Anyone ever disembark their cruise a few days early?

[The Traveling Man]

We will be on the Getaway for its TA from NYC a couple of weeks from now.  After Southampton, it continues to Copenhagen via Amsterdam.  We'd like to book the cruise, but pack our bags and depart the ship at Amsterdam.  Other than emergencies like medical issues, has anyone ever been able to do this?  Who do you contact at NCL and what hoops do you have to jump through?

[ChiefMateJRK]

This will be interesting.  As a free man, I can get off a ship any time that I want to.  That said, I'm looking forward to hear why you/I can't do that.

[julig22]

Yes, people can get off the ship early but you can't just get off the ship in a foreign country without prior authorization.  So the appropriate customs/immigration people have to be available at the port to allow you to legally stay.  And if you just don't return, NCL gets fined (and they will pass that fine to you).

I'd start with NCL Guest Services.

 

[GeezerCouple]

20 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This will be interesting.  As a free man, I can get off a ship any time that I want to.  That said, I'm looking forward to hear why you/I can't do that.

 

If you are in a foreign country, you don't just waltz off any old ship and remain in that country, not unless you are processed by immigrations, etc.  Or you want your name on certain lists, and perhaps a small (?) amount of time *not* being a free man...

 

In many cases, the cruise line/ship can arrange to have someone to process an early departure, be it at the final destination or an intermediate port.

 

GC

[1025cruise]

You would need permission to do this. I know Royal is no longer allowing this. Not sure if it also applies to Celebrity.

There has to be appropriate immigration at the port to process you.

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

You would need permission to do this. I know Royal is no longer allowing this. Not sure if it also applies to Celebrity.

There has to be appropriate immigration at the port to process you.

The process is called Downlining and MUST be approved by the cruiseline prior to embarkation. Since the restart of cruising most if not every cruiseline has stopped this process due to Covid procedure protocols.  

[casofilia]

In the past it certainly was possible as entertainers came and went as and where.   But there were rules and regulations set by the debarking country.

 

You will need to talk with the right people in Miami; whoever is in charge of the Embarkation Clearance Officers

[don't-use-real-name]

This comes up with guests from Victoria BC making a Seattle Alaska round trip cruise.

The require PVSA port call at a foreign port is Victoria - the next port call end of trip

is back at Seattle. So why not get off at Victoria and end the cruise right there ?

No worries about getting transportation back across the border to home.

 

Well the governments customs border immigration people have something to say about that.

 

Check with your cruise line about this - - -

 

Perhaps it is that Canada is not staffed with Customs Border Agents for this just visiting

port call ?

[jennjess]

I have jumped ship early a couple of times.  This was in Europe and as a EU citizen this wasn't a problem.  Told the ship that I was going to beforehand obviously.

[ontheweb]

Just one thing to add-- even if you are allowed be aware that they will not discount your cruise fare because you cruised less days.

[chengkp75]

14 hours ago, julig22 said:

And if you just don't return, NCL gets fined (and they will pass that fine to you).

Given that the OP wants to do this in Europe, there is no fine for NCL.

 

As others have noted, when the ship clears immigration at Amsterdam, all passengers are given a temporary clearance into the country, for the period of the port call.  Typically, the ship is cleared "outbound" at the same time, so Dutch Immigration will have you listed as both entering and leaving Holland on the same day.  Now, you will be free to travel the Schengen area if you simply left the ship, but when you go to leave the Schengen area (say to fly home, or visit a non-Schengen country), there will be no entry for your entering the Schengen area anywhere, and this will cause some concern on the part of Immigration officials.  By notifying the cruise line of your intention to depart early, they will have the departure manifest changed to reflect your not being onboard at departure, and they will have the Dutch officials note that you are entering the country, and the 90 day Schengen clock starts.

[Sue Do-Over]

Glad I stumbled across this thread.   We're on a Greek Isles cruise in June, and wondered about stretching one of the ports by staying overnight and catching up to the ship the next day.  Still in Greece, but potentially hopping islands.

