Partial cruise returning to Ft Lauderdale?

Hello,

My wife and I will be in St Kitts in a couple of months, and I see that two different cruise lines arrive at that island the same day we wish to depart.

Is it possible to do a partial cruise from St Kitts back to Ft Lauderdale? I did read a very old topic that suggested maybe it's possible, but it was several years old.

From what I can tell regarding the Jones Act, it relates only to embarking and disembarking in two different US ports. It doesn't talk about embarking outside of the U.S. and then returning to the U.S..

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

A somewhat newbie (was registered in 2009, but for some reason couldn't post with my old name even though it let me log in)

I'd call the lines that are going to dock there the day you want to leave and ask them.

Hello,

 

My wife and I will be in St Kitts in a couple of months, and I see that two different cruise lines arrive at that island the same day we wish to depart.

 

Is it possible to do a partial cruise from St Kitts back to Ft Lauderdale? I did read a very old topic that suggested maybe it's possible, but it was several years old.

 

From what I can tell regarding the Jones Act, it relates only to embarking and disembarking in two different US ports. It doesn't talk about embarking outside of the U.S. and then returning to the U.S..

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

A somewhat newbie (was registered in 2009, but for some reason couldn't post with my old name even though it let me log in)

Are you talking about a cruise that stops at St Kitts as part of it's itinerary?

Generally, the answer would be "maybe". You need to contact the specific cruiseline and ask. There is no problem with the PVSA (not the Jones Act, as that has to do with cargo).

You'll have to pay for the full cruise, however. They don't typically pro-rate cruises where people either embark or disembark at a different port than the cruise typically begins or ends in.

Well, I'm working on answering my own question here.

One of the lines is Royal Caribbean. While looking at their website, it appears possible.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=322&faqSubjectName=Before+You+Purchase+&faqId=623

I did send them a request, and was promptly denied with the following.

Unfortunately in order to preserve our ship's closed loop status from being violated by the Custom and Border Protection in Ft Lauderdale when the ship returns to port and prevent the ship and all US citizens from undergoing a full immigration check, we cannot allow anyone to pre plan embarkation at any port to come back to Ft Lauderdale.

That does appear to conflict with what their website says is possible, but oh well.

I would send them the link to their FAQ page :D

Call & ask to speak to a manager or supervisor & explain the situation & give them the website information

Still doing a little research (I hope some might find this at least interesting). I just talked to a very nice lady at Royal Caribbean on the phone. She said there is nothing illegal about doing this, but Royal's current position is that they are not allowing it on any closed loop itineraries as it can be an (for lack of a better work) inconvenience.

The other company that is in St Kitts on our day is Celebrity lines. I will call them next. I'm not optimistic as they don't have anything on their website like Royal Car did suggesting that it is possible.

The other company that is in St Kitts on our day is Celebrity lines. I will call them next. I'm not optimistic as they don't have anything on their website like Royal Car did suggesting that it is possible.

They are both owned by the same parent company

good luck it never hurts to ask

I would send them the link to their FAQ page :D

 

:D I was very impressed with the lady on the phone. She read verbatim what current policy is, and suggested that this policy does change every once in a while. (I imagine it's easier for them to bend in the summer months ;) )

The next issue would be booking this. If you book far enough in advance, it could work. But if the ship is sold out...

Well, I'm working on answering my own question here.

 

One of the lines is Royal Caribbean. While looking at their website, it appears possible.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=322&faqSubjectName=Before+You+Purchase+&faqId=623

 

I did send them a request, and was promptly denied with the following.

 

 

 

That does appear to conflict with what their website says is possible, but oh well.

I found this information on a different thread about the PVSA and embarking/disembarking in a different port on a closed loop cruise (courtesy of chengkp75):

"Embarking a passenger at a foreign port changes the cruise from a closed loop to a foreign voyage. Therefore, a new passenger manifest must be submitted to CBP for vetting against security lists. On closed loop cruises, the passenger manifest from embarkation is used by CBP, and disembarkation immigrations is much easier."

That makes sense, then. A closed-loop cruise you can't just embark/disembark anywhere besides the originating/finishing port.

On a cruise that had different embarkation/disembarkation ports, it's possible to "pick up" the cruise in a different port (unless it then makes your cruise a US port to a different US port with no distant foreign port stop).

That does make sense Shmoo.

I now just got off the phone with Celebrity. Yet another very nice lady helped me out. Cruise lines must really understand good service.

Bottom line with Celebrity is their current stance is that you can leave the states and disembark outside of the U.S., but you can not do it the other way around. That does make me scratch my head a bit as getting off the ship in a different port of call doesn't disembark at customs. Either way, starting in the US isn't in the cards for us.

Now I've got to figure out if we just stay in St Kitts for 3 or 4 more nights, or if we fly to a different island.

Thanks for the comments!

Interesting question.

So what about people who for some reason miss the initial boarding port and make arrangements to pick up the cruise at the next port? We did that once for medical reasons but it was in Europe. We had to get it all OK'd by RCI's head office in Miami. Would the regulations have prevented us doing that if it had been a US sailing?

Interesting question.

 

So what about people who for some reason miss the initial boarding port and make arrangements to pick up the cruise at the next port? We did that once for medical reasons but it was in Europe. We had to get it all OK'd by RCI's head office in Miami. Would the regulations have prevented us doing that if it had been a US sailing?

Possibly. If it was a closed loop cruise, apparently it would. If it was an open-end cruise, there probably wouldn't be a problem. Except, as I noted, if the change caused that specific passenger's cruise to now be a US port to a different US port without a distant foreign port stop.

That does make sense Shmoo.

 

I now just got off the phone with Celebrity. Yet another very nice lady helped me out. Cruise lines must really understand good service.

 

Bottom line with Celebrity is their current stance is that you can leave the states and disembark outside of the U.S., but you can not do it the other way around. That does make me scratch my head a bit as getting off the ship in a different port of call doesn't disembark at customs. Either way, starting in the US isn't in the cards for us.

 

Now I've got to figure out if we just stay in St Kitts for 3 or 4 more nights, or if we fly to a different island.

 

Thanks for the comments!

It's my understanding that, if there are passengers who wish to disembark at a port (other than the final one), provisions need to made for immigration/customs officials to be at that port to clear the disembarking people.

The CBP has recently cracked down on this Closed Loop, Open Loop rules. Most of these scenarios are no longer being allowed.

On Carnival you can no longer catch up to a missed ship unless you can prove that it was a failure of public transportation that caused you to miss the ship.

Not sure what the current rules provide for, but in the past we have been on cruises where passengers disembarked and remained at a port of call during the cruise and after original embarkation. (One southern Caribbean in particular a couple we met on board sailed with the ship from Puerto Rico to Barbados and disembarked there to continue their vacation for an additional week). I am not familiar with the protocol but do know that various permissions (cruise line, Barbados, customs, etc.) were needed prior to original departure in order to do this.

Not familiar with the reverse of having your original embarkation mid-cruise, however. I would guess it is more restrictive (to the cruise line) in terms of passenger manifest, customs, etc., as that typically must be completed ahead of departure at the original port of embarkation. While it may be permissible, this may be why the cruise line would opt not to allow it.

In either case, I do know (as was previously posted) that the arrangements would need to be requested and approved in advance and that the full cruise cost would be charged, regardless of how long you actually were on board.