Visiting Benoa BALI - Visa required beforehand?

[rugbypopsie]

The going rate is $50 for a car and driver for the day...not per person.

 

Sue

[Ned49]

We are just back from Bali, we used the same driver that we used whilst on the same cruise as you last year. His name is Dewa and can be contacted on

dewa@balicarservice.com. He has a website as well. He is a very good and reliable driver, he will take you where ever you want.

Hope this helps. He costs $50 for the day.

[gaechann]

We are just back from Bali, we used the same driver that we used whilst on the same cruise as you last year. His name is Dewa and can be contacted on

dewa@balicarservice.com. He has a website as well. He is a very good and reliable driver, he will take you where ever you want.

Hope this helps. He costs $50 for the day.

 

Thank you for this information.

 

I'm assuming that it was $50 converted to their currency? :confused:

 

Gae

[Aus Traveller]

Thank you for this information.

 

I'm assuming that it was $50 converted to their currency? :confused:

 

Gae

 

We have been to Bali a few times while on a cruise and have always paid for the car in AUD.:)

[gaechann]

We are just back from Bali, we used the same driver that we used whilst on the same cruise as you last year. His name is Dewa and can be contacted on

dewa@balicarservice.com. He has a website as well. He is a very good and reliable driver, he will take you where ever you want.

Hope this helps. He costs $50 for the day.

 

Thank you Ned for this information!

 

I have booked Dewa for the day in Bali.

 

Best wishes - Gae

[Ned49]

Thank you Ned for this information!

 

I have booked Dewa for the day in Bali.

 

Best wishes - Gae

 

You won't be disappointed, he is a very nice guy.

[ccsclean21]

Hi

has any Australian Citizen traveled on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Indonesia recently. i see that there are conflicting information on the web regards to arranging visas on board. do the Royal Caribbean cruise line organize visas onboard for you or do you have to go to the embassy to arrange it before you cruise. can someone help me out with this information.

thanks

[Esilef]

Hi

has any Australian Citizen traveled on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Indonesia recently. i see that there are conflicting information on the web regards to arranging visas on board. do the Royal Caribbean cruise line organize visas onboard for you or do you have to go to the embassy to arrange it before you cruise. can someone help me out with this information.

thanks

 

 

I went on a RCI cruise to Bali last month (last rhapsody of the seas cruise).

 

Royal arranged visas for us and the cost of $35 pp was charged to our sea pass accounts.

 

We arrived in Bali 2 days after the Bali 9 executions. It took the officials ages to clear the ship all day trips were set back by hours.

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's actually annoying that this visa is forced on people, whether they want it or not, without any warning until after the cruise is booked. It must catch quite a few people out as an unexpected expense.

 

I can understand why everyone has to pay it but since it is mandatory it should be included in with the fare, in the same way that port fees and charges are included, in Australia at least.

Edited June 18, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[rugbypopsie]

I was there on Solstice in January..ship organised visa.

 

Sue

[ccsclean21]

Hi Esilef

Thanks for the info.

Regards

Wayne :)

Edited June 18, 2015 by ccsclean21

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

The Australian government advises

 

 

"We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the high threat of terrorist attack. You should also be aware of the severe penalties for narcotics offences, including the death penalty; some specific health risks; and risks associated with natural disasters.

Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.

We continue to receive information that indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks in Indonesia, which could take place at any time."

 

 

Please be very careful and see

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Indonesia

 

before you go

 

 

regards

John

[Esilef]

To be honest I found Bali to be very run down. We went to ubud and that's quiet pretty.

 

The hawkers were behind the fence but you get attacked when you come out the gate by the hawkers.

 

Everyone on the ship was charged the visa cost.

 

The water was very dirty around the ship.

 

The locals can't understand why Australians are not travelling there.

 

Traffic is horrendous and they drive like maniacs. We were concerned for our safety.

 

I can't say that I'm in a hurry to go back to Bali.

