Leaving Ship and Returning at Different Port

[ltcal94]

I am hoping someone can answer this question. I am currently booked on the June 11 Royal Princess 14-day in the Mediterranean. One of the ports is Rome and there is so much we want to do there. We have thought about taking one of the comprehensive excursions, to get everything in , but it still seems rushed.

 

Is it possible to leave the ship and rejoin it at the next port? Obviously we would advise the ship our plan, but is it even possible?

 

What I would like to do is leave the ship and then take a train to Florence or Livorno which is the next port. We would either stay in Rome overnight and travel the next day or spend the night in Florence. The cost between the two cities is less than 50 euro for two people with advance reservations so this is very tempting. The train ride itself is about two hours.

[beg3yrs]

Yes, it is possible and is done more often than you think. Simply make arrangements in advance with Princess or through your travel agent.

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, it is possible and is done more often than you think. Simply make arrangements in advance with Princess or through your travel agent.

 

Agree, it is done with some regularity and discussed here. As commonly advised, arrange this in advance, and get written approval. Bring said written approval with you, and present it to Customer Service on board prior to your Rome stop.

 

You will not get any reduction in your cruise fare. Also be aware, should the ship not be able to dock in your next port, you will be responsible for your expenses to get yourself further along the route.

[paul929207]

Usually, you just have to get approval in advance. Contact your TA or Princess well before you are scheduled to cruise

[ltcal94]

Thanks for the feedback. I just spoke with Princess and they confirmed that I need to make arrangements in advance. I guess I need to start making some plans for Rome to see if it makes sense to get off for a day. They were clear once I make the arrangements , I am committed.

Edited April 1, 2016 by ltcal94

[Keith1010]

Usually this is fine.

 

Check with the cruise line ahead of time and confirm it when you are on board.

 

You will need to take your passport with you.

 

Also they should ask you for your contact information just in case they need to get a hold of you and you should get the port agent information for not only the next port but just in case you miss the next one get it for the one after that.

 

Keith

[-Lew-]

On our first Med cruise we missed Livorno due to high winds. If that should happen on this cruise, you'd have to get to the next port, Monte Carlo.

 

We're on the 7-day Rome to Barcelona portion of this cruise and we're hoping for no weather related issues. Over the years we have missed Livorno and Marsielle...each once...and Toulon...twice.

 

Edited April 1, 2016 by -Lew-

[sunsetbeachgal]

We have taken five or six Med./Greek Isle cruises and all but one of these cruises we have missed a port, usually for high winds/high waves.

 

Am in the planning stages of British Isles cruise for summer of 2017, and considering disembarking the ship at the last port La Havre, France rather than going back to Southampton, in order to end our vacation in Paris. This I have also been told is quite common. I have read on these boards that the ship not making it to La Havre is very rare, but with my luck it could happen!

 

OP, just make sure you have a "plan B" should the ship not make it to Livorno.

Edited April 1, 2016 by sunsetbeachgal

[blkspy]

If its an option, why not just take a cruise that ends in Rome? With Ez Air, delaying your return flight isn't a problem. Our TA is ending in Barcelona. ...we are then spending time in Rome, Paris and London before returning home. The airfare with advanced booking between each city was amazingly low. Worth a look if this option is available to you.

[paul929207]

You will not any discount/refund for the days you are off the ship.

 

If the ship does miss the port where you planned to reboard, any expenses to get to the next port would be on you. This includes transportation, meals, hotels, etc.

[Grego]

All good information and makes perfect sense to give this a good plan.

[4x4bob]

Yes, develop your Plan B in great detail. Two years ago we missed the ship and had to develop Plan B on the fly.

 

We needed both a local hotel and one where we would meet the ship 3 days later. Also, Seats on an airplane, Ground transportation and meals. With no pre-planning we did not have a list of telephone numbers which we had to find first.

 

We contacted the second Hotel by computer at 11:00 PM to find out that they would not accept short time reservations by computer, had to make telephone call.

 

In the end it worked out, but was nerve racking at the time.

 

Bob

[starguy]

On our first Med cruise we missed Livorno due to high winds. If that should happen on this cruise, you'd have to get to the next port, Monte Carlo.

 

We're on the 7-day Rome to Barcelona portion of this cruise and we're hoping for no weather related issues. Over the years we have missed Livorno and Marsielle...each once...and Toulon...twice.

 

 

What seasons was it when you missed Marseille, Toulon and Livorno? We are traveling in June and are thinking about getting off at Livorno and rejoining the ship in Rome (Civ.).

[-Lew-]

 

What seasons was it when you missed Marseille, Toulon and Livorno? We are traveling in June and are thinking about getting off at Livorno and rejoining the ship in Rome (Civ.).

All of our sailings were in September and October, but from what I understand the Gulf of Lyon can be very windy any time of the year. We're sailing on the Royal in June from Rome to Barcelona and hope we don't have to skip Toulon again.

 

If you haven't already done so, be sure to get permission from Princess with regard to your Livorno / Rome plan.

 

[pris993]

We have done this by making a request in writing, usually through a TA, for a a "trip deviation", stating which port we would like to leave the ship, what port we would return, and providing contact information, on where we would be staying while off the ship.

 

Princess has then given us approval in writing and the night before we left the ship we let Customer Service on board know of our plans and showed them the approval we had from Princess.

[caribill]

 

Am in the planning stages of British Isles cruise for summer of 2017, and considering disembarking the ship at the last port La Havre, France rather than going back to Southampton, in order to end our vacation in Paris. This I have also been told is quite common. I have read on these boards that the ship not making it to La Havre is very rare, but with my luck it could happen!

 

 

We were on one of those "very rare" cruises last year. We could not go to Le Havre due to a dockworkers strike and instead went to Zeebrugge, Belgium.

 

 

Those who had planned to leave the ship at Le Havre had the choice of disembarking at Zeebrugge (and being responsible for getting to where they wanted to go) or staying on the ship and ending their cruise at Southampton.

[Momma Mojito]

Thanks for the feedback. I just spoke with Princess and they confirmed that I need to make arrangements in advance. I guess I need to start making some plans for Rome to see if it makes sense to get off for a day. They were clear once I make the arrangements , I am committed.

 

Thanks for bringing this subject up. I myself would have never thought of doing this but now it does bring possibilities for all of us who would like to see more of Italy!!