some questions about celebrity cruises

[JRockey76]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me it someone would be able to board the cruise part way through? My husband and I want to take one of the 10 night cruises to renew our wedding vows, and really want our friends to go with us, but they are only able to do a 7 night cruise, and she had mentioned something that she heard some cruise lines let people board half way through at one of the port stops? Is this true?

[Gonzo70]

For many itineraries it is possible but not all. U.S. and some European countries have cabotage laws (for the U.S. it is the PVSA that applies) that prohibit foreign flagged ships from transporting people from locations within the country unless certain conditions are meant. Partial cruises sometimes violate these conditions. Is there a particular itinerary you are looking at? Depending on your itinerary it may or not be feasible.

 

If it is feasible, then you would need to obtain the advance approval of the cruise line. The people only doing a partial cruise would still have to pay full price (i.e. pay as though they were taking the full cruise). There is also some risk involved; it is not all that infrequent for a cruise to miss a port of call (i.e. water too choppy to dock or tender in, last minute change in itinerary due to storm, mechanical problems, medical emergency causing the ship to change course, civil unrest in the port etc.). As such, it is possible the ship would not arrive at the port where some of your party were planning to join the cruise.

[riandei]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me it someone would be able to board the cruise part way through? My husband and I want to take one of the 10 night cruises to renew our wedding vows, and really want our friends to go with us, but they are only able to do a 7 night cruise, and she had mentioned something that she heard some cruise lines let people board half way through at one of the port stops? Is this true?

 

Have you considered doing 2 7day cruises...ie. Back2back...and having your friends inboard for 1 week

[Fblack]

I have a friend who last June took a Tauck land tour of Europe and then joined the Equinox in Athens. The Equinox had departed for a new cruise from Rome 2 days earlier. So it's possible. Better have a good TA work on it.

[kitty9]

I have a friend who last June took a Tauck land tour of Europe and then joined the Equinox in Athens. The Equinox had departed for a new cruise from Rome 2 days earlier. So it's possible. Better have a good TA work on it.

 

Laws are different for European cruises. If the OP's cruise is out of the US, it's unlikely they will be able to join a cruise part way through because of the Passenger Vessel Services Act. That law pretty much restricts what the OP's friends want to do.

 

OP, your friends will need to call the cruise line to see if this is possible and not a violation of the PVSA----a fine is levied if this law is violated. They will have to pay for the entire cruise, and they don't prorate cruises on the number of days you cruise.

[cruisestitch]

You haven't told us where the proposed cruise begins and ends, and what the itinerary is. A few years ago I was on a cruise which began in Puerto Rico and many people who lived on the island which was our first stop joined the cruise the morning we arrived there. They saved having to fly to Puerto Rico and cruise right back to their home island, and only had to fly home from P.R. when the cruise was over. There was no violation of the PVSA in this case. But not knowing your proposed itinerary, it's hard to say what might happen in your particular case. In any case, as others pointed out, there is no proration of the fare, so your friends will be paying for a ten day cruise and only getting a seven day cruise. Something to consider....