2023 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin

[Ellencruise]

Fabulous photos and reporting

[The-Inside-Cabin]

10 hours ago, Durango Sandy said:

Pete, also did this on GA 22. FYI,  the House of Artists was really only paintings no artists there, no guides at Costume Museum, but nice collection. Didn’t get in church, non-Sunday, not prearranged. Stuck camera through open slat windows for pictures. No commentary in colonial town. Do you have pictures of port to see upgrades? This might have been the port we watched them clean and clean and sweep the dock area for us. Saw much from bus ride and lunch place on shore was nice. 
Cheers, Sandy

 

We had a UNESCO-approved guide board the bus as we entered Grand Bassam Colonial Town.   He provided commentary for the rest of our visit.   Our buses were new but had 3 x 2 seating.   There were 2 guides in the Costume Museum that provided tours.   

 

Here is a pic of the wharf and a map showing where we moored

 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We learned that the port in Abijidan only opened two weeks ago. 
 

 

Edited March 27, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Durango Sandy]

Nice improvements for guide and pier. Thanks, Pete. 
Please say hi to Susan. 

Enjoying your posts.

Cheers, Sandy 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST – CÔTE D’IVOIRE, (POST #67)

MARCH 26, 2023

Click "Show More Posts" to show all the links to the other posts for the 2023 World Cruise

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We visit Abidjan, using a new dock, and Grand Bassam

ABIDJAN’S NEW DOCK

We sailed thru the narrow, 1 mile long, Vridi Canal as the sun cracked the horizon with the Abidjan skyline off in the distance.  We moored at a new dock that has only been open for a few weeks.  There weren’t any structures on the dock and we weren’t allowed to walk out of the port.  There weren’t any taxis or signs of any independent tours on the dock – only the large, new buses for the HAL excursions.

This dock recently opened.

 

SHUTTLE BUS

HAL offered a shuttle bus to an artist market:  CAVA Centre Artisanal de la Ville d’Abidjan.  There was confusing information about whether or not it would be open since it was Sunday, but as it turned out, it was open.  I talked to some people who visited the market and heard various opinions.  Most said it was a market typical of what you find in West Africa while others felt it was well below expectations and immediately returned to the ship.   No one reported feeling unsafe or threatened.

BRITISH SUMMER TIME

I wasn’t familiar with British Summer Time (BST) – until early this morning.  I was moving around the ship at 7 am and what was supposed to be open at 7 am was still closed.  I realized that I had set my iPhone to London time and early this morning they started BST and my iPhone advanced my clock.  Fortunately getting up earlier is better than getting up late – so lesson learned.  Later the Captain announced that the ship had a similar problem as some ship clocks were based on London time and some were not which caused some time synchronization issues.

GRAND BASSAM EXCURSION

We had originally planned another Across Africa Tour, but they canceled at the last second because their local vendor had become unresponsive.  A few weeks ago, all the HAL tours were sold out, but all the tours opened up as we go closer to our arrival.  Côte d’Ivoire is listed as Level 3 (reconsider travel) by the US State Department.

We decided to take the following HAL tour –

“From Abidjan to Colonial Grand Bassam”

“Departs: 9:00 AM (Waitlisted) Approximately 6 Hours Adult $209.95; Child $169.95

An hour’s drive east of Abidjan is the city of Grand Bassam — a late 19th-century colonial town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will stop for photos at some of the historical sites, such as the old post office, Palais de Justice and Cathédral du Sacré Coeur — Ivory Coast’s oldest cathedral. Visit Maison des Artistes (House of the Artists). This building is a cooperative of craftsmen selling a beautiful array of paintings, masks, batik and woodwork. The center is doing a good job of preserving the artistic and cultural legacy of Grand Bassam, and you can support their work by purchasing one of the many souvenirs if you wish. A delicious lunch of traditional Ivorian food is served at one of the great local restaurants. Don’t miss a guided visit to the National Costume Museum, housed in an impressive Colonial-style building. This architectural gem is one of the main attractions in town. Explore their excellent collection of traditional clothing, masks, ornaments, and ethnographic photos for a fascinating insight to the culture and history of the Ivory Coast. Relax on the return drive to Abidjan.”

