the responsibility of the cruiser and not the cruiseline. The official Indian visa website states that entry to India via the port in Goa is acceptable on an E-visa. This will be fine, as Celebrity are putting the onus on you to provide the correct documentation to enter India which, with an e-visa, you have.

 

We had a similar problem with Celebrity last year going to Shanghai, has they were bringing in a visa waiver scheme at the time. Celebrity were clueless and you would get 3 different answers of 3 different staff members.

 

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Exactly my experience... I called Celebrity call centre Dec 15, and I was told "Please check the applicable passport and visa requirements (including multi-entry visa requirements and for additional visa photos) with the embassies of the countries you will be visiting during your cruise, or check the up-to-date position with your travel agent in good time before departure"..

So, under the advice of the Indian Government, eVisa is accepted in Goa seaport, and since I have an e-visa, under the general terms and conditions of Celebrity, i would expect to be able to board the cruise.

But then I get an email saying I may be denied boarding without traditional visa for which I have absolutely no time to get as I leave Australia soon for a short pre-cruise holidays. If I hand in my passport, I won't have any holidays at all as I will miss my flight out of Australia!!!. I might just need to turn up at Abu Dhabi and take my chances... And hopefully it doesn't end up in years esp for my 2 daughters!!!!

Stressful!!!!!

I really hope this works out for yo and you all have a great cruise. Please will you come back post cruise and tell us what happened as it might be useful for someone else?

Hi,

I’m am booked to sail on Celebrity constellation January 2,2018. According to Indian Consulate in Australia, I am able to Enter India on e-Visa from GOA port. Hence I have obtained an eVisa. I am now getting information that eVisa is not accepted in Celebrity constellation. Is this correct? I do NOT have time for a passport stamp visa as I leave Australia for UK next week?

 

Will I be denied boarding at Abu Dhabi on Celebrity with an E-Visa to India?

What are my options now?

What is the possibility of getting off at Muscat Oman, flying to Mumbai (where e-visa is accepted) and rejoining the ship again in Mumbai.

 

Thanks in advance

I am going to India with Regent Seven Seas cruises in April. I initially tried to get a multiple entry visa. The process was Byzantine, web site didn't always respond to clicking the links. Also this visa requires that information must be mailed as well and include passports for all travelers. I abandoned the nightmare process through sheer frustration and on a third party website read that the easier, cheaper e-visa was what I needed. This application was easier but still very frustrating. The application was accepted on line but would not allow me to go to the payment page and gave no reason. The visa site recommended by Regent told me Regent would not accept an e-visa anyway. Neither they nor Regent could tell me why. It is very hard to find an authoritative answer but I found one. I found an Indian government web site with a US number and just called them.

There are only three ports that accept an e-visa, Cochin, Mangalore and Goa. Our final stop, Mumbai does not accept them even if you are only leaving from there. Even if you stay on board you must have a multiple entry visa.These are the numbers if you want to check for your self

and this is the web site

https://www.e-visaindia.org.in/?utm_source=Google_Search&utm_medium=CPC&utm_type=Text&utm_campaign=AGL_USA_Country(S)&utm_keyword=%2Bindia%20%2Be%20%2Bvisa

You need luck and tech expertise to go through this, which I still have to do.

You need luck and tech expertise to go through this, which I still have to do.

Um, the OPs ship sailed 11 days ago. But your post may be of some use for future cruisers.

I really hope this works out for yo and you all have a great cruise. Please will you come back post cruise and tell us what happened as it might be useful for someone else?

Hi... We're now back from the cruise, and it was FANTASTIC!!!

At check in, we had a super friendly person, and after we got all our ship cards, he just took us to the documentation officer, who said we had the wrong type of visa, took down our room number, told us we needed to clear immigration at GOA Port, then allowed us to board.

Main difference is that passengers on traditional/stamped Indian visa had their passports/immigration processed onboard (during sea day), 2 days before arriving in GOA, and apparently, it only took 5 minutes. But they needed another stamp when they got to the port (and maybe waited 20 minutes in line). This was the case for about 2,000 passengers.

Indian eVisa could NOT be processed on board, and we needed to get off the ship, where the Indian immigration were set up on the port. We were the 2nd group to get processed and took about 30-45 minutes. Their process on port could be done much quicker. Once we got processed in GOA, other ports of call in India (Mumbai, Cochin) are completely fine, as they are now considered domestic travel.

So it was definitely no hassle for us to get onboard, and tour India on eVisa. About 200 passengers have eVisa and 2,000 passengers have stamped Visa. I'm not sure if cruise ships will or will not allow Indian eVisa in the future, because if more than 10% of passengers have eVisas, I don't think port immigration officers in GOA can handle it. I can see long long long delays for processing of eVisa in the port if more passengers have EVisas. 200 passengers on EVisa took 30 minutes to 3 hours.. Imagine 2,200 passengers!!! It could take all day and more!!!!! This would surely lead to shore excursion delays or even cancellations!! And ships DON'T like that!!!

All in all, our Indian eVisa was no problems for us and we had an AMAZING cruise!!!!! It's our 8th cruise, and my kids said it was the BEST cruise ever (but I think it's because they made great friends at the kids club, rather than the ports of call)!!! They would have been happy to stay on the ship with their new friends rather than tour India!!!!

Hello Doc Mom, from your very useful information would I be right to proceed with an India e-visa as I am first flying in to New Delhi for 4 days, then departing to Abu Dhabi, returning to 3 ports in India - Mumbai, Goa, Cochin - which after Mumbai is all considered "domestic travel", which I assume to be deemed as one continuous entry. If I also am interpreting your post correctly when I arrive in New Delhi that is when Immigration will "process" my e-visa and stamp/authorise it appropriately hopefully allowing processing on board curtailing a long wait at Mumbai (wishful thinking perhaps). Your thoughts??

Hi. From my understanding, Indian E-Visa is valid for 2 entries. Arriving to New Delhi airport is considered 1 entry (and exit, since you will be leaving India to go to Abu Dhabi). Then returning to Indian port on the cruise ship is considered your 2nd entry, (and this is good for the 3 domestic ports - Goa, Cochin and Mumbai). But I’m not an expert at all!!!! Also, visa processing is constantly changing. Last January, eVisa can NOT be processed on the ship and hence the delay in processing on the port. However, with the increase in numbers of passengers with eVisa cruise ship can go 3 ways....

1. Organise eVisa processing onboard the ship (this will be ideal)

2. Continue current procedures of processing eVisa in the port (and accept delays in visa clearance)

3. Discourage (or even ban) eVisa because of the delays in port processing

So my information may not be up to date, but I think your eVisa will be good for 1st entry into New Delhi and 2nd entry into Mumbai port.

Goodluck.

Thank you for the responses. I am panicking about being denied boarding, and my 2 kids have been looking forward to this cruise.

From Nov 2018 the following sea ports will allow evisa Cochin. Goa/Mormuhao.Mumbai .Chennai.Mangalore.

information supplied by CIBT UK information which is the company Celebrity recommends for Visa