Travel to Europe won’t be so easy come 2021 - EUROPE VISA

[DirtyDawg]

8 hours ago, Hflors said:

We had been thinking of a cruise to either the Baltic or the med in 2021 to celebrate our upcoming anniversary, but after reading about this new visa I think we can scratch that idea off our list.  We already did the med and there isn't anything there I would pay an additional 7 euro/pounds/ dollars to see.   I think we are paying enough to each country already with the port charges we pay.   I haven't been to the Baltic, but I guess I won't miss that either since I haven't seen it and also am not interested in paying anything additional after paying for our passports.

 

Don't listen to those naysayers around here. Go right ahead and avoid that Baltic cruise in 2021. Please encourage others to join your boycott too. Show those darn Euro's that they can't get away with this! You won't miss anything in St. Petersburg, Russia that you can't see in St. Petersburg, Florida. And you can use that 7 euros you saved to buy, not 1 Budweiser but 2 Buds! 

 

In no way is my opinion influenced by the fact I am also planning a Baltic cruise in 2021 and the prices are way too high right now.

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by DirtyDawg

[sverigecruiser]

23 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

It really is pretty simple and standard practice between many countries.

 

I know that.

[Markanddonna]

This will heighten awareness about the need for additional documentation beyond the passport for many countries.  We took a 22 day transpacific to Australia and 800 passengers didn't realize they needed the additional registration for Australia. They managed to do it quickly using the ship's internet.  The notice was in the daily almost every day.  You would have thought that RCL would have reminded people when they boarded.

 

[jagsfan]

Anybody remember when US citizens  had to get a visa to enter France? 

I think the requirement only lasted a few months to a year, but we were among the lucky ones that had to do it. 

[DirtyDawg]

14 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

This will heighten awareness about the need for additional documentation beyond the passport for many countries.  We took a 22 day transpacific to Australia and 800 passengers didn't realize they needed the additional registration for Australia. They managed to do it quickly using the ship's internet.  The notice was in the daily almost every day.  You would have thought that RCL would have reminded people when they boarded.

 

 

I wonder how many additional internet packages RCL sold on that cruise?

Edited March 10, 2019 by DirtyDawg

[pcur]

I'm not trying to sway anyone's opinion one way or the other, but in US $$, this fee is an average of 15 CENTS per country, per year if you went to all the countries covered by it each year.

 

OK, that's a little ambitious, so let's say you go to 1 country per year, or 1 country every 2 years.........it's still super inexpensive.

 

But, we all define our "straw" that will break the camel's back.................

Edited March 10, 2019 by pcur

[blackshirt]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

Yes, the visa will be required as UK citizens will also have to pay it post Brexit

I don’t think you are understanding the question. You don’t normally go through customs at port stops, so how would it be enforced? 

[Texas Tillie]

5 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

The reason that they are doing it is that we are requiring Visas for them to enter the US.  It is called "appropriate response".

 

DON

 

I think the $5 word is reciprocity.

[Velvetwater]

3 hours ago, hallasm said:

 

Sure EU is loving Brit’s, but this is actually not EU but Schengen Area, and UK is not member of Schengen - hence you’ll also need an approval.

 

 

No I said I was an EU loving Brit...nothing about the EU loving the Brits.

 

I know that Schengen/EU is different but there have been rumours of various EU countries that are not within the area not needing the pass. Now if Brexit never happens/combusts/gets delayed for a decade then it would be nice to be considered in this if we remain I the EU.

 

Brits know we are not in the zone but currently we can travel easily around it.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by Velvetwater

[davecttr]

38 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

I don’t think you are understanding the question. You don’t normally go through customs at port stops, so how would it be enforced? 

Depending on Brexit outcomes UK citizens are expecting that their documentation will be checked at their first call in a shengen zone country. In fact they already do checks like they did at Palma Majorca airport back in January when I flew there from the UK.

[navybankerteacher]

Granted - it is a nuisance to have to take another step to travel;  but it is certainly understandable that European countries would see it as only reasonable for reciprocal travel requirements to exist.   It is, however, naive to not see it as a revenue producer (down the road, perhaps because they might want to limit initial resistance - but they are not going to operate at a loss) but it is unlikely that they would want to jeopardize the revenue stream coming from US tourists.

[Turtles06]

As our friends across the pond have noted, the U.S. has had a similar requirement (ESTA) for the visa-waiver countries for years.  As an American, I have no objection to this reciprocity (and please note that the new ETIAS requirements will apply to many countries, not just the U.S.).  Unfortunately, it's not unreasonable in this day and age for countries to want to know, in advance, who is seeking to enter, and I'm glad that we are not being put to the burden of having to apply for an actual visa. 

 

As for it being a revenue-raiser, it does take money to operate such a program.  At today's exchange rates, the cost to an American is not even $3/year.  What can you buy on a ship for that? 

[Wine-O]

Starting in 2021, the European Union will require US visitors to get a pre-approved, visa-like travel pass issued by the European Travel Information and Authorization System.  Good for 3 years for $7.90.  I wonder if the U.S. will reciprocate.  