MEETING FOR THE TOUR

Our HAL tour met at 8:45 with a 9 am departure, but we have learned that most people go to the main stage as soon as they open and then head directly to the dock.  Ian made several announcements that people should wait in the theater until their group was called, but when you looked down on the dock, you could see all the tour buses were already there so most people ignored this and proceeded directly to the buses.  Consequently, the people who waited as instructed were only left with the least desirable seats.  (Note: The bus seating was 3 seats on one side with 2 on the other).

We didn’t see many people using the excursion tickets on their phones as simply scanning your room key is easier and faster.

Our tour left at 9:05 and we headed east toward Grand Bassam.  The roads were very modern with many cranes and other signs of construction everywhere.  We passed a large BMW dealership along the way and there were other signs of wealth, although the run-down and dilapidated housing near the airport presented a stark contrast.  There were several interesting statues we passed along the way as well.

ARRIVE AT GRAND BASSAM

We arrived at Grand Bassam around 10 am and stopped to pick up a specialized guide required by UNESCO for tour groups of our size.  Grand Bassam is a historic coastal town located in the southeastern region of the Ivory Coast.  The town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the first French colonial capital of Ivory Coast and played a significant role in the country’s history.

Our first stop was the Grand Bassam Lighthouse where we had 15 minutes to take some photos.  The tour buses had two sets of stairs which made getting on and off faster, but the aft door required the use of some very steep steps.  Many people used the forward door to avoid these steeper stairs.

Grand Bassam Lighthouse

Steep steps for the aft door

 

We stopped for a restroom break at the nearby Etoile du Sud which is where we would have lunch later.

This young boy rode by on a horse while we were waiting to board the bus

 

The Grand Bassam Royal Palace was our next stop.  We were off the bus for 15 minutes and took a few pictures.  There was one large interior room which is used for conferences or classes.

Inside the Palace Entrance to Palace

 

NATIONAL COSTUME MUSEUM

Our next stop was The National Costume Museum of Grand-Bassam.  This museum is responsible for preserving and promoting the Ivorian clothing heritage and is housed in an old building built in 1893 that served as the governor’s residence.  The collections consist of traditional costumes, models of traditional habitats, photos and other exhibits.  There are two floors and the costumes are displayed on mannequins inside glass cases.  Our guides conducted tours thru the museum but we decided to explore on our own.  There was a small craft market on the ground floor next to the museum.

Susan outside the entrance to National Costume Museum

Large statue near the main entrance

Kings costume on the second floor

Some costumes also display a photograph

Craft market next to the museum

 

LUNCH

After the museum, we returned to the Hotel Etoile du Sud, for a nice buffet lunch set up outside under tents.  Beer or soft drinks were included.  The food choices included grilled chicken, fish, and a beef kabob along with rice, vegetables, and salad.  The food was very good and we were here for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Seating area for lunch Lunch Buffet

CATHEDRAL

Our final stop was the Cathédral du Sacré Coeur, a rather modest church, that was in use since today was Sunday so we were not able to go inside.  The bus dropped us off on one end of the street and we walked to the other end where the bus was waiting to take us back to the Zuiderdam.

Cathédral du Sacré Coeur – photo by fellow passenger

 

EXCURSION SUMMARY

It would have been nice to be able to get off the bus and explore the town on our own, but this wasn’t possible so we had to settle for three brief photo stops with 30 minutes at the Costume Museum.  We spent 6 hours on the bus with only about 1 hour off the bus exploring or taking pictures and another hour for lunch.  If you want to see Grand Bassam, I would consider other options if available.

A different HAL Excursion, “Banco National Park”, received rave reviews from a few people we spoke with afterward.

SPORTS NIGHT

Tonight was Sports Night on the Zuiderdam – with the dress code listed as “Sporty.”  Everyone was encouraged to wear their favorite team’s sports jersey and participate in a variety of sports-related events in the evening.  The main event was Sports Night Trivia on the World Stage with Ian.  Nyron was the DJ and Chris from the Dance Band provided accompanying organ music like you might hear at a ballpark.  Special happy hour drinks were available at the entrances to the theatre along with popcorn.

The World Stage was about 1/3 full.  This was not a normal trivia game with teams and people keeping score.  Ian would display a large image on the screen that depicted some aspect of a sport.  Ian would ask a question and people who thought they knew the answer would raise their hand and hope to be called upon.  You were disqualified if you raised your hand too soon or shouted out the answer.  Ian’s commentary keep the event fun and light and everyone got into the spirit.  The Captain made an appearance toward the end sporting a jersey that I didn’t recognize.

