phlewt Posted July 13, 2005 #1 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Several of the Nautica Asian itineraries will visit ports in Vietnam. A multiple-entry visa for Vietnam currently has a consular fee of $135 (for American passport holders). One can get the visa from Zierer visa service for approximately $190. Oceania is offering a visa package that includes the Vietnam visas -- the cost is probably about the same as Zierer, but the individual visas are not individually priced by Oceania. People who have traveled on Princess report that they are not required to obtain Vietnamese visas in advance of the cruise. They are billed $10 each to their cabins when they arrive at the Vietnamese ports. See the thread at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=46898 and, more precisely the post at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=1565015&postcount=21. I told my TA about this and she contacted Oceania. Their response was that Oceania passengers need the advance visas for Vietnam. Does anyone know why Oceania is not able to get the same deal for Nautica passengers as Princess is able to get for their passengers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druke I Posted July 13, 2005 #2 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Have called in Vietnam on two different cruises with Princess, and both times the ship handled the visas for passengers, as you note, for $10.00, added to your shipboard account. Princess has a much longer history in the Far East than Oceania, which after all is a new company. That may well have to something to do with the visas being handled by the ship - Princess has the proper contacts, Oceania has not yet made those connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phlewt Posted July 14, 2005 Author #3 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I certainly would agree that Princess has a longer history than Oceania. As for "proper contacts", didn't Oceania Chairman Joe Watters bring some to Oceania from his days at Princess and Crystal? The cost of a Vietnam multiple entry visa from Zierer is approximately $180 ($130 consular fee + $49 service fee). If each Oceania passenger saved $170 ($180 - the $10 that Princess charges), the total savings for the 6 Nautica itineraries that visit the Vietnamese ports would be nearly $700,000 ($170 x 6 itineraries x 684 passengers). And Oceania might benefit greatly if they could make the same arrangements as Princess has made. Wouldn't you spend some of the savings on your shipboard account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susiesan Posted July 15, 2005 #4 Share Posted July 15, 2005 We went to Vietnam for a vacation in Oct. 2003 and just applied to the Vietnamese Consulate in Washington for the visas. It was $60 each. Their web site tells you how to do it, has thee forms you can print, and what you need. Very easy-no need to pay a service for something you can do yourself. if you go to China you will need a visa for that country too. Susie san Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phlewt Posted July 15, 2005 Author #5 Share Posted July 15, 2005 Susie, You are correct, it is not too difficult to get your own visa. The current fee is $65 for a single entry and $130 for a multiple entry. All the Nautica itineraries stop at two ports in Vietnam, so if advance visas are required, they will need to be multiple entry type. The thing I still don't understand is why Princess is able to make arrangements for their passengers to visit Vietnam without the advance visas, yet Oceania is not able to make such arrangements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susiesan Posted July 15, 2005 #6 Share Posted July 15, 2005 You don't need the multiple entry unless you are visiting other countries in between the ports in Vietnam. If you left Saigon, went to Cambodia, then came back to Saigon you would need it. You can begin Vietnam in one city and leavee from another on a single entry visa. If anyone wants the name of an excellent company that can handle private tours for you while in Vietnam, it is Griswalds Vietnam Vacations. We used them to plan and conduct our 2 week trip while we visited. We had a private tour for 2 full weeks. it was most excellent, one of the best trips I've ever taken in over 40 trips around the world. http://www.vietnamvacations.com.au Susie san Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smb Posted July 16, 2005 #7 Share Posted July 16, 2005 Susie Sen could you post address of Viet Namese website. I know there is a consulate in San Francisco but am unable to find a site. Sonia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phlewt Posted July 17, 2005 Author #8 Share Posted July 17, 2005 SMB - if you want info on Vietnam visas, the url is http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular_services/visa_info/The fees are not listed on their web page -- I have an e-mail from their embassy indicating that the current fee for single entry is $65 and for multiple entry is $130. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.