Princess Cruises Guests Reminded of Visa Paperwork Needs

Guests onboard the current sailing of Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess are about to visit some very amazing ports of call in Vietnam, but need to be sure they’ve completed the appropriate paperwork to do so.

Letters have been delivered to passengers’ staterooms with information about necessary paperwork to ensure smooth visits to two outstanding ports – Chan May and Phu My.

Special Paperwork Needed for Vietnam Visits

Diamond Princess is currently sailing a 10-night Thailand & Vietnam cruise roundtrip from Singapore, with calls in Chan May (Da Nang) and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My). Before guests can explore these intriguing ports, however, they need to have the appropriate paperwork ready for officials.

The Guest Services team aboard Diamond Princess is informing all guests of the necessary steps in order to make the process as easy and convenient as possible.

“In preparation for our arrival into Vietnam, [we] would like to take this opportunity to provide you some important information regarding our upcoming Vietnamese port of calls procedures,” a letter delivered to guests’ staterooms read.

The letter details that all passengers are required to have a Vietnamese Landing Card – provided to each guest – that should be carried ashore. Immigration officials at the gangway will verify and stamp the Landing Cards, which are valid until after the visit to Phu My on Sunday, December 31, 2023.

Landing Cards must be deposited in the designated drop boxes at the ship’s gangways when guests return to the ship after visiting Phu My.

Furthermore, guests must have Vietnamese visas to disembark in one (or both) of the Vietnamese ports. While travelers could have purchased the visas prior to sailing, they are also available for purchase onboard if necessary. Even if guests do not plan to disembark in the ports, all guests onboard are required to have appropriate visas.

Guests who already have valid Vietnamese visas, who hold a passport from a visa-exempt country, or hold a Certificate of Vietnamese Visa exemption booklet, will still be charged $3 per person for landing cards and the associated processing fees.

Visa fees and landing card fees can all be charged to guests’ onboard accounts.

It should be noted that the United States is not a visa-exempt country for visits to Vietnam, though several European nations, including the UK (except British National Overseas passport holders), are. Japan and a number of other Asian nations, including the Philippines, are also visa-exempt. A total of 26 countries are visa-exempt at this time, though that list can be updated at any time.

Exploring Asia Aboard Diamond Princess

Diamond Princess is currently homeported from Singapore, offering lengthy sailings visiting Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Depending on the sailing date and itinerary length, ports of call include Saigon, Bangkok, Phuket, Nha Trang, and more amazing destinations that will give travelers a diverse and intimate experience in such an exotic region.

In mid-March 2024, Diamond Princess will offer a one-way sailing from Singapore to Yokohama, a 23-night journey visiting top destinations in Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan along the way.

Read Also: Princess Cruises Details 2024 Japan Itineraries

The ship will then remain homeported from Yokohama offering Japanese sailings through August 2024, at which time she will reposition to Australia for the southern summer season. In March 2025, Diamond Princess will return to Yokohama and resume her Asian explorations at least through August 2025. Itineraries beyond that date have not yet been released.

The 115,875-gross-ton Diamond Princess is a modified Grand-class vessel built in Japan, making her uniquely suited for Asian sailings with respect to safety and environmental features. The ship can welcome 2,670 passengers when booked at double occupancy, and is also home to 1,100 international crew members.