Unexpected Visa Fees on Ocean Princess Southeast Asia Cruise

[alanmal]

They are charging us exactly what we charge them, it is "quid pro quo".

 

I think the OP was just looking for an excuse to cancel the cruise for what ever reason. Just my 3 cents worth.

[gooch47]

Just what would be so hard for Princess to include a notice about what Visas are required when you are just browsing looking at different cruises?

 

Why should you have to wait until you have already signed up and can see your Cruise Personalizer.

[alanmal]

Just what would be so hard for Princess to include a notice about what Visas are required when you are just browsing looking at different cruises?

 

Why should you have to wait until you have already signed up and can see your Cruise Personalizer.

 

Different countries have different requirements for other countries, Canada and UK are different than USA, for Princess to publish all requirements would take a large booklet, to cover all counties. Just my 4 cents.

[Pam in CA]

Just what would be so hard for Princess to include a notice about what Visas are required when you are just browsing looking at different cruises?

 

Why should you have to wait until you have already signed up and can see your Cruise Personalizer.

Because there are passengers from many different countries going to many other countries. To post all of the variables for every country, and keep them up-to-date, would be a monumental task and open the door to errors and lawsuits if any piece of information were incorrect. Ultimately, it's the passenger's responsibility to research and know what's required for their nationality traveling to the countries on their itinerary. This is where a good TA is invaluable. If you book directly with the cruiseline, you're assuming all responsibility for research and information.

[notentirelynormal]

Add to that, legal residents of the US are here with different requirements and rules. A nightmare for sure.

[paul929207]

... and the requirements and cost can change at any time.

[gooch47]

Different countries have different requirements for other countries, Canada and UK are different than USA, for Princess to publish all requirements would take a large booklet, to cover all counties. Just my 4 cents.

 

Makes sense.

[Kemmie67]

I purchased the Feb 4, 2010 sailing directly from Princess. ..........What really bothers me is having to purchase the China visa when we will only be in China to travel from the Shanghai port to the Shanghai airport. Yesterday I sent an email to the China embasy to verify if this was true but they havn't responded as yet.

Does anyone know from experience?

 

This is "Kemmie67" who started this thread. Yes, we contacted the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 2 to find out directly what were the visa requirements for our overnight stay in Shanghai. Below is their reply.

 

Apparently, Princess/Costco DID plan to tell us that we would need a visa for our 24-hour Shanghai stay, but they were not going to give us the information UNTIL they sent us our cruise documents--which would have been LONG past the point where we could cancel the cruise without any penalties. That's why we chose to cancel on Sept. 3rd. If you are just now getting your cruise documents for the Dec. 2 sailing, and you did not already know about the need for this China visa, it's getting to be a rather short time to obtain it, isn't it?

 

I still think that Princess either knows, or SHOULD know the specific visa requirements for each of their cruises and should make this known to people at the time they book the cruise. They told us up front that we would need a visa for Vietnam, and they would supply it on the ship. Why not tell us about the Shanghai visa requirement?

 

We felt we were being jerked around by Princess and are not at all sorry to have canceled the cruise. Princess isn't showing much respect for those who are still willing to spend their money with them in these tough economic times.

 

Kemmie67

 

On Sept. 2, 2009 we e-mailed the Chinese Embassy and this is what we were told:

 

"You arrive in Shanghai via cruise ship and your flight is from Shanghai to San Francisco , so it is not considered a transit . Please apply for a transit or tourism visa."

 

[DaisyRose]

I guess I'm one of the few posters that agrees with the OP that a $200 per person cost for a visa is way too high. However, I also agree with many other posters in that finding out visa requirements for any country you are considering visiting is a personal responsibility. It's something I always check when booking a cruise.

 

If China is charging US citizens approximately $130 for a visa, I am guessing the US is probably charging Chinese citizens about the same for a US visa. I think this is way too much, and it does disturb me.

 

That said, I am currently booked on the Ocean Princess for the February 20, 2010 Shanghai to Tokyo cruise, and have known since I booked it that I would need to obtain the Chinese visa. I don't like it, but I know it's what I have to do if I want to take this cruise, and I want to take this cruise. So, I will pay it. But, if I am not really dying to visit a place, then visa fees do sometimes enter into my decisions as to where I wish to travel to.

 

It has been my understanding that visas are generally used to check on the background of those who wish to enter a given country, and in today's climate, I can understand any country wanting to know who is entering their country. But, I think a fee of about $30 is more appropriate, and I think countries charging over $100 should reduce their fees. Also, some have mentioned that in some places, visas are quickly granted at airports or "en masse." That would seem to indicate that background checks are not being done in those places, and then it really only seems like a "charge" to enter their country. You would think a country would be happy that citizens of other countries would want to come and visit - and spend money on hotels, restaurants, gifts, and admissions. I think big visa fees do discourage some people from visiting. This whole visa thing should be rethought by all countries. Until then, I will only pay to visit places I really want to visit.

 

By the way, someone mentioned a visa for Japan. I am going there, too, and from everything I have read, Japan does not require a visa for US citizens. Does anyone know if that has recently changed?

[cruisemom42]

By the way, someone mentioned a visa for Japan. I am going there, too, and from everything I have read, Japan does not require a visa for US citizens. Does anyone know if that has recently changed?

 

 

We visited Japan in June of this year....no visa was required. So unless something has changed in the last 3 months, US citizens do not need a visa for Japan.

[aaerobear]

It never ceases to amaze me how Americans rant and rave about other countries and the charges they make for visas/custom fees . Most of these fees are reciprocal from the countries because the USA charges their citizens that much for visas to visit us. The USA charges different countries different prices determined by the "risk" of staying in the US. Many countries are charged higher fees because of the history of previous visitors.

 

If the USA decides that they need to charge Chinese citizens a certain fee for the privilege, then it is almost certain that the Chinese will charge Americans the same fee.

 

In the case of VietNam, the visa fee is the same for everyone, thus Princess can simply purchase as many as they need for the passengers on any specific cruise, the visas are pieces of paper that you carry in your passport (not attached).

 

We all need to take a little responsibility for our own actions. The Princess Personalizer CLEARLY states that passengers are individually responsible for obtaining ANY necessary visas (and inoculations) for their journey. I can not tell you how many times passengers have gotten all the way to the cruise check-in desk and had to be denied boarding because they did not read the information online or in the "cruise answer" book. If you do not have insurance, you will also be out the total amount of the cruise as the cruise line will NOT refund any money to you.

 

The following is from the Princess site

 

Visas

 

Visa requirements for U.S. and Canadian citizens are listed on your pre-cruise letter or Travel Summary (if applicable). All other nationalities including those with U.S. or Canadian resident status are responsible for verifying visa requirements for each port visited during the cruise.

 

IMPORTANT: Visa and documentation requirements vary by destination and do change from time to time without prior notice. Be sure to check with the consulate of each country you will visit, or a visa service to verify current regulations. It is your responsibility to have proper travel documentation. Please reconfirm visa requirements 5-7 days prior to your cruise.

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