Travel Documents

Travel Documents and Visas

You will need valid, up-to-date identification cards or passports and multiple entry Schengen visas, depending on your nationality and on your cruise itinerary. We urge you to make sure you have everything ready well before your departure date. Should you find that any of your documentation is expired, you will need to contact the relevant authorities in your country and make sure you obtain valid documents. As per local authorities all guests must have valid traveling documents in order to embark on the cruise. Alternatively, there will be no refund of the cruise fare. It is guest’s responsibility to ensure that they fully comply with Schengen regulations.

Greece is a Member-State of the European Union and has ratified the Schengen Agreement which abolished controls on common internal lands, at air and sea borders and allows Member-State citizens to travel without a visa for a short-stay period of up to three (3) months. ONLY selected E.U. citizens (please contact your local embassy/consulate for details) can participate in one of our cruises calling at a Turkish port with a valid I.D. card.

*** For all other nationalities a passport should be presented. Your passport will also be required for a number of transactions, such as currency exchange, etc.

Citizens of some of the countries that are not Member-States of the Schengen Agreement require a visa to enter Greece; visitors from these countries should obtain further information from the Hellenic Embassies or Consulates in their countries.

A number of nationalities may need Turkish visa in case of final embarkation/disembarkation in a Turkish port. Please consult with your local Turkish Embassies/Consulates for your visa requirements. All passengers who are in transit in a Turkish port do not require a Turkish visa.

Specifically for the 3 Continents cruise, please check with your local Embassies/Consulates of Israel, Egypt and Cyprus concerning the visa requirements or contact your travel agency. In case you need further assistance, please contact us at info@celestyalcruises.gr

European Identity Card and Passport

If you are a Greek citizen, you will need the most recent identity card (with Latin characters) or a valid passport for the trip. If you are an E.U. citizen, please make sure you are carrying a valid European Union identity card*** or a passport. If you are traveling with your passport, please make sure there are at least two blank pages in your passport and that it expires at least six months after the date of the cruise. Any kind of military ID card is not a valid traveling document.

*** The Turkish authorities accept only identity cards from the following countries: Germany, Belgium, France, Georgia, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Portugal, Ukraine, Greece, Poland and Bulgaria.

European citizens whose countries are not mentioned above must travel with a valid passport.

Exceptionally for the 3 Continents cruise, all passengers must hold a valid passport with validity of at least 6 months after the end of the cruise. No ID cards are accepted for this itinerary due to Israeli Immigration regulations.

Multiple Entry Visa

Passport holders who require a special visa to enter a country which is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, such as Greece, must have a multiple entry Schengen visa. Foreign residents of Greece from non-Schengen countries, need a residence permit and must consult with the issuing authority of their permit to make sure they can visit a third country, such as Turkey.

ETIAS – European Travel Information and Authorization System

Starting in 2021, the European Commission will roll out an electronic travel authorization system called ETIAS for visitors from countries that are not in the EU and who do not need a visa for entry into the Schengen Area. This means that all non-EU nationals who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen Area must apply for travel authorization through the ETIAS system prior to their trip. With ETIAS authorization, visitors will be able to enter countries in the Schengen Area for business or travel purposes and be allowed to engage in business and tourist activities for up to 90 days.

ETIAS is an electronic system that has been created to enhance security level, reduce delays at the borders and strengthen external and internal border control within Europe. As ETIAS digitally screens and tracks visitors, the system can identify any risks associated with visa-exempt visitors entering and leaving the 26 European states in the Schengen Area.

ETIAS authorization is not a visa. Rather, it is a permit or visa waiver. It is similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) in the United States and will consist of an online application system that checks each applicant’s identity and passport information against various EU databases. Once approved, an ETIAS authorization is valid for 3 years or until the end of validity of the travel document registered during application. However, a successful ETIAS application does not guarantee entry to the destination country as all visitors are still subject to border checks.

Below is the list of the countries/nationalities who need to apply for ETIAS authorization prior to traveling to the Schengen Area. It is important to note that more countries may be added to the list before the launch of the system in 2021.

Travel Documents Pertaining to Your Cruise

Apart from your travel documents, you must also carry with you all official documents pertaining to the cruise you have purchased as well as your e-ticket or voucher from your travel agency.

We also advise you to read the “Conditions of Carriage” and that you carry a printed copy of this document with you during your cruise.

Unescorted Minors (Greek Citizens)

If your children are due to travel without you but with a relative-escort, such as an aunt, uncle or grandparent, you must complete and validate a signed declaration under Law 105 that states you have agreed to this trip. If an underage child is traveling with an identity card — but without a passport — and is being escorted by only one of their parents, the other non-traveling parent must complete and validate a signed declaration under Law 105 that states that he or she has agreed to the trip.

Note: For safety reasons and for expediting our embarkation and disembarkation procedures at each port, your identity card or passport is handed in during check-in at the embarkation counter. Traveling documents will be kept on board by the Chief Purser as they may need to be presented for clearance to the local authorities in the various ports of call and specifically to the Turkish authorities, if requested. At all ports of call you are only required to present your personal boarding card if and when it is requested. For further information regarding your travel documents, or for assistance with any other Celestyal Cruises procedural matters, please contact our Guest Service Department at paxserv@celestyalcruises.gr or call us on (+30) 216-400 9821.