How to get your documents in order for a luxury cruise

For many travellers, a cruise is the epitome of relaxation, comfort and serenity. Most people think of sunny days in deck chairs, good food in the onboard restaurant and beautiful coastal areas and cities. It’s the ultimate way to relax, either on a romantic getaway, with friends, or the whole family.

To make sure your trip starts off just as care free as you imagined, it is handy to make sure you have the necessary travel documents in time. Cruise travellers should not only have a valid passport, but also an entry permit for the respective destination. For entry into some countries, a traditional visa is required, but more and more countries also offer electronic visas and visa-free entry with an eTA or ESTA. In all of these cases, the travel authorisation should be arranged before the departure.

Cruise to the Caribbean

A Caribbean cruise is ultimately what some imagines when they think of a cruise. Hopping from one island to another, each beach more exquisite than the next. There is year-round sunshine and blue skies. The palm-fringed sandy beaches on the islands of the Caribbean are perfect for swimming and the towns have a friendly atmosphere. This is the ideal cruise destination if you want to completely unwind, soak up the sun and sip cocktails in a deckchair. 

A visa is not required for most Caribbean islands. However, travellers should note that for certain countries, such as Barbados and the Dominican Republic, an entry permit must be filled in. A visa is required for a cruise to Cuba. This must be done before departure.

Barbados and Bermuda do not require visas in order to get off and visit the islands. It is also not necessary to obtain a visa to Jamaica on a cruise.

Cruise to the USA or Canada

Cruises to the USA or Canada are also becoming increasingly popular and offer the chance to admire breathtaking landscapes from the water and explore dynamic cosmopolitan cities. For travel to the US, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, an ordinary passport is always required, as well as an entry permit. Entry to the USA is relatively easy for travellers from the UK and Europe. Instead of a physical visa, you can apply for an ESTA online to enter the USA. The online application only takes a few minutes, and the ESTA application is often approved within a few hours. No visa is required for cruises to Canada. A valid passport is sufficient.

Cruise to Asia

Asia has a great diversity of culture, landscapes and sights that can be uniquely discovered on a cruise. Both ocean cruises and river cruises, for example on the Mekong, are highly recommended. Some countries, such as Thailand or Indonesia, can be visited without a visa. However, there are also many countries for which a visa is required. Travelling to countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Cambodia, or Vietnam requires a visa. Most of these countries have easy online visas you can easily apply for. 

Cruise to Australia and New Zealand

A visa is always required for entry to Australia or New Zealand. The visa for Australia can be done online quickly. There are different types of visas for Australia, the easiest to obtain is the eVisitor 651. This visa is valid for 1 year and within that year, you can visit Australia as often as you wish. The New Zealand visa is valid for 2 years. 

Well prepared for a cruise

To be able to really enjoy your holiday, it helps you plan ahead to get any visas or other documentation you will need throughout your trip. If you are travelling to different destinations,

Make sure your passport is valid before you apply for your visa because visas are almost always tied to your passport. If the validity of the passport expires, the issued visa will also become invalid. If you are unsure of the entry requirements, you are advised to check with your tour operator to ensure that you receive all necessary documents, including passports and visas, in a timely manner. 

Also note that some countries have different rules about visa validity. The USA does not have any specific requirements for the ESTA, only that you leave before your passport expires. For New Zealand, your passport must be valid for at least 3 more months of your expected departure date. For India, the passport must be valid for an extra 6 months after your arrival in India. Each country not only has different rules about the amount of time your visa should be valid, but also about the date when that validity should start counting. 

It is important to keep in mind that most countries consider different stops on cruises as separate arrivals. Many countries such as Australia, the USA, Canada, etc have visas that allow for multiple entries. However, there are some countries where there are different types of visas. Vietnam has a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa. Make sure that your visa works for the type of cruise you will be taking.