Disembarking One Day Earlier?

[kgm0612]

I booked a cruise (RC) this past June with several of my girlfriends for Aug 1-8th to the Southern Caribbean leaving from San Juan.

 

My nephew, who I am very close to, just got engaged and set a wedding date for.......Aug 8th! I spoke with my travel agent regarding our flight home (we have not booked yet) and she said it wouldn't be until after 12:30, getting us into Boston at 5:45pm. There is a flight shortly after 9am that morning, but I would not even consider that option. Obviously, neither flight will work out, so I have come up with "Plan B".

 

"Plan B" is to disembark the ship one day earlier on Saturday, August 7th in St. Croix, catch an American Airline flight from St. Croix to San Juan, and then onto Boston. I'd be home the night prior to my nephew's wedding and wouldn't have to miss it.

 

Has anyone ever had to disembark a day or two earlier for any reason? How difficult will it be? Is there much paperwork that needs to be done, etc? I understand I would have to provide my own transportation from the ship to the airport in St. Croix, and that is not a problem.

 

Any help/advice/tips you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

Karen

[Essiesmom]

Is St. Croix not one of the USVI? If so, you would be in violation of the PVSA, leaving the ship in a US port that is not the port of origin. Hefty fine involved if they allow you to do it. EM

[NRG]

If the wedding date is definite then I think you have no choice but to get out of that cruise. You should be able to get a full refund on your deposit. Maybe you can convince your friends to travel the week before and just redo the whole booking, otherwise tell them they will have to go without you. There are no flights booked yet and honestly that is the only way to be sure you will be in Boston for your nephew's wedding. I know it stinks but in the long run it is the right thing to do.

[Dirtbleed]

You can get off the ship anytime you please. This isn't the SS Amistad. Prior arrangements should be made once onboard. You have to clear customs in the port of disembarkation. Even if it's a US port. And get your immigration card stamped. Meaning you'd have to meet them that morning when they come on to clear the ship. Be prepared for 20 questions and a sniff of your luggage by the furry four legged creature. I've left the ship in St Thomas on the last day of a 7 day cruise from PR. The prior port was St Maarten so customs had to be cleared. Really shouldn't be to much of a hassle.

[BillB48]

You will have to get it cleared through the cruise line. There maybe issues with the PVSA (often referred to incorrectly as the Jones Act). The PVSA has exceptions for Puerto Rico and the USVI which confuse the matter even more. Even though the accomodations are superior to the Amistad, if you cause the ship to violate cabotage laws, they will pass the fine right on to you.

[Dirtbleed]

I'm not sure I buy your PVSA reasoning. What happens to a passenger who misses the ship? They leave without you. I know, because I missed the ship in St Maarten one time. RCCL at the time could have cared less. Reboarded the next day in STT. No fine, although Customs was called at the gangway for a cavity search. Cleared US Customs at the Airport. They were fine with that. They just wanted to make sure we entered the US properly. Same thing if an unruly or sick passenger gets disembarked. You clear customs in that port and go about your business.

[Cuizer2]

Is St. Croix not one of the USVI? If so, you would be in violation of the PVSA, leaving the ship in a US port that is not the port of origin. Hefty fine involved if they allow you to do it. EM

 

The PVSA does not apply to US territories. So there is no PVSA violation here.

[Cuizer2]

I'm not sure I buy your PVSA reasoning. What happens to a passenger who misses the ship? They leave without you. I know, because I missed the ship in St Maarten one time. RCCL at the time could have cared less. Reboarded the next day in STT. No fine, although Customs was called at the gangway for a cavity search. Cleared US Customs at the Airport. They were fine with that. They just wanted to make sure we entered the US properly. Same thing if an unruly or sick passenger gets disembarked. You clear customs in that port and go about your business.

 

The PVSA requires a visit to a distant foreign port before a foreign flagged ship can transport passengers between two US cities. So if you board the ship in any one of the 50 states and leave it while in a foreign country, the PVSA would not apply.

 

And since both San Juan and St. Croix are US territories, the PVSA restrictions don't apply. So the OP's plan will work. However, you have to clear this with the cruise line first.

[jcl410]

Here is the link to the regulation the Customs and Border Protection uses to implement the Act.. It's interesting that the USVI is considered a "near foreign port", but PR is not. <shrug>

 

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2009/aprqtr/pdf/19cfr4.80a.pdf

 

Aloha,

 

John

[Alexis]

I remember reading on here where people had to leave the ship and fly home from Key West and were fined about $600 hundred dollars.

How could that be? :confused:

I am not familiar enough with this law to know?

[alcpa1]

The easiest way to get your inquiry answered is to contact the cruise line to make arrangements. We have done this and while we had issues aboard the ship we had everything IN WRITING from the home office. We had everything in order before we booked our air.

Be aware that on your day of disembarkation your sea pass may or may not be confiscated but you will not be permitted to reboard the ship. You must leave with your luggage and, in our case, we were given a time to disembark. Our wonderful cabin steward assisted my DH with the luggage. When they left the ship I was paged and told I had to disembark immediately. I had planned on waiting on board with friends until he returned from the hotel so I had to hang out on the pier and wait for his return.

Get your instructions in writing from the cruise line and contact the Purser's office on the first day with a duplicate for them if they need it.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Another factor to think about is that there's always the chance that a ship might not make all its ports during a cruise. I'm not sure about hurricanes in that area, but August is during hurricane season.