 

https://nypost.com/2019/03/09/eu-will-soon-require-us-visitors-to-apply-for-visa-like-travel-pass/

[blackshirt]

What do you mean by “wonder if the U.S. will reciprocate”? European travelers to the US have required something similar for years.

[ONECRUISER]

2 minutes ago, Wine-O said:

Starting in 2021, the European Union will require US visitors to get a pre-approved, visa-like travel pass issued by the European Travel Information and Authorization System.  Good for 3 years for $7.90.  I wonder if the U.S. will reciprocate.  

 

https://nypost.com/2019/03/09/eu-will-soon-require-us-visitors-to-apply-for-visa-like-travel-pass/

Was a separate post on this either yesterday or day before, but thanks for posting. 

[Wine-O]

7 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Was a separate post on this either yesterday or day before, but thanks for posting. 

 

Didn't see it.  

[SimplyMarvie]

The only part that irritates me about this is that Americans don't have the option to apply for a standard 10 year travel visa, like Europeans who don't want to mess around with ESTA do. As someone who travels a lot, and takes advantage of last-minute airfare sales, etc. I would DEFINITELY pay $160 (or whatever the fee is for the Schengen version of a US B1/B2 visa) to not have to worry about this for ten years... because I know myself, and I know I'd be that person who is half-way to Germany and realizes their travel authorization ran out 3 months ago and then gets stuck crying in the airport. 

[CRUISEFAN0001]

4 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

This will heighten awareness about the need for additional documentation beyond the passport for many countries.  We took a 22 day transpacific to Australia and 800 passengers didn't realize they needed the additional registration for Australia. They managed to do it quickly using the ship's internet.  The notice was in the daily almost every day.  You would have thought that RCL would have reminded people when they boarded.

 

That's the real concern as this rolls out for Europe...there may be many more cases of "not knowing", and the last-minute registrations may not go through as fast with a glut of demand.

[sverigecruiser]

3 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

That's the real concern as this rolls out for Europe...there may be many more cases of "not knowing", and the last-minute registrations may not go through as fast with a glut of demand.

 

Leta hope that American TAs, airlines, cruise companies etc. tell their customers that they have to do it.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Here's the thread on this topic that was started Friday:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2642800-travel-to-europe-won’t-be-so-easy-come-2021-europe-visa/

 

LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A THREAD MERGE OPPORTUNITY.

[sparks1093]

4 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

This will heighten awareness about the need for additional documentation beyond the passport for many countries.  We took a 22 day transpacific to Australia and 800 passengers didn't realize they needed the additional registration for Australia. They managed to do it quickly using the ship's internet.  The notice was in the daily almost every day.  You would have thought that RCL would have reminded people when they boarded.

 

I'm surprised they were even allowed to board without the required documentation.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

As our friends across the pond have noted, the U.S. has had a similar requirement (ESTA) for the visa-waiver countries for years.  As an American, I have no objection to this reciprocity (and please note that the new ETIAS requirements will apply to many countries, not just the U.S.).  Unfortunately, it's not unreasonable in this day and age for countries to want to know, in advance, who is seeking to enter, and I'm glad that we are not being put to the burden of having to apply for an actual visa. 

 

As for it being a revenue-raiser, it does take money to operate such a program.  At today's exchange rates, the cost to an American is not even $3/year.  What can you buy on a ship for that? 

A soda. But I agree, the cost will fund the advanced screening that will be done. I would hope that with advanced screening that it will reduce wait times at passport control, but that might be wishful thinking.

[LHT28]

5 hours ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

We were just there in December...the ESTA process and fee were no big deal...but it is something "new" for U.S. travelers who have never been to your beautiful country.

the Online visa   is a lot easier than before  when you had to apply  in advance for  a regular VISA to Australia  ..that has been around for many years

the fact that it is new to you   is maybe you never  went to Australia before

It is  NOT new to need  a VISA to Australia

 

[CRUISEFAN0001]

8 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

the Online visa   is a lot easier than before  when you had to apply  in advance for  a regular VISA to Australia  ..that has been around for many years

the fact that it is new to you   is maybe you never  went to Australia before

It is  NOT new to need  a VISA to Australia

 

But it will be new for Europe...and launches of such programs don't always go smoothly.

[slidergirl]

5 hours ago, Gwendy said:

Thank you for alerting people.   Unfortunately some cruisers get their knickers in a knot over any small thing,  Guess we won’t see those people in Australia either as USCitizens require an ESTA to travel to Australia, as we have  done for many years past to travel to US

 

Some people over on the HAL board are cancelling or not sailing anymore on HAL because of a $10 "extra main course" charge.  Some Americans feel like they are superior and rule the world and don't need to get "permission" to travel to another country.   Those who won't pay a fee (like the USA forces foreign tourists to pay) to travel outside of the US are free to stay and visit domestic locations or cruise on those closed-loop trips where they don't need a visa.