A question for those with time to kill

[PTCruizer]

I've got a serious question here, so please stick with me. I'll try to make it easy. My wife and I want to vacation in Cozumel but the airfare is ridiculous. So I had an idea. All these dates and costs are just an example.

 

Say we were to book back to back 5 day cruises from New Orleans. We board in New Orleans and cruise to Cozumel. Once there we get off the ship with everything we boarded with and "miss" the ship when it sails for home.

 

We then stay in Cozumel until the ship returns in 5 days. We will have missed the second sailing from New Orleans but since we have a confirmed cabin, we should be able to "pick the ship up" in Cozumel.

 

I'm not sure how this would work with passports since we will not have returned to the US when the ship sails on the second trip. I think that this might mess us up.

 

If it works, it would almost be cheaper than flying and we would get some sea days out of it to boot.

 

Again, this is all just theoretical. I'm just looking to see if anyone has ever heard of this being tried.

 

Thanks for your input.

[marym933]

I actually have read about this. I'm not sure which line does it though.

[jakesnana]

Most of the cruiselines will do this, as long as you're willing to pay for the cruisefare for both cruises. On the first cruise, you'd be doing a downline disembarkation and on the second leg, you'd be doing a downline embarkation. It does require the permission of the Master of the Vessel (the Captain), but I think that is really a formality. I have clients who do downline embarkations all the time.

 

For what it's worth, is it REALLY less expensive to pay for 2 cruises per person than to pay for airfare?

[firefly333]

You would need Carnival's permission to leave the ship and stay off... you dont think they would notice you had luggage with you when you got off?? Maybe you are the type all you need is a backpack?

 

Even a suitcase in most ports, you would have to go thru customs if you tried to say you were just bringing things to people in Cozumel .. so that would not work either. There is a orphanage in Roatan that folks bring things to .. one back pack at a time, to avoid paying customs on bringing things into the country.

 

Trying to sneak doing it I would not try it myself, due to some of the above.

[wadethegringo]

First thing off the ship you will need to get a visa stamp in your passsport for your stay in Mexico or risk being in Mexico illegal .

[pinkmaija]

I've got a serious question here, so please stick with me. I'll try to make it easy. My wife and I want to vacation in Cozumel but the airfare is ridiculous. So I had an idea. All these dates and costs are just an example.

 

Say we were to book back to back 5 day cruises from New Orleans. We board in New Orleans and cruise to Cozumel. Once there we get off the ship with everything we boarded with and "miss" the ship when it sails for home.

 

We then stay in Cozumel until the ship returns in 5 days. We will have missed the second sailing from New Orleans but since we have a confirmed cabin, we should be able to "pick the ship up" in Cozumel.

 

I'm not sure how this would work with passports since we will not have returned to the US when the ship sails on the second trip. I think that this might mess us up.

 

If it works, it would almost be cheaper than flying and we would get some sea days out of it to boot.

 

Again, this is all just theoretical. I'm just looking to see if anyone has ever heard of this being tried.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Very interesting idea...good luck!

[larkz]

I've played the same "thought experiment" out in my head as well. Flights from the Chicago region to much of the Caribbean do in fact cost more than many cruises. I'm expecting our upcoming flight to San Juan in November to be outrageous.

[forwardcabin]

We tried asking Carnival about doing that a couple of years ago when our niece was having her destination wedding in Coz. They told us then that we were welcome to cruise to Coz and leave the ship but we could not return by boarding a separate sailing. They said it had something to do with attempting to use cruise ships for transportation from a foreign country.

[firefly333]

We tried asking Carnival about doing that a couple of years ago when our niece was having her destination wedding in Coz. They told us then that we were welcome to cruise to Coz and leave the ship but we could not return by boarding a separate sailing. They said it had something to do with attempting to use cruise ships for transportation from a foreign country.

 

It could be that Jones Act whatever its called. I wanted to do a B2B on the last cruise to Alaska and stay on to do the next one that went to Hawaii and then to Calif.

 

I was told Canada is not a "distant" foreign port .. Mexico might be the same, so you cant go from Vancouver to Calif for instance, .. even though both ships have a stop in calif.. its not allowed. Its counted as you leave from Seattle and return to Calif .... and no DISTANT foreign port. Hence I have the two cruises still booked 2 weeks apart to do in their entirety.

[trvlqueen]

It could be that Jones Act whatever its called. I wanted to do a B2B on the last cruise to Alaska and stay on to do the next one that went to Hawaii and then to Calif.

 

I was told Canada is not a "distant" foreign port .. Mexico might be the same, so you cant go from Vancouver to Calif for instance, .. even though both ships have a stop in calif.. its not allowed. Its counted as you leave from Seattle and return to Calif .... and no DISTANT foreign port. Hence I have the two cruises still booked 2 weeks apart to do in their entirety.

