Passports, documents and visas
Travel documents and passports
Important notice: Regardless of the information you find on websites or portals, we strongly emphasise the need for ALL DOCUMENTS to be valid for at least 6 months after your expected return from the cruise! This rule also applies to children of all ages. The client is ALWAYS responsible for ensuring that their documents are correct and valid – therefore, please check the validity of your documents before your voyage.
For all cruises without exception – including those within the EU – passengers must present a passport valid for at least a further six months after their expected return from the cruise before boarding. You cannot travel on an identity card! This rule also applies to children of all ages. No other form of identification is accepted for boarding. As the ship sails through international waters, a passport is essential. You will not be allowed to board the ship without a valid travel document!
We strongly recommend that you also bring your identity card and a copy of your passport with you on the cruise. In the event of theft or loss of your passport, you must provide proof of identity with another document. You should always carry identification with you at all destinations.
Download: Travel documents (PDF catalogue)
Visas and visa requirements
All official regulations and requirements that must be met in order to visit countries where a particular cruise has scheduled stops are the sole responsibility of the client, and all visas and documents must be obtained and prepared before embarking on the cruise. RIVIERA TOUR will assist you with these formalities upon request.
Please note that the travel agency RIVIERA TOUR will prepare the documentation based on your request, pay the administrative fee and send the application for processing.
The outcome of the procedure itself and the approval or rejection of the application is entirely at the discretion of the relevant state authorities, and the travel agency is not responsible and is unable to influence any rejection of the application.
If the application is rejected, the fee for this service will not be refunded.
We strongly urge you to check the visa requirements for individual countries or destinations. If you do not have a valid visa or documents, the shipping company has the right to refuse you entry to the ship. In such a case, you are not entitled to any compensation, discount or damages.
In particular, we would like to strongly emphasise to clients who are citizens of other countries (primarily Vietnam and Ukraine) who purchase a cruise or tour from RIVIERA TOUR that their visa requirements may be completely different from those of other tour participants and that different rules for entry into the countries visited or completely different visa requirements may apply to them.
The client/customer is always fully responsible for providing complete and comprehensive documentation.
VISAS, ENTRY PERMITS, AND TRANSIT VISAS | Price per person in CZK | |
|---|---|---|
USA (ESTA) | Based on your documents, we will process the visa application and pay the relevant fees. A visa or ESTA is required for all voyages through the USA. Guests who have visited Cuba after January 1, 2011 cannot apply for an ESTA – they must have a valid visa to the USA. A scanned photo and scanned passport in jpg format must be attached to the application. | 1 990 Kč |
UK (ETA) | Based on your documents, we will process the entire visa application and pay the relevant fees. ETA is also required for transit flights via England to the USA or Canada. | 890 Kč |
EGYPT | Based on your documents, we will process the complete visa application and pay the relevant fees. Visas are paid in cash at the airport (€25 per person) and on the ship (€29 per person). Prices are approximate. | cca 79 € |
CANADA (ETA) | Based on your documents, we will process the complete visa application and pay the relevant fees. A visa or ETA is required for all flights via CANADA. The application must be accompanied by a scanned photo and a scanned passport in jpg format. | 590 Kč |
KENYA | Based on your documents, we will process the complete visa application and pay the relevant fees. | 1 990 Kč |
SAUDI ARABIA | Based on your documents, we will process the complete visa application and pay the relevant fees. Travel insurance with our travel agency is required. A scanned photo and scanned passport in jpg format must be submitted with the application. | 1 290 Kč |
TANZANIA | Based on your documents, we will process the complete visa application and pay the relevant fees. | 1 990 Kč |
Immigration instructions and visas: current overview of visa requirements by ship (in English).
Travel documents and visas by destination: link here (current list on the MSC Cruises website – in English).
Europe
Visas to Russia (included in the price of optional excursions)
A visa is required to enter the Russian Federation. Due to procedural rules set by the Russian authorities, the visa is included in the price of optional excursions. If you plan to leave the ship in Russian ports, you must purchase an optional excursion or obtain a valid visa, otherwise you will not be allowed ashore.
Visas to Greenland
Passengers must have a passport valid for at least 6 months after the end of the cruise and must also have a valid visa. Without a valid visa to Greenland, they will not be allowed to board the ship. Information on obtaining a valid visa can be found at here.
Caribbean
Visa or ESTA for the USA
For voyages involving any entry into the United States, an electronic entry permit (known as ESTA) is required. Please note that for flights to the United States or Canada via the United Kingdom, an ETA electronic entry permit must be obtained.
Download: Form for processing ESTA entry documents for the USA (pdf)
Download: Form for processing ETA entry documents for the United Kingdom (pdf)
Important notice:
Citizens of the Czech Republic cannot travel to the US on the basis of ESTA approval if they have visited North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Syria or Sudan. Similarly, they cannot use ESTA authorisation to travel to the USA if they have visited Cuba since 12 January 2011.nbsp;In these cases, it is necessary to apply to the US Embassy well in advance for the appropriate visa (e.g. a B1 business visa or a B2 tourist visa). Travellers who, in addition to Czech citizenship, also have citizenship of Cuba, North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Syria must also apply for a visa.
If approval has been granted in the ESTA system and it later transpires that the person concerned travelled to Cuba after 12 January 2011, or if that person has both Czech and Cuban citizenship, the ESTA will be revoked. Persons whose ESTA has been revoked will receive notification of the change in their ESTA status. The status can be verified at esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
For more information, visit: https://mzv.gov.cz/jnp/cz/encyklopedie_statu/severni_amerika/usa/cestovani/visa.html
Visas for Cuba
For cruises where the entry destination is Cuba (Havana), you must have an entry visa for Cuba (this can be obtained from the Cuban Embassy in Prague, or we can arrange an entry visa for you for a fee of CZK 950). When disembarking at the end of the cruise – if the cruise ends in Havana – you will need to purchase a transit visa again (purchased directly on the ship, price approx. $15).
