Turkey visa

[Sthrngary]

Thanks to everyone on this stream and the author for posting it.  My wife, friends and I will be on a Oceania Riviera 10 day cruise to the Mediterranean leaving from Athens on November 9, 2023. Returning on November 19, 2023 from Barcelona, Spain.  Mid-Cruise we stop in Turkey with an over night.  So you can see why this thread hold some priority to us personally. I have read every response, gone to the Turkey website to do my due diligence.  

 

My personal decision was to pay the $50 per person and get the eVisa's.  Because I am the organizer in my family, I started.  Than something very familiar happened to me and I got a smile on my face. When you apply for a eVisa for Turkey, you can only go forward 90 days.  My cruise is a lot more than 90 days in the future.  This immediately reminded me of my wife and my first cruise after covid.  It was on Crystal Cruise to the Bahama's.  They also needed you to apply for document prior to entering their ports.  

 

The debate back then was almost identical to this debate. You have to wait before you could apply and pay for this document (Had more to do with Covid testing than visa), the regulations were not rock solid clear.  When push came to shove, it was a fast and easy process, the Cruise Brand was less than clear with their advice and always referred the guest to the County site.  At the time and now, it was CruiseCritci.com members that took the time to help each other not the cruise brand.  It was than and now the reason why I look at CruiseCritic.com every day to see what is important to my upcoming trips and handle it.

 

I now have a reminder on my Outlook program to get everyone's eVisa whether we need them obsoletely or not.  $100.00 per couple seems fair to have one less thing to worry about.  Just my point of view at the juncture. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[LHT28]

17 minutes ago, marne-c said:

A conversation today with the Executive Concierge confirmed that for our Athens-to-Lisbon itinerary no visa was required.  Oceania will refund our $50p/p visa fees either as OBC or credit to our credit card.  (My wife and I are hoping for the former — we’ll certainly spend it.)

 

 

That is good news

 

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

I now have a reminder on my Outlook program to get everyone's eVisa whether we need them obsoletely or not.  $100.00 per couple seems fair to have one less thing to worry about.  Just my point of view at the juncture. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

You will not need them  but if it gives you peace of mind   it will be $100 well spent

[babysteps]

12 hours ago, marne-c said:

Here’s what Oceania helpfully said on our boarding pass:

”Visa requirements and regulations in regard to vaccination certificates and other health requirements vary by destination. It is the sole responsibility of each guest to obtain and have required valid travel and health documents in their possession.”

 

...

 

—Marne

 

 

We had an email that came before the boarding document phase. The email included a list of countries that required visas with a brief description of what was required on each. Our TA forwarded a very similar email even before we got the one direct to us. 

[marne-c]

14 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

(snip)

I now have a reminder on my Outlook program to get everyone's eVisa whether we need them obsoletely or not.  $100.00 per couple seems fair to have one less thing to worry about.   (snip)

 

 

@Sthrngary:  I think this is an excellent plan, and one I will follow on future Oceania cruises.  I was never concerned about the $100.  It was the aggravation.  I don't want aggravation on my vacations.

 

--Marne

[PaulMCO]

On 5/5/2023 at 5:37 PM, LHT28 said:

You will not need them  but if it gives you peace of mind   it will be $100 well spent

Excellent advice -- 2 pages of back in forth over what??

In Turkey now -- already through three Turkish ports and another 4 to go.

 

Fly in Visa needed -- fly out same.

At ports there is no passport control at any ports in Turkey or Greek Islands -- in fact the cruise line has the passports.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by PaulMCO

[Sthrngary]

48 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

Excellent advice -- 2 pages of back in forth over what??

In Turkey now -- already through three Turkish ports and another 4 to go.

 

Fly in Visa needed -- fly out same.

At ports there is no passport control at any ports in Turkey or Greek Islands -- in fact the cruise line has the passports.

 

 

@PaulMCO Thank you. 
 