This was one of the clues during the “name that trophy” section of the questions Captain Frank made a surprise appearance wearing his favorite jersey

Most of the questions involved recognizing certain teams’ jerseys, knowing the names of world champions in smaller sports, or being able to list all the different colored Judo belts.  I won one question when I knew the three different events of fencing:  Epee, Foil, and Saber

Other events this evening included:  Majority Rules Game Show – Sports Edition

Sports Commentary Challenge

Sports Night Party – Dance to the hits

Edited March 28, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Wayfairers]

We are in the waitlist for Banco National Park for 2024 WC.   Glad to hear you heard good things about that tour.   Hopefully we will get on the tour. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

54 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

We are in the waitlist for Banco National Park for 2024 WC.   Glad to hear you heard good things about that tour.   Hopefully we will get on the tour. 

The HAL 2024 World doesn't go to Africa - do you mean Grand Africa?

[janmcn]

When food is included in your tours, how do you handle things like salads that won’t have been cooked and items washed in questionable water?

[Wayfairers]

47 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

The HAL 2024 World doesn't go to Africa - do you mean Grand Africa?

You are right….getting my cruises confused!  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

27 minutes ago, janmcn said:

When food is included in your tours, how do you handle things like salads that won’t have been cooked and items washed in questionable water?

I will skip salads and items like that where the water is questionable.  

[Sir PMP]

7 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST – CÔTE D’IVOIRE, (POST #67)

MARCH 26, 2023

Click "Show More Posts" to show all the links to the other posts for the 2023 World Cruise

Show More Posts

 

We visit Abidjan, using a new dock, and Grand Bassam

ABIDJAN’S NEW DOCK

We sailed thru the narrow, 1 mile long, Vridi Canal as the sun cracked the horizon with the Abidjan skyline off in the distance.  We moored at a new dock that has only been open for a few weeks.  There weren’t any structures on the dock and we weren’t allowed to walk out of the port.  There weren’t any taxis or signs of any independent tours on the dock – only the large, new buses for the HAL excursions.

This dock recently opened.

 

SHUTTLE BUS

HAL offered a shuttle bus to an artist market:  CAVA Centre Artisanal de la Ville d’Abidjan.  There was confusing information about whether or not it would be open since it was Sunday, but as it turned out, it was open.  I talked to some people who visited the market and heard various opinions.  Most said it was a market typical of what you find in West Africa while others felt it was well below expectations and immediately returned to the ship.   No one reported feeling unsafe or threatened.

BRITISH SUMMER TIME

I wasn’t familiar with British Summer Time (BST) – until early this morning.  I was moving around the ship at 7 am and what was supposed to be open at 7 am was still closed.  I realized that I had set my iPhone to London time and early this morning they started BST and my iPhone advanced my clock.  Fortunately getting up earlier is better than getting up late – so lesson learned.  Later the Captain announced that the ship had a similar problem as some ship clocks were based on London time and some were not which caused some time synchronization issues.

GRAND BASSAM EXCURSION

We had originally planned another Across Africa Tour, but they canceled at the last second because their local vendor had become unresponsive.  A few weeks ago, all the HAL tours were sold out, but all the tours opened up as we go closer to our arrival.  Côte d’Ivoire is listed as Level 3 (reconsider travel) by the US State Department.

We decided to take the following HAL tour –

“From Abidjan to Colonial Grand Bassam”

“Departs: 9:00 AM (Waitlisted) Approximately 6 Hours Adult $209.95; Child $169.95

An hour’s drive east of Abidjan is the city of Grand Bassam — a late 19th-century colonial town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will stop for photos at some of the historical sites, such as the old post office, Palais de Justice and Cathédral du Sacré Coeur — Ivory Coast’s oldest cathedral. Visit Maison des Artistes (House of the Artists). This building is a cooperative of craftsmen selling a beautiful array of paintings, masks, batik and woodwork. The center is doing a good job of preserving the artistic and cultural legacy of Grand Bassam, and you can support their work by purchasing one of the many souvenirs if you wish. A delicious lunch of traditional Ivorian food is served at one of the great local restaurants. Don’t miss a guided visit to the National Costume Museum, housed in an impressive Colonial-style building. This architectural gem is one of the main attractions in town. Explore their excellent collection of traditional clothing, masks, ornaments, and ethnographic photos for a fascinating insight to the culture and history of the Ivory Coast. Relax on the return drive to Abidjan.”

