Buying a single night of a longer cruise?

This is a very theoretical question given the uncertain recovery timeline in the Caribbean, but was wondering if cruise lines - Carnival and Royal Caribbean in particular - allow you to book 1 night of a longer cruise if space is available (and it is legal to board/disembark in those ports)?

We are scheduled to sail Dec 24 - 31 with RCCL out of San Juan (Jewel of the Seas). After the cruise, we need to travel to St. Thomas to meet up with family. As of now, both the Jewel of the Seas and Carnival Fascination have 7 night itineraries leaving San Juan on Dec 31 and stopping in Charlotte Amalie on Jan 1.

Sailing from San Juan to St. Thomas should be legal as the Jones Act does not apply in Puerto Rick and the USVI. And I found some info form the RCCL site about partial cruises - i.e. getting on late/getting off early with approval from Guest Flight Operations - but that seemed to require booking the entire cruise first and probably just skipping a day on either end. But I have not been able to find anything about booking a single night by itself (most searches return posts about being single on a cruise!).

I assume a cruise line would only do this last minute if space is available, so if a single night sailing might be possible, my thought is booking refundable airfare for the 31st and if the cruises keep their current itineraries (a big if) and had space, we would switch to sailing vs. flying.

Any info on whether this is even done/allowed is appreciated.

Royal will allow you to do a partial cruise. You have to get prior approval, pay for the entire cruise, and they now have an extra fee you would have to pay for early disembarkation. No single night cruises where you pay for only one night.

best to contact the cruise line

seems like a lot of bother for 1 night

jmo

This is a very theoretical question given the uncertain recovery timeline in the Caribbean, but was wondering if cruise lines - Carnival and Royal Caribbean in particular - allow you to book 1 night of a longer cruise if space is available (and it is legal to board/disembark in those ports)?

 

We are scheduled to sail Dec 24 - 31 with RCCL out of San Juan (Jewel of the Seas). After the cruise, we need to travel to St. Thomas to meet up with family. As of now, both the Jewel of the Seas and Carnival Fascination have 7 night itineraries leaving San Juan on Dec 31 and stopping in Charlotte Amalie on Jan 1.

 

Sailing from San Juan to St. Thomas should be legal as the Jones Act does not apply in Puerto Rick and the USVI. And I found some info form the RCCL site about partial cruises - i.e. getting on late/getting off early with approval from Guest Flight Operations - but that seemed to require booking the entire cruise first and probably just skipping a day on either end. But I have not been able to find anything about booking a single night by itself (most searches return posts about being single on a cruise!).

 

I assume a cruise line would only do this last minute if space is available, so if a single night sailing might be possible, my thought is booking refundable airfare for the 31st and if the cruises keep their current itineraries (a big if) and had space, we would switch to sailing vs. flying.

 

Any info on whether this is even done/allowed is appreciated.

Well, first it's not the Jones Act (that deals with cargo). It's the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Yes, a cruise from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas would be legal. But, as noted, you'd have to pay for a full cruise from Puerto Rico to wherever, that stops at St Thomas. They don't pro-rate cruises.

Cruises are not a means of transportation to/from places. That's what the PVSA deals with.

For just a night, I guess flying in is cheaper and simpler option for you.

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Several cruise lines do what Bob mentioned making it very expensive. Also some will not just let you get off at any port.

As mentioned check with the cruise lines directly to get the specifics.

Please remember that policies change so even if someone says you can do it that might not be the case by the time your cruise takes place.

Keith

no they will not let you book only one night. you either book the entire cruise and then deal wth the logistics of early disembarkation ( or late embarkation ) or you find another way to get to your destination.

Assuming both ports are open, why not just take the ferry?

Are you sure the PVSA does not apply, as both San Juan and St Thomas are both US Territories? (Not trying to argue, just requesting clarification).

USVI has been exempted from Jones Act for 'decades', not so for Puerto Rico .... a temporary waiver has been in place for storm recovery but expires on Sunday. I'm not sure but I'd guess similar applies to PVSA - an RCCL ship brought a bunch of folks from PR to Miami if I'm not mistaken ....

http://gcaptain.com/extension-of-puerto-rico-jones-act-waiver-not-needed-dhs/

Are you sure the PVSA does not apply, as both San Juan and St Thomas are both US Territories? (Not trying to argue, just requesting clarification).

The PVSA has exception for San Juan and the coastwise laws do not apply to the USVI.

Another consideration. What if the ship never makes it to the desired port for embarkation/disembarkation for one reason or another?

The PVSA has exception for San Juan and the coastwise laws do not apply to the USVI.

Thanks for the clarification.

As to the OP, I agree that it would not be feasible to pay for a 7 night cruise for only 1 night.

What's the ETA on the St. Thomas port even opening? I wouldn't count on that. And I can't imagine it being cost effective.

Have you investtigaed flying? We once were stayin g in San Juan andc hose to fly to S. thomas for the day. Itt was very fast and easy.

