Why no India?

[kmkord]

I just booked the 32-Day Holiday Pearls Of Arabia & Asia departing on 12/7/22. I booked this itinerary for the India ports, since I've been to most of the other ports.   Right after I made final payment, I received an itinerary change saying the ship was no longer stopping in India. No explanation as to why the change was made. It looks like Regent is still sailing to India during this same period.  Does anyone know why Seabourn isn't stopping in India?  

 

[Catlover54]

9 minutes ago, kmkord said:

I just booked the 32-Day Holiday Pearls Of Arabia & Asia departing on 12/7/22. I booked this itinerary for the India ports, since I've been to most of the other ports.   Right after I made final payment, I received an itinerary change saying the ship was no longer stopping in India. No explanation as to why the change was made. It looks like Regent is still sailing to India during this same period.  Does anyone know why Seabourn isn't stopping in India?  

 

 

I read elsewhere that India and Sri Lanka have gotten very picky about issuing visas, in general, but in particular to UK citizens (allegedly because some UK citizens are of Pakistani origin, and thus are considered, by association, suspects for potential terrorism).

Visa hassles, delays, and costs  for a line's pax create trouble, and pax anger, so if a line tends to gravitate to UK customers to a great degree (I think that is more true on SB than on Regent), it could create disincentive to go places that make trouble for them. 

Or, maybe Regent is just better organized and/or willing to spend more money. 

Edited October 22, 2022 by Catlover54
Typo

[Cornet]

Catlover54 is correct in saying that the process of getting an Indian Visa for UK citizens has changed. We cannot get the e visa online but have to travel to a visa centre( there are only 3 or 4 in the whole of the Uk) for a face to face interview before being issued with a visa. We have been informed that all appointments are full until February at the earliest. I know all this as we were booked on the Singapore to Athens cruise too but we changed to a Panama Canal cruise later in the year to avoid needless hassle.

Canada is also denied the e visa scheme for some reason

 

[Catlover54]

4 minutes ago, Cornet said:

Catlover54 is correct in saying that the process of getting an Indian Visa for UK citizens has changed. We cannot get the e visa online but have to travel to a visa centre( there are only 3 or 4 in the whole of the Uk) for a face to face interview before being issued with a visa. We have been informed that all appointments are full until February at the earliest. I know all this as we were booked on the Singapore to Athens cruise too but we changed to a Panama Canal cruise later in the year to avoid needless hassle.

Canada is also denied the e visa scheme for some reason

 

 

My guess is that not a single terrorist will be stopped by this process (though I understand the general anxieties and that political situations are not always logical).

It is a shame, for both pax and poor and middle class locals in India who might receive revenue from visitors.

[MBP&O2/O]

Pakistan and India hate each other ... well politically at least 😁

A reverse scenario... we were in Karachi and a new 3/0 was to join the ship. Why corporate did it is beyond me but they appointed an Indian national who had to fly rom India to Pakistan.

He said the journey from the airport to the ship was hilarious. He was escorted by the military and he said they were laughing and joking and making fun of the whole 'undesirable alien' aspect.

It does make you wonder at times.🙄

[Fletcher]

4 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

I read elsewhere that India and Sri Lanka have gotten very picky about issuing visas, in general, but in particular to UK citizens (allegedly because some UK citizens are of Pakistani origin, and thus are considered, by association, suspects for potential terrorism).

Visa hassles, delays, and costs  for a line's pax create trouble, and pax anger, so if a line tends to gravitate to UK customers to a great degree (I think that is more true on SB than on Regent), it could create disincentive to go places that make trouble for them. 

Or, maybe Regent is just better organized and/or willing to spend more money. 

I called Regent about India and mentioned the visa issue for UK citizens.  She was fully up to speed and said UK passengers without visas could stay on board the ship which I think is a concession from the Indian authorities.  Of course this only applies to transit passengers who get on the ship in, say, Athens or Dubai and go further east to Singapore and beyond.  Anyone flying into India to board a ship MUST have a visa.  It's uncertain if a cruise line could negotiate some form of transit waiver for passengers disembarking in India and heading straight to the airport.  

[Covepointcruiser]

Seabourn is correct in deleting Indian ports.   Why visit difficult countries as there are alternatives. Cancel your Seabourn cruise that will disappoint and book Regent if you want India.

[skybluewaters]

7 hours ago, kmkord said:

I just booked the 32-Day Holiday Pearls Of Arabia & Asia departing on 12/7/22. I booked this itinerary for the India ports, since I've been to most of the other ports.   Right after I made final payment, I received an itinerary change saying the ship was no longer stopping in India. No explanation as to why the change was made. It looks like Regent is still sailing to India during this same period.  Does anyone know why Seabourn isn't stopping in India?  

 

 

Sounds like SB did you a favor by removing India from the itinerary.  How would you have obtained a visa in less than three weeks?

[kmkord]

1 hour ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Sounds like SB did you a favor by removing India from the itinerary.  How would you have obtained a visa in less than three weeks?

it’s easy to get an e-visa for India as a U.S. citizen. SB definitely didn’t do me my favors!

 

I just noticed that you were on the 2/2/20 Crystal Symphony cruise. You departed right before all the craziness started! 

Edited October 23, 2022 by kmkord

[sfvoyage]

2 hours ago, kmkord said:

it’s easy to get an e-visa for India as a U.S. citizen.

Can you elaborate a bit on how easy the current process is? 

 

Upon a cursory look at the initial steps of the e-visa process, only airports were listed on the drop-down menu.  When I pressed "other", it said "not eligible" instead of giving me options for sea ports.

 

(I last had to get an Indian visa in 2016 in the US, and it was an absolute ordeal.)  

[tv24]

We are US citizens and we needed Indian visas in 1999 and 2012.  Horrible ordeals both times.

[2SailingNomads]

Canadian friends who were on a Regent cruise that was going to ports in India were told they couldn't get off the ship since India requires physical passport for a visa and long lead time.  Stop spending tourist dollars in a country that makes it hard to visit and undercuts jobs in the tech and other industries by offering cheap wage offshoring. JMO working in tech and seeing people lose jobs to Indian companies.

[sfvoyage]

On 10/22/2022 at 8:20 PM, sfvoyage said:

Upon a cursory look at the initial steps of the e-visa process, only airports were listed on the drop-down menu.  When I pressed "other", it said "not eligible" instead of giving me options for sea ports.

Just found out that several Indian sea ports (including Mumbai) are listed in the drop down menu now for e-visa application.

[christraveller]

Once visa issues are sorted, a cruise from Mumbai down the West Coast of India, an excursion to some Maldives islands, then southern India, Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadhu, Puducherri, then Chennai would be fascinating, idyllic, music and foodie Heaven.   
 

looking at you, Seabourn - be the first. Mix Indian residents, Non Resident Indians from the Middle East and elsewhere, expats resident in India, and people from the West as guests.  
 

party time!