HOHO Cruising - Missing a port

[aquarion]

Has anyone purpously missed a cruise port and got on at another?

My friend wants to get off the ship and overnight in one port and catch up 2 days later in another port.

Has anyone ever done this?

Did you notify the cruise line ahead of time?

[Twickenham]

What ports?

[aquarion]

Ireland - wants to get off in Belfast and back on in Dublin.

[Twickenham]

I think that's something you'd have to arrange with the cruise line, to make sure there are no legal issues. In theory it should be possible, just remember that your friend would be leaving the ship in one country and rejoining in another (don't think it should be an issue as both are EU). Also, there's always the possibility of missing a port, so what's their plan B?

Edited February 18, 2014 by Twickenham

[Mary Ellen]

We've done this. Yes, most definately check with the cruise line ahead of time. I don't know what the requirements for Ireland would be. In some countries there might be legal constraints that would prohibit one from doing so.

 

In our case the cruise line wanted contact information and our itinerary in case we needed to be reached while on our 'overland' time off the ship. They also needed to know so they wouldn't be paging us, waiting, whatever... thinking we had missed the ship. Also for us passports were involved. Given the country, we HAD to have our passports in order to check into a hotel. This cruise was one where our passports were kept by the ship. Everyone had them returned in order to go through Immigration ashore. Only those of us leaving the ship for a night (or more) were able to keep them after clearing Immigration.

Edited February 18, 2014 by Mary Ellen

[Hlitner]

This is not uncommon on European cruises. However, in most cases, you should seek permission (well in advance) from the cruise line. We notify the cruise line (through our TA) long before our cruise and then stop by Guest Relations early in the cruise to remind them that we intend to miss the ship. It is not normally a problem with EU countries.

 

Hank

[sstepson]

We did this in Italy. We got off in Livorno, spent the night in Florence, and took the train to Rome the next morning. We explored Rome, and then took the train to Civitavecchia to meet up with the ship.

 

We set the whole thing up with RCCL before we left, and since the cruise line held our passports, we had to wait for the ship to return them to us before we left the ship in Livorno. (Passports are required to check into hotels in Europe.) Getting back on the ship took a little bit of time, since new seapass cards had to be issued. All in all, it wasn't that difficult, and we would do it again.

 

A couple of words of wisdom, though...have back up plans. And then have back up plans for your back up plans. If we had missed the ship in Civitavecchia, it would have been our responsibility to meet up with the ship in Athens. We even had a car rental reserved in Florence, just in case the trains had gone on strike on the day we were trying to get to Rome. (Which is quite common in Italy...)

 

Do your research, and you should be fine.

 

 

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[aquarion]

Thank You everyone. I appreciate your feedback.

I am curious though why would you need new seapass cards.

 

also last time I went on a meditteranean cruise they did not hold our passports. Or did they hold them because you told the cruise line that you

would be getting off?

[xxoocruiser]

Thank You everyone. I appreciate your feedback.

I am curious though why would you need new seapass cards.

 

also last time I went on a meditteranean cruise they did not hold our passports. Or did they hold them because you told the cruise line that you

would be getting off?

 

I've never done the HOHO method while cruising the Mediterranean or anywhere else in Europe and the cruise line has always held my passport and returned it the last full day. Seems to be standard practice with most cruise lines.

[sstepson]

Thank You everyone. I appreciate your feedback.

I am curious though why would you need new seapass cards.

 

also last time I went on a meditteranean cruise they did not hold our passports. Or did they hold them because you told the cruise line that you

would be getting off?

 

In our case, the passports were held because we had a stop in Turkey. Apparently, this is requested by the Turkish government to make clearing the ship by customs officials easier. Although, we've had friends who did not stop in Turkey also have their passports collected, so I'm not sure what the official procedure is.

 

As for the seapass cards, the way it was explained to us by RCCL, when you leave the ship, they actually have to take you out of the system for that night, presumably to make their computer system match the actual manifest of people on board. Then when you rejoin the ship, they open a new account for you. However, we noticed no interruption in our charging privileges, and only had one bill at the end of the cruise, just like normal. We did, however, have to get a new sticker saying we had bought a wine package, since that was on our original card that was taken when we left the ship.

 

Hope this helps!

 

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[njhorseman]

I think that's something you'd have to arrange with the cruise line, to make sure there are no legal issues. In theory it should be possible, just remember that your friend would be leaving the ship in one country and rejoining in another (don't think it should be an issue as both are EU). Also, there's always the possibility of missing a port, so what's their plan B?

 

While both the UK and Ireland are members of the EU, neither are Schengen Area countries...and it's the Schengen countries that have borderless travel. (I haven't traveled between the UK and Ireland, so I'm not personally familiar with the border formalities when traveling between them.)

Edited February 19, 2014 by njhorseman

[sail7seas]

It is a common thing to do but you MUST have permission in advance from the cruise line and get it in an e-mail so you have the authorization in writing.

 

At some ports, you cannot enter the port area without that proof as if you leave the ship without their knowledge and approval, you could be denied entry at a future port.

 

The entry granted by countries for a day port visit is different than for an overnight stay on one's own away from the ship. the cruise line must get the approval from the host country before they can give you permission.

 

If granted this permission, be certain to verify with the front office on the ship shortly after you board to be sure there is no confusion between ship and cruise line headquarters.

Edited February 19, 2014 by sail7seas

[njhorseman]

While both the UK and Ireland are members of the EU, neither are Schengen Area countries...and it's the Schengen countries that have borderless travel. (I haven't traveled between the UK and Ireland, so I'm not personally familiar with the border formalities when traveling between them.)

 

Just to update what I wrote here, there is what is called a Common Travel Area for travel to or from the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. With exceptions for citizens of certain countries who are required to have visas, there is no need to carry a passport or go through an immigration check. In that way, travel between the UK and Ireland is similar to travel in the Schengen Area. Details can be found here:

 

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/customs-travel/Enteringtheuk/arrivingatukborder/travellingtocommontravelarea/

Edited February 19, 2014 by njhorseman

[aquarion]

They said No!

 

Cruiseline would not give permission. I am sure it has nothing to do with the ports. They don't seem to be customer friendly at all!

 

Actually they never even asked where he wanted to get off/on.

Just said No!