Their goal is to have every room booked for every cruise. Keeping in mind that the room they give you will have to be unoccupied the rest of the cruise - there's no chance you would get it at a pro-rated cost.

You could argue I guess, on the day of sailing that they are out of time and the room will be empty anyway; but then you'd have to have no alternate plans to get where you are going. And I still think there's a decent chance they would say no.

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There's a ferry, but according to one source I found, they only go once a week (Saturday). I've heard it's cheap to fly -- under $100 per person - would be fun to cruise though. good luck - give an update if you do something unique.

There's a ferry, but according to one source I found, they only go once a week (Saturday). I've heard it's cheap to fly -- under $100 per person - would be fun to cruise though. good luck - give an update if you do something unique.

OP, please let us know what the final decision is. I hope they are able to arrange to sail the one night. :)

If you look at the request from a cruise line's point of view, it seems very unlikely to be granted - even if it is legal.

Administratively it's an extra hassle for the immigration officer to update the passenger manifest after you disembark in St Thomas.

It's a hassle for the finance department to prorate the fare, the tips, the port charges and taxes all while setting up your shipboard account and verifying your credit card.

Most significantly, from a business standpoint it's a terrible precedent to set. If it's done for you, why not for me and everyone else who wants a cruise ship to operate like a ferry? Then the cruise ship becomes in effect, a ferry. That is not the business model of a cruise line.

OTOH, it never hurts to ask the question.

Very interesting thread...

Not the same thing, but I am aware that over in Europe, they often times have cruises doing say, a week long round trip, and offer embarkation/disembarkation for a full week, at more than one port along the route.

Even in that situation, I kind of doubt the cruise line would let you just sail from one of the ports where the cruise begins to the next, be it one day or six days, or whatever....

And speaking of ferries...perhaps there would be a market for a ferry type cruise, such as Hurtigruten does in Norway, but stopping at a chain of Caribbean ports, and then reversing directions, or continuing in a large circle back to its origin....

And speaking of ferries...perhaps there would be a market for a ferry type cruise, such as Hurtigruten does in Norway, but stopping at a chain of Caribbean ports, and then reversing directions, or continuing in a large circle back to its origin....

Yes! "Hop on hop off cruises". Certainly more paperwork for the cruise lines, but a lot more flexibility for pax. It shouldn't be too hard too keep the ships sailing at full capacity, the big pricing computer certainly can manage that in 2017. If someone disembarks at island X to spend some days there, there will probably be someone who just did that and is now ready to continue the trip to island Y. Maybe on another line if needed. And maybe one day sooner or later if the price is right

I'm certain there are many people on a cruise for whom one port is the real reason to pick that cruise. For instance, my cruise Amsterdam-Petersburg-Amsterdam would have had much more value if Petersburg wasn't just an overnight but 3 or 4 days.

Especially in the Caribbean where there are so many ships calling at a relatively few ports, it's almost a metro line already. Allowing us, mere pax, to use the ship as any other hotel where you can book for a few days instead of whole weeks, that would be nice. :D

New York City transit of the seas? Even if the immigration logistics were to be worked out it would be a huge money drain for the cruise line and so expensive that passengers would find it cheaper to book short haul island hopping flights. Passengers would not be on long enough to spend money and a huge amount of empty available cabins would be needed. Few would book huge suites as it the money would not be worth it for a one nighter.

New York City transit of the seas? Even if the immigration logistics were to be worked out it would be a huge money drain for the cruise line and so expensive that passengers would find it cheaper to book short haul island hopping flights. Passengers would not be on long enough to spend money and a huge amount of empty available cabins would be needed. Few would book huge suites as it the money would not be worth it for a one nighter.

It would be a normal cruise, where most people will do just do the entire cruise. The only difference is that it gets segmented at the more popular ports, so people have a chance to enjoy a port for a few days or even a month before continuing on the next ship. World cruises are usually offered as segments as well, the difference is that these segments are much smaller. I don't see how that would necessarily lead to empty cabins, except maybe at the start and end of the season.

The logistics would indeed be more difficult, but I think some people would love it and pay for it. It's also a great opportunity for the cruise lines to sell the stay as an extended "shore excursion", including transportation, hotel, actual excursions, great deals at the diamond shop, etc , all at the level, safety and pricing you'd expect from the ship. That would be ongoing revenue from guests while they don't even occupy an expensive berth.

While its an intriguing idea, I don't think the market interest will support the increased cost. The luxury lines may find it worth their while, small ships so fewer rooms to sell and at higher price point. But a huge number of cruises are 7 nights or less because many people can't take more than a week off.

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Yes but "segmenting" a cruise means that cabins are taken away from the larger cruise. Segments of a world cruise typically last a week or ten days, not a night or two. Let's say the OP buys nights 1-2 out of an 8 night cruise. Now it's no longer for the entire 8 night sailing. Somebody has to have interest in nights 3-8 or that cabin goes empty. Not all itineraries are appealing.