Avoiding Sea Days by Getting off the Ship and Rejoining Later

[leongcpa]

Hi,

 

I'm looking at some Australia-New Zealand Princess cruises which start in Sydney with the first two days being sea days and ending in Sydney with 2 sea days beforehand (both to cross the Tasman sea). I'm thinking of dropping off my luggage on the ship, and then flying direct to Queenstown and then re-meeting the ship at Dunedin (where I can ride the train from Queenstown to Dunedin through the Taieri Gorge Railway). Then enjoy the cruise for 7 days, getting off at the Bay of Islands again, and spending two days at Waiheke Island (off of Auckland), flying back to Sydney from Auckland and picking up our luggage from the ship after it arrives in Sydney.

 

Has anyone done this? Will Princess allow it? Would you recommend it?

 

I have heard the Tasman Sea can be rough so that is part of the reason why I'm considering this... besides the fact that I hate sea days (and am incredibly bored by them)....

[joybook]

It sounds incredibly complicated to me but the best way to find out is to contact Princess. I'm not sure why you cruise at all if you can't handle sea days - there are not that many. You are certainly adding to the cost of your holiday.:)

[likeadisguise]

If they allow it, you'll have to bring your luggage with you at the beginning, and take it with you at the end. If you leave midcruise and then return a few days later you can leave your stiff in your cabin, but I don't think they'll take your luggage without you at the start or hold on to it after you leave.

[leongcpa]

Thanks. Part of it is I would like to visit Queenstown and the cruise does not stop in a place where I could easily do a day in Queenstown....

[thinfool]

Yes, you need to have your TA find out from Princess.

 

Your plans require that the cruise line and local immigration authorities jump through numerous 'hoops' to accommodate you. More and more the cruise lines are reluctant to do so.

[leongcpa]

What if I check in, embark on the boat (bringing my stuff with me) and go into my cabin and leave all of the stuff there, and then leave the ship for the first 3 days (note: the third day is a day of scenic cruising, so it's almost like 3 sea days to me)....

[shredie]

Sounds complicated. The only way you'll know for sure is to ask Princess.

[thinfool]

What if I check in, embark on the boat (bringing my stuff with me) and go into my cabin and leave all of the stuff there, and then leave the ship for the first 3 days (note: the third day is a day of scenic cruising, so it's almost like 3 sea days to me)....

 

I see you are new to this....the ship knows where you are, either onboard or ashore.

 

If you do not return before sailing, many ships will enter your room, open your safe and otherwise search for any ID you may have left. This is then handed to the cruise line's representative for that port....with the intent to give it to you when you arrive (late) to board the ship.

 

Also, your belongings will be packed by ships personnel and stored until the final port.

 

Unless this is all cleared with the cruise line, you will not be allowed to reboard at a subsequent port.

[patch nine]

Quite often Nz itineries need to be changed because of weather conditions. This happened to several cruises this season. Milford frequently gets missed and I think one ship actually missed all ports in the South Island. So not a good idea I am afraid

[RDC1]

Thanks. Part of it is I would like to visit Queenstown and the cruise does not stop in a place where I could easily do a day in Queenstown....

 

The cruise we were on did an overnight excursion through Queenstown. You got off at Milford Sound and rejoined the ship at Dunedin. Only those on the excursion were allowed off at Milford (the ship was met by a sight seeing boat that made the transfer to shore).

Edited April 14, 2016 by RDC1

[rkmw]

i think the OP should consider flying to NZ and doing a land tour, might be less complicated than their plan

[caribill]

 

If you do not return before sailing, many ships will enter your room, open your safe and otherwise search for any ID you may have left. This is then handed to the cruise line's representative for that port....with the intent to give it to you when you arrive (late) to board the ship.

 

Also, your belongings will be packed by ships personnel and stored until the final port.

 

Unless this is all cleared with the cruise line, you will not be allowed to reboard at a subsequent port.

