Visa for Papua New Guinea

[kej1]

We are on a 30 day expedition cruise which includes a number of stops in Papua New Guinea.  USA citizens need a Visa.  In the past ( pre Covid) on a trip to West Africa where many countries required Visas most were handled on board by Seabourn for a fee.  Does anyone know if this will be the case?  I haven’t been able to get an answer from Seabourn or our TA.  We can get one ourselves but it’s so much easier to get on board.

Thank you in advance if you know the answer although I realize this itinerary is new to Seabourn.

[jtslattery]

I have been doing some research on visa for PNG also. One thing I learned from another post is that visa is only good for 6 months from approval so be careful not to get started too soon. Like you I have had trouble getting answers from Seabourn other than to use a visa service.

[Khareef]

On 1/13/2024 at 10:42 PM, kej1 said:

We are on a 30 day expedition cruise which includes a number of stops in Papua New Guinea.  USA citizens need a Visa.  In the past ( pre Covid) on a trip to West Africa where many countries required Visas most were handled on board by Seabourn for a fee.  Does anyone know if this will be the case?  I haven’t been able to get an answer from Seabourn or our TA.  We can get one ourselves but it’s so much easier to get on board.

Thank you in advance if you know the answer although I realize this itinerary is new to Seabourn.

Usual Seabourn embarrassing "no reply for weeks" policy I see. Not sure how they can be that bad and get away with it

[highplanesdrifters]

FWIW on our Silversea expedition to PNG last year we did not need a visa.

[Dusko]

Take a look at Papua New Guinea International Travel Information (state.gov)

 

You do need a visa. Papua New Guinea is listed as a Level 3 - Reconsider Travel Risk destination. Check the wording of your Travel Insurance. If you find a company that will provide coverage in a Level 3 country please post the link. I couldn't find one and so scrapped plans for a cruise.

[kej1]

Thank you to all for your input and good to know visa wasn’t required for Silversea in PNG.  

 

But, I  continue to get different answers on the visa questions - depends on who I’m talking to at Seabourn - nobody seems to know.  So it concerns me.  They sent me to an outside visa service and they said needed for PNG and Niue.   They also said visas on arrival were required for several of our stops.  I went back to Seabourn to confirm they would handle the visas on arrival as they had done on our west Africa trip and they said no, then another person said they weren’t sure, another said maybe.    My TA has been given mixed answers as well.  I have a local visa service in San Francisco my company uses when we are traveling and it requires visas.  I’ve been using them for years for business so I have a call into them and will likely just bite the bullet and get the visas I may need.   I just can’t believe I can’t get a straight answer from Seabourn.  I know they state it’s up to the passenger but I’d hope they would be able to at least say yes or no.  And given they handled the visas in many cases in the past……

 

On the travel insurance I will double check but from what I read and what they told my TA I believe it’s covered but thank you for bringing it to my attention.  Allianz is who ours is with fir this trip.
 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

7 hours ago, kej1 said:

Thank you to all for your input and good to know visa wasn’t required for Silversea in PNG.  

 

But, I  continue to get different answers on the visa questions - depends on who I’m talking to at Seabourn - nobody seems to know.  So it concerns me.  They sent me to an outside visa service and they said needed for PNG and Niue.   They also said visas on arrival were required for several of our stops.  I went back to Seabourn to confirm they would handle the visas on arrival as they had done on our west Africa trip and they said no, then another person said they weren’t sure, another said maybe.    My TA has been given mixed answers as well.  I have a local visa service in San Francisco my company uses when we are traveling and it requires visas.  I’ve been using them for years for business so I have a call into them and will likely just bite the bullet and get the visas I may need.   I just can’t believe I can’t get a straight answer from Seabourn.  I know they state it’s up to the passenger but I’d hope they would be able to at least say yes or no.  And given they handled the visas in many cases in the past……

 

On the travel insurance I will double check but from what I read and what they told my TA I believe it’s covered but thank you for bringing it to my attention.  Allianz is who ours is with fir this trip.
 

 

 

How terribly frustrating.  Please keep us posted.

