To get a visa or not to get a visa, that is the question

MANY agents
still seem to be
confused about visa
requirements for cruise
clients, especially when
passengers decide not to
disembark at particular
ports on the itinerary.
A recent post on
Travelinfo’s new travel agent
collaboration platform,
Open Jaw, read: “If you go
on a cruise seeing mostly
Schengen countries with a
one-day stop in the UK, do
you need a visa for the UK
if you aren’t getting off the
ship?”
Most responses from the
group were a yes. However,
when TNW asked Andrew
Carter, entry clearance
manager from UK Visas
and Immigration at the
British High Commission,
he confirmed that a South
African passport holder
would only need a visa to
pass through immigration
control or to transit through
a UK airport. “If they are
not disembarking from the
ship, they would not need
a visa.”
Despite this, Thaybz
Khan, brand manager –
Contemporary Brands of
Cruises International, says
cruise line regulations
stipulate that all necessary
visa requirements must be
adhered to. “Cruise lines go
through a full immigration
process when they arrive
at a port. In order to avoid
any problems during the
cruise, the cruise line will
check all visas required at
embarkation and will deny
boarding to passengers
who do not have all the
necessary visas. If guests
are travelling on a South
African passport, they will
be required to get the
necessary visas for the
itinerary, even if they do not
intend to get off.”
Furthermore, Thabyz says
Cruises International has
found that, at the time
of booking passengers
think they won’t want
to disembark but often
change their mind while
on the cruise. “By having
the necessary visas,
passengers have flexibility
and can decide whether
they want to disembark or
not when arriving at port.”
Megan Gobey, operator of
Rennies Ships Agency, says
a prohibition notice can be
served to a cruise line and
a penalty of potentially
R50 000 per passenger
charged for allowing a
passenger to embark
without the correct visas.
Thaybz points out that
often online bookings made
with companies outside
South Africa cause hassles.
“We’ve had cases where
South African passengers
have made online cruise
bookings with companies
in the United States, for
example, and have not been
informed that they require
visas for certain countries
on the itinerary. Generally,
cruise lines in South Africa
will assist agents with
information or direct them
to the correct immigration
authorities.”
When asked whether
passengers could travel
on the Captain’s seaman’s
book and be exempt from
visa regulations, Christine
Lucas, marketing executive
of Development Promotions,
confirmed that there was
no such concession.
“Passengers require visas.
However, there are certain
destinations, such as
Russia, where passengers
are allowed to disembark
in the country as long
as, and only if, they are
on a ship-arranged shore
excursion.