We hadn't considered the immigration/customs rules for visitors staying overnight.  We've all seen pier-runners in the Caribbean, and assumed that they could catch up to the ship at the next port (assuming they could find transportation in time).

[The Traveling Man]

17 hours ago, julig22 said:

 

I'd start with NCL Guest Services.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  That sounds like a good starting point.  I realize that it would be necessary to make prior arrangements.  I'm just hoping that someone who actually has done this will come upon this thread and let us know specifically who to talk to at NCL as well as what forms to fill out, fees to pay, etc.

[The Traveling Man]

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Just one thing to add-- even if you are allowed be aware that they will not discount your cruise fare because you cruised less days.

What we have in mind is similar, not identical, but similar to something we did three years ago on the Epic.  We took the TA cruise from Port Canaveral to Barcelona.  The Epic then began its summer schedule of week-long cruises around the Western Mediterranean.  We stayed on the ship at Barcelona, but exited just three days later at Civitavecchia for Rome.  NCL allowed this because it was the first seven day Med cruise of the season, and they wanted to clear some space on board so passengers on subsequent cruises could sail Rome to Rome for a week instead of Barcelona to Barcelona.  And yes, we did pay a reduced fare on that three day cruise compared to those who stayed on for the full seven days.  I realize that what I have in mind for the Getaway out of Southampton is a different kettle of fish.  I'm still hoping, though, that someone can direct me to the right person at NCL to make it happen.  Otherwise we will take the train from Southampton to London, then a taxi to a different London station, then the Eurostar train through the Chunnel to Amsterdam. 

[The Traveling Man]

13 hours ago, casofilia said:

In the past it certainly was possible as entertainers came and went as and where.   But there were rules and regulations set by the debarking country.

 

You will need to talk with the right people in Miami; whoever is in charge of the Embarkation Clearance Officers

Mike, I think the rules for paying customers are a bit different than those for crew or staff like entertainers.  Some of those folks come and go at just about every port.  You're right to point out the entertainers, though.  Some of them are only on board for a couple of days before moving on to another ship.  Thanks for the suggestion of the Embarkation Clearance Officers.  I'll give that a shot.

Thanks, James.

[The Traveling Man]

17 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

There has to be appropriate immigration at the port to process you.

Amsterdam is a busy cruise port.  Although the Getaway will be the only ocean-going cruise ship in port that day, there are at least two river cruise boats embarking the same day, and probably one or two disembarking through the same port terminal.  It shouldn't present a problem to have the appropriate port officials on hand, they just need to be made aware of the circumstances.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Sue Do-Over said:

Glad I stumbled across this thread.   We're on a Greek Isles cruise in June, and wondered about stretching one of the ports by staying overnight and catching up to the ship the next day.  Still in Greece, but potentially hopping islands.

We hadn't considered the immigration/customs rules for visitors staying overnight.  We've all seen pier-runners in the Caribbean, and assumed that they could catch up to the ship at the next port (assuming they could find transportation in time).

This, however, could run afoul of the EU's cabotage laws (think PVSA), depending on what your port calls before and after your "extended excursion" were (specifically what country), as the EU does not allow non-EU flag vessels to transport passengers between two ports of the same country without visiting a port in another country in between.

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

This, however, could run afoul of the EU's cabotage laws (think PVSA), depending on what your port calls before and after your "extended excursion" were (specifically what country), as the EU does not allow non-EU flag vessels to transport passengers between two ports of the same country without visiting a port in another country in between.

In my case the Getaway embarks at Southampton, England, then stops at Le Havre, France, Zeebrugge, Belgium, and Amsterdam, Netherlands, before proceeding to other EU countries and terminating in Copenhagen, Denmark.  I'm not sure which ports Sue will be visiting on her cruise.

