Saudi Arabia - visa?

[benitz8]

7 hours ago, emmas gran said:

Hi you keep posting about visas and I remember answering your question previously maybe 3/4 months ago. You have family with Philippine passports if I remember correctly and I believe you are a large group travelling together 

You will need to go to the visa website and get the correct information yourself no-one can give you the information for your circumstances  

 

https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Home/Index2?service_type=1

 

I know all about the SA official site. It doesn't hurt to gather as much information as I can. 

 

The situation is very fluid with MSC still working with SA authorities. 

 

Forums are precisely for such purposes, to discuss and help each other. 

 

In this case, @Bobblehat71 posted an MSC confirmation and I am directly requesting @Bobblehat71 to assist me by forwarding a copy of the confirmation. 

 

 

On 11/3/2022 at 9:32 AM, Bobblehat71 said:

I had an email from MSC a couple of weeks ago confirming that I did not need a Visa If I was staying on board. I am on Europa stopping at Damman .

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by benitz8

[Lisichka]

This is directly from MSCs website (says required for cruises stopping in SA):
 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

Edited November 21, 2022 by Lisichka

[nuvolablue]

12 hours ago, Lisichka said:

This is directly from MSCs website (says required for cruises stopping in SA):
 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

This is very helpful. Thank you.

[nuvolablue]

Hi All, I will try and update this on other threads as well....I've just got off the phone to the Saudi Embassy in London to check the status of my Transit Visa application. This was the one applied for using the following link:

 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

 

The embassy have advised me that the Transit Visa is no longer offered to UK travellers, so they have cancelled my application. Very annoying that this was not made clear on the application status, nor did anyone bother to call me from the Embassy.

 

So for UK travellers the only option is to apply for the more expensive Tourist Visa.

 

I know some are going for the option of getting MSC to sort this for them on board, but Jeddah is a key port for me to visit so I'm not going to leave it to chance. I hope that's a useful update for all in the UK at least.

[Lisichka]

On 11/24/2022 at 3:48 AM, nuvolablue said:

Hi All, I will try and update this on other threads as well....I've just got off the phone to the Saudi Embassy in London to check the status of my Transit Visa application. This was the one applied for using the following link:

 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

 

The embassy have advised me that the Transit Visa is no longer offered to UK travellers, so they have cancelled my application. Very annoying that this was not made clear on the application status, nor did anyone bother to call me from the Embassy.

 

So for UK travellers the only option is to apply for the more expensive Tourist Visa.

 

I know some are going for the option of getting MSC to sort this for them on board, but Jeddah is a key port for me to visit so I'm not going to leave it to chance. I hope that's a useful update for all in the UK at least.

That isn’t right.  The counties that do not qualify for a transit visa are listed and the UK isn’t one of them.

[nuvolablue]

1 minute ago, Lisichka said:

That isn’t right.  The counties that do not qualify for a transit visa are listed and the UK isn’t one of them.

Yes I agree, but history has taught me not to argue with the Saudi Embassy.

[Lisichka]

1 hour ago, nuvolablue said:

Yes I agree, but history has taught me not to argue with the Saudi Embassy.

Why? What happened?

[Newleno]

Just got off the splendida in Jeddah, I dont know of one person that was able to obtain the transit visa for $50,   Although we all tried

[nuvolablue]

On 11/24/2022 at 10:48 AM, nuvolablue said:

Hi All, I will try and update this on other threads as well....I've just got off the phone to the Saudi Embassy in London to check the status of my Transit Visa application. This was the one applied for using the following link:

 

https://www.msccruises.com//en-gl/Assets/Transit-Visa-online-application.pdf

 

The embassy have advised me that the Transit Visa is no longer offered to UK travellers, so they have cancelled my application. Very annoying that this was not made clear on the application status, nor did anyone bother to call me from the Embassy.

 

So for UK travellers the only option is to apply for the more expensive Tourist Visa.

 

I know some are going for the option of getting MSC to sort this for them on board, but Jeddah is a key port for me to visit so I'm not going to leave it to chance. I hope that's a useful update for all in the UK at least.

Following on from my previous post, I also followed up with MSC UK and received the following response. Now I'm really confused as they appear to giving information which is contrary to what the Saudi Embassy in London have told me:

 

[benitz8]

On 11/27/2022 at 12:13 AM, Newleno said:

Just got off the splendida in Jeddah, I dont know of one person that was able to obtain the transit visa for $50,   Although we all tried

 

So all of you needed the regular tourist visa since you board and disembark the Splendida in Jeddah?

[Lisichka]

3 hours ago, nuvolablue said:

Following on from my previous post, I also followed up with MSC UK and received the following response. Now I'm really confused as they appear to giving information which is contrary to what the Saudi Embassy in London have told me:

 

I don’t know why you are confused.  That is where my link came from too (MSC) and the UK is not on the list of countries not allowed to apply for this.  You said you had previous experience with them though and didn’t want to fight them.

[Newleno]

4 hours ago, benitz8 said:

 

So all of you needed the regular tourist visa since you board and disembark the Splendida in Jed

I hope for you guys that Saudi and MSC got their act together, we were given the same exact  promises that never materialized, disembarking passengers in the customs terminal were in line getting the visa on arrival that took a lot of time, some of us basically got the same visa on line, the cost was over $140.  I embarked in Rome.  MSC consistently gave us wrong or no information on our journey. 

