Getting off ship once they start sailing

[brenderlou]

So do you think RCCL will follow and only allow you off if in a RCCL shire excursion? If so do you think there would be a chance to shop in port?

Thinking of cruises that leave FTL and go to the islands.

 

 

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[TheMastodon]

1 hour ago, brenderlou said:

 

So do you think RCCL will follow and only allow you off if in a RCCL shire excursion? If so do you think there would be a chance to shop in port?

Thinking of cruises that leave FTL and go to the islands.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

pretty clever way of adding another layer of protection - so I personally doubt they will

[bouhunter]

If the policy is ship excursions is the only way off the ship, it would kind of defeat the purpose to turn people loose in town for shopping.

[UKWLDCruise]

On the other hand normally there are not that many shore excursions without at least one shop on the itinerary.  Limited number of cleared shops perhaps for supervised visits, like the cleared buses, drivers and tour guides.  

[JT1962]

That is the policy that MSC has for their cruises that have started sailing again in Italy. If it works well with no infections on board, it is likely other lines will use the same policy. One family on MSC was denied re-boarding the ship because they left the excursion they were on at one point to venture out on their own.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/08/19/msc-cruises-cracking-down-passengers-who-break-covid-19-regulations/5605867002/

[A&L_Ont]

15 hours ago, brenderlou said:

shire excursion?

I feel a Big Bang Theory joke coming on. 😉

[mek]

16 hours ago, brenderlou said:

 

So do you think RCCL will follow and only allow you off if in a RCCL shire excursion? If so do you think there would be a chance to shop in port?

Thinking of cruises that leave FTL and go to the islands.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I think there are some places, like the Med and Alaska, where shopping and just hanging out are not the main attractions, so getting people off a ship only if they take a ships shore excursion is feasible.  

While it may be a necessity at first, it sounds like a terrible idea to me in the Caribbean where many people simply like to get off, shop, have lunch and drinks.  If people are restricted from doing that I don't think the local businesses will support that policy and they will put a lot of pressure on the cruise lines - like maybe even denying them access to the port.  If cruise passengers are not going to be allowed help the local businesses, why have them there at all?

Edited August 29, 2020 by mek

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, mek said:

  If people are restricted from doing that I don't think the local businesses will support that policy and they will put a lot of pressure on the cruise lines - like maybe even denying them access to the port.  If cruise passengers are not going to be allowed help the local businesses, why have them there at all?

My son just returned home from a 2 week stay in St Thomas. He told us the attitude from the locals wasn't very welcoming as it normally is. They were looked at as disease carriers. St Thomas went into lock down so all nonessential business was closed.   He said you would have thought that they would have been more grateful the tourists were still coming to at least support the take out restaurant business. So as far as supporting local business goes I don't think they are as desperate as some might think.  I can't imagine how they will react when a boatload of Floridians pulls into port. They may be the ones who insist on organized cruise ship excursions.

[boscobeans]

I might give some thought to avoiding the straw markets when in port..

[firefly333]

Bahamas used to only allow the private beach day if the ship also stopped in say Nassau to spend money. I see a lot saying well just go to coco cay but bahamas in the past want the extra dollars spent so will be curious going forward.

[zekekelso]

I know the lines are salivating at the thought of requiring all port excursions to be through them. But if they did that, I assume they would include a “shopping day in port” excursion. 

[Mapleleafforever]

18 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

I know the lines are salivating at the thought of requiring all port excursions to be through them. But if they did that, I assume they would include a “shopping day in port” excursion. 

At a  low low cost of 129.99 US +18% of course. 

[shipgeeks]

1 hour ago, zekekelso said:

I know the lines are salivating at the thought of requiring all port excursions to be through them. But if they did that, I assume they would include a “shopping day in port” excursion. 

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of keeping a group together in a bubble?

BTW, the excursions offered by MSC are very inexpensive.

And I seem to recall that, over the years, many many posters have said they have no interest in leaving the ship at Nassau (and other ports) anyway, so if it's either ship excursion or stay aboard, staying aboard is not a hardship.

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

At a  low low cost of 129.99 US +18% of course. 

