Leaving ship mid cruise

[Transit]

Can you leave a scheduled cruise and stay at a port? Example- If a 5 day Caribbean cruise has 4 stops can you leave the cruise at the 3rd stop and remain at that location.

[Passepartout]

Just a WAG here, but if you aren't aboard when the ship leaves, I guess you can, but without a passport (which all cruises I've been on keep on file) it might be difficult to continue your plans. Many cruises sell individual legs of a cruise, maybe you can just buy the portion you want? Doesn't hurt to ask. I know people have left in mid-cruise for medical reasons or if they have to fly home for one reason or another.

Why not post the question on www.cruisecritic.com ? I betcha someone there knows. The answer could differ one cruise line to another.

Jim Ricks

[lily28]

one yr ago I was trying to go on hawaiian cruise starting at honolulu and ending at mexico. My husband did not have 2 wk of vacation left at that time. I asked the cruise agent whether he could fly home from honolulu and my daughter and I could finish the cruise at mexico. I was told that was not permitted. leaving the ship early has to be approved by the captain unless it was a medical emergency. You should probably check with the cruise line

[pointsjunkie]

we have purchased a one way cruise to nassau and then the other way a week later so we can stay at the atlantis for our week. at the time my DS did not fly.

[Transit]

Originally Posted by pointsjunkie

we have purchased a one way cruise to nassau and then the other way a week later so we can stay at the atlantis for our week. at the time my DS did not fly.

Somthing like that may work for me .What cruise line did you use?

[Talent312]

Originally Posted by Passepartout

... without a passport (which all cruises I've been on keep on file) it might be difficult to continue your plans...

Edited for Clarity:
From what I've read, it seems to depend on the cruiseline's policy and if a port of call requires originals to clear the ship. In the Caribbean cruises that Iv've taken, they make a record of it, but that's what cabin safes are for. Take your passport with you when in port.

The cruiseship is not a jail. You do not have to re-board if you do not want to, but you need to notify the crew (preferably in advance) so you are not declared "missing" and for assistance in off-loading luggage. Also, you may need to go thru a more formal immigration procedure for a multi-day tourist stay.

[Transit]

I just got off the phone with some cruise lines. NCL says paperwork may or not be approved in advance and Celebrity says no it's against the rules to do it. It is not easy to get a straight answer from any of the cruise line reps I guess when you actually book they would have to run it through a supervisor.The reps were unclear as to the exact procedure.

Originally Posted by Passepartout

Why not post the question on www.cruisecritic.com ? I betcha someone there knows. The answer could differ one cruise line to another.

Jim Ricks

I found this thread on cruise critic.It left me scratching my head

Originally Posted by Talent312

[b] Also, you may need to go thru a more formal immigration procedure for a multi-day tourist stay.

This is what I was was told by Carnival.

[vanclan]

"None of the cruises I've been on in the Caribbean keep your passport.[/b]
They will make a record of it, but that's what cabin safes are for. Take your passport with you when in port."

Sorry to disagree, but that is not my experience. As a Canadian, cruising on Celebrity in the Caribbean, I had to turn in my passport when I boarded the ship and it was returned to me the last evening. We kept photocopies with us when we went in port. I'm not sure if the US Citizens had to surrender their passports or not.

[Talent312]

Originally Posted by vanclan

Sorry to disagree, but that is not my experience. As a Canadian, cruising on Celebrity in the Caribbean, I had to turn in my passport when I boarded the ship and it was returned to me the last evening. We kept photocopies with us when we went in port. I'm not sure if the US Citizens had to surrender their passports or not.

From what I've read, it seems to depend on the cruiseline's policy and if a port of call requires originals to clear the ship. Its apparently common in the Mediterranean, but in 10 years of cruising the Caribbean on Carnival, NCL and R/C, I simply haven't seen it.

In any event, I'm sure that if you stated an intent to leave the ship, they'd return it to you. They'd certainly do so if you had claimed some sort of personal emergency. You're not a captive.

[pedro47]

We have sailed Celebrity Cruise Lines to the Caribbean also, I guess that Celebrity do not retain United States Citizen passport. We just sail the new Celebrity Solstice cruise ship and it was outstanding.

The only times that Celebrity have retained our passports during a cruise were on our Transatlantic and Europre cruises.

I would called the cruise line direct and ask your question.