 

 

The Jones act is obviously outdated, since the Bahamas count as "distant" and some people might be able to swim that far - but fire has a relevant point, as usual. There may be a way to do it, but you'd need either a very smart PVP or an experienced travel agent.

[tamirpr]

It might be extra work, but have you considered finding a cheap flight to Miami and then a flight to Cozumel? I know it's cheaper for us Floridians to fly to the islands. Just wondering.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

It could be that Jones Act whatever its called. I wanted to do a B2B on the last cruise to Alaska and stay on to do the next one that went to Hawaii and then to Calif.

 

I was told Canada is not a "distant" foreign port .. Mexico might be the same, so you cant go from Vancouver to Calif for instance, .. even though both ships have a stop in calif.. its not allowed. Its counted as you leave from Seattle and return to Calif .... and no DISTANT foreign port. Hence I have the two cruises still booked 2 weeks apart to do in their entirety.

 

No Jones act in this scenario. Get both cruises are the same exact itinerary it would still be a closed loop .

 

Bill

[S.S.Oceanlover]

The Jones act is obviously outdated, since the Bahamas count as "distant" and some people might be able to swim that far - but fire has a relevant point, as usual. There may be a way to do it, but you'd need either a very smart PVP or an experienced travel agent.

 

The Bahamas is a near foreign port not a distant Foreign port

 

Bill

[PTCruizer]

Thanks for all the thoughtful reply's. It's really just a supposition at this time. Airfare is about a grand each so theoretically it could be cheaper. It was one of those moments where you say to yourself, "I wonder if...."

[gapearl]

Try searching for flights to Cancun and taking the ferry from Playa Del Carmen to Cozumel. That might be cheaper.

[DaytonCruiser]

This is the Carnival policy given to travel agents on one way cruises.

 

 

 

 

One-Way Passage

We will allow U.S. citizens and Non U.S. citizens to book one-way cruises; it is imperative that they have proper proof of citizenship or they will be denied boarding.

 

We will not permit Non-U.S, non-booked guests who wish to board in a port-of-call to purchase one-way passage to the United States.

U.S. citizens and Non-U.S. citizens, who miss the ship and want to join at a port-of-call, may do so as long as it does not conflict with the Jones Act/Passenger Service Act. This applies only to guests who were previously booked.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: For guests sailing on a one-way basis, whether by choice or by unexpected circumstance, it is the guest's responsibility to check with Immigrations and/or the air carrier being used to determine the travel documentation necessary to enter or exit that country. A valid passport and/or visas may be required.

 

Booking Procedures and Policies

 

One-Way Cruise: Non-Pro-Rated Fare

A full fare one-way cruise (Non-Pro-Rated) can be booked at any time prior to the cruise.

Once the booking has been made, document the "Booking Comment Line" that the guest(s) are sailing one-way and at which port they will be embarking and debarking.

Contact the Res Admin Sailing Coordinator for that specific ship and advise them of the one-way status for this booking.

 

One-Way Cruise: Pro-Rated Fare

A pro-rated one-way cruise can only be booked the week of sailing.

ResSolutions will contact Reservations Administration who will authorize the one-way booking based on availability and quote a rate.

ResSolutions will enter the manual rate on the booking

Once the booking has been made, document the "Booking Comment Line" that the guest(s) are sailing one-way and at which port they will be embarking and debarking.

Contact the Res Admin Sailing Coordinator for that specific ship and advise them of the one-way status for this booking

[cocontom]

Try searching for flights to Cancun and taking the ferry from Playa Del Carmen to Cozumel. That might be cheaper.

 

There's one from Puerto Morelos (like 10 minutes outside the airport) as well, I think. I know there's a sign for it on the highway.

[xbatt8]

I asked a PVP about this some time ago. What I was told was that your scenario is possible but only IF the port you are using is a legal embarkation port. Not all ports are. In other words, if passengers regularly board at a port, then you can do what you are thinking at that port. You, in essence, are boarding that ship for the first time on that second leg, and you must board at a port that has legal embarkation. Not sure Cozumel is that kind of port.

 

Bob

[LetzCruze]

First thing off the ship you will need to get a visa stamp in your passsport for your stay in Mexico or risk being in Mexico illegal .

 

A USA citizen in Mexico Illegally! LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's FUNNNNNNNY!

 

You very well may be correct as while Mexico loves to encourage Mexicans to illegally go to USA, it takes the opposite scenario very seriously.

[PopeSailin]

The OP may be able to get off the ship and invoke the garuntee AND get some of his money back for the cruise for the first leg of the trip.

 

And as far as getting back on the ship on the next cruise as simple as stating that he missed the ship and connected at the next port.

 

This would be ONLY if Cozumel was the only port of call for the cruise, or at the very least the FIRST port of call anyway.