Fall 2009 Visas, Inoculation, Travel Documents and Ship Locations

Important Health Update regarding Swine Flu

The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) is closely monitoring developments related to the outbreak of swine influenza (H1N1 Virus) in Mexico, the United States, and other parts of the world. At this time, no special requirements are expected for this voyage.

As part of our Health and Safety Awareness program, students, faculty, and staff receive detailed information from medical staff and senior administrators about best practices for safe and healthy in-country travel. In addition, during situations of heightened alert, MV Explorer personnel will escalate efforts to ensure that all members of the shipboard community follow more stringent preventive measures.

For additional information, please consult you physician, CDC and the WHO.

• Voyager's Handbook
• Passport, Visas & Inoculations
• Port Locations
• Flight & Hotel Accomodations

  Discount Travel for Getting to the Ship
  Semester at Sea has retained the services of BCD Travel Agency (1-800-245-1099) to assist with travel arrangements. When calling, please identify your affiliation with Semester at Sea.

• Packing Tips

Passport

Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six (6) months beyond the completion of your travel and must have at least eight (8) blank unused pages available not including those reserved for amendments and endorsements at the back of your passport. Please contact Pinnacle Travel Document Systems directly for assistance with renewal of or to add pages to your U.S. passport, as this can easily be done at the same time you apply for your visas. Pinnacle can also simultaneously assist with expediting first time passport applications. If you have not already applied for your US passport we strongly urge you to contact Pinnacle for assistance as this will just take a few days to process in addition to your visas versus delays typically experienced at the US Passport Agency.

If you wish to apply for a passport on your own please find instructions here.

For lost or stolen passports please click here.

Visas

Currently, U.S. and Canadian passport holders need entry visas for the following countries:

• Ghana
• China
• India

You may obtain required visas on your own, however, ISE has retained the services of our corporate affiliate, Pinnacle Travel Document Systems, to assist with this process. This service is only available to U.S. passport holders.

Pinnacle Travel Document Systems
925 Fifteenth Street NW
3rd Floor
Washington DC 20005
Tel: 1-888-466-0620
Email: [This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots; you need JavaScript enabled to view it]

For more information about these services and to download the visa application form, please visit:

http://www.traveldocs.com/pinnacle/semester/

All Non-US citizens should determine visa requirements directly with the embassies of the countries on the Itinerary. For general questions and assistance, you may contact our corporate affiliate, Pinnacle Travel Document Systems, at the above address.

Inoculations

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers (from all countries) to Ghana.

We recommend that you contact the CDC at www.cdc.gov/travel to learn about the current requirements or recommendations for immunizations in the countries you will visit. Be advised that inoculation requirements may be imposed at any time by the governments of countries on our itinerary. The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) cannot advise regarding the prescription of inoculations or be held responsible for unannounced health requirement changes. Please be sure to discuss any disease prevention with your physician.

Foreign Travel Health Information. The CDC has health information and recommendations for foreign travel that is available 24 hours a day with the use of a touch tone phone by calling 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747). Callers may select any one or all of the informational messages by following the instructions which are given. The information will be updated as needed. 

Port Locations

NORFOLK, USA (Faculty/Staff Check-in):

Name of Port: Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center
Address of Port: 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510
To airport: 18 minutes - 9.6 miles
Berth: TBA 

HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA (Student Check-in):

Name of Port: Port of Halifax - Seaport Terminal
Address of Port: Marginal Road
Berth: Pavilion 22

CASABLANCA, MOROCCO

Name of Port: Port of Casablanca
Address of Port: Downtown near the train station
Berth: TBA

CHENNAI, INDIA

Name of Port: Chennai Port Trust
Address of Port: Rajaji Salai, Chennai 600 001.
Berth: West Quay

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIET NAM

Name of Port: Nha Rong Port
Address of Port: Map
Berth: TBA

HONG KONG, CHINA

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

SHANGAI, CHINA

Name of Port: Shanghai Port Int'l Cruise terminal
Address of Port: No.800 Dong Da Ming Road,Shanghai
Berth: Shanghai Port Int'l cruise terminal

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

Name of Port: Yokohama
Address of Port: 1-1 Kaigandori, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Japan
Berth: Ohsanbashi terminal
http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/port/cruise/en/

OSAKA, JAPAN

Name of Port: Osaka
Address of Port: 1-chome Kaigan-dori Minato-ku Osaka city  552-0022 Japan
Berth: Tempozan Passenger Wharf No.3

HONOLULU, HAWAII

Name of Port: Honolulu Harbor
Address of Port: Aloha Tower
Berth: Aloha Tower, Pier 10/11