Required Travel Documentation and Health Advisory
Required Travel Documentationand Health Advistory
The following information is provided as a general guidance for UK Citizens, we recommend all nationalities verify their individual visa requirements with a visa service provider such as CIBT. Please visit their web site: https://cibtvisas.co.uk The information below is correct at time of printing and is subject to change at any time.
It is the responsibility of each guest to obtain appropriate Visas, Passports and Inoculations for their cruise. Norwegian Cruise Line will provide information only, but be aware that individual countries have been known to change regulations without notice. Immunizations and health requirements vary by country. As these may also change without notice, we suggest you consult with your local GP or NHS Direct or website http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx or http://travelhealthpro.org.uk
PLEASE NOTE: In order to travel abroad, a valid passport is required for all Nationalities. Most countries require that passports be valid for at least (6) months beyond the date of your return to your Country of Residence. Passports must have sufficient empty pages for visas that are required during the cruise. World Cruise travellers are recommended to have six (6) empty pages. Please obtain or renew your passports early.
Please remember it is extremely important to secure your visa prior to arrival for embarkation. Guests who deviate their embarkation or disembarkation port from the scheduled itinerary should research the foreign entry requirements for that country. Regrettably, Norwegian Cruise Line will, due to government regulations, have to deny boarding to any guest who fails to have the appropriate visas, inoculations and travel documentation and we are not liable for any fines or other losses incurred as a result of your failure to comply with passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any flight, cruise or into any country as a result of not having the correct passport and/or any required visa(s).
Please select from the follow countriesfor Visa Requirements
All guests must obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) when entering Australia. This applies to embark/debark and in transit guests, you can also apply via your travel agent or http://cibtvisas.co.uk/australia-visa
Based on Bermuda's immigration regulations, some passengers may require a visa to visit the country. Effective March 1st, 2014, guests who require a visa for Bermuda may enter Bermuda visa-free as long as they have a valid multiple-entry U.S. visa or U.S. Residence Card.
Under Canada's Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) programme, citizens from countries other than the USA who do not require a visa to enter Canada, will need to obtain an online authorisation before arriving in Canada. Most nationalities may apply prior to departure online http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta-start.asp
*** Please note guests that sail into a Canadian port are not required to obtain the eTA, the above only applies to guests that fly into Canada ***
Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Cambodia. Passport holders from all other countries must purchase a Cambodian visa onboard the ship for $89 per person to go ashore in Cambodian ports. Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.
A visa is required for all nationalities and guests will need to discuss their travel itinerary with their visa provider to ensure all ports are covered with the correct visa . The visa must be purchased in advance independently prior to departure.
China: It is vitally important that you ensure you have the right type of visa for China; single or double entry type, depending on how many times you enter China on the itinerary including embarkation/debark at a Chinese port, and most importantly whether or not calls to Chinese ports are separated by a call to another country. Please note, the visa ruling about leaving China within 48 hours is only for air travel and does not count for cruises. It is imperative that you provide the full details of your itinerary when applying for a visa and that you ensure they know you are on a cruise. UK and ROI guests holding full passports do not need a visa to enter Hong Kong.
Hong Kong: No visa will be required when you embark/debark here, UNLESS you are participating in a mainland China pre/post land package.
Sanya: If the only port of call in China is Sanya no visa will be required as long as guests participate in pre-arranged Regent shore excursions.
If other Chinese ports are visited during your cruise you must obtain a visa prior to departure or you may be denied boarding.
All nationalities require a visa for Cuba and a Cuban health insurance policy or they may be denied boarding. A completed Affidavit is mandatory and should be returned to us 60 days prior to embarkation, guests must also have their own pre-arranged travel insurance. See Travelling to Cuba Section below for more information.
Please refer to this website for the most updated visa policies to visit Hong Kong by cruise ship. Anyone who requires a Hong Kong visa and is unable to present one at check in on embarkation day will be denied boarding. This visa cannot be arranged onboard the ship. It must be done through a Hong Kong embassy or consulate prior to sailing.
Please refer to this website for the most updated visa policies to visit Japan by cruise ship. Anyone who requires a Japanese visa and is unable to present one at check in on embarkation day will be denied boarding. This visa cannot be arranged onboard the ship. It must be done through a Japanese embassy or consulate prior to sailing.
A visa is required for British nationalities and will be issued upon the ships arrival. There is currently no fee for this service. The visa on arrival is now available at no cost to approximately 175 other nationalities - please check with your local embassy.
Passport holders of the following countries require an Indonesian visa to visit Indonesia. This visa cannot be arranged onboard the ship. It must be done through an Indonesian embassy or consulate prior to sailing. Anyone who requires a visa for Indonesia and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day. Afghanistan, Colombia, Israel, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Yemen.
Valid passports are required to board the ship for all Panama Canal sailings. No passport cards, birth certificates or other form of proof of US citizenship will be accepted. Failure to present a valid passport at check-in will result in denial of boarding.