Edited April 6, 2022 by The Traveling Man

[Sue Do-Over]

On 4/6/2022 at 3:04 PM, The Traveling Man said:

In my case the Getaway embarks at Southampton, England, then stops at Le Havre, France, Zeebrugge, Belgium, and Amsterdam, Netherlands, before proceeding to other EU countries and terminating in Copenhagen, Denmark.  I'm not sure which ports Sue will be visiting on her cruise.

I was thinking all in Greece, but potentially hopping islands.  We start in Rome, then hit 5 ports in Greece, and back to Rome for debarkation.

[fstuff1]

On 4/6/2022 at 11:53 AM, Sue Do-Over said:

Glad I stumbled across this thread.   We're on a Greek Isles cruise in June, and wondered about stretching one of the ports by staying overnight and catching up to the ship the next day.  Still in Greece, but potentially hopping islands.

We hadn't considered the immigration/customs rules for visitors staying overnight.  We've all seen pier-runners in the Caribbean, and assumed that they could catch up to the ship at the next port (assuming they could find transportation in time).

 

it was my understanding for the ABC islands (and probably any island in the Caribbean), you can miss the ship and show up at the next port.

 

ABC islands are about 80miles away from each other.

a speed boat ferry can get you from one to another in about 2 hrs.

 

note: this was pre-covid

no idea about the rules now

[chengkp75]

On 4/6/2022 at 11:53 AM, Sue Do-Over said:

and assumed that they could catch up to the ship at the next port (assuming they could find transportation in time).

They might, but first the agent needs to get them to immigration for entry, and then get any visa necessary, before they can get a flight.

[MichiganBound]

Back in 2017 or 2018, I exited my NCL Rome to Barcelona cruise early in Malaga.  I missed the final 2-3 days of the cruise which included two additional stops (both in Spain...maybe Alicante and Mallorca).  I decided to do this once on-board the ship.  I approached the guest services desk on board the day prior to arrival in Malaga and advised them of my plans.  They said it was rather late to arrange this with the authorities in Malaga but they would try.  I left my passport with them and they said to check back that evening.  Back to the CS desk in the evening and everything was set and arranged.  I was told I could exit at the time of my choosing whilst in port in Malaga but that I would need to carry my own bags.

 

I departed the ship late morning and I don't recall even having to see any immigration officials.  Since the entire cruise was in EU territory, maybe it wasn't necessary.

 

[The Traveling Man]

16 hours ago, MichiganBound said:

Back in 2017 or 2018, I exited my NCL Rome to Barcelona cruise early in Malaga.  I missed the final 2-3 days of the cruise which included two additional stops (both in Spain...maybe Alicante and Mallorca).  I decided to do this once on-board the ship.  I approached the guest services desk on board the day prior to arrival in Malaga and advised them of my plans.  They said it was rather late to arrange this with the authorities in Malaga but they would try.  I left my passport with them and they said to check back that evening.  Back to the CS desk in the evening and everything was set and arranged.  I was told I could exit at the time of my choosing whilst in port in Malaga but that I would need to carry my own bags.

 

I departed the ship late morning and I don't recall even having to see any immigration officials.  Since the entire cruise was in EU territory, maybe it wasn't necessary.

 

How did NCL handle closing out your onboard folio?  Were you charged the DSC for the days after you left the ship?

[cassie55]

On 4/6/2022 at 6:14 PM, chengkp75 said:

This, however, could run afoul of the EU's cabotage laws (think PVSA), depending on what your port calls before and after your "extended excursion" were (specifically what country), as the EU does not allow non-EU flag vessels to transport passengers between two ports of the same country without visiting a port in another country in between.

That's not the case. NCL has plenty of itineraries that visit two or more ports consecutively in the same country. All the Greek Islands cruises for example. And several that visit 2 French ports followed by 3 Spanish.

[MichiganBound]

7 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

How did NCL handle closing out your onboard folio?  Were you charged the DSC for the days after you left the ship?

What is DSC?  I don't know.  I paid for the full cruise and didn't request nor expect any kind of refund.  Departing early was my choice.