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shippingout
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« on: January 08, 2011, 02:03:43 AM » |
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I am scheduled to head out to Europe from the US on a tramp ship -- the Polish Steamship Company -- this spring and am confused about what happens if we land at a port that I don't have a visa for -- what happens to me? Obviously, (I'm a US citizen), I don't want to pay for visas to Turkey, Russia, or Ukraine if we're never going to land there.
How does this get dealt with?
Thanks in advance.
PS: I've travelled on the CMA CGM Potomac and the MSC Tanzania on transatlantic trips in the past in case anyone has any questions. :
Mitchka
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lunamara
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« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2011, 03:58:22 PM » |
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This is a big problem as these ships rarely have advance information on next port. Your booking agent is the one to advise you.
With booking, no promises are made. For example if you board in Cleveland, at some point the ship may get orders for somewhere like Algeria or Brazil.
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Howard
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« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2011, 12:52:50 PM » |
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Hello, As I know you will need a valid passport, with an expiry date that extends 6 months beyond your intended return date. Ships are subjected to thorough inspection processes, just like regular cruise liners. The days of the rusty old tramp steamer are long gone. Good luck!
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shippingout
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« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2011, 02:30:51 AM » |
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Well, I broke my leg about a week before leaving on this trip, but fortunately was able to re-book and will be going roundtrip tramp on the Polish Steamship Co. in September, instead. I see a lot of people read my original post, and thanks to the two who replied -- but the question remains. I mean what happens if in the middle of the Atlantic the ship gets called to St. Petersburg and I don't have a visa. Do I at least get to stay on the ship while it is in port or do they toss me into one of those lifeboat tubes and keep me at bay til the ship leaves again (I'm being facecious). My booking agent has simply told me "we've never had a problem". Maybe someone reading this could tell what ports they visited when they took the Polish Steamship tramp? Thanks!
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lunamara
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« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2011, 05:42:06 PM » |
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I would be interested to hear what booking agent told you "no problem".
It all depends on where you embark to start your "round trip."
If you go from Holland into the Great Lakes they will know next port before Montreal on the way back out. If it is a place you cannot go such as Russia or somewhere else you'd need a visa you must disembark in Montreal. I am assuming you are US citizen.
These ships frequently go to Brazil -big headache to get a visa even if you have advance notice.
It is total tramp on the way out of the Lakes/Canada. Very risky with huge fines to appear in a country that requires a visa even if you never get off to sightsee etc.
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shippingout
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« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2011, 09:31:30 PM » |
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Well, I hesitate to identify the agent in print for the whole world to see . . . but you are right, I am a US citizen and will be embarking from cleveland and returning to cleveland -- and it was in this context that I had asked about the visas and she had said it has not been a problem in the past. What do I do? Surely others have made the trip from this direction and run into this?
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lunamara
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« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2011, 03:22:45 PM » |
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I have traveled on those ships and it can be a huge problem. The captains do not know the out-bound destinations in advance. They take grain out of the Lakes maybe to places that; 1. Would require visa,
2. Would fine the company plenty if a person is on board without proper papers. You would be required to pay that fine and could be put off in some port at your expense or also disembark if the NEXT port after that is a problem. Or of course, you might get to Europe, then if same ship is not going right back to US you could -at your own expense get your way back to Holland and wait for another ship to The Great Lakes.
The only way you can go Cleveland to Cleveland is if your ship happens to get a second Holland Great Lakes run. HIGHLY unlikely and never known in advance. You would be LUCKY to change ships and go wait somewhere for another ship back to the US. You will have to agree to a big disclaimer.
The parent agent that all agencies book through is The Cruise People -London. Call and talk to them about the whole picture.
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shippingout
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« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2011, 10:59:39 PM » |
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Well, this is very disturbing. I will call the cruise people in London on Monday. Thanks for the heads up.
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