Ship left now what?????

[snydermann]

[quote name='gtalum']The cruise lines can't just pick people up in any port. [/quote]

Really? If they leave without you at a port they can't pick you up at that same port when they dock the following week? They still have all your info, all your stuff from the room and the money you paid for the unused part of the cruise. I could see an additional small charge, or the possibility of a room availability problem, but to totally say "no"?

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='gtalum']Fair enough. And in the meantime, if you instead have your passport in your pocket (and travel insurance would help) you can just head to the next port, relax, and wait for the ship to arrive. I'll go with option 2, thanks very much. :D[/quote]

What travel insurance pays when YOU miss the ship?

Places like Tortola don't have much of an airport and usually have to clear animals off the runway. :D

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='gtalum']The cruise lines can't just pick people up in any port.

This is why you use travel insurance. ;)[/quote]

Cruise lines have picked up people left behind by other ships. It happens.

[gtalum]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']What travel insurance pays when YOU miss the ship?[/quote]

Many of them do. Every policy I buy does. I wouldn't be surprised if most or all of them do.

[quote]Places like Tortola don't have much of an airport and usually have to clear animals off the runway.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but Tortola is a short ferry ride from St. Thomas.

[gtalum]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Cruise lines have picked up people left behind by other ships. It happens.[/QUOTE]

I understand that. But it's not a simple matter. There's red-tape to clear and exemptions to be granted.

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='gtalum']Many of them do. Every policy I buy does. I wouldn't be surprised if most or all of them do.



Yeah, but Tortola is a short ferry ride from St. Thomas.[/quote]

Which one pays in advance and not as a reimbursement?

If you missed the ship you probably missed the last ferry.

[LemurCat]

[quote name='chickie_mite']Fake my death and stay on the island????



:D :D :D[/quote]

Hell yeah, Chickie. Perfect excuse to open up an ex-pat bar. :D

[gtalum]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Which one pays in advance and not as a reimbursement?[/quote]

AFAIK they all pay as a reimbursement. Hence the credit card. ;)

Passport or no, flying onward or home, you have to pay for your airfare in any case.

[quote]If you missed the ship you probably missed the last ferry.[/QUOTE]

That, of course, doesn't preclude catching the 6:30 AM ferry the next morning, arriving on St. Thomas around 7:15 AM.

Further, you could also pay someone to take you across in their own boat if you have cash available.

[5o'clocksomewhere]

[quote name='gtalum']

[B]That, of course, doesn't preclude catching the 6:30 AM ferry the next morning, arriving on St. Thomas around 7:15 AM.[/B]

Further, you could also pay someone to take you across in their own boat if you have cash available.[/quote]

There ya go.....then you can fly home from St. Thomas.....no passport needed:p

[gtalum]

[QUOTE=5o'clocksomewhere;25126451]There ya go.....then you can fly home from St. Thomas.....no passport needed:p[/QUOTE]

It's tough to get through immigration on the island without a passport, though. ;)

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='gtalum']AFAIK they all pay as a reimbursement. Hence the credit card. ;)

Passport or no, flying onward or home, you have to pay for your airfare in any case.



That, of course, doesn't preclude catching the 6:30 AM ferry the next morning, arriving on St. Thomas around 7:15 AM.

Further, you could also pay someone to take you across in their own boat if you have cash available.[/quote]

Well heck, you could probably just charter a plane with that credit card.

I'd prefer to let the port agent deal with it and coordinate a rendezvous with the ship. :)

In any event, ship excursions are nothing more than local excursions under contract to the cruise line. Most know each other and all have cell phones. The likelihood of any organized excursion missing the ship is very small.

If you go out on your own is when you are more likely to get in trouble, including sitting too long in Senior Frog's.

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='gtalum']It's tough to get through immigration on the island without a passport, though. ;)[/quote]

Locals do it all the time between USVI and BVI.

[gtalum]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Locals do it all the time between USVI and BVI.[/QUOTE]

I find it surprising that US ICE agents would violate immigration law as regular practice, but I'll take your word for it. I'd still rather fly on to meet the ship, rather than fly home (unless of course it's the final port call).