Cruise Well and enjoy every moment

[sofietucker]

On 5/5/2023 at 9:57 AM, LHT28 said:

The fact you are staying  after the cruise & flying out of Turkiye   is the reason you will require a VISA

 

If the ship was just overnighting & then left with you  onboard  you would be fine without one

 

Inflation I guess  has hit Turkiye  as well 😉

 

Correct. We've explored this in depth, as we are flying into Istanbul 2 days early before boarding the cruise. We thought, "Great! Less than 72 hrs and on a cruise, no visa needed." But then it turns out that, well, yes, you do, IF you are not boarding a ship directly from the airport nor departing the cruise directly to the airport (both of which we have done in the past & no visas)

 

Now, if you stay in Turkiye*  afterwards, one way to acquire that post-cruise visa is at the port during disembarkation, pre-customs--and surely, lines, waiting, etc. (Anyone experience trying to get out of Spain with a covid test administered at the airport?)

However, flying in early doesn't take you to the port authorities, and you have to pass through customs WITH your visa. SO: either way, a visa is required, most easily obtained from their website for $50 each.

*Thanks for the correct spelling, LHT!  And pronounced "Turkey-yay"

[Cruisingagain2022]

Cruised on Riviera last year. Our itinerary included an overnight stay on the ship in Istanbul before we disembarked.

 

I have dual citizenship USA /UK used UK passport for cruise and flight from Turkey did not need a visa.

Hubby is USA citizen residing in UK  he needed a visa for Turkey only because we disembarked there and flew back to the UK and not because it was a port of call.

 

I say do what makes you feel comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

[KBrote]

Seems simple but I know it can be confusing. If you are flying into Turkey and boarding the ship there you need the Visa. We are flying in and spending a night in Istanbul before the cruise. We are stopping at many Turkish ports. If we were only stopping in ports and not embarking in Turkey we wouldn't need the visa. But flying into Turkey, embarking in Turkey, disembarking in Turkey and staying over night, you need it. On the Evisa website the current price for U.S. citizens in $70. You can get it starting at about 3 months in advance. Oceania will take care of it for us for $99 each so we plan to do it ourselves online in advance. 

[Cruisingagain2022]

52 minutes ago, KBrote said:

Seems simple but I know it can be confusing. If you are flying into Turkey and boarding the ship there you need the Visa. We are flying in and spending a night in Istanbul before the cruise. We are stopping at many Turkish ports. If we were only stopping in ports and not embarking in Turkey we wouldn't need the visa. But flying into Turkey, embarking in Turkey, disembarking in Turkey and staying over night, you need it. On the Evisa website the current price for U.S. citizens in $70. You can get it starting at about 3 months in advance. Oceania will take care of it for us for $99 each so we plan to do it ourselves online in advance. 

Wow that’s fine up $20 in 12 months ( $50 to $70)

[LHT28]

8 minutes ago, Cruisingagain2022 said:

Wow that’s fine up $20 in 12 months ( $50 to $70)

Still shows $50

[Cruisingagain2022]

50 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Still shows $50

Thanks thought the post before said it was $70

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Cruisingagain2022 said:

Thanks thought the post before said it was $70

it did but  not sure  where they got the info

I just checked the  site  & as you can see for  US citizens it is $50

Maybe they are getting  a different  type of VISA

[KBrote]

It said &70 when I checked but I am happy if it $50. I am the first to admit it when I make a mistake so...in any case it is cheaper than having O do it for you and seems very straightforward. 

[PaulMCO]

Third party sites (there are many) will charge you more..

Just make sure you are on the Ministry of Foreign affairs site.

 

[KBrote]

Thank you! I just did a search and finally found the site that is from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You are right...it is $50. Oceania says they will take care of it for $99 a person...no think you!

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, KBrote said:

Thank you! I just did a search and finally found the site that is from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You are right...it is $50. Oceania says they will take care of it for $99 a person...no think you!

Thee link was in post #  2   no need to search 😉

 

[celvalliere]

Applying for and receiving the EVisa’s for our July sailing was so easy and quick. The form took about 10 minutes to complete and the EVisa’s were emailed within minutes. Downloading the visa’s was challenging at first because of my security settings on my computer but by emailing the pdf to myself I was immediately able to print them out and insert into our travel binder.