The information given here regarding the valid vaccination, entry and visa requirements are correct at the time of printing (subject to change). These notes and regulations apply only to citizens of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Citizens of other countries are kindly requested to check with their travel agent or consulate or embassy upon booking. to inquire about the regulations that apply to them These notes refer to the cruise including the arrival and departure specified in our catalog as well as the pre- and post-cruise programs on our website. As some of the required visas have a limited length or visa requirements may change, before applying, we would ask you to wait for the travel information that you receive about three months before the start of your cruise.
General information about the vaccination regulations
• Travelers should find out about infection and vaccination as well as other prophylactic measures in good time; if necessary, medical advice should be obtained on thrombosis and other health risks as well as vaccination intolerance. Reference is made to general information, in particular from the health authorities, doctors experienced in travel medicine, tropical medicine specialists, travel medicine information services or the Federal Center for Health Education.
• In principle, vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria and polio should be checked and, if necessary, refreshed. For more vaccination recommendations (e.g. hepatitis A, malaria, TBE tick vaccination) please contact your doctor well in advance of your cruise.
• Vaccination against yellow fever must be taken at least ten days before entering the country that requires yellow fever vaccination and must be entered in the vaccination card. Otherwise, entry will be denied.
Even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently stated that a single dose of vaccine is sufficient to protect against yellow fever for life, this is contrary to the regulations in the respective countries, which continue to require boosters every ten years. The national legislation is binding for these cases and legally takes precedence over the WHO recommendation.The German STIKO also currently recommends a one-time booster vaccination after ten years.
If you cannot prove that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever, embarkation on board is not possible. In special circumstances, a certificate of intolerance to vaccinations may be sufficient. However, the cruise line cannot guarantee that this will be accepted by the local authorities in individual cases. If you have been to a yellow fever endemic area prior to your cruise, you are strongly advised to carry proof of your yellow fever vaccination with you and present it on board if requested by the authorities.
• In the South Seas region there are increasing vaccination regulations, compliance with which is a prerequisite for entry. In particular, vaccination against measles is increasingly required. Before you leave, please check the applicable vaccination regulations and your vaccinations. Please note that there must be at least four weeks between the first and second measles vaccination. The second vaccination must be taken at least 15 days before entering the country that requires measles vaccination and entered in the vaccination card. Otherwise, entry will be denied. Exceptions to this are children under 6 months, pregnant women and people who can prove a contraindication to measles vaccination by means of a medical certificate.
General information on entry and visa regulations
• In general – unless otherwise stated – a valid passport or children's passport is required, which must be valid for at least six months more after the end of the cruise.
• In order to travel to and from some countries (particularly outside Western Europe), your passport must have two blank pages facing each country. Therefore, please check in good time whether your passport meets these requirements for your booked cruise.
• Many countries have special entry requirements for minors, especially if they are not traveling with their parents (but, for example, with their grandparents) or with only one parent. For example, written parental consent and/or an international birth certificate are required. These documents must be written and certified in at least English, but often also in the language of the respective travel destination.
• Entry and visa fees, if any, are not included in the travel price.
• Please inquire at your travel agency about the current entry requirements for the destination countries of your cruise. Your travel agency will be glad to help you obtain the necessary individual visas.
Note 1
(Group) visa upon arrival of the ship or upon entry, may be subject to a fee.
Note 2
You need an entry permit, which must be applied for before the cruise and is issued in the form of an electronic visa (ETA),possibly subject to a fee. You can find more information on this on the Internet and at your travel agency.
Note 3
Cruises to Antarctica leads to an area far away from civilization and therefore without a medical supply network. For this reason, they are subject to an internal approval process in which all guests must have their doctor fill out a medical questionnaire and send it back to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. You will receive this questionnaire together with the travel information, which will be sent to you approximately three months before the start of your cruise. If necessary, you should consult a doctor before booking your cruise.
Note 4
The identity card is sufficient for entry.
Note 5
All U.S. travelers who do not require a visa under the Visa Waiver Program must register online with the US Department of Homeland Security and apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization at least 72 hours prior to the cruise. A fee will be charged for processing the application. In addition to the electronic travel authorization, you need a passport with biometric data in the form of a chip in order to enter the USA without a visa. Non-electronic passports, such as short-term passport replacements, do not entitle you to enter the United States visa-free; in this case you need a US visa. Children (from birth) are also affected by the regulation. Children need their own European passport. Entry with a child's passport/ID or an entry in the parents' passport is not possible. Upon entry, a photograph and fingerprints of each guest are registered. Persons who have stayed in Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen or Somalia after March 1st, 2011 are usually excluded from the simplified visa-free entry and require a regular visa to enter the USA.
Even travelers who have visited Cuba in the past can no longer enter the USA with an ESTA, but must apply for a visa. Please contact the U.S. consular office responsible for you on this matter well in advance of your cruise.
Note 6
Individual visa required (possibly also e-visa possible), subject to a fee.