[Dusko]

I usually don’t bother with Seabourn or visa services until I have established the need for a visa or not. I begin with the official site of the country. Try https://www.papuanewguinea.travel/usa .

 

If you still have doubts the contact information for your embassy in the country is listed. I drop them an email or give them a call. When contacting a Canadian embassy I have found them to be responsive and helpful, not only with visa information but also security concerns. With a level 3 designation I would definitely contact them. 

[kej1]

Dusky,

 

Thank you for your reply.  I started with the US State Dept site.  Looked at the various country websites and then called Seabourn to see if they would issue on board and that’s where the run around started!  I only did this as on our west Africa trip 2019/2020 Seabourn took care of some of the visas on the ship for a fee which is always easier.  Subsequently my TA has received multiple answers too.  Most recently told no visas were needed which is contrary to what she’d been told previously.  So perhaps being handled as it was for highplainsdrifter on Silversea.  
 

I have looked at the PNG visa website and what I will do is call them Monday to clarify on New Guinea at least as we are making multiple stops and we don’t want to be left on the ship!  
if I learn something definitive I’ll post in case others want to know.

[sfvoyage]

Below is the information provided by Seabourn yesterday for the particular voyage sailing on May 15, 2024:

 

The following information is provided as a courtesy and specific to a national of the USA for voyage P435.

 

Papua New Guinea - Yes, Visa Required - Guests will fill out a form on board and ship staff will submit it to the port agents in PNG. 

Micronesia - No Visa Required.

Guam - No, Visa Required.

Solomon Islands - No, Visa Required

[Dusko]

I’m just a little surprised that nobody is concerned that PNG is at level 3 interns of US and Canadian government warnings and that travel insurance may be nullified. I have looked at my Allianz policy and it is very specific. I would not be covered. 

[Khareef]

On 1/20/2024 at 7:02 AM, Dusko said:

I’m just a little surprised that nobody is concerned that PNG is at level 3 interns of US and Canadian government warnings and that travel insurance may be nullified. I have looked at my Allianz policy and it is very specific. I would not be covered. 

I don't think you will ever get close to any dangerous zone, most likely small ports and a few very safe excursions. I wouldn't worry about that.

[highplanesdrifters]

2 hours ago, Khareef said:

I don't think you will ever get close to any dangerous zone, most likely small ports and a few very safe excursions. I wouldn't worry about that.

I second.

[Dusko]

1 hour ago, highplanesdrifters said:

I second.

I also think the same and I think your Embassy will concur but that’s not the point. If I were to have a medical incident while in PNG I would not be covered by my health insurance simply because I was in a level 3 country. I checked with my insurers. Maybe worth a call?

[kej1]

On 1/19/2024 at 6:28 PM, sfvoyage said:

Below is the information provided by Seabourn yesterday for the particular voyage sailing on May 15, 2024:

 

The following information is provided as a courtesy and specific to a national of the USA for voyage P435.

 

Papua New Guinea - Yes, Visa Required - Guests will fill out a form on board and ship staff will submit it to the port agents in PNG. 

Micronesia - No Visa Required.

Guam - No, Visa Required.

Solomon Islands - No, Visa Required

Sfovoyage, thank you for the information.  I have not received this in my several attempts to clarify with Seabourn.  Can you let me know how you found this out?  Who you spoke with?  I want to make sure the same holds true for our cruise which ends as yours begins.  I assume it would but after all the various answers I’d like to confirm,  thanks so much!

[sfvoyage]

2 minutes ago, kej1 said:

Sfovoyage, thank you for the information.  I have not received this in my several attempts to clarify with Seabourn.  Can you let me know how you found this out?  Who you spoke with?  I want to make sure the same holds true for our cruise which ends as yours begins.  I assume it would but after all the various answers I’d like to confirm,  thanks so much!

The information is from Seabourn's documentation department, which is usually the ultimate resource for visas and related paperwork.  Next time you talk to Seabourn, you can tell them to get the answer from this department.  Let me know what you find out!

