Can disembark at last port of call?

[aimathy]

Hi,

My fiance and I are hoping to take a cruise for one week of our two week vacation and spend the other week in Mexico at a resort. We live in NY and realize that a Carribean cruise, then a flight back, then a flight to Mexico will be too hectic in a short time span. Many cruises' last port of call is Cozumel which is very close to Playa del Carmen (where the resort is located). Is it possible to disembark the ship on that day and just miss the day back at sea? Yes, we "lose" the day at sea and the port day back home, but it will save us lots of time and money not to take a flight all the way back to New York. If you have any answers, please let us know...we need to book soon! Thanks so much!!

[wrp96]

You should be able to do this, but call your cruiseline to make sure.

[cafe rose]

I really don't think that you can do that but as it has been said, call the cruise line first. You may also consider taking a four day cruise out of Miami or another port down in the South, spending some time there/and or going straight to the resort from the port down south, just another idea that you may not have considered;)

[kitty9]

Because of regulations for Homeland Security and Customs and Immigration, I don't think this will be allowed.

[CruiserPK]

It was allowed on our RSSC cruise from Dover to Monte Carlo last year. We met two couples aboard who wanted to spend extra time in Barcelona. They left the ship on the next to last day with no problems. That being said, they prearranged it with the cruiseline.

Good luck!

[kitty9]

Rules and regulations are different when you're cruise doesn't start and stop at at US port. You don't have the US Immigration rules to follow when you're cruising in the Med or other places in the world where your cruise doesn't begin and end in a US port.

 

As I said, for the OP's question pertaining to a cruise that starts and ends in the US, they don't allow you to get off the ship and just stay in one of the ports for an extended period of time.

[wrp96]

Actually, getting off and remaining in a foreign port doesn't violate any US regulations, otherwise they wouldn't be able to do TA cruises, or north or southbound Alaska cruises. Now, if they were wanting to get off at a different US port than they embarked at it would be a problem, then it would violate US laws.

[springtxbill]

As you would leave from a US port and depart in a foreign port, Jones Act rules should not apply. At worst you could be charged $300 per person as a fine the ship would get for transporting pax . This should not be the case and as far as Homeland security, etc. it should also be ok if the ship is aware you are not on board. Ask and if they say no, check a couple of different levels up the chain to find sonmeone that knows the real answer and the monetary consequences in case you "missed" the ship on it's last departure.

[nybumpkin]

When we cruised on Carnival Conquest in July, the captain advised us before we docked in Cozumel that we might not make it back to New Orleans on time due to Hurricane Dennis (and we didn't) and that those passengers needing to return on time might want to consider debarking at Cozumel and making arrangements for alternate transportation back to the U.S. I have no idea what charges might have been involved in this process, but apparently it was an option.

[MrsPete]

Ask and if they say no, check a couple of different levels up the chain to find sonmeone that knows the real answer and the monetary consequences in case you "missed" the ship on it's last departure.

I'm thinking the same thing. What will they do? Send out search parties to find you?

 

Check with customs to make sure you won't have any trouble re-entering the US.

[greatam]

I'm thinking the same thing. What will they do? Send out search parties to find you?

 

Check with customs to make sure you won't have any trouble re-entering the US.

 

I truly do not believe you will have any problems with ICE. You left the US, you will return to the US. Into the system your passport gets scanned when you leave, out of the system your passport gets scanned when you return.

 

You DEFINITELY will have to make advance arrangements with the cruiseline. They are responsible for you and responsible to a certain degree to ICE. But with a signed letter from the cruiseline, stating your intentions and probably a release of liability to the cruiseline (they don't want to be responsible if something happens to you in Mexico), you should be perfectly fine.