Debarkation in Brazil...

[StarFlyr]

We're on the QM2 first segment of the Jan 13th World Cruise (NY to CPT). We're actually boarding in FLL as I don't see much benefit to a 39 hour January cruise from NY to FLL. For those thinking about doing the same, there is NO reduction in the cruise price other than the savings in not staying in NY.

 

My wife is departing the cruise in RIO as she has things go do back home and she's also leery about the ocean crossing to CPT. My question is about debarkation in Brazil. We stop in two places, first Salvador de Bahia and then Rio de Janeiro. I'm wondering if the first stop takes care of the paper work for landing in Brazil and then the next stop is similar to a foreign cruise ship stopping at say Portland OR and then proceeding directly to San Francisco without any stops outside the country.

 

The reason I'm asking is that it would be best for us if my wife can depart the ship in RIO for the final time (with her bag) in the evening and then go directly to the airport. IF she has to depart the ship in the morning (for debarkation rules), her bag will be a PITA. That would mean we'll probably have to check into a hotel just for the day for a place to park her bag as we're not going to want to drag it around from 8AM to 8PM when she will have to leave for the airport.

 

I've asked Cunard about this and can't get a straight answer. The other option would be for her to clear customs/immigration early and then later in the day, I could go back on the ship and maybe drag her bag off the boat.

 

Any input on this matter would be appreciated.

[paulista1950]

"I've asked Cunard about this and can't get a straight answer."

Well, if Cunard didn't give you a straight answer, I won't dare to do so, BUT..

last year I took a cruise from Barcelona to Rio, stopping in Recife (first stop) and Salvador and all the paper work was taken care of in Recife.

I guess it has to be like that, and I can't see why it would be different with Cunard unless the company itself has some kind of rule.

[pnhmrk]

I've refrained from commenting here about what happened when we called first at Salvador and then Rio on the WC. My reason for this was because I simply do not remember what happened! I've just looked at my diary of events where I recorded "Brazilian customs didn't turn out to clear the ship so that resulted in a delay of over an hour before we could get off." Sorry that it's not more help :(

[ColumbiaSC]

I admit that I don't know the answer. But that never stops anyone on these boards! I can speak, as Malcolm, only from the experience of stopping at Salvador de Bahia and then Rio on the Farewell World Cruise in 2008 of the marvelous QE2. The previous poster, paulista1950, who stopped in three places in Brazil, firstly at Recife, seems to the one who has the best advice. But, let me say ... I would not think right off the bat that the inspectors in Salvador de Bahia would be up to the task. Both the QE2 and ms Rotterdam in port at the same time seemed to tax them beyond endurance in January 2008.

 

I do think firmly that no one need have any worries whatsoever about crossing from Rio to Cape Town on the Queen Mary 2!