? re: Debarking prior to cruise end

[subwaysigns]

I think this is possible but i want to make sure.

Looking to do the Princess cruise out of NY which makes a last stop at Cape Canaveral before heading back to NY. I want to stay in Orlando for an extra week and not return to NY with the ship. What do I have to do? How about Customs?

[mrsfuzzmo]

Any kind of customs will have been done prior to anyone getting off at Canaveral. As far as not continuing the cruise, I do believe this is possible. Contact the cruise line or your travel agent and they can get the details for you. I think the only problem is getting BACK on a cruise at a different port. If you are getting off and not planning on returning, I believe you can do that.

[carolinacruiser10]

getting off the ship prior to it returning to NY would be possible. When I was on a cruise back in March with my family, we had a death in the family and had to return home. We were in our first port of call which was cozumel. So I imagine if we could get back to the states from Cozumel, it would be possible to do from orlando.

[BaumD]

Doing so would be a violation of Federal Law. The Passenger Services Act says a non- US flagged vessel can not transport people between two diffferent US ports without going to a "distant" foreign port. Not sure what the itinerary of your cruise would be, but most Caribbean islands are NOT distant ports. If you do this there is a hefty fine.

[wrp96]

Is this a round trip cruise from New York or is this a one trip from somewhere else to New York? If it is a round trip from New York, then no you would not be able to end your cruise at Port Canaveral due to the PSA. If it is a one-way trip from somewhere else, it might be possible if the ship stopped in a distant foreign port before you disembarked. The nearest distant foreign ports are Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. If it is possible, you would have to arrange it through Princess beforehand.

[kitty9]

carolinacruiser, your case is completely different being that there was a family emergency and you had no choice but to disembark. But for someone who just wants to leave the ship, it's generally not possible due to the Passenger Services Act, which some call the Jones Act. If someone leaves the ship early, without having some sort of personal emergency, there is a fine levied to the passenger for violation of the law.

[wrp96]

getting off the ship prior to it returning to NY would be possible. When I was on a cruise back in March with my family, we had a death in the family and had to return home. We were in our first port of call which was cozumel. So I imagine if we could get back to the states from Cozumel, it would be possible to do from orlando.

 

Cozumel is different than a place in the US. Since Cozumel is a foreign port, disembarking there doesn't violate the PSA. BUT disembarking in Orlando on a cruise that embarked in New York would violate the PSA since it would be transportation between 2 US ports without a stop at a distant foreign port.

[PurpleCow]

I'm just trying to understand this. If the ship stops in Port Canaveral and the next and final port is New York, what's the difference? They're both in the US. I can see not being able to disembark in Port Canaveral if there was a foreign port between Florida and New York.

[greatam]

This thread essentially has the same discussion: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=339522

 

There is a very well written, generally EASY to understand piece in post #20. This was written by a Vancouver attorney.

 

The rules are complicated and VERY old. They were instituted to protect the American shipping industry years ago. In essence, no foreign flagged ship (most cruise lines, EXCEPT the NCL ships that travel through the Hawaiian islands and are American flagged) may embark and disembark passengers in the US. There are exceptions, but that's the general rule. Instituted long ago, when American ships plyed the US waters transporting passengers. Foreign ships probably could have done this cheaper, years ago. To protect the American shipping industry, the Jones Act and Passenger Services Act were instituted.

 

To the OP-your request will depend on your itinerary.

[carolinacruiser10]

carolinacruiser, your case is completely different being that there was a family emergency and you had no choice but to disembark. But for someone who just wants to leave the ship, it's generally not possible due to the Passenger Services Act, which some call the Jones Act. If someone leaves the ship early, without having some sort of personal emergency, there is a fine levied to the passenger for violation of the law.

 

I apoligize for the wrong response. I guess my reasoning was that I disembarked early from a foreign port and came back into the US rather smoothly, so it would not be that difficult if you were already in the US. The one time I actually think I know what I'm talking about, I still get it wrong...:rolleyes: