Cruise Visa Question

[dddave]

I'm considering taking a cruise, perhaps Australia & New Zealand as I would like to see a bit of both. My bad knees make standard touring difficult so the cruise format might work better for me.

I don't mind traveling solo; I enjoy it actually, but it's becoming clear that cruise fares are built around double occupancy and single travelers end up paying close to the rate for two.  That being the case, I might just as well bring a companion along for the ride.   

I assume cruise passengers need tourist visas for Australia and NZ just like any other tourist.  As a US citizen, I know it's easy for me but for a Thai or perhaps a Filippina I expect not so easy.  Has anybody done this?

Any experiences getting or trying to get tourist visas to Aus./NZ for a Thai?   If anybody happens to know: is it necessary to book passage before applying for visas?

Thanks

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

Check with cruise line you can email. Leaving ship on cruise day tour could be different to terminating ship.

If all too difficult don't leave ship relax onboard.

Australian Visa would be hard to get for a casual thai friend I would think.

Happy sailing.

[TSF]

Why not take a cruise around SE Asia - Indonesia/Bali - PIs, all ASEAN countries that your TGF will not have any visa issues. Tourist visas for Oz are very difficult and take around a month to be issued, and cost a couple hundred bucks. You can't make any bookings ahead of time as you never know if the visa will be approved or not. Then if the cruise ship went to an Oz port then to NZ and back to another Oz port that'll require a multi-entry visa.

[macahoom]

18 hours ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

Check with cruise line you can email. Leaving ship on cruise day tour could be different to terminating ship.

If all too difficult don't leave ship relax onboard.

Australian Visa would be hard to get for a casual thai friend I would think.

Happy sailing.

 

All cruise passengers are required to have visas for all countries that the ship docks at. 
You cannot say, "I'm not going to get off the ship."
 
You will not be allowed onboard on day one without the visa(s).