MEETING FOR THE TOUR

Our HAL tour met at 8:45 with a 9 am departure, but we have learned that most people go to the main stage as soon as they open and then head directly to the dock.  Ian made several announcements that people should wait in the theater until their group was called, but when you looked down on the dock, you could see all the tour buses were already there so most people ignored this and proceeded directly to the buses.  Consequently, the people who waited as instructed were only left with the least desirable seats.  (Note: The bus seating was 3 seats on one side with 2 on the other).

We didn’t see many people using the excursion tickets on their phones as simply scanning your room key is easier and faster.

Our tour left at 9:05 and we headed east toward Grand Bassam.  The roads were very modern with many cranes and other signs of construction everywhere.  We passed a large BMW dealership along the way and there were other signs of wealth, although the run-down and dilapidated housing near the airport presented a stark contrast.  There were several interesting statues we passed along the way as well.

ARRIVE AT GRAND BASSAM

We arrived at Grand Bassam around 10 am and stopped to pick up a specialized guide required by UNESCO for tour groups of our size.  Grand Bassam is a historic coastal town located in the southeastern region of the Ivory Coast.  The town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the first French colonial capital of Ivory Coast and played a significant role in the country’s history.

Our first stop was the Grand Bassam Lighthouse where we had 15 minutes to take some photos.  The tour buses had two sets of stairs which made getting on and off faster, but the aft door required the use of some very steep steps.  Many people used the forward door to avoid these steeper stairs.

Grand Bassam Lighthouse

Steep steps for the aft door

 

We stopped for a restroom break at the nearby Etoile du Sud which is where we would have lunch later.

This young boy rode by on a horse while we were waiting to board the bus

 

The Grand Bassam Royal Palace was our next stop.  We were off the bus for 15 minutes and took a few pictures.  There was one large interior room which is used for conferences or classes.

Inside the Palace Entrance to Palace

 

NATIONAL COSTUME MUSEUM

Our next stop was The National Costume Museum of Grand-Bassam.  This museum is responsible for preserving and promoting the Ivorian clothing heritage and is housed in an old building built in 1893 that served as the governor’s residence.  The collections consist of traditional costumes, models of traditional habitats, photos and other exhibits.  There are two floors and the costumes are displayed on mannequins inside glass cases.  Our guides conducted tours thru the museum but we decided to explore on our own.  There was a small craft market on the ground floor next to the museum.

Susan outside the entrance to National Costume Museum

Large statue near the main entrance

Kings costume on the second floor

Some costumes also display a photograph

Craft market next to the museum

 

LUNCH

After the museum, we returned to the Hotel Etoile du Sud, for a nice buffet lunch set up outside under tents.  Beer or soft drinks were included.  The food choices included grilled chicken, fish, and a beef kabob along with rice, vegetables, and salad.  The food was very good and we were here for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Seating area for lunch Lunch Buffet

CATHEDRAL

Our final stop was the Cathédral du Sacré Coeur, a rather modest church, that was in use since today was Sunday so we were not able to go inside.  The bus dropped us off on one end of the street and we walked to the other end where the bus was waiting to take us back to the Zuiderdam.

Cathédral du Sacré Coeur – photo by fellow passenger

 

EXCURSION SUMMARY

It would have been nice to be able to get off the bus and explore the town on our own, but this wasn’t possible so we had to settle for three brief photo stops with 30 minutes at the Costume Museum.  We spent 6 hours on the bus with only about 1 hour off the bus exploring or taking pictures and another hour for lunch.  If you want to see Grand Bassam, I would consider other options if available.

A different HAL Excursion, “Banco National Park”, received rave reviews from a few people we spoke with afterward.

SPORTS NIGHT

Tonight was Sports Night on the Zuiderdam – with the dress code listed as “Sporty.”  Everyone was encouraged to wear their favorite team’s sports jersey and participate in a variety of sports-related events in the evening.  The main event was Sports Night Trivia on the World Stage with Ian.  Nyron was the DJ and Chris from the Dance Band provided accompanying organ music like you might hear at a ballpark.  Special happy hour drinks were available at the entrances to the theatre along with popcorn.