[benitz8]

5 minutes ago, Newleno said:

I hope for you guys that Saudi and MSC got their act together, we were given the same exact  promises that never materialized, disembarking passengers in the customs terminal were in line getting the visa on arrival that took a lot of time, some of us basically got the same visa on line, the cost was over $140.  I embarked in Rome.  MSC consistently gave us wrong or no information on our journey. 

 

I see.

 

So the people who weren't able to, or didn't want to get a Saudi visa (whether tourist or transit, online or on-arrival) were allowed to remain on board the ship?

[nuvolablue]

7 hours ago, Lisichka said:

I don’t know why you are confused.  That is where my link came from too (MSC) and the UK is not on the list of countries not allowed to apply for this.  You said you had previous experience with them though and didn’t want to fight them.

Okay so how do you suggest I tell the Saudi Embassy that they are wrong and MSC are right? Do you really think they will care what I have to say?

[Newleno]

7 hours ago, benitz8 said:

 

I see.

 

So the people who weren't able to, or didn't want to get a Saudi visa (whether tourist or transit, online or on-arrival) were allowed to remain on board the ship?

My understanding was that you could stay on the ship if you did not have a saudi visa for my particular voyage, dont know about future voyages

[nuvolablue]

10 hours ago, Lisichka said:

I don’t know why you are confused.  That is where my link came from too (MSC) and the UK is not on the list of countries not allowed to apply for this.  You said you had previous experience with them though and didn’t want to fight them.

@Lisichka Are you also doing the Red Sea Cruise ? And if so how is the progress of your Saudi Visa application ? Please do share any insights or advice. Thanks.

[Lisichka]

10 hours ago, Newleno said:

I hope for you guys that Saudi and MSC got their act together, we were given the same exact  promises that never materialized, disembarking passengers in the customs terminal were in line getting the visa on arrival that took a lot of time, some of us basically got the same visa on line, the cost was over $140.  I embarked in Rome.  MSC consistently gave us wrong or no information on our journey. 

When was your cruise and what promise did MSC make? 
 

I do not see any promises by MSC.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Lisichka

[nuvolablue]

35 minutes ago, Lisichka said:

When was your cruise and what promise did MSC make? 
 

I do not see any promises by MSC.

I don't think the matter is totally in MSC's hands. They are also reliant on what the Saudi Embassy(s) (in the various countries) are telling them. In my case they have told me something completely different to what (on the face of it) they have advised MSC.

 

@Lisichka are you also in a cruise that will go to Saudi Arabia ?

[Newleno]

2 hours ago, Lisichka said:

When was your cruise and what promise did MSC make? 
 

I do not see any promises by MSC.

 The promises were in my cruise ticket, it spelled out exactly what was needed to get done, where, and for what cost, the promises were given to us on the cruise after it was mandatory to meet with MSC officials another two times in addition to embarkation.   If anyone does not want to believe my first hand account, that is cool with me.  I have took over 50 cruises, never was part of such a fiasco.  

Edited November 28, 2022 by Newleno

[Lisichka]

On 11/28/2022 at 8:38 AM, Newleno said:

 The promises were in my cruise ticket, it spelled out exactly what was needed to get done, where, and for what cost, the promises were given to us on the cruise after it was mandatory to meet with MSC officials another two times in addition to embarkation.   If anyone does not want to believe my first hand account, that is cool with me.  I have took over 50 cruises, never was part of such a fiasco.  

Can you detail what happened and if you were able to get off in SA? I just have a hard time understanding what your experience was.

[nuvolablue]

On 11/28/2022 at 10:38 AM, Newleno said:

My understanding was that you could stay on the ship if you did not have a saudi visa for my particular voyage, dont know about future voyages

 

On 11/28/2022 at 2:50 AM, Newleno said:

I hope for you guys that Saudi and MSC got their act together, we were given the same exact  promises that never materialized, disembarking passengers in the customs terminal were in line getting the visa on arrival that took a lot of time, some of us basically got the same visa on line, the cost was over $140.  I embarked in Rome.  MSC consistently gave us wrong or no information on our journey. 

 

On 11/26/2022 at 4:13 PM, Newleno said:

Just got off the splendida in Jeddah, I dont know of one person that was able to obtain the transit visa for $50,   Although we all tried

@Lisichkait's all detailed on @Newleno's previous posts. 

 

[nuvolablue]

On 11/28/2022 at 11:02 AM, nuvolablue said:

@Lisichka Are you also doing the Red Sea Cruise ? And if so how is the progress of your Saudi Visa application ? Please do share any insights or advice. Thanks.

@Lisichka Are you also doing the Red Sea Cruise ? And if so how is the progress of your Saudi Visa application ? Please do share any insights or advice. Thanks.

[PTC DAWG]

On 11/25/2022 at 3:28 PM, nuvolablue said:

Yes I agree, but history has taught me not to argue with the Saudi Embassy.

History has taught me that I have ZERO interest in ever entering that Country.  

[nuvolablue]

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

History has taught me that I have ZERO interest in ever entering that Country.  

Okay,....... slightly irrelevant post for this particular thread.

[Lisichka]

12 hours ago, nuvolablue said:

 

 

@Lisichkait's all detailed on @Newleno's previous posts. 

 

Yeah, I don’t see any details there at all?