 

Total permission will be required from Princess before the cruise. Get in in writing, even an e-mail will do.

 

You will still pay the full amount for the cruise even though you will not be on the ship for some of it.

 

If permission is granted, be sure:

o Your cabin steward knows what you are doing so he/she will not panic when your room is not being utilized.

o The customer service desk is aware of the plans and knows you have permission to do this. That will avoid them looking for you when it is time to sail.

[Lucky TGO]

If Princess lets you do that? All I can say is WOW :eek: :eek: Good luck.

Tony

[Aus Traveller]

On the cruise you mention, the first experience in NZ is scenic cruising in Fiordland National Park (Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound). Most people consider this the highlight of a NZ cruise. I think it would be a very bad idea to miss this part of the trip. If you want to save a couple of days at the end, instead of cruising back to Australia, you could ask permission to disembark in Auckland and fly to Sydney (or wherever). You must ask permission because the local authorities have to organise immigration. I think it is more likely that it will be refused rather than allowed. NZ Customs and Immigration will not want to go to the trouble of processing only two people (presuming it is two). If it is allowed, you would probably have to personally carry/drag your luggage off the ship. It is unlikely Princess would organise the usual taking off of luggage that happens at the end of a cruise or a cruise segment.

 

I don't think there is any chance Princess would allow you back on board in Sydney to collect luggage you have left in your room. Just imagine the chaos on turn-around day. No-one is allowed to board until all the 'old' passengers have been cleared off the ship and you would not be allowed on with your 'old' cruise card. In addition, the cabin steward would have to clean your room ready for the new passengers. How could this possibly work?

[clairebearinaus]

i think the OP should consider flying to NZ and doing a land tour, might be less complicated than their plan

 

That's my advice too, having previously worked in NZ tourism.

 

If you love cruising, (though it sounds like you don't) cruise. If you want to see the best of NZ, fly/drive. Too many of the good bits are left out of cruises, or included but missed due to weather.

 

Plus you aren't guaranteed smooth seas anywhere on a NZ cruise!

[rkmw]

i wonder if the OP is only doing a wind up because who would go to all that trouble and pay for the whole cruise and doing part of it and wanting to get off when it pleases them

[skynight]

Sounds like you want a NZ land tour rather than a cruise. But, to address what I feel are wild thoughts here is my take.

 

You will have to get permission from Princess to leave the ship and rejoin it at another port. You will pay the full fare for all days of the cruise. As pointed out Princess has offered an overland tour that includes Fiordland NP, Queensland, Dunedin. Look into this. If you leave the ship at Bay of Islands as your last cruise day Princess will almost certainly expect you to take all your luggage. Princess probably has no policy or practice in place to accept and hold luggage prior to the normal disembarkation process. Even if you were able to manage this, it would not be easy to gain access to your luggage inside of the Customs area in Sydney where Princess must deliver it upon arrival in Sydney. Your luggage would be more like cargo, in general Princess does not deal in cargo, and you would have to check the Australian Customs Regulations regarding imports of unaccompanied luggage.

 

One final personal comment, we find sea days to be the most enjoyable and relaxing on a cruise.

[azdmelani]

Hi,

 

I'm looking at some Australia-New Zealand Princess cruises which start in Sydney with the first two days being sea days and ending in Sydney with 2 sea days beforehand (both to cross the Tasman sea). I'm thinking of dropping off my luggage on the ship, and then flying direct to Queenstown and then re-meeting the ship at Dunedin (where I can ride the train from Queenstown to Dunedin through the Taieri Gorge Railway). Then enjoy the cruise for 7 days, getting off at the Bay of Islands again, and spending two days at Waiheke Island (off of Auckland), flying back to Sydney from Auckland and picking up our luggage from the ship after it arrives in Sydney.

 

Has anyone done this? Will Princess allow it? Would you recommend it?

 

I have heard the Tasman Sea can be rough so that is part of the reason why I'm considering this... besides the fact that I hate sea days (and am incredibly bored by them)....

