Can I disembark a TA early (prior port to final port)

Greetings, I have been searching to no avail !!! we were thinking of the MSC Divina TA from Rome to Miami in October 2018. The port prior to Miami is NYC (close to our home), the port prior would be Bermuda. Does anyone know if we can disembark in NYC instead of going to Miami and then having to fly back? I would appreciate any and all comments on the feasibility of doing so/and how to do so.............many thanks....(ps - it says on the itinerary, Red Hook for Manhattan, but I believe from a search on the pier activity, that it would actually be NYC)..........

Have just disembarked early from Royal Caribbean. If MSC are the same you are supposed to inform them in advance, probably pay a fee and I would suggest arranging to carry off your own luggage first thing in the morning to avoid being messed around by customs and or immigration changing departure times. RCI were absolutely useless at informing us about anything.

Call them and find out for yourself, too many opinions and wrong info on this forum. Pretty simple.

MSC certainly let you do it when the TA is in the opposite direction. It depends on the port at which you want to disembark and may not be up to MSC, but the port authorities.

Call them and find out for yourself, too many opinions and wrong info on this forum. Pretty simple.

I usually hang out in the RCI threads, and for something like this, calling the customer service is pretty much pointless as you will get a different response for every different agent you speak to. Best is to ask someone who has done it before. Maybe the MSC customer service agents are much more informed than RCI, but I'd rather hear it from an actual cruiser that has done it. That is what I find most useful about a forum.

I'd also consider this option as I see TAs that stop in Halifax just before heading south ta a US port that I can't recall right now. But that would be much simpler for us. Just get off in Halifax.

dp

Greetings, I have been searching to no avail !!! we were thinking of the MSC Divina TA from Rome to Miami in October 2018. The port prior to Miami is NYC (close to our home), the port prior would be Bermuda. Does anyone know if we can disembark in NYC instead of going to Miami and then having to fly back? I would appreciate any and all comments on the feasibility of doing so/and how to do so.............many thanks....(ps - it says on the itinerary, Red Hook for Manhattan, but I believe from a search on the pier activity, that it would actually be NYC)..........

You need to ask MSC not us. US custom regulations are very different here in the US and some ports may not allow it

I disembarked i Barcelona in stead of Genoa. I filled out a formula in the reception. I Got lougage tacs the Night before leaving the ship.

We see some bad advice mixed among the good. She here is the rest of the story :). You should contact MSC (either directly of through your cruise/travel agent) to find out 1; If this is possible at that port and 2. What procedures you must follow to get permission from MSC. Since procedures are always evolving relying on past history is not a good idea. Most cruise lines require a written request (often on their own form) and you should always get permission granted in writing. Any verbal stuff is near worthless. If there is an issue once aboard, having written permission (via snail mail or e-mail) will quickly resolve any issue.

We have noticed a new trend with several cruise lines (we have cruised on 14 lines) to charge a small fee for early disembarkation,

Hank

We see some bad advice mixed among the good. She here is the rest of the story :). You should contact MSC (either directly of through your cruise/travel agent) to find out 1; If this is possible at that port and 2. What procedures you must follow to get permission from MSC. Since procedures are always evolving relying on past history is not a good idea. Most cruise lines require a written request (often on their own form) and you should always get permission granted in writing. Any verbal stuff is near worthless. If there is an issue once aboard, having written permission (via snail mail or e-mail) will quickly resolve any issue.

 

We have noticed a new trend with several cruise lines (we have cruised on 14 lines) to charge a small fee for early disembarkation,

 

Hank

I think this is probably the best advice so far. And eventually you will have to do pretty much what is said in that advice. However I still fail to see what is wrong about asking a perfectly valid question on a forum and see what others have experienced. Gathering as much information as you can here before making the call to MSC, because the first person you talk to when you do call customer service, there is a 99% chance they will have no clue of what you are looking to do. If you have prior information, you will have a better chance of getting to speak with someone who does know much quicker. And, as was stated, getting confirmation in writing is of utmost importance.

The last I heard, RCI was charging $65 USD per passenger for early disembarkation. I have no clue about MSC fee.

dp

[quote name=dpostman;54598883

The last I heard' date=' RCI was charging $65 USD per passenger for early disembarkation. I have no clue about MSC fee.

dp[/quote]

If this is true, it's a load of crap as you're paying for the full fare of the cruise. In essence, they're making money by sheer fact that they aren't feeding you or providing additional services for the days that you're not on the ship.

I recently did this with Princess and fortunately there was no fee and they even reduced the cost of the beverage package and gratuities to account for the missed day. However, the cruise fare remained the same.

If this is true, it's a load of crap as you're paying for the full fare of the cruise. In essence, they're making money by sheer fact that they aren't feeding you or providing additional services for the days that you're not on the ship.