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='gtalum']I find it surprising that US ICE agents would violate immigration law as regular practice, but I'll take your word for it. I'd still rather fly on to meet the ship, rather than fly home (unless of course it's the final port call).[/quote]

Ask any bartender in St Thomas and/or Tortola.

Things seem to be pretty loose between USVI and BVI. The US dollar is even the legal currency in BVI - no foreign exchange fees. :)

[gtalum]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Ask any bartender in St Thomas and/or Tortola.

Things seem to be pretty loose between USVI and BVI. The US dollar is even the legal currency in BVI - no foreign exchange fees. :)[/QUOTE]

Like I said, I take your word for it.

I still want to be able to continue on and meet the ship if possible.

[Sargent_Schultz]

ICE could probably get you to the ship pretty darned fast...

[IMG]http://www.zydecocruiser.com/arabella2004/2004-04%20%28Apr%29/IMG_0227.JPG[/IMG]

[gtalum]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']ICE could probably get you to the ship pretty darned fast...

[IMG]http://www.zydecocruiser.com/arabella2004/2004-04%20%28Apr%29/IMG_0227.JPG[/IMG][/QUOTE]

True that. Those boats can MOVE!

[njmomof2]

And for those who think that as long as they are on a ship sponsored tour, the ship won't leave without them, we have heard of cases where this is not true. If the Captain is told that he must leave port, he has to go. In the end, it is not up to him. He will stay as long as possible, but if the port authority says go, he has to get out of port.

[billie5]

Sure, but then the cruise line will make (and pay for) all necessary arrangements for you to join up with the cruise again.

Bill

[billie5]

As far as taking your passport with you ashore (which I never do), this is really a mathematics question. Are more passports taken ashore stolen by pickpockets than cruisers who get stranded at a port requiring a passport to rejoin the cruise?

If your passport is stolen and the cruise line finds out, they may not permit you to reboard (or disembark you when they find out). It is a legal issue, not a policy issue: the cruise line has to guarantee, upon arrival at the next port, that all passengers are properly documented. There have been threads about this from some poor unfortunates (who of course blame the cruise line). Personally, I would keep quiet, and then upon return to Miami, for example, I would mutter, "Wonder what happened to my passport? Gosh, I can't recall seeing it since Cozumel!" On the other hand, an honest man would report the theft immediately.

Bill :)

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='billie5']As far as taking your passport with you ashore (which I never do), this is really a mathematics question. Are more passports taken ashore stolen by pickpockets than cruisers who get stranded at a port requiring a passport to rejoin the cruise?

If your passport is stolen and the cruise line finds out, they may not permit you to reboard (or disembark you when they find out). It is a legal issue, not a policy issue: the cruise line has to guarantee, upon arrival at the next port, that all passengers are properly documented. There have been threads about this from some poor unfortunates (who of course blame the cruise line). Personally, I would keep quiet, and then upon return to Miami, for example, I would mutter, "Wonder what happened to my passport? Gosh, I can't recall seeing it since Cozumel!" On the other hand, an honest man would report the theft immediately.

Bill :)[/quote]

One reason to also get a passport card.

[5o'clocksomewhere]

[quote name='gtalum']

I still want to be able to continue on and meet the ship if possible.[/quote]

Only in a perfect world.......passport or not.....

[terigo]

Frankly, you would have to be hours late before this would happen.
Your Sign & Sail is scanned when you leave, and scanned again when you return.
They have a very accurate count of who has not come back.
The ship will wait quite a while for stragglers (much to the annoyance of other cruisers who want to get going so the casino and shops will open!)

[earlethepearl]

Are you a good swimmer?? LOL :D

[gtalum]

[quote name='terigo']Frankly, you would have to be hours late before this would happen.
Your Sign & Sail is scanned when you leave, and scanned again when you return.
They have a very accurate count of who has not come back.
The ship will wait quite a while for stragglers (much to the annoyance of other cruisers who want to get going so the casino and shops will open!)[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't count on it. I've seen passengers miss the ship on multiple occasions, just minutes after scheduled departure.