 

Off the diamond last month. We missed Dunedin and Milford Sound due to weather related issues. Remember, there is no guarantee the ship will make it to any port. If you missed the ship in Dunedin, you would have had to rejoin in Hobart.

[elliair]

What if I check in, embark on the boat (bringing my stuff with me) and go into my cabin and leave all of the stuff there, and then leave the ship for the first 3 days (note: the third day is a day of scenic cruising, so it's almost like 3 sea days to me)....

 

In my way of thinking, it will show that you left the ship no where to be found and you will probably be reported to authorities that you did not get back on the ship. This could hold the ship and passengers up. What you want to do sounds like a nightmare to me unless Princess goes along with it. Seems to me that customs won't allow this.

[shredie]

i wonder if the OP is only doing a wind up because who would go to all that trouble and pay for the whole cruise and doing part of it and wanting to get off when it pleases them

 

I guess that's possible, but he does sound sincere. What it sounds like to me is a hop-on-hop-off cruise like those tourist buses.

Edited April 14, 2016 by shredie

[hansi]

Hi,

 

I'm looking at some Australia-New Zealand Princess cruises which start in Sydney with the first two days being sea days and ending in Sydney with 2 sea days beforehand (both to cross the Tasman sea). I'm thinking of dropping off my luggage on the ship, and then flying direct to Queenstown and then re-meeting the ship at Dunedin (where I can ride the train from Queenstown to Dunedin through the Taieri Gorge Railway). Then enjoy the cruise for 7 days, getting off at the Bay of Islands again, and spending two days at Waiheke Island (off of Auckland), flying back to Sydney from Auckland and picking up our luggage from the ship after it arrives in Sydney.

 

Has anyone done this? Will Princess allow it? Would you recommend it?

 

I have heard the Tasman Sea can be rough so that is part of the reason why I'm considering this... besides the fact that I hate sea days (and am incredibly bored by them)....

 

This might be a stupid question, but I always thought that sea days were part of the whole cruising experience. Why don't you do the whole journey by air?

[hansi]

If Princess lets you do that? All I can say is WOW :eek: :eek: Good luck.

Tony

 

Sounds crazy to me!:rolleyes:

[leongcpa]

Thanks, all, for the information and input. My wife and I are very independent travelers, having driven around the North Island before (Auckland to Rotorua to Wellington) two years ago. We have never been to the South Island, nor much of the eastern side of the North Island. Thus, a cruise which went up the eastern side of New Zealand plus a stop at the Bay of Islands would hit almost all of the spots that I want to hit on our trip (except for Queenstown). From Queenstown, I could easily visit Milford Sounds during those first two sea days, as a long day trip or overnight stay. Also, paying full fare for the cruise is not a problem for us. That being said, it sounds like DIY by fly/drive would be best, particularly given how frequent weather becomes an issue for cruises in New Zealand. I read up on the September 2015 cruise that missed all of the South Island in the cruise critic reviews section. It sounds like alot of passengers were pretty unhappy. Looking at the cruise I'm considering, if the boat missed Fiordland/Dunedin, I would probably have to meet up with it in Wellington, which wouldn't be the worst thing. Like I said, I've driven in New Zealand before. But you all are right, if I'm going to miss half the cruise, I might as well just drive/fly the whole thing. Thanks, again.

[anthonyy7]

Why not do a one way, AKL to SYD and cut off at least the 2 sea days at the front of the cruise? I doubt Princess will allow you to do this besides you'll be missing out on Fiordland NP

[leongcpa]

Why not do a one way, AKL to SYD and cut off at least the 2 sea days at the front of the cruise? I doubt Princess will allow you to do this besides you'll be missing out on Fiordland NP

 

I looked at the Celebrity cruises that did this, but the timing of their cruises didn't work for us. I'm pretty much settled on DIY. We'll get out to Fiordland NP as a day trip or overnight out of Queenstown...