 

On my Hawaiian cruise, a couple were going to get married in Kona, our final Hawaiian stop. Unfortunately, high waves prevented our tendering in Kona, so this couple's friends and families who were there waiting ended up watching our ship turn around that morning and head back to the west coast.

[BillB48]

I'm not sure I buy your PVSA reasoning. What happens to a passenger who misses the ship? They leave without you. I know, because I missed the ship in St Maarten one time. RCCL at the time could have cared less. Reboarded the next day in STT. No fine, although Customs was called at the gangway for a cavity search. Cleared US Customs at the Airport. They were fine with that. They just wanted to make sure we entered the US properly. Same thing if an unruly or sick passenger gets disembarked. You clear customs in that port and go about your business.

 

The only thing I was alluding to here and others have shown that it can be a real sticky wicket, is it must be cleared through the cruise line first. In your case of missing the ship in St. Maarten, there was no violation of the PVSA. In case of an unruly pax, the cruise line may choose to eat the fine, however even though you are off the ship, they still have your credit card. When someone needs to leave the cruise for medical or family emergencies, exceptions can be made. They usually must be requested and are not automatic. The area in which this is more of a problem is when someone boards in Miami or FLL with a stop in Key West and decides not to complete the trip. The ship will sail without you, but more than likely the fine will ultimately be passed on to you.

 

PS I'm not a lawyer but I did stay in a Holiday Inn once when the Marriott was booked;)! That sums up my qualifications:).

[Bonnie J.]

You have plenty of time to change your cruise date to the week before the wedding or the week after. I would think if your cruisemates are friends, they'd do this. Also plenty of time to ask for time off, etc.

[BillB48]

I remember reading on here where people had to leave the ship and fly home from Key West and were fined about $600 hundred dollars.

How could that be? :confused:

I am not familiar enough with this law to know?

 

 

At the link below you can read about more than you ever thought you would need to know;):eek:! Boils it down into plain English. The info as far as I know is fairly accurate with the exception of the fine. It's higher now. You need a real sealawyer to wade through this!!

 

 

http://www.sealetter.com/Oct-99/alancol.html

[Bonnie J.]

Its very possible they were thrown OFF the ship. This does happen for various reasons. One man was thrown off recently because he passed out something critizing the art auction at the auction. (His wife and kids stayed on.) Another reason is use of drugs.

[Cuizer2]

I remember reading on here where people had to leave the ship and fly home from Key West and were fined about $600 hundred dollars.

How could that be? :confused:

I am not familiar enough with this law to know?

 

If the ship left from a US port (for example Miami) and the passengers disembarked in Key West, which is another US port, then that ship transported passengers from Miami to Key West. If that ship was a foreign ship, then this was a violation of the PVSA.

[Alexis]

=BillB48;21735976]At the link below you can read about more than you ever thought you would need to know;):eek:! Boils it down into plain English. The info as far as I know is fairly accurate with the exception of the fine. It's higher now. You need a real sealawyer to wade through this!!

 

http://www.sealetter.com/Oct-99/alancol.html

 

=Cuizer2;21737088]If the ship left from a US port (for example Miami) and the passengers disembarked in Key West, which is another US port, then that ship transported passengers from Miami to Key West. If that ship was a foreign ship, then this was a violation of the PVSA.

 

I believe the couple I posted about had to leave the ship because of a death in their family.

[Cuizer2]

I believe the couple I posted about had to leave the ship because of a death in their family.

Even in an emergency the CBP will still impose the fine.

[Alexis]

Even in an emergency the CBP will still impose the fine.

 

Oh, they did impose it. That is why the post stuck in my head. I am not quite sure if it was written by them, or a friend of theirs, but I remembered it because of the high fine. :eek:

[kgm0612]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.

 

There are 10 of us traveling along with a large group. Half of the girls are school teachers and this was the only week everyone's schedule would agree upon. Could I back out and get someone else to take my place.....I'm sure I could if it comes down to that. My newphew and his fiance' have already booked their reception venue and given a hefty deposit.

 

I realize it's hurricane season and the ship could possibly miss the island of St. Croix, but I have decided to take my chances.

 

Here's is the response from my travel agent in regards to leaving a day earlier from St. Croix:

 

Hi Karen,

 

Regrets it took so long to get back to you but I wanted to verify with Royal Caribbean that the rules have not changed in respect to early voluntary disembarkation.

 

They just confirmed in writing that there are no restrictions in place at this time therefore permission is granted. There is a form to fill out and I will happy to do that for you. Just let me know if this is a definite and I will advise them that you will be leaving the ship on August 7th. I can do this prior to you booking your flights but be sure to let me know when you do them so that I can arrange transfers from the airport in San Juan to the pier. You will have to take a cab from the pier in St. Croix to the airport.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I will wait to hear from you.

 

Karen

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.

 

There are 10 of us traveling along with a large group. Half of the girls are school teachers and this was the only week everyone's schedule would agree upon. Could I back out and get someone else to take my place.....I'm sure I could if it comes down to that. My newphew and his fiance' have already booked their reception venue and given a hefty deposit.

 

I realize it's hurricane season and the ship could possibly miss the island of St. Croix, but I have decided to take my chances.

 

Here's is the response from my travel agent in regards to leaving a day earlier from St. Croix:

 

 

 

Karen

 

So what happens if your ship can't dock in St. Croix?

[DanJ]

So what happens if your ship can't dock in St. Croix?

 

If the ship can't make it, she gets off in San Juan with everyone else on the 8th and misses the wedding.

 

She said she's aware that could happen and is willing to take her chances.