Guests may only go ashore in St. Petersburg, Russia without a Russian visa if they have purchased a Norwegian Cruise Line Shore Excursion. To go ashore independently in St. Petersburg, a Russian tourist visa must be obtained before the cruise In Petropavlovsk (port on Norwegian Jewel) guests can walk around the city without a visa or without being on a tour as well, as long as they don't leave the city limits (which is defined by local staff).
Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Russia and can go ashore independently or on a tour with no visa. Abkhazia, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Serbia, Seychelles, South Africa, South Korea, South Ossetia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
Passport holders from the following countries require a visa to enter Singapore. This visa must be arranged at a Singaporean embassy or consulate. Singapore visas cannot be issued upon arrival. Anyone who requires a visa for Singapore and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia (except diplomatic/service passport holders), Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Georgia (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), Ukraine (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), India (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), Iran, Iraq, Jordan (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Morocco (except diplomatic passport holders), Nigeria (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), North Korea, People's Republic of China (except diplomatic/service/public affairs passport holders), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia (except diplomatic passport holders), Somalia, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), Turkmenistan (except diplomatic/official/service passport holders), Yemen.
Passports holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Thailand on NCL cruises:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Monaco, Mongolia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam.
Diplomatic/Official passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Thailand on NCL cruises:
Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia (diplomatic only), France (diplomatic only), Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, The Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan (diplomatic only), Panama, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain (diplomatic only), Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vietnam.
Passports holders from the following countries can purchase a Thai visa onboard the ship for $99 per person:
Andorra, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
Passport holders from all nationalities not listed in one of the above categories require a Thai visa issued in their passports by a Thai embassy or consulate prior to the cruise. Any guest who requires a Thai visa and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day.
Embarkation:
Most nationalities require a visa and may apply prior to departure online https://www.evisa.gov.tr
In Transit:
Guests participating in a Regent pre-arranged shore excursion will be covered. Guests who independently make their own arrangements and venture beyond the respective port city may require an e-visa. This may be applied for online https://www.evisa.gov.tr
Disembarkation:
A visa is required for most nationalities, visa and service fee will apply. The E-visa may be purchased in advance independently, alternatively it will be arranged onboard and charged to your onboard account. Most nationalities may apply prior to departure online https://www.evisa.gov.tr
All guests must obtain an ESTA when entering the United States of America. This applies to embark/debark and in transit guests. Please obtain this by visiting the official ESTA site: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta. A copy should be printed and included within your passport. All guests must hold a biometric passport (i.e.: a passport containing an integrated chip with the universal e-passport symbol displayed on the front cover).
Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Vietnam:
Belarus, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Norway, The Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom.
Passport holders from all other countries must purchase a Vietnamese visa onboard the ship for $69 per person to go ashore in Vietnamese ports.
Travelling toCUBA
Yes. OFAC regulates travel to Cuba pursuant to the Helms-Burton Act and other pertinent regulations. Currently, there are 12 categories of authorised travel to Cuba. Effective November 9, 2017, individual people-to-people exchanges are no longer authorised by OFAC. However, guests who booked their cruise before June 16, 2017 may choose to still engage in individual people-to-people travel or group people-to-people travel sponsored by Norwegian or a third party U.S. sponsoring organisation. Group people-to-people travel is one of the ways for Americans to visit Cuba and gives you an opportunity to discover Cuba through its people and from a local perspective. All guests will be required to certify that their activities meet the requirements above, so you must retain records of your activities whether or not they are offered by Norwegian for a period of 5 years. For additional information on group people-to-people exchanges, please refer to FAQ What is a group people-to-people exchange?.
Click here for the FAQs issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that cover many of the questions directly related to regulations regarding travel to Cuba.
Yes. A valid passport* is required for all guests to travel to Cuba. We recommend guests review the passport requirements of travel to Cuba from their home country and that the expiration of your passport be greater than six months from the date of your voyage.
*NOTE: All guests must have a valid passport book for travel. A passport card WILL NOT be accepted.
All guests must complete a certification form which sets forth and confirms that they will be participating in OFAC-compliant activities.
Click here to link to the certification form. One per guest.
Certification must be received by Norwegian no later than 30 days prior to the departure date and may be sent by email to Customerservice@ncl.com. Please be advised that guests will not be able to board the vessel without having first completed the form.
All guests will be self-certifying which means that they are solely responsible for arranging a full-time timetable of OFAC-compliant activities, as explained above. These activities may include excursions provided by Norwegian or activities arranged by guests themselves.
All travellers to Cuba must be able to prove that their trip was comprised of OFAC-compliant activities. Guests should keep a log of their activities and keep the log for 5 years. Guests may also request that Norwegian keep a record of their itinerary and shore excursion activity if Norwegian is the U.S. sponsoring organisation providing any group people-to-people exchanges to the guest.
Yes. As with travellers from the United States, non-U.S. guests will need to certify that they are travelling under one of the approved OFAC categories, keep records of their activities and sign affidavits confirming they are doing so.