 

I feel for the people & their reliance on tourist $$$ but their own government is doing them no favours.

 

It's an experience.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've just booked a Top End cruise on Dawn Princess which stops at Lombok.

 

I'm surprised that the cruise lines are still including Indonesian ports on cruises heading up that way. Surely there must be alternatives. On the Top End cruises there may not be many alternatives but I assume they could just do Willis Island like they do on the Queensland cruises.

 

Not happy about being forced to pay visa costs when there is a risk of terrorist attacks :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Beanb41]

I've just booked a Top End cruise on Dawn Princess which stops at Lombok.

 

I'm surprised that the cruise lines are still including Indonesian ports on cruises heading up that way. Surely there must be alternatives. On the Top End cruises there may not be many alternatives but I assume they could just do Willis Island like they do on the Queensland cruises.

 

Not happy about being forced to pay visa costs when there is a risk of terrorist attacks :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

We visited Bali on the Solstice top end cruise earlier this year. Everyone on the ship was charged $US35 for a visa and that is the amount showing on the visa sticker so the ship made no "commission". We booked "Balimade Tours" for our excursion. In fact we booked 6 cars as demand was so great and no one had any complaints. Our driver was fabulous. Balimade Tours are contactable by Email and they have great reviews on Trip Advisor.

As this was a tender port and the Solstice wouldn't have a clue on how to organise a tender operation don't expect to get ashore early. The first people ashore on our cruise were local crew members, followed by the Preferential passengers and then the ship tour groups. We had an early tender and it still took two hours to get ashore.

At the port is a money change which has favourable rates comparable with any where else we saw and they changed the Indonesian currency back into Australian at the end of the day.

 

There is a reason why Indonesia is included on the top end cruise and that is to make the trip an International cruise with Duty Free privileges. Had Indonesia not been included the Top End cruise would be a domestic cruise with no duty free privileges. Not a cool idea for a cruise line.

[Gaznjo]

Gai... one of the most important things about going to Indonesia is making sure that your passport still has over 6 months validity...

 

When we check you in on the ship we will give you a form to sign agreeing that RCL is obtain the visa for you regardless if you leave the ship or not... $35US per person we are also instructed to check the 6th months validity. If you don't have 6 months you will be declined boarding, unless you are there early enough to head over to the passport office and get yourself a new passport before the ship sets sail.

 

The other day with the legend of the seas we had one lady whose passport expired by a week. She spent the day getting a new passport. Not only did it cost her the $250 fee but she also paid $111 priority fee... That's a lot of cocktails...

 

Joanne

[tickford]

Visited Bali just days after executions. Visa's organised by the ship, $35 US each on our accounts.

 

Had a good local driver who had previously worked on cruise ships for 12 years.

 

I don't know why the ships keep visiting Indonesia either to be honest.

 

Bali is as it has always been, no better, no worse than when we first visited there 28 yrs ago, in fact I don't think they have improved things much at all. I did not have any safety concerns, that said I have no desire to go back there again, only went this time because the ship stopped there.

 

Got off the in reasonable time but took hours waiting in the sun to get back to the ship, still not sure why the delays.

[Esilef]

Some of the cruises are now skipping Indonesia and going to Malaysia & Singapore.

 

The Balinese people were not aware of the executions. They are still very sorry about the Bali bombings which was over 10 years ago.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Some of the cruises are now skipping Indonesia and going to Malaysia & Singapore.

 

The Balinese people were not aware of the executions. They are still very sorry about the Bali bombings which was over 10 years ago.

 

Malaysia and Singapore are a bit far away for the Top End itineraries, I suspect. Pity, I'd never say no to a day in Singapore. :D

 

The Balinese people are, in the main, lovely people. Most of the terrorist types come from other parts of Indonesia, I believe.

 

It's at least 25 years since I was in Bali but the traffic was pretty crazy back then as well. Obviously it hasn't changed. ;)

Edited June 19, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[Beanb41]

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This post appears to be someone touting for business if one checks earlier posts