 

I recently did this with Princess and fortunately there was no fee and they even reduced the cost of the beverage package and gratuities to account for the missed day. However, the cruise fare remained the same.

I see your point. But the reason RCI was giving for the fee if I recall, was that there is extra paperwork for them to fill out and arrangements for customs officers at the port you chose to disembark. Also, there is no way for the cruise line to fill the room for the rest of the voyage to make up for lost revenue.

The way I see it, is If I can drive to Halifax, that is only 2 and a half hours away, leave my vehicle at the airport. Fly overseas, take a long cruise back, and disembark one day early in Halifax, pickup my car and drive back home, I saved the cost of flights back home from Boston. So the fee does not seem excessive to me. I just have to remember to ask for the tips envelope for the crew a day early ;p

I did not think of the beverage pkg, but that was nice of them to accommodate.

dp

You provide a good explanation, DP, but if your leaving the ship at the first port of the country, the immigration officials should already be on hand.

For what it's worth, it was a seamless process for my family. The cruise line treated like a normal disembarkation with luggage service and even processed our passports with the officials so that we wouldn't have to.

Greetings, I have been searching to no avail !!! we were thinking of the MSC Divina TA from Rome to Miami in October 2018. The port prior to Miami is NYC (close to our home), the port prior would be Bermuda. Does anyone know if we can disembark in NYC instead of going to Miami and then having to fly back? I would appreciate any and all comments on the feasibility of doing so/and how to do so.............many thanks....(ps - it says on the itinerary, Red Hook for Manhattan, but I believe from a search on the pier activity, that it would actually be NYC)..........

Why is filling the cabin a concern? It is already paid for. They won’t refund any of that portion. They are now saving money.

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You provide a good explanation, DP, but if your leaving the ship at the first port of the country, the immigration officials should already be on hand.

 

For what it's worth, it was a seamless process for my family. The cruise line treated like a normal disembarkation with luggage service and even processed our passports with the officials so that we wouldn't have to.

It would probably differ from port to port. When we disembark in Nassau, there isn't much of immigration process or customs when just getting off the ship for a few hours, but if we were to get off in Halifax Canada, after a 14 day cruise from Europe and the ship goes on without me and my DW to a US port. I know the Canadian Customs are going to want to chat with me;) and count the bottles of booze I picked up along the way ;p

I've never cruised on a ship that stopped in Halifax (or any Canadian port for that matter) so I'm not aware of how easy it is to just get off the ship and walk around. I assume that it is more "Controlled" than Nassau or Cozumel.

dp

It would probably differ from port to port. When we disembark in Nassau, there isn't much of immigration process or customs when just getting off the ship for a few hours, but if we were to get off in Halifax Canada, after a 14 day cruise from Europe and the ship goes on without me and my DW to a US port. I know the Canadian Customs are going to want to chat with me;) and count the bottles of booze I picked up along the way ;p

 

I've never cruised on a ship that stopped in Halifax (or any Canadian port for that matter) so I'm not aware of how easy it is to just get off the ship and walk around. I assume that it is more "Controlled" than Nassau or Cozumel.

 

dp

I've sailed to Halifax twice; once from Montreal, so I cleared Customs coming into the country and once from Boston. You may be correct that they don't have a "real" Customs process for ships in transit. However, in the U.S., there's full Customs' process as we experienced on the cruise out of Montreal.

Greetings, OP here - first - many thanks to everyone for their input! I was pretty sure that it would be rather easy, and I have ascertained so especially since it is NYC and customs would be on-hand as first US port of call anyway.

I have booked YC for the Transatlantic October 2018 and obviously intend to disembark in NYC rather than Florida.

We have never done the YC before, or even for that fact, not MSC. So this will be a real treat for us.

I booked through a TA and he is about to the get the form for the early disembarkation. I will come back here and update everyone as soon as it is under way etc. I am going to have other MSC questions and I will post at the main thread.

I just wanted to provide a large thank you to everyone, and an assurance that I will follow thru.....

Greetings, OP here - first - many thanks to everyone for their input! I was pretty sure that it would be rather easy, and I have ascertained so especially since it is NYC and customs would be on-hand as first US port of call anyway.

 

I have booked YC for the Transatlantic October 2018 and obviously intend to disembark in NYC rather than Florida.

We have never done the YC before, or even for that fact, not MSC. So this will be a real treat for us.

I booked through a TA and he is about to the get the form for the early disembarkation. I will come back here and update everyone as soon as it is under way etc. I am going to have other MSC questions and I will post at the main thread.

I just wanted to provide a large thank you to everyone, and an assurance that I will follow thru.....

Sounds like you are well on your way to a great cruise. Have fun and I'll be coming back to see what you have for information.

Happy cruising!

dp