[mishugana]

Originally Posted by Passepartout

Just a WAG here, but if you aren't aboard when the ship leaves, I guess you can, but without a passport (which all cruises I've been on keep on file) it might be difficult to continue your plans. Many cruises sell individual legs of a cruise, maybe you can just buy the portion you want? Doesn't hurt to ask. I know people have left in mid-cruise for medical reasons or if they have to fly home for one reason or another.

Why not post the question on www.cruisecritic.com ? I betcha someone there knows. The answer could differ one cruise line to another.

Jim Ricks

I've taken 74 cruises from australia to norway and the only time i ever had my passport taken was when i traveled as a guest of the bridge lecturer he told me that is the usual procedure for him which is true because itook the same cruise 2 years before as a regular guest

[Fern Modena]

You cannot be forced to remain on the ship for an entire cruise, but if you don't, there are times there will be financial consequences. If you disembark in violation of the Jones Act, the ship will be fined, and they will pass that on to you.

I'd definitely make my plans known to whoever I book with, before I book, to make sure that it is acceptable. I know when I was on a Costa European Cruise some people disembarked and others embarked at every stop.

Fern

[Talent312]

These days, the distribution of electronic images of documents such as passports and manifests is so easily accomplished via secure websites or encrypted transmissions, that the need for anyone to hold a document in their hands is quickly becoming obsolete. As more immmigration+customs agencies become adept at using such technology, I suspect that the request to hand over a passport will fade.

[gorevs9]

Originally Posted by Talent312

These days, the distribution of electronic images of documents such as passports and manifests is so easily accomplished via secure websites or encrypted transmissions, that the need for anyone to hold a document in their hands is quickly becoming obsolete. As more immmigration+customs agencies become adept at using such technology, I suspect that the request to hand over a passport will fade.

Since I've never taken a cruise, I'm pleading ignorance here.

Why would a cruise ship keep a passport?

[nazclk]

I have been on about 10 cruises and they never took my passport, they looked at it when I boarded and that was it.

[Skinsfan1311]

Start a fight in the casino and make a lot of noise in stateroom late at night.

They will kick you off the ship at the next port.

[Talent312]

Originally Posted by gorevs9

Since I've never taken a cruise, I'm pleading ignorance here. Why would a cruise ship keep a passport?

There are still some ports of call where immigration officers will board the ship with the harbor pilot to examine passports B4 allowing anyone off the ship. I'm told that its more common in the Mediterraean than elsewhere, but its becomming increasingly rare. IME, Caribbean ports rely (mostly) on the ship's electronic record or photocopies.

[Transit]

Originally Posted by Skinsfan1311

Start a fight in the casino and make a lot of noise in stateroom late at night.

They will kick you off the ship at the next port.

Your not talking from expirence now are you? ...I'm going to book my room first, either St Martin , St kitts or Nassau then I'll see what cruise line up.. if available.

[fnewman]

It is my inderstanding that at least some cruise lines will allow you to exit early (and orderly) if you ask for, and receive, specific permission from the cruise line prior to sailing. After all, why would they care? They have your money and don't have to feed you for the rest of the cruise !!

[Jennie]

If you disembark from a cruise ship in a foreign country, especially in the Caribbean, and later try to board a plane home, you may encounter big trouble at the airport when you are unable to produce the visitor's visa that would have been issued to you to enter that country, had you arrived by plane or ferry.

We have cousins in the Bahamas who work at the airport and this is a problem they encounter from time to time. In some jurisdictions you can be arrested for entering the country illegally. At best you will miss your plane and have to pay a large fine. That even happened a few times when cruise passengers accidently missed getting back to the ship on time, and it sailed off without them.

To be absolutely sure, you should call the Anerican Embassy of the country you would like to stay behind in and see what the legal ramifications would be. Just like in America, government's want to control who comes into their country. They have terrorism concerns too.

[Skinsfan1311]

Originally Posted by Transit

Your not talking from expirence now are you? ...I'm going to book my room first, either St Martin , St kitts or Nassau then I'll see what cruise line up.. if available.

LOL!

Not yet

We were watching a special, on the Travel Channel last week, about one of Royal Caribbeans new ships. I forget the name of the ship, but it was one of those monster ships that carry over 6000 passengers

Anyway, in the show, the hotel manager was signing off some forms to boot some passengers off at the next port. I didn't catch all of the transgressions, but I believe that the passenger was very unruly, got into a fight, etc.

Good luck and please let us know what you find out.