I’m about to go on a cruise with Oceania from Cartagena to Miami with a bunch of stops along the way. It’s my first cruise, so I’m not sure what to expect.
I am an Indian citizen with a valid US work visa for a couple more years. I also have UK residency.
The sales rep told us that visas wouldn’t be an issue, and that you don’t need to leave the ship if you don’t have a visa for a port. But now he’s not helping me at all.
Oceania didn’t clarify anything until today, just 7 days before sailing, when they sent me an email saying that if I don’t have all the right documents for all ports, I might not even be able to board. When I called them, they just referred me to a visa company.
From what I’ve found, expedited visas for St. Barts still take at least 2 weeks.
I wanted to ask if anyone knows if St. Barts, a French territory, would let me stay on board the ship without getting off if I don’t have a visa for the island? Or will I be denied boarding altogether?
Here’s a copy of the original post so it’s saved as it was originally posted.
OP was asking about their cruise plans and visa issues.
OP mentioned that they are an Indian citizen with a US work visa and UK residency. The sales rep said there wouldn’t be any visa problems and that you don’t have to get off the ship if you don’t have a visa for that port, but now they’re not getting any help from the company.
Oceania finally clarified it by email and warned that lack of proper travel documentation might stop them from boarding.
OP is wondering if St. Barts would allow them to stay on board if they don’t have a visa for the island.
When a ship enters a country’s waters, you are technically entering their borders. It doesn’t matter if you stay on the ship or get off. You need to have your visa documentation ready at the time of boarding, or you won’t be allowed to board.
@Sterling
I did a bit more digging based on the OP’s nationality and cruise dates. As an Indian passport holder, OP will need a visa to visit France. They will need to apply for this visa in person at the nearest French consulate. Online visa services won’t work for this case. OP only has six days to handle this, so they better act fast.
All cruise lines follow this rule: you must have the documents needed for every stop on the itinerary before you board. It doesn’t matter if you stay on the ship or not.
If you have a Schengen C Multiple-Entry visa, you might be able to skip needing a separate French visa. Check with the nearest French consulate to confirm this.
I’ve never boarded in Colombia, but other countries I’ve boarded in all needed the necessary documents for each stop, otherwise you don’t get on the ship.
Oli said:
I’ve never boarded in Colombia, but other countries I’ve boarded in all needed the necessary documents for each stop, otherwise you don’t get on the ship.
No difference for Colombia (that’s how you spell it, by the way). Whether you get off or not, you still need the right documents.
Some countries will allow visa waivers for people with multiple-entry US visas, even if their regular passport wouldn’t allow it. I couldn’t find a clear answer for St. Barts (usually there’s an embassy site with full details, but I couldn’t find one). This could be your best option.
Can you name the sales rep? It’s shocking they told you that visas wouldn’t be a problem. This kind of question comes up pretty often, and the truth is that cruise lines can’t enforce border control, so you need to have the right documents before boarding.