The World Stage was about 1/3 full.  This was not a normal trivia game with teams and people keeping score.  Ian would display a large image on the screen that depicted some aspect of a sport.  Ian would ask a question and people who thought they knew the answer would raise their hand and hope to be called upon.  You were disqualified if you raised your hand too soon or shouted out the answer.  Ian’s commentary keep the event fun and light and everyone got into the spirit.  The Captain made an appearance toward the end sporting a jersey that I didn’t recognize.

This was one of the clues during the “name that trophy” section of the questions Captain Frank made a surprise appearance wearing his favorite jersey

Most of the questions involved recognizing certain teams’ jerseys, knowing the names of world champions in smaller sports, or being able to list all the different colored Judo belts.  I won one question when I knew the three different events of fencing:  Epee, Foil, and Saber

Other events this evening included:  Majority Rules Game Show – Sports Edition

Sports Commentary Challenge

Sports Night Party – Dance to the hits

That's Max's shirt (Formula One).

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We found this note on our bed tonight.   Apparently, the ship is going to try and crack down on people racing to the pier to get the front seats on shore excursions buses prior to their tour being called.

 

 

I never had an announcement in BIG RED LETTERS before...

 

I am hardly an expert in the finer points of getting the front seats, but it will be interesting to see the new tactics that will come into play - "I forgot my camera and have to go back to my cabin"    

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[sandiego1]

31 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We found this note on our bed tonight.   Apparently, the ship is going to try and crack down on people racing to the pier to get the front seats on shore excursions buses prior to their tour being called.

 

 

I never had an announcement in BIG RED LETTERS before...

 

I am hardly an expert in the finer points of getting the front seats, but it will be interesting to see the new tactics that will come into play - "I forgot my camera and have to go back to my cabin"    

 

 

If someone says something like that or says they have to go to the bathroom, they should be required to remove their sticker and have to reclaim it when they go back to the tour meeting location. Another reason why I dislike big group tours!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

2 minutes ago, sandiego1 said:

If someone says something like that or says they have to go to the bathroom, they should be required to remove their sticker and have to reclaim it when they go back to the tour meeting location. Another reason why I dislike big group tours!

My next HAL tour isn't until April 8th.   We'll see what happens!  I think you are correct - that people will be de-registered if they have to leave the venue...

 

"Back in the Day"  they used to only give out dots as you exited the theatre.....

[sandiego1]

I think you’ll need to suggest to the shore excursion people that people get deregistered before someone actual tries to “go back to their cabin.” You know if will happen as many are devious 😀

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Wow. I have never seen a note like that on a ship. What are people thinking? I thought the "entitlement group" were Gen X or Gen Z.

[Durango Sandy]

On GA 2022, there was one couple on many HAL tours with us that would go early and take two window seats, pretending out to know each other. There were others who did this also. Made it hard for couples to find seats together, etc Eventually, Shorex announced not to do this while we waited to be called for our tours. Did announcement help…..nope.

[Sea42]

4 minutes ago, Durango Sandy said:

On GA 2022, there was one couple on many HAL tours with us that would go early and take two window seats, pretending out to know each other. There were others who did this also. Made it hard for couples to find seats together, etc Eventually, Shorex announced not to do this while we waited to be called for our tours. Did announcement help…..nope.

I've been reading about that on another WC blog that I've been following. This couple follow the rules and every time they get to the bus most of the seats are already full! It amazes me that grow ups will act that way😣

[RuthC]

3 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We found this note on our bed tonight.   Apparently, the ship is going to try and crack down on people racing to the pier to get the front seats on shore excursions buses prior to their tour being called.

Which prompts a question. How is the Shore Excursion office handling it for people who have mobility problems? 

Once upon a time their 'dots' were sent to them the night before, and they just had to make their way directly from the cabin to the bus. They got a head start, so weren't holding up the crowd. 
In more recent years, there were reserved seats---with their names on a paper placed on the seat---for the disabled. Again, so they could cut down on the necessary walking, at least a little bit. 

Are there any accommodations being made for these people on this cruise? I am also interested in knowing if anything will be done to make it easier on them with this new policy. 

Thanks for whatever you can learn. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

5 hours ago, RuthC said:

Which prompts a question. How is the Shore Excursion office handling it for people who have mobility problems? 

