Navigator OTS Is it possible to disembark “2 days early”?

[twoontheisle]

On a 7 day Mexican cruise, we want to disembark on day 5 into Puerto Vallarta. Has anyone done something like this recently? 

Edited October 22, 2022 by twoontheisle

[BND]

No.  They currently don't allow it as far as I know.  There would also be fees involved.

[twoontheisle]

That’s interesting. We were on a T/A to Amsterdam in Spring of 2022 and there were several people we knew who made arrangements to get off the ship on the two prior ports…..because it was “closer to their final destination”. 

[neverbeenhere]

“Royal Caribbean will no longer allow cruise passengers to pre-plan early debark or late embarkation for any of our ships. As many countries continue to enforce travel restrictions, this decision was made in an abundance of caution for the safety and security of our guests."

"Should guests who reserved flights through our Air2Sea program experience delays in air travel that result in missed cruise embarkation, downlining to a future port-of-call remains an option as long as the guest is fully vaccinated and able to show proof of required COVID-19 test results prior to boarding.”

[wikoffclan]

1 hour ago, twoontheisle said:

That’s interesting. We were on a T/A to Amsterdam in Spring of 2022 and there were several people we knew who made arrangements to get off the ship on the two prior ports…..because it was “closer to their final destination”. 

Had this experience on a TA on Voyager several years ago to Barcelona. The man we spoke to was "home" when we reached the Azores. He just had to make arrangements/ask permission to disembark in advance.

The post following yours with the official "quote" appears to be slightly old - in the midst of Covid regulations. Things have changed. It never hurts to ask.

[Ashland]

Policy in place now but it never hurts to ask...things can vary considerably...just like everything right now.

[twoontheisle]

Thank you everyone for  your replies. True, the excerpts quoted are not the current policies on several fronts. Rules are constantly changing and HOPEFULLY the restrictions will be loosening up. We have an agents who is also receiving different responses, depending on who is on the other end of the call.  It sure makes planning difficult. But……we wait, and hope. 🤞

[flamingos]

6 minutes ago, twoontheisle said:

Thank you everyone for  your replies. True, the excerpts quoted are not the current policies on several fronts. Rules are constantly changing and HOPEFULLY the restrictions will be loosening up. We have an agents who is also receiving different responses, depending on who is on the other end of the call.  It sure makes planning difficult. But……we wait, and hope. 🤞

 

I suggest you get anything confirming this IN WRITING in case of misunderstandings.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On 10/22/2022 at 2:00 PM, twoontheisle said:

That’s interesting. We were on a T/A to Amsterdam in Spring of 2022 and there were several people we knew who made arrangements to get off the ship on the two prior ports…..because it was “closer to their final destination”. 

I am by no means an expert and have no practical knowledge, but just putting some logic to this...

 

Isn't a T/A significantly different than a (presumably) closed loop "Mexican" cruise? Wouldn't PVSA prevent disembarking early?

[BND]

1 hour ago, twoontheisle said:

Thank you everyone for  your replies. True, the excerpts quoted are not the current policies on several fronts. Rules are constantly changing and HOPEFULLY the restrictions will be loosening up. We have an agents who is also receiving different responses, depending on who is on the other end of the call.  It sure makes planning difficult. But……we wait, and hope. 🤞

Closed loop out of the US are subject to penalties for debarking anywhere other than the embarkation port.  European rules do not apply here.

[twoontheisle]

We would gladly pay a fee/penalty. From a financial standpoint it doesn’t sense for them to NOT allow an early departure. They would NOT incur  the expense to have our room cleaned for two days, feed us for two days, nor give us 10 free cocktails each day! But, I guess their “bottom line”  is not the decision maker here……its “Guest Safety”. Right. 

[ATG]

We had a family member leave a cruise early last week due to personal issues (a friend’s death).  This was in violation of the Jones Act.  The fine was $873.  Ouch!

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Isn't a T/A significantly different than a (presumably) closed loop "Mexican" cruise? Wouldn't PVSA prevent disembarking early?

 

1 hour ago, BND said:

Closed loop out of the US are subject to penalties for debarking anywhere other than the embarkation port.  European rules do not apply here.

No, they are not.  They are subject to penalties if you disembark at a US port other than the embarkation port.  Disembarkation from a closed loop cruise at a foreign port does not violate the PVSA.

[chengkp75]

36 minutes ago, ATG said:

We had a family member leave a cruise early last week due to personal issues (a friend’s death).  This was in violation of the Jones Act.  The fine was $873.  Ouch!

They left at a US port other than the embarkation port.  That is why they were fined.  The OP wants to disembark in Mexico, so the PVSA (not the Jones Act, despite what the cruise line states) is not applicable.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, twoontheisle said:

We would gladly pay a fee/penalty. From a financial standpoint it doesn’t sense for them to NOT allow an early departure. They would NOT incur  the expense to have our room cleaned for two days, feed us for two days, nor give us 10 free cocktails each day! But, I guess their “bottom line”  is not the decision maker here……its “Guest Safety”. Right. 

The fine is actually levied against the cruise line by the CBP, but the ticket contract allows the cruise line to pass the fine to you.  The problem is, that the cruise line, since they are responsible, are not allowed to do a "pre-planned" violation.

 

For early disembarkations that do not violate the PVSA, pre-covid RCI charged $165 per person, for the cost of the additional paperwork this disembarkation requires be submitted to CBP, since the cruise is no longer technically a "closed loop" cruise anymore, since the passenger manifest has changed.

[BND]

Point is, no one knows for sure right now although the language on RCI says no.  It would never enter my mind to do it.  

[Ret MP]

If the cruise starts in one port and then returns to the same port, it's a "Closed Loop" itinerary, without the intention of dropping off travelers in any other ports of call, and there are certain rules, laws, and procedures involved.  And to be honest I haven't researched the rules, laws, or procedures to find out if they pertain to the cruise line, cruise ship/itinerary, passengers, or all the above.  It's worthy of research if it is a desire to debark in a port that is not the original embarkation port.  

 

I did find this and I don't know if it was/is a COVID thing/leftover rule:

https://cruisefever.net/royal-caribbean-stops-downline-embarkation-early-disembarkation/

 

There is a Jones Act Law but it only pertains to boarding in one U.S. Ports and debarking in another U.S. Port.

 

The Passenger Vessel Services Act, (PVSA), 46 U.S.C. § 55103 (b), places the same restrictions on the coastwise movement of people. It is this act that prohibits commercial vessels such as cruise ships from allowing passengers to board at one U.S. port and debark at another U.S. port.  The applicable to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulation regarding penalties for violating the PVSA is found in 19 CFR § 4.80, which provides that "[t]he penalty imposed for the unlawful transportation of passengers between coastwise points is $300.00 for each passenger landed on or before November 2, 2015 and $778.00 for each passenger so transported and landed after November 2, 2015 (46 U.S.C. 55103, as adjusted by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015). See Federal Register. 

 

AND this: 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by Ret MP

[Biker19]

13 hours ago, Ret MP said:

It's worthy of research if it is a desire to debark in a port that is not the original embarkation port.  

Not really - the rules are pretty simple - RCI doesn't allow pre-planned early disembarkation.

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Not really - the rules are pretty simple - RCI doesn't allow pre-planned early disembarkation.

It's worthy of research!!!!!  Do you or should you or anybody else rely on a social media Internet site for authoritative information?  I certainly hope not.  I look at these type posts and their responses as a starting point. More often than not, it's good information but not always complete information. If someone provides a link to an authoritative website, like IRS.GOV or Royalcaribbean.com, et al, I'll go there/research what I'm looking for, to start with.  I would never take a post in a social media site as gospel.  Hell, while I spend an hour here and an hour there in this site, I may research many things before I post.  Not that I'm an authoritative resource, but I try to provide a starting point for some, and I actually love research, it keep this old mind working.  However, I'm not perfect and I'd hope that people research what I say/post/link to as well as every other post in here, not just mine. 

[twoontheisle]

…….Brilliantly said “Ret MP”. Thanks for your advice, AND your service. We expect a decision this week, after the situation was elevated. 
    We hope that the Pre-Covid $165 p/p fee will be re-instated at some point, and the issue will be resolved. 

[Ret MP]

34 minutes ago, twoontheisle said:

Thanks for your advice, AND your service. 

Much appreciate your appreciation. 

[ATG]

On 10/23/2022 at 6:42 PM, chengkp75 said:

They left at a US port other than the embarkation port.  That is why they were fined.  The OP wants to disembark in Mexico, so the PVSA (not the Jones Act, despite what the cruise line states) is not applicable.

Question for anyone.  When my son left the cruise early in Boston, RC charged us $873 for violating the Jones Act.  I was surprised at the amount, but was expecting a fine.  Today he got a notice from Customs and Border Patrol that he owed a $5,000 fine!!!  Is this right? Normal?  Can we request a reduction?  RC didn’t mention this and I’ve never heard about it before.  HELP!

[smokeybandit]

I never understood why people would pay all that money for a cruise only to want to not enjoy the whole cruise

[ATG]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

I never understood why people would pay all that money for a cruise only to want to not enjoy the whole cruise

In our case it was a personal emergency (a death).  Definitely, not intentional.

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, ATG said:

In our case it was a personal emergency (a death).  Definitely, not intentional.

Well sure, unexpected emergencies is one thing. But planning your vacation around leaving the ship early just doesn't make sense to me.