All information provided is for Australian and New Zealand passport holders’ only, all other passport holders MUST check with their relevant embassy or consulate or travel agent. The information provided is up-to-date as at 16 Nov 2018, all prices are subject to rate of exchange and local fees and are a guide only. Latest information, costs and all other questions regarding travel documents and visas, please consult the relevant authorities (embassies, consulates or other local authorities) and/or your travel agent prior to departure. Details are subject to change without prior notice at any time.
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Please note that there may be special requirements for departures starting from August 2020 onboard MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica. Click
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Brazilian Visa - The Government of Brazil has announced that citizens of Australia will no longer require a visa to enter Brazil after 17 June 2019 for tourism. Be advised that entry for this purpose before 17 June 2019 will require a visa.
(Correct as at 3 June 2019).
Currently New Zealand passport holders do not require a Brazilian Visa for a stay of up to 90 days. This may change please check prior to departure from New Zealand with relevant consulate/embassy or your travel agent.
China: Visa is not required if passengers leave China within 144 hours (starting from the day of arrival) 2 copies of passport is required. For any other circumstances including embarkation and disembarkation please check with consulate/embassy or your travel agent for current costs, required forms once booked prior to cruise departure.
Egypt, Morocco and Gibraltar: Children under 18 years of age must possess their own valid AU/NZ machine readable passport, no other forms of identification will be accepted.
Greenland: Travelling to Greenland is subject to specific Visa and Passport Requirements. Make sure you bring appropriate documents on board:
- A passport with at least 3 months residual validity is mandatorily required by local immigration authorities to embark the ship.
- Depending on your country, a valid visa to be allowed to disembark the ship in Greenland’s ports.
For the list of Countries with Visa Requirement and Visa-free Countries click
here.
Please note that any missing information or documentation may result in
denied boarding or, in case of missing Visa when required,
denied disembarkation in Greenland.
Please note that any Visa should be arranged autonomously before the cruise.
For any additional information regarding document and visas, we strongly suggest you to consult the relevant authorities.
Additional information can be found
here.
Japan: From Jan 7th 2019, the Japanese government has introduced an
International Tourist Tax of 1.000 JPY which will be applied to all passengers leaving the country by sea or air and who are headed to another country. The amount of
1000 JPY will be collected on board of our ships calling at Japanese ports and converted in US dollars using the exchange rate of the date of the departure.
Invoice will be issued on board during your cruise. The information will also be included in the booking confirmation and in the e-ticket.
Exemptions: crew members, children under 2 years of age, guests going back to Japan due to adverse weather conditions or for reasons of force majeure.
For all calls within UK and Ireland
United Kingdom:
European Community passengers can use own passport or valid equivalent document. French ID cards with automatic extension are considered valid only inside the EU; in case of cruises calling at ports outside the EU, a passport or new ID card is required.
Passengers from other countries are kindly required to verify with UKBA (United Kingdom Border Agency) if eligible to travel in transit under the Visa Waiver Program or if they need a UK Visa prior to embarkation.
In absence of a Visa prior to embarkation, visiting in transit or staying on board the ship during a UK port of call without going ashore is not authorized and guests must disembark in the previous port.
The granting of a Visa upon arrival for the selected nationalities is valid only in case of transit within 24 hours. In case of two or more consecutive UK ports, a pre-issue Visa prior to embarkation is mandatorily required for all nationalities (black & red) listed
here.
Ireland: European Community passengers can use own passport or valid equivalent document.
Passengers from other countries need a valid passport with 3 residual months at the date of cruise end and are required to check their eligibility for the Irish Short Stay Transit Visa Waiver Programme which remains valid only if coming from UK main island ports except Channel Island and Northern Ireland ports. For additional information visit: www.inis.gov.ie.
Nationalities listed
here must have a pre-issued Irish Visa as not allowed to remain on board ship during the calls in any Irish port. For further information click
here.
In absence of a Visa prior to embarkation, visiting in transit or staying on board the ship during an Irish port of call without going ashore is not authorized and guests must disembark in the previous port.
In absence of required documents, guests will not be allowed to embark in their booked home ports or remain on board the ship. Even in case of possession of a European/Schengen Residence permit, all involved guests must comply with the rules related to their home passport.
Israel: Passengers in transit will receive a landing visa entry card upon arrival; for a period strictly linked to their stay in the port of Israel for the ship. Some nationalities a visa costs are charged, please check with consulate or embassies which nationalities entries will be charged
India: A tourist visa is required prior to departure from Australia/New Zealand. Visa must have 6 months validity from date of issue please check with consulate/embassy or your travel agent for current costs, required forms prior to cruise departure
Mozambique: Passenger require a visa for entry, it can be obtained on board our ships at a cost of approx. USD 50.00 per person including children and infants. In addition all passengers must hold fully valid machine readable passport, with expiry date at least 6 months after the return date back into Australia or New Zealand., subject to rate of exchange and local fees.
Mexico: All guests that are not Mexican citizens embarking or disembarking in Cozumel are subject to pay an entry + an exit stamp fee of $612.00 Mexican Pesos (equivalent of $30,00 USD each time) per person including children and infants.
Oman: On arrival in Oman, all cruise passengers will be issued with a 24-hour landing authorization. Any passenger wishing to stay longer than 24 hours in Oman should follow the relevant visa application procedures. Kindly note that Israeli and Bangladeshi passport holders are not allowed to enter the country during the Oman call. No discrimination will be made against passengers of any nationality with an Israeli visa or stamp evident on their passport relating to previous visits.
