Update on India visa situation

[BoughtMyPoints]

Here is some accurate information from the current sailing of Costa Romantica, Mauritius to Singapore, calling at Cochin for 1 day.

 

 

No India visa required for boarding in Mauritius.

 

No drama whatsoever.

 

Just a waiver to be signed once on board.

 

A few days before Cochin, ship offers cut rate of $55 per passenger for visa and a form indicating acceptance or continued intention to remain on board during port call.

 

Heavy Indian security at Cochin, unrealistic to slip ashore.

 

Many chagrined passengers who wondered why they bothered with obtaining visas, even "free" ones.

 

YMMV

[CtheW0rld]

unrealistic to go ashore? why? surely there are excusions offerred if you aren't a 'diy' type.

[CtheW0rld]

cochi looks like an intersting stop, actually:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochi,_India

[Goldryder]

On my cruise aboard Allegra that finished a couple of days ago around 25 passengers were disembarked in Colombo, Sri Lanka due to not having appropriate (and requested) Indian visa's.

 

They had to make their own way home as were not permitted to proceed to Cochin, Goa & Mumbai.

 

When a website such as Costa tells you that you MUST get a visa for a country, then DO IT...otherwise you will face being disembarked and left behind.