Once upon a time their 'dots' were sent to them the night before, and they just had to make their way directly from the cabin to the bus. They got a head start, so weren't holding up the crowd. 
In more recent years, there were reserved seats---with their names on a paper placed on the seat---for the disabled. Again, so they could cut down on the necessary walking, at least a little bit. 

Are there any accommodations being made for these people on this cruise? I am also interested in knowing if anything will be done to make it easier on them with this new policy. 

Thanks for whatever you can learn. 

Prior to this notice the dots for mobility restricted people were distributed in advance as you noted.   I doubt that this will change as that is easier to manage.    I will ask around and let you know. 
 

I suspect this is a local policy as opposed to some fleet wide change.   
 

As this cruise is so long people started to figure out the "secret" and then it was no longer the "secret".  
 

When the theatre would open at 8 am,  there was already a line back to the Rolling Stone lounge.   On my first HAL tour this cruise I couldn't figure out why people were lining up so early.   I soon realized that even though I was the first person out of the theatre when they called our bus number I ended up being in the last row of the last bus.    That's when I understood how the game was played.    

 

Some people would get to the pier an hour prior to their tour time and sit on the bus and wait.    This is where there was a safety issue as the later buses would be staged further back but people were wandering around a busy pier trying to find their bus.    Then the buses would want to move closer but people were trying to board.    I have only done 3 HAL tours so I am sure I don't know the system like some of the regulars.   
 

We will see what happens.    
 

 

[sansterre]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

Which prompts a question. How is the Shore Excursion office handling it for people who have mobility problems? 

Once upon a time their 'dots' were sent to them the night before, and they just had to make their way directly from the cabin to the bus. They got a head start, so weren't holding up the crowd. 
In more recent years, there were reserved seats---with their names on a paper placed on the seat---for the disabled. Again, so they could cut down on the necessary walking, at least a little bit. 

Are there any accommodations being made for these people on this cruise? I am also interested in knowing if anything will be done to make it easier on them with this new policy. 

Thanks for whatever you can learn. 

On the Grand Africa 2022, we took about 5 HAL tours.  As I am now mobility challenged, we received our stickers and time (usually 15-30 minutes earlier) to leave ship for the tour bus (as the "once upon a time" system mentioned by Ruth above).  It worked out great for those of us who take forever to go to the theater and then down the elevator to exit, not to mention dealing with the steps in the theatre.  For several years we have been the first to leave and last to get on the bus.

I'm sorry to hear that system is now being abused.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

For those wondering about the price for the Gambian Visa - The price Gambia charges USA citizens is the same price, the USA charges Gambian citizens.   

 

Canada doesn't charge Gamabian citizens for a Canadian tourist visa and that's why Gambia doesn't charge Canadians for the VISA -

 

Gambia figures that if the USA charges Gambians $160 then they will charge the USA citizens the same price.    

 

Here is a screenshot from the USA Embassy website that explains the price charged to Gambians for a USA Visa.... 

 

Note:  $160 is about 3 months pay for the average Gambian...

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Wayfairers]

8 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

For those wondering about the price for the Gambian Visa - The price Gambia charges USA citizens is the same price, the USA charges Gambian citizens.   

 

Canada doesn't charge Gamabian citizens for a Canadian tourist visa and that's why Gambia doesn't charge Canadians for the VISA -

 

Gambia figures that if the USA charges Gambians $160 then they will charge the USA citizens the same price.    

 

Here is a screenshot from the USA Embassy website that explains the price charged to Gambians for a USA Visa.... 

 

Note:  $160 is about 3 months pay for the average Gambian...

 

 

 

If I remember correctly, you got this visa though HAL while onboard.   Did you have to get any visas on your own before boarding

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 minute ago, Wayfairers said:

If I remember correctly, you got this visa though HAL while onboard.   Did you have to get any visas on your own before boarding

We were required to get the ETA for New Zealand and Australia - HAL took care of everything else...

 

Many USA citizens are unaware of the very high visa fees the USA charges the citizens of many other countries.    This has prompted some countries to respond in kind and charge USA citizens the same as what the USA charges them.    

[Sea42]

17 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

 

Many USA citizens are unaware of the very high visa fees the USA charges the citizens of many other countries.    This has prompted some countries to respond in kind and charge USA citizens the same as what the USA charges them. 

That seems fair to me.