[kej1]

On 1/21/2024 at 11:24 AM, sfvoyage said:

The information is from Seabourn's documentation department, which is usually the ultimate resource for visas and related paperwork.  Next time you talk to Seabourn, you can tell them to get the answer from this department.  Let me know what you find out!

I spoke to Seabourn today.  First call was a bust.  I called back and got a very good “ concierge” who did some checking with the document group and got back to me with the same feedback sfvoyage provided.  For all US citizens we will fill out some forms and Seabourn will take care of the Visas for Papua New Guinea.  Thank you again to sfvoyage for your information!  Now it’s double confirmed!

[BillK400]

On 1/19/2024 at 9:28 PM, sfvoyage said:

Below is the information provided by Seabourn yesterday for the particular voyage sailing on May 15, 2024:

 

The following information is provided as a courtesy and specific to a national of the USA for voyage P435.

 

Papua New Guinea - Yes, Visa Required - Guests will fill out a form on board and ship staff will submit it to the port agents in PNG. 

Micronesia - No Visa Required.

Guam - No, Visa Required.

Solomon Islands - No, Visa Required

Thanks for the info, we are on the 5/15/24 cruise also. Do you have any information on the time the charter flight to Sydney departs Honiara, Guadalcanal (if you end your cruise in Honiara)? I hope it's later in the day so we can visit some of the WW2 battle sites. Thanks

[Khareef]

I might book that cruise myself, I was first looking at the Papeete-Sydney  but 7 sea days on a 17 days journey seems just too long and boring. The  Papua New Guinea itinerary seems way better as there is a port pretty much every day.

[sfvoyage]

3 hours ago, BillK400 said:

Thanks for the info, we are on the 5/15/24 cruise also. Do you have any information on the time the charter flight to Sydney departs Honiara, Guadalcanal (if you end your cruise in Honiara)? I hope it's later in the day so we can visit some of the WW2 battle sites. Thanks

 

The info I got:  QF301 dep HIR 8:00, arr SYD 13:10

 

While this is subject to change, obviously, I wouldn't count on having any time on 29th May to explore Honiara before the charter flight.

[sfvoyage]

3 hours ago, Khareef said:

I was first looking at the Papeete-Sydney  but 7 sea days on a 17 days journey seems just too long and boring.

I agree.  The expedition ships are designed for expedition voyages - hence repositioning voyages on the 2 ships are priced much lower.

 

For me, sea days and expedition ships are not compatible.  I go on Venture and Pursuit for expedition voyages, and for other voyages with more sea days and non expedition-type ports, I go on the regular ships with more space, regular Seabourn entertainment and activity options, and more dining options.

[BillK400]

5 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

 

The info I got:  QF301 dep HIR 8:00, arr SYD 13:10

 

While this is subject to change, obviously, I wouldn't count on having any time on 29th May to explore Honiara before the charter flight.

No time to see anything plus we will need to get up very early to catch an 8 am flight!

[Jimfll]

Kej1

Thanks for all the info. I have been trying to clarify this too for this cruise and have found only conflicting info. This is best info to date. Best I can confirm no advance visas are required for this cruise but couldn’t confirm PNG. Appreciate your effort.

[Khareef]

On 1/23/2024 at 3:07 AM, kej1 said:

I spoke to Seabourn today.  First call was a bust.  I called back and got a very good “ concierge” who did some checking with the document group and got back to me with the same feedback sfvoyage provided.  For all US citizens we will fill out some forms and Seabourn will take care of the Visas for Papua New Guinea.  Thank you again to sfvoyage for your information!  Now it’s double confirmed!

You mean before the ships set sails or during the sailing?

[kej1]

2 hours ago, Khareef said:

You mean before the ships set sails or during the sailing?

Khareef, the paperwork is to be completed on board.  At least that’s what I was told for our trip from Papeete to Guam.  ( two legs, the second starting in Guadalcanal ( Honaria).  I hope that helps. If you want to call to verify ask the concierge to speak to a supervisor in the documents group.  The regular person in documents said must be done in advance but when questioned asked a supervisor to get the answer I had as well as sfovoyage.