The Persian Gulf and the Red Sea
Visas to the United Arab Emirates
Currently, no visas are required to enter the United Arab Emirates; all entries are handled on the basis of transit visas issued by the shipping company (this does not apply to voyages to Qatar – Doha).
Visas to Qatar
Czech citizens travelling to the State of Qatar for tourism purposes must obtain a so-called visa on arrival at the border crossing into the State of Qatar (airport, land crossing or port). This is a free permit to enter the country, the only condition being a valid passport for at least 6 months from the planned date of departure from Qatar. This visa can be a single entry for a 30-day stay (with the possibility of extending it for another 30 days) or a multiple-entry visa for a 90-day stay with a validity period of up to 180 days. (The Czech Republic is one of 34 countries whose citizens can stay in Qatar for up to 90 days within a 180-day period; the type of visa is determined by the applicant's country of origin.) Upon entry, the immigration officer may check the means of transport back from Qatar (e.g. return ticket) and sufficient financial resources (a valid payment card or sufficient cash).
Visas to Saudi Arabia
To enter Saudi Arabia, you need a transit visa. Without this visa, you cannot visit the destination and would have to remain on the ship. From 1 January 2023, this requirement will also apply to cruises within sailing circuits, even if the ship only docks at the destination for a few hours. What are your options:
1/ Purchase an MSC Cruises trip on board the ship together with a visa
2/ Purchase only a visa and visit the destination at your own discretion
3/ Apply for a visa yourself on the UAE website – here is a link to apply for a transit visa: https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Account/Loginindividuals
4/ use the services of a shipping company at your destination and not visit the destination at all – in this case, you do not need a visa, but you must not leave the ship.
Our travel agency offers assistance with visa applications. To apply for a visa through our travel agency, we need a scanned copy of your passport and your photograph in jpg format. The fee for visa application is CZK 1,390 per person. The travel agency will register the visa and pay the visa fee. The travel agency is not responsible for the outcome of the visa process and the approval and delivery of the visa.
If you arrange your visa directly at the port upon disembarkation, a visa fee of approximately USD 130 will be charged.
The matter
Visa to South Korea (ETA)
Our travel agency offers assistance in arranging visas. To arrange a visa through our travel agency, we need to receive a scanned copy of your passport and your photograph in jpg format. The fee for arranging a visa is CZK 1,390 per person.
Other destinations
Visas for New Zealand
Our travel agency offers assistance in arranging visas. To arrange a visa through our travel agency, we need to receive a scanned copy of your passport and your photograph in jpg format. The fee for arranging a visa is CZK 1,390 per person.
Visas to Vietnam
Our travel agency offers assistance in arranging visas. To arrange a visa through our travel agency, we need to receive a scanned copy of your passport and your photograph in jpg format. The fee for arranging a visa is CZK 1,390 per person.
Visas to Australia
Our travel agency offers assistance in arranging visas. To arrange a visa through our travel agency, we need to receive a scanned copy of your passport and your photograph in jpg format. The fee for arranging a visa is CZK 1,390 per person.
Visas to India
A visa is required to enter India. If you visit New Mangalore, Goa or Bombay during the cruise, you must have a valid Indian visa before boarding. Visas can be obtained from the embassy. We offer a service to assist you with your Indian visa application for a fee of CZK 2,400. The price includes the visa fee. In addition to completing the form, you will need to provide a photograph to apply for a visa.
Download: Visa application form for India (pdf)
Additional visa requirements for destinations
If you visit the destinations listed below, you must have the following documents:
Země | Dokument |
PUERTO RICO | ESTA or valid visa - can be arranged by RIVIERA TOUR |
SAN DIEGO, USA | ESTA or valid visa - can be arranged by RIVIERA TOUR |
LOS ANGELES, USA | ESTA or valid visa - can be arranged by RIVIERA TOUR |
SAN FRANCISCO, USA | ESTA or valid visa - can be arranged by RIVIERA TOUR |
LILO (HAWAII), USA | ESTA or valid visa |
HONOLULU (HAWAII), USA | ESTA or valid visa |
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA | ETA or valid visa |
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA | ETA or valid visa |
FREMANTLE/PERTH, AUSTRALIA | ETA or valid visa |
When drawing up the travel contract, you will be asked for your passport details, including the details of a contact person in the UK in case of emergency. Without this information, it is not possible to issue a boarding pass. The passenger is responsible for providing their personal details. The information must be provided to the travel agency no later than 55 days before embarkation. After this time, a fee will be charged for providing the information. Please note that ten days before departure, it is no longer possible to provide this information or make any changes to it.
Written consent of parents when travelling abroad
Does a child need written consent from their parents when travelling abroad unaccompanied?
If the country in question requires such confirmation, this is stated on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, in the section Information on travel conditions to individual countries of the world, in the section dedicated to the specific country. To verify or supplement this information, it is necessary to contact the embassy of the country in question in the Czech Republic directly. Even if this document is not required by the other country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic recommends that whenever a minor citizen of the Czech Republic travels abroad unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian, the accompanying person should have the parent's written consent for the specific trip.
In the written consent, it is recommended to sufficiently identify the child (first and last name, date of birth and travel document number), as well as the accompanying person, destination and approximate date of travel. The person granting written consent shall have their signature on this consent verified by a notary or at the municipal office. For very young children, a photocopy of the birth certificate may also be attached. In addition to Czech, it is recommended that the written consent be granted in a foreign language used at the destination for which it is intended (form available for download below).
Download: Consent of legal guardian for travel of a minor (pdf)
