Visas, Inoculations, Travel Documents and Ship Locations

Spring 2012 Visas, Inoculations, Travel Documents and Ship Locations

Required Travel Documents

The documents outlined below are required to participate on this voyage. Due to very strict international regulations, you will not be able to board the vessel without these documents.

Important: It is every participant's responsibility to obtain all required visas in a timely fashion. Visa regulations are subject to change and ISE cannot be held responsible for incurred fees, fines, detainment or deportation due to missing visas.

A Valid Passport is required for all participants. Your passport must be valid until November 2, 2012 with 10 fully blank visa pages. Please be certain it is signed and keep a copy for your records. Please contact Pinnacle at [This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots; you need JavaScript enabled to view it] for assistance with first time or renewal of U.S. passports or to add pages to your existing U.S. passport. Note that the pages at the back of your passport reserved for amendments and endorsements do not count among the blank pages required for this voyage.
Entry Visas are required for Brazil, Ghana, India, and China for U.S. and Canadian passport holders. All other nationalities should consult directly with the consular agencies of each country on the itinerary.
Yellow Fever Vaccination is required for entry into Ghana. Please consult your physician and the Centers for Disease Control for assistance and for more information about this requirement. Please be sure NOT to send your yellow fever card with your passport when applying for visas as it is likely to get lost. You must, however, bring it with you to the ship. You will not be able to board the ship in Nassau without the official Yellow Fever Certificate (a yellow card) or a letter of exemption from your physician indicating the reasons for not having the vaccination. Note that a letter of exemption in lieu of the actual Yellow Fever Certificate could restrict your ability to leave the ship in South Africa and India. Your Yellow Fever Certificate will be required at check-in. Please keep it with your passport.

Passports and Visas

Semester at Sea has retained the services of Pinnacle Travel Document Systems to assist participants with passports and entry visas. If you choose to use these services, please download the Spring 2012 Visa Application and submit to Pinnacle by October 30, 2011. Participants submitting an application after the deadline must pay an additional fee to expedite the visa acquisition process. For more information, please contact Pinnacle directly at 1-888-466-0620. In addition, we encourage all participants to review the Visa Information document.

If you wish to apply for required entry visas on your own, please contact the consular agencies directly.
All Non-US citizens should determine visa requirements directly with the embassies or consular agencies of the countries on the itinerary. For general questions and assistance, please contact Pinnacle or Student Services.
US Citizens require visas for Brazil, Ghana, India, Viet Nam and China. The Vietnamese visa will be obtained en route and does not need to be obtained prior to the voyage. The visa fee will be charged to your shipboard account.
Participants cannot send their documents directly to any of the Chinese Consulates. They must either go in person or send them to Pinnacle to have them processed.

Note: Obtaining the proper visas in a timely fashion can be a complicated process. Some entry visas have a short expiration, which means that they must be obtained close to the date of your departure. Please be sure to ask Pinnacle or Student Services if you have any questions.

Passport Information

If you do not have a valid passport, we strongly urge you apply for one as soon as possible, as you will need it to apply for entry visas.

If you wish to apply for a U.S. passport on your own, please find instructions on the State Department's travel site.
For lost or stolen U.S. passports, please see the State Department's travel site.
Non-U.S. citizens should consult passport authorities in their country of citizenship.

Special Note for Non-U.S. Citizens

Most of the information provided in this section related to entry visas is specific to U.S. and Canadian passport holders. Specific requirements may be applicable to passport holders of different nationalities. We urge non-U.S. or Canadian nationalities to inquire directly with the consular agencies of the countries on the itinerary, including the countries where the voyage start and ends. Special attention should be given to those itineraries that include Hawaii as a stop on the itinerary. Please call our office for assistance, 1-800-854-0195.

Special Note for Partial Voyagers

Depending on which segment of the voyage you join, some of the travel document requirements may not apply to you. Please consult our main office for additional guidance.

Traveler's Health and Vaccination Information

Semester at Sea recommends that you consult your physician and the CDC at www.cdc.gov/travel regarding your health condition and any vaccination requirements or recommendations specific to the countries you will visit. Please be advised that vaccination requirements may be imposed at any time by the governments of the countries on our itinerary. The CDC provides health information and recommendations for foreign travel, which is available 24 hours a day with the use of a touch tone phone by calling 1-877-FYI-TRIP.

Malaria Prophylaxis - The Spring 2012 voyage will be entering areas where malaria is likely to be present which could present health risks for you. Be sure to talk with your physician regarding malaria prophylaxis and make sure you bring adequate medication with you. Please review the below documents with your physician.

Malaria – General Information
Malaria Guidance - Additional and up-to-date information is available on the CDC website. Malaria prophylaxes are not available onboard except in an emergency.

Disclaimer: The Institute for Shipboard Education/Semester at Sea cannot advise regarding the prescription of inoculations and cannot be held responsible for unannounced health requirement changes. Please be sure to discuss any disease prevention with your physician.

Discounted Accommodations

Spring 2012 Departure

Discounted rooms are available January 13-21, 2012 at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort in Nassau, Bahamas. To make reservations please click here or call 242-327-6000. When calling please ask for the Semester at Sea room block. Group rate available until December 14, 2011.

Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort
P.O. Box No - 4914
West Bay Street
Nassau Bahamas
Tel: 1-242-327-6000
Fax: 1-242-327-5968

Port Information and Ship Location

NASSAU, BAHAMAS (Student Check-in):

Name of Port: Nassau Port
Address of Port: West Bay Street
Berth: Prince George Dock

ROSEAU, DOMINICA

Name of Port: TBA
Address of Port: TBA
Berth: TBA

MANAUS, BRAZIL

Name of Port: Port of Manaus - Amazonas Waterway Station
Address of Port: Taqueirinha No. 25 - Central, 69005-420 - Manaus - AM
Berth: TBA

TEMA, GHANA

Name of Port: TBA
Address of Port: TBA
Berth: TBA

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Name of Port: Port of Cape Town
Address of Port: V&A Water Front
Berth: # 2 Jetty

PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

Name of Port: Port Louis Port
Address of Port: Terminal No 1, Port Louis Harbour
Berth: Quay A or D

COCHIN, INDIA

Name of Port: Cochin Port
Address of Port: Willingdon Island, Kochi - 682 009
Berth: Berth Quay 5/6 or Berth BTP

SINGAPORE

Name of Port: TBA
Address of Port: TBA
Berth: TBA

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIET NAM

Name of Port: Nha Rong Port
Address of Port: Map
Berth: M.2 Nharong port ( city berth )

HONG KONG, CHINA

Name of Port: Harbour City
Address of Port: Canton Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Berth: Ocean terminal, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

SHANGHAI, CHINA

Name of Port: Shanghai Port Int'l Cruise terminal
Address of Port: No.500 Dong Da Ming Road (Tai Ping Rd),Shanghai
Berth: Shanghai Port Int'l cruise terminal

KOBE, JAPAN

Name of Port: Kobe
Address of Port: Shinko-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-City, Hyogo-Pref., Japan
Berth: Shinko Pier No. 4, Q-1 (Kobe Port Terminal)

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

Name of Port: Yokohama
Address of Port: 1-1, Kaigandori, Naka-ku, Yokohama Ciry 231-0002
Berth: Oosanbashi Passenger Pier "B"

HILO, HAWAII USA

Name of Port: Hilo Harbor
Address of Port: 80 Kuhio Street, Hilo, HI 96720
Berth: Pier 1

SAN DIEGO, CA USA

Name of Port: Unified Port of San Diego
Address of Port: 1140 North Harbor Drive
Berth: Broadway Pier or B-Street Pier