The Cuban government requires anyone who is travelling to Cuba on a passport other than a valid Cuban passport to obtain a visa prior to their arrival into Cuba. For all visitors who were not born in Cuba, this visa, also known as a "tourist card" (for U.S. residents, this visa also known as a "rosada" must have a pink and blue background; for non-U.S. residents, this visa is issued by the Cuban embassy or consulate in the background colour applicable to their country of residency), is required to enter Cuba for non-business purposes. The Cuban visa is valid for a single entry and allows the holder to stay in Cuba for 30 days. U.S. residents may obtain this visa (or "rosada") through Norwegian for a separate processing and procurement fee of or on your own. For non-U.S. residents, if the Cuban visa issued by the Cuban embassy or consulate in the background colour applicable to your country of residency is not accepted by Cuban immigration officials, you will be required to purchase the same Cuban visa (or "rosada") as a U.S. resident. Please note that you will not be allowed to board the vessel without proof of acquiring a Cuban visa.
The Cuban visa is a two-part card. Cuban immigration officials will take both parts upon arrival in Cuba.
Guests born in Cuba who emigrated before January 1, 1971 and reside in a country outside of Cuba are required to carry either (i) a valid Cuban passport with a habilitación (entry permit) and a valid prórroga (passport extension that must be obtained every two (2) years) or (ii) a valid passport from your country of citizenship along with an HE-11 visa obtained from the Cuban embassy or consulate in your country of residency (except in those cases where such country has entered into a visa exemption agreement with Cuba) for entry to and departure from Cuba. Effective January 1, 2018, Cuba will no longer require a habilitación (entry permit). The estimated processing time for an HE-11 visa is up to 60 days.
Guests born in Cuba who emigrated on or after January 1, 1971 and reside in a country outside of Cuba are required to carry a valid Cuban passport with a habilitación (entry permit) and valid prórroga (passport extension that must be obtained every two (2) years) for entry to and departure from Cuba. These guests do not need a Cuban visa. Effective January 1, 2018, Cuba will no longer require a habilitación (entry permit). The estimated processing time for a Cuban passport is up to 6 months.
Guests born in Cuba who require a visa or passport should contact the Cuban embassy or consulate in their country of residency.
Travelling withCHILDREN
At least six (6) months of age on the day of boarding
At least twelve (12) months of age on the day of boarding if your cruise has 3 or more consecutive days at sea.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s policy dictates that a minor or young adult must be accompanied in the same stateroom (or connecting stateroom) by a passenger 21 years of age or older at the time of boarding.
Minors – an individual under the age of 18 on the day of embarkation/boarding.
Young Adult – an individual between the ages of 18 and 20.
Note: Two people under the age of 21 may travel together in the same stateroom if they are a married couple and provide proof of marriage to a Norwegian Cruise Line representative at the pier prior to boarding.
Note: These terms are effective at the time of boarding.
For passengers under the age of 18 travelling with an accompanying adult, who is not the minor's parent or legal guardian, a Parent/Guardian Consent Form that authorises the minor's travel and further authorises medical treatment in case of an emergency must be delivered to a Norwegian representative at the pier during check-in. Failure to produce this letter at embarkation may result in boarding being denied. Both living parents/legal guardians must sign and complete this form and attach a copy of his/her driver's license or other government issued identification. Minors of the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) may be listed on the same form:
Download and Complete the Parental Consent Release form (PDF)
Minors or the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) may be listed on the same form
Copy of both parents/legal guardians Driver’s License or other Government Issued ID
Adoptive parents, legal guardians or persons separated or divorced are advised to keep legal and other relevant documents available in order to clarify custody rights.
*If travelling to Canada, you’ll need the following document in addition to items #1 and 2 (Alaska, Pacific Coastal, and Canada/New England Itineraries):
Canadian entry requirements stipulate that a child under the age of 18 travelling alone, or with person(s) other than both parents, should be in possession of a letter (preferably notarised) from the parents or legal guardian containing:
Authorisation for the child to travel with another person and to be outside the country;
The name and a 24-hour contact telephone number of the parents or guardian;
The destination and length of stay in Canada.
OFAC Travel Sanctionsand Regulations
The United States Department of the Treasury through the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") has issued a series of comprehensive sanctions against various countries, specifically:
- Crimea
- North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)
- Cuba
- Sudan
- Syria
- Iran
These sanctions limit the ability of cruise lines to conduct business with these countries and their citizens, which includes allowing certain citizens of those countries to sail onboard our ships. Accordingly, it is Norwegian's policy that if you are a citizen or resident of one of these sanctioned countries, we will be unable to accept your cruise reservation unless you can satisfy the following conditions:
- Provide proof of citizenship in a non-sanctioned country; OR
- Provide proof of residency in a non-sanctioned country AND evidence that you are funding the cruise, including all onboard charges, through a bank associated with a non-sanctioned country.
- You must be able to satisfy all of the above criteria in order to sail onboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.