For your guidance, please consult the official
Oman Government website.
Russia: From 1st October 2019, some cruise passengers visiting St Petersburg (Russia) can do so with an e-visa, available for some nationalities only, to be obtained before the cruise. Please refer to the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for all information including eligible nationalities, timings and procedures to obtain the e-visa. Alternatively, the current procedure remains in place: all MSC Guests visiting St Petersburg with an MSC excursion do not need a visa, and benefit from the usual advantages of all MSC Excursions (direct assistance while on excursion, insurance, priority disembarkation, etc). Our offices are available to answer any doubt you may have or provide additional information if needed.
Sri Lanka: Passengers embarking, disembarking or transiting Sri Lanka even for day touring must purchase an e-Tourist visa prior to embarkation, cost may apply dependent on passport nationality.
South Africa: All passengers must hold valid passport with 6 months residual validity and at least 6 open blank pages. Currently Australian and from 15th August 2019 New Zealand passport holders do not require a visa for South Africa for holiday purposes up to 90 days. This includes passport holders transiting through South Africa for holiday purposes.
If you are travelling from/to South Africa with children under 18 years of age, please note for each child including infants, parents must carry an unabridged birth certificate (English/bilingual) issued by an authorised office or agency. You must contact your nearest South African Embassy or Consulate to check all above details are correct and to have your child’s (children’s) certificate(s) validated BEFORE you can travel to South Africa.
For further information:
South African Home Affairs Website
All details are correct as at 01/12/19 however must be checked prior to arrival to any port of embarkation with the relevant Embassy or Consulate.
Turkey: Australians visiting Turkey for tourism must apply for a visa online at www.evisa.gov.tr. Cost is currently approx. US$60 per person including children and infants for a stay of 90 days.
United Arab Emirates (Dubai/Abu Dhabi) Embarkation: The following notes refer to cruises to, from or within the UAE, and transiting Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. All Australian and New Zealand passports must be valid for at least 6 months upon departure from UAE or Bahrain or Oman for stays of up to three months.
Kindly note that passengers holding passports of nationalities other than those mentioned above, will need a pre-issued visa for the UAE. Our office can provide details of an agent for a Multiple Entry Visa for UAE only exclusively for Cruise Passengers which is limited to the performance of the cruise. For this visa it can only be issued by the appointed agent, other visas issued by other agents may be denied by Port Immigration. NOTE no refund is granted if an application for a visa is made but then rejected by the Authorities.
United States: International travellers who are seeking to travel to the United States are now subject to enhanced security requirements therefore missing information or impossibility to show any requested document required, might cause boarding denial. All eligible travellers who wish to travel to the U.S.A. by air or sea have to fulfill all required documents with appropriate Visas or ESTA . Travellers eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must obtain an electronic travel authorisation prior to boarding a carrier (ESTA). Residual validity of ESTA must be checked carefully (valid for 2 years from issuance). In case of passport renewal or duplication, a new ESTA has to be required. In all cases, a printed copy of the approved ESTA application or valid US Visa must be presented upon check-in prior to boarding the vessel to enable personnel to a faster processing and avoid requests of proof. To check which countries participate in the VWP and for any further information, please visit the
website.
Beginning January 21st, 2016, the U.S. Government enforced restrictions for ESTA and Visa applicants, who have visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria after March 2011. Travellers are kindly reminded to check any update and the release of any official notes at the following
website.
All other passengers/passport holders are kindly required to check with relevant USA Embassy or Consulate.
West Indies/Antilles: Embarkation/Disembarkation from French Territories:
Non-European Passengers subject to Schengen Visa requirements however check with consulate or embassy of same validity also for the French Overseas Territories.
Embarkation/Disembarkation from other territories : passport required. Visa rules applying according to the local Immigration Authorities please check with relevant consulates or embassies prior to cruise.
Vietnam: Australian and New Zealand passport holders require a visa for Vietnam, it can be purchased on board for approx. cost of $50.00 US per person including children and infants.
World Cruise: IMPORTANT NOTE: All passports, no matter the guests’ nationality, have to be valid for one remaining year at the date of embarkation in Genoa 05 Jan 2019; or, at least, must have 6 months and one day (181 days) of remaining validity by the date of departure from Dubai on 17 April 2019 as mandatorily requested by UAE Authorities. In absence of this requirement, passengers are not even allowed to stay on board ship while calling Dubai and have to disembark the port before. Due to the many ports called, at least 6 blank pages on passport in order to allow stampings for entry/exit, pose stickers or daily passes etc are required prior to embarkation on 5th Jan 2019.
Schengen Area Ports: Please refer to your cruise itinerary.
Schengen Visa for French Polynesia on World Cruise departing 5th January 2019 for Australian and New Zealand Passport holders only, please contact French Consulate or embassy prior to departure for most up to date information in regards to visa requirements as this changes daily.
For cruises completely within Schengen area, are required passport and/or Single Entry Schengen Visa. For cruises including one or more NON Schengen ports a Multiple Entry Visa may be required please check with consulate/embassy or travel agent for full details.
Senegal:
Health Card and Vaccinations
Fr clients travelling to Senegal on a cruise they require a “Yellow Fever Certificate” Please consult your Doctor prior to cruise departure and original certificate must be produced at embarkation of cruise.
The above information is up to date as of the on-line publishing and may be subject to eventual changes without further notice; it is merely explanatory and non-committing. Please refer to your local authorities (embassies, consulates, travel agents etc.) to recheck the accuracy/costs and requirements of this information and any other detail you may need prior to final payment of your cruise.
