TP1 Day 23: Bitung, Indonesia

The original itinerary had us arriving in Bitung on Day 24. But because we skipped the Philippines, we arrived in Indonesia around 4 pm on Day 23. More on that early arrival later.

Marlene and I again started the day in the casino. The slots were unforgiving this time. I lost $50 (down $200 for the cruise). Then we had breakfast, played some cards and had lunch before arriving in Bitung.

We originally planned to stay on the ship in Bitung, partly because it didn’t look very interesting and partly because Indonesia charges $35 for a visa. But we were informed that EVERYONE would be charged for the visa (which annoyed both of us greatly but our annoyance didn’t change anything). We didn’t file the visa application, but the Carnival staff filed it for us. So, having already paid for a visa we decided that we should at least go ashore.

But we were never given an actual visa and Carnival had already taken our passports (apparently to simplify the processing of the visa applications by Indonesian officials), so what, exactly, was going to happen when we went ashore? Carnival was not clear on this and we got about 4 different views from other passengers. Also, I could not find the simple piece of paper that i was given when my passport was taken. This slip of paper stated that I did not have a visa and would not be disembarking in Indonesia. So, filled with unanswered questions, I went down to the Guest Services desk. The conversation there went something like this:

Me, displaying Marlene’s slip of paper: What is the purpose of this paper? Is it needed to go ashore?

GSA (Guest Services Attendant): Just keep it with you. They might ask for it.

Me: Who is “they”? I can’t find mine.

CSA: Oh. Well, don’t worry about it.

Me: But what is it for? Do I need to get a replacement?

CSA: It is just a receipt for your passport.

Me (puzzled): But you took EVERYONE’s passport. Why would I need a receipt? I don’t think there is any question that you have it.

CSA (struggling for a response): Well, don’t worry about it.

Me: Ok. When do I get my visa? I was told that you would contact me about the visa.

CSA: You get the visa when you go ashore.

Me: Really? The visa that I need to go ashore will be given to me when I go ashore?

CSI (struggling again): Well, yes. Don’t worry about it.

This idiotic exchange did not comfort me, but I decided that I should take her advice and not worry about it.

We also had to fill out custom declaration forms (simple and easy) and were advised to take them with us when we went ashore. So, after dinner, we decided to venture forth and see if we could figure out how this mysterious process of obtaining a visa worked. We disembarked and walked to the cruise terminal. Customs officials met us there and took the declarations. But no visa was given to me and it was unclear if I would need a second customs declaration to exit the ship a second time (which we were planning on doing the next day). So I asked the customs official what would happen then. His answer: Just tell them that you already turned in your customs form.

Huh? Really? Just tell the customs people that we had already turned in my customs declaration? Obviously, we could have skipped the customs forms and just lied about turning them in. Crazy process. Completely idiotic.

And I never got an actual visa. There was no immigration check on shore.

We got some nice night photos of both the Luminosa and a smaller ferry. Then we reboarded the ship and went to the evening show, a very nice one by mentalist/magician Drew Thomas.

As with Azar, Drew baffled me. The highlight was asking a passenger to think of a musician or musical group. He asked the passenger if the name of the musician or group he was thinking of contained an M, an I and a C and the passenger said yes. He then said “Mick Jagger?” and the passenger shook his head. He seemed embarrassed that he had guessed wrong and asked the passenger what he was thinking of and he said “Metallica.” Upon which Drew took off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt and displayed the Metallica t-shirt that he was wearing. Baffling.

We ended the day with a toast using our mango plum liqueur. It was the anniversary of the day we met.