Visa Requirements

Do UK Cruisers require visas?

Visa Requirements

Visa requirements differ from country to country and can change at any time. To check the entry requirements for all countries, as per the FCDO, please visit the following website.

For further information on visa requirements, we recommend that you contact our visa partner The Travel Visa Company. They will be able to provide tailored advice and for a fee, assist with arranging your documents. You can contact them via: 

Web: The Travel Visa Company

Tel: 01270 250 590

Email: enquiries@thetravelvisacompany.co.uk

Office hours Mon - Fri 9:30am - 3pm

The information below is based on the passenger holding a UK British Citizen (GBR) passport.

The below information is correct at the time of writing and if provided for guidance. We do not accept any responsibility for any inaccuracies. We suggest that you consult the UK Government’s FCDO advice, instructions contained within any links provided below, and The Visa Travel Company. 

AUSTRALIA

An eVisitor visa is available to British Citizen passport holders, flying to or visiting Australia on a cruise. It is free of charge and available here.

CANADA

If you are visiting Canada, as a port of call on your itinerary, you do not need a visa.

If you are flying into Canada, you will need to get an eTA visa in advance of travel. The cost is approximately £4. Details here.

CHINA

Visa rules and options for visa-free travel are complex. We recommend obtaining advice from The Travel Visa Company to discuss your options. 

CUBA

At the time of writing (July 2019), travel between the USA and Cuba for reasons of tourism is not permitted. 

If you are flying direct to Cuba to board a cruise, you must get a Tourist Card to travel on your flight to Cuba. Please check if the cruise line includes your Tourist Card with your holiday, as this may be the case. If they are not, you must obtain one in advance of boarding your flight. Details here. To proceed, select that you are applying from ‘Reino Unido’. 

If your cruise travels to the USA or you transit through the USA, please be aware that any non-US citizens who have travelled to Cuba on or after 12 January 2021 will be no longer eligible to participate in the visa waiver (ESTA) programme and will be required to apply for a visa. 

See the information below on USA entry for further information.

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this advice, please contact our visa partner Travel Visa Company.

INDIA

An Indian e-visa is available to use if entering India through any 5 seaports of Cochin, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai. The cost is approximately £80. Full details can be found here.

If your itinerary has multiple calls to Indian ports and/or visits to Indian ports are separated by going to a port in another country, you may not be able to use the e-visa option and may have to obtain a standard tourist visa. We advise you to check whether the e-visa option can be used with your cruise line, as they will have agreed the process with the Indian authorities. The best starting point will be the visa info they provide directly on their website. Often a cruise line will not release this information until 55 days before sailing.

INDONESIA

A visa is required. To avoid potential queues at the port, we recommend obtaining an e-visa (E-VOA) which can be applied for any time between 48 hours to 14 days before you visit.

The visa can be accessed here.

Should you fail to obtain a visa in advance, you will have the opportunity to obtain one on arrival, though this may incur an additional wait for guests. In November 2023, this cost 500,000 Indonesian rupiah (approximately £25). 

Additional information for entering Bali

The Indonesian government has advised it is compulsory to submit a customs declaration. This can be completed up to 3 days before arriving in Bali. 

To access the form please click here.

The customs declaration requires no payment and provides you with a QR code to show the relevant authorities upon their request. 

JAMAICA

From the 1st of September 2023, all travellers to Jamaica are required to complete the Immigration/Customs C5 Form online before arrival in Jamaica. The C5 Form is FREE of charge and can be completed before your journey via the PICA Enter Jamaica website. Travellers are advised only to use the official free online service and avoid misleading sites asking for payment.

For the latest information and links to the C5 Form, please visit our Government website.

P&O Guests:
An immigration form is not required for P&O Guests.

SRI LANKA

If your cruise only makes one call in Sri Lanka, of less than 2 days, you should apply for a Transit e-visa, which is free.

Details here.

UAE

British Citizen passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in the UAE.

USA

You will need a visa for the USA even if you are only transiting in the USA. This also includes flights connecting to the USA and sailing to the Caribbean.

IMPORTANT UPDATE

We have been advised that any non-US citizens who have travelled to Cuba on or after 12 January 2021 will be no longer eligible to participate in the visa waiver (ESTA) programme and will be required to apply for a visa. We strongly recommend that in any case, you apply for your ESTA or visa (whichever is applicable) at the earliest opportunity. 

British Citizen passport holders that are eligible can apply to travel and enter the US through the Visa Waiver Program, by obtaining an ESTA. You should apply at least 72 hours before the date of travel with the process costing $14.

For customers flying into the US for a cruise around the USA/Alaska please enter the following information when filling out these questions on your ESTA application;
USA point of contact information - ship name
Address whilst in the USA - Cruise Lines HQ address.

Head Quarter Addresses

Cunard & P&O Cruises
Carnival UK, Carnival House, 100 Harbour Parade, Southampton, SO15 1ST

Norwegian Cruise Lines
7665 Corporate Center Drive, Miami, Florida 33126, USA

Princess Cruise Lines
24305 Avenue Rockerfella, Santa Clarita, California 91355, USA

Holland America Line
450 Third Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA

Celebrity Cruise Line
1080 Caribbean Way, Miami, Florida 33132, USA

Royal Caribbean & Azamara
1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, Florida, 33132-2096, USA

MSC UK
Roundwood Avenue, Uxbridge, Greater London, UB11 1AF, UK

Marella
Wigmore House, Wigmore Lane, Luton, LU2 9TN, UK

Seabourn
300 Elliottt Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119-4002, USA

Ambassador
Alexander House, Church Path, Woking, GU21 6EJ, UK

 

We would like to remind you that it is your responsibility to ensure that you meet the entry requirements for the countries that you are visiting or transiting. The latest advice is available on the FCDO Travel Advice page.