Ireland’s visa delays are threatening cruise holidays for South African passengers and creating complications for the cruising industry as some passengers are forced to cancel or alter itineraries with stops in Ireland.
Last year, the Republic of Ireland introduced visa requirements for South African passport holders. This has caused a major backlog of visa applications with agents noting visa applications submitted two or three months in advance are often only approved the day before departure. Once the visa is submitted, there is no way to follow up.
This is having a knock-on effect for South Africans with cruise itineraries that include Ireland.
“Unfortunately, if a passenger does not have the required visa in time, they may be denied boarding on sailings that include a stop in Ireland. The concern for cruise travellers is that, while holidays are often booked months or years in advance, visa applications for Ireland cannot be submitted earlier that 12 weeks. This is affecting bookings and many clients are reconsidering travel to destinations that include Irish ports,” said Henuti Purshotam, Marketing and Product Specialist for Whitestar Cruise & Travel.
For cruises that start or end in Ireland, there are no options available for passengers without a visa. “They have no choice but to cancel and usually at the full cancellation penalty which is not insurable,” said Gaynor Neill, CEO of Cruise Vacations.
Support measures from cruise lines
Some cruise lines have stepped up to assist passengers affected by the visa delays. Silversea, which is represented by Cruise Vacations in South Africa, is allowing guests to disembark the ship before reaching Ireland or embark mid-cruise for voyages that stop in Ireland beforehand.
“This is only possible on voyages which do not start or end in Ireland. We can also try to change the voyage to a future cruise, but there is no guarantee this can be done without penalty,” said Neill.
“Sadly, our best advice is for passengers to change or cancel their voyage before large cancellation penalties kick in. They are of course able to ‘take their chances’ hoping the visas arrive on time but this is at their own risk. We will do everything possible to assist with an early debark, late embark or a voyage change, but these are exceptional circumstances and we cannot guarantee that the cruise line can or will assist,” she added.
Cunard, represented by Whitestar in South Africa, offers flexible fare types. “Clients who have booked more flexible fares are often opting for entirely different destinations rather than taking their chances with the uncertainty of the Irish visa. Cunard’s Cunard Fare allows clients to transfer to another voyage up to 64 days before departure. We strongly recommend selecting flexible fares. Agents can help clients prepare early, prioritise flexible fare options, and make sure they understand the current visa landscape,” said Purshotam.