Most likely the cruise lines would only take the passengers to the stores that they have contacts with so they can get their commission for the sales. They probably would charge a minimum if anything at all. Maybe they would just have to buy the coupon book

Edited August 29, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[karena1]

Guessing we will be able to get off and do our own thing in the caribbean.  Totally different in Europe

 

[Ashland]

There are some places where I would have no problem booking an excursion but through a private company (not the ship).

But when it comes to the eastern/southern caribbean ports especially St Thomas & St Maarten I can't imagine only being able to get off the ship with an excursion. And I hope it doesn't come down to that.

[Nunagoras]

Those "restricted" exit policies required ship sponsored shore ex will be temporary.

 

The current MSC shore ex package cost EUR 100.00 per person for 3 shore exes in port and each guest receives at least 1 shore ex with their basic price. So, pretty much inexpensive right now, but that won't last of course, come the world to normal.

 

According to some posts in the Italian and other continental European social networks, the current MSC "buble" shore exes consist basically on an average of a 3 hour bus ride with just one or 2 photo opportunity stops and no shopping ones, returning as quickly as possible to the ship. It is presumably the same shore ex for all guests, perhaps with the buses running in different directions to spread even more the crowd.

 

While this is not a perfect model, it is, at least a good compromise one to the restart, and surely better than no business at all!...

 

Have a nice day!

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, karena1 said:

Guessing we will be able to get off and do our own thing in the caribbean.  Totally different in Europe

 

Why do you think it would be different?

[Ashland]

8 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

My son just returned home from a 2 week stay in St Thomas. He told us the attitude from the locals wasn't very welcoming as it normally is. They were looked at as disease carriers. St Thomas went into lock down so all nonessential business was closed.   He said you would have thought that they would have been more grateful the tourists were still coming to at least support the take out restaurant business. So as far as supporting local business goes I don't think they are as desperate as some might think.  I can't imagine how they will react when a boatload of Floridians pulls into port. They may be the ones who insist on organized cruise ship excursions.

I just now read that Covid-19 cases are surging in the islands...so maybe the locals were right to not be so welcoming.

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, Ashland said:

I just now read that Covid-19 cases are surging in the islands...so maybe the locals were right to not be so welcoming.

That's true. St Thomas has a higher %rate of daily cases than NY now.  I don't blame them. They are doing the right thing and following protocol. However, there have been so many comments on CC about the poor Island residents whose economy is suffering because cruise ships aren't sailing. In reality they are afraid of an outbreak. My son told me that even in the jewelry stores they weren't cutting any deals. They played the "This is the last day we will be open card".  My son walked out.

[Iamcruzin]

4 hours ago, karena1 said:

Guessing we will be able to get off and do our own thing in the caribbean.  Totally different in Europe

 

That was the cruise lines rules. Not Italy. They were trying to prevent covid on board.

[yogimax]

 All ship excursions will be three hour tours to Diamonds International!

[BirdTravels]

In some ports, the restriction is the local port requirement. The will only allow the ship to dock if they control where the dirty people on the ship go. And you do that by limiting where they go and how they go. 

[Iamcruzin]

38 minutes ago, yogimax said:

 All ship excursions will be three hour tours to Diamonds International!

Meanwhile Diamonds International is located on Park Avenue in NY and has a website. May as well go over to Tiffany or Harry Winston of 5th Ave.  You can also by the on board Iffy Jewelry at Macy's.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[mek]

12 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

My son just returned home from a 2 week stay in St Thomas. He told us the attitude from the locals wasn't very welcoming as it normally is. They were looked at as disease carriers. St Thomas went into lock down so all nonessential business was closed.   He said you would have thought that they would have been more grateful the tourists were still coming to at least support the take out restaurant business. So as far as supporting local business goes I don't think they are as desperate as some might think.  I can't imagine how they will react when a boatload of Floridians pulls into port. They may be the ones who insist on organized cruise ship excursions.

A valid point.  As I certainly won't be one of the first to cruise, I will have ample time to see how things are going.

I have a L&S on Oasis for November 2021 and if I have to stay on the ship it won't be a major problem, but I can't imagine being on a smaller ship with fewer entertainment options and not getting off.