While staying in a port over night, can we get off ship and stay in a hotel?

[missylovescruises]

We will be in Cabo San Lucas on Monday 9/25 at 9:30 am and ship leaves the next day at 4pm.

Are we able to stay on land for Monday night instead of boarding back on the ship at 6pm? We would like to enjoy a full night in Cabo Monday night. Has anyone ever done this?

[easyboy]

Yes you can.as long as you board back not later than alll-aboard time.

 

 

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[leaveitallbehind]

When a ship is in port it is open for disembarking and reboarding 24 hours a day. You can come and go as you wish - and stay in a hotel if desired. As mentioned, you just need to be back on board typically 30 minutes prior to the ship's departure time the next day.

[Hey Tina]

When you are on a cruise, what you do while in port is of no concern to the cruise line, as long as you're back when they tell you to be back.

 

You mentioned 6pm, if that's an all aboard time then you need to be back on board by 6pm.

[leaveitallbehind]

We will be in Cabo San Lucas on Monday 9/25 at 9:30 am and ship leaves the next day at 4pm.

Are we able to stay on land for Monday night instead of boarding back on the ship at 6pm? We would like to enjoy a full night in Cabo Monday night. Has anyone ever done this?

 

When you are on a cruise, what you do while in port is of no concern to the cruise line, as long as you're back when they tell you to be back.

 

You mentioned 6pm, if that's an all aboard time then you need to be back on board by 6pm.

 

The OP indicates that the ship departs the next day at 4:00 PM. The 6:00 PM time referenced was the night of the overnight stay - probably thinking that they would need to be back on board that night versus staying in port. This likely prompted the question of it being OK to stay in port instead. :)

[NantahalaCruiser]

When a ship is in port it is open for disembarking and reboarding 24 hours a day. You can come and go as you wish - and stay in a hotel if desired. As mentioned, you just need to be back on board typically 30 minutes prior to the ship's departure time the next day.

This is generally the case. However, internationally you will occasionally run into a port for which the local government does not provide security/immigration service for 24 hours.

[simmingdenise]

When a ship is in port it is open for disembarking and reboarding 24 hours a day. You can come and go as you wish - and stay in a hotel if desired. As mentioned, you just need to be back on board typically 30 minutes prior to the ship's departure time the next day.

Cabo is a tender port so they pull anchor and leave overnight. You can't board/reboard all night like a docked ship.:)

[Shmoo here]

Cabo is a tender port so they pull anchor and leave overnight. You can't board/reboard all night like a docked ship.:)

I'll also point out, if the next day the seas are too rough to anchor, someone who stays ashore the night before would be left in Cabo (to find their own way home).

[leaveitallbehind]

This is generally the case. However, internationally you will occasionally run into a port for which the local government does not provide security/immigration service for 24 hours.

 

Meaning that after a certain time you cannot reboard the ship? Even if that were the case how would that affect someone who is choosing to stay in a hotel in the port area and not planning to reboard that night - would they not just be another tourist (who has already cleared customs) residing at that hotel? And specific the the OP's question regarding Cabo San Lucas (MEX) - would that concern apply there? Just curious. :)

[leaveitallbehind]

Cabo is a tender port so they pull anchor and leave overnight. You can't board/reboard all night like a docked ship.:)

 

Good point! So if you are not on the last tender for the night you are stuck on land anyway. :)

[Ashland]

I'll also point out, if the next day the seas are too rough to anchor, someone who stays ashore the night before would be left in Cabo (to find their own way home).

Agree....Many don't consider this scenario and they should....it has and can happen.

[Keith1010]

Yes, you can stay off the ship.

 

A couple of things.

 

If you are staying off the ship you need to let the reception desk know. Also give them the details as to where you are staying.

 

Be sure to have the contact number for the port agent.

 

If the cruise line is holding your passport you will need it. Otherwise if yo are holding it you will need it for the hotel.

 

As others have said it is a tender port so if something goes wrong the next day you might not be able to get back to the ship. On occasion it does happen in this port where they can't run the tender.

 

One final note and I don't want to cause a controversy but there have been some concerns with selected areas in Mexico and this is one that was listed in the recent warning from the state department so I am not sure I would want to be staying overnight. That's just my thought.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

We will be in Cabo San Lucas on Monday 9/25 at 9:30 am and ship leaves the next day at 4pm.

Are we able to stay on land for Monday night instead of boarding back on the ship at 6pm? We would like to enjoy a full night in Cabo Monday night. Has anyone ever done this?

Sure, no problem, you can come and go as you please.

[pris993]

to play it safe, I would check with Princess. When ever we have stayed off a ship for a night, we done so and completed paper work in advance, made a trip deviation request. Where we have stayed off the ship, we have rejoined the ship in a sub sequent port. But given Cabo is a tender port... I would feel much better checking with Princess ahead of time.

[6rugrats]

 

One final note and I don't want to cause a controversy but there have been some concerns with selected areas in Mexico and this is one that was listed in the recent warning from the state department so I am not sure I would want to be staying overnight. That's just my thought.

 

Keith

Good point, and I agree. Warning here:

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

[NantahalaCruiser]

Yes, you can stay off the ship.

 

A couple of things.

 

If you are staying off the ship you need to let the reception desk know. Also give them the details as to where you are staying.

 

Be sure to have the contact number for the port agent.

 

If the cruise line is holding your passport you will need it. Otherwise if yo are holding it you will need it for the hotel.

 

As others have said it is a tender port so if something goes wrong the next day you might not be able to get back to the ship. On occasion it does happen in this port where they can't run the tender.

 

One final note and I don't want to cause a controversy but there have been some concerns with selected areas in Mexico and this is one that was listed in the recent warning from the state department so I am not sure I would want to be staying overnight. That's just my thought.

 

Keith

Must depend on the ship or perhaps the region. When on the Millennium last November I went to the reception desk to give them details of our overnight stay at Ha Long Bay and they said they did not need any information. Our overnight was of no concern to them.

[aggiejeff]

Ok. Let me add to this question. We are stopping in Fiji at two different ports on the same island. Go from one port stay overnight and catch the ship at the next port? 

[Hlitner]

No problem staying in a hotel in Mexico.  But the Fiji issue is a little different because you always have the risk that weather or some other unforeseen incident would have your ship cancel/miss that 2nd port.  We have taken our chances in Europe (about the ship missing the next port) because we knew it would not be difficult to catch-up to the ship at the following port.  But when you are cruising the South Pacific, this is not always so easy.

 

Hank

[GeezerCouple]

42 minutes ago, aggiejeff said:

Ok. Let me add to this question. We are stopping in Fiji at two different ports on the same island. Go from one port stay overnight and catch the ship at the next port? 

 

You should probably check carefully with the cruiseline.

There *might* be some local regulations about this that are separate from any of the ship or cruiseline policies themselves.

 

GC

[BruceMuzz]

On 9/9/2017 at 7:04 PM, leaveitallbehind said:

When a ship is in port it is open for disembarking and reboarding 24 hours a day. You can come and go as you wish - and stay in a hotel if desired. As mentioned, you just need to be back on board typically 30 minutes prior to the ship's departure time the next day.

This is not always the case.

Some ships and some cruise lines do not do this.

Some countries do not allow this.

It is always a good idea to inform the ship that you plan to be ashore all night.

That way, they can inform the port agent and ship security if anything goes wrong.

 

On my ship in Southeast Asia, if you stayed ashore all night without informing us, we would have the police searching for you.

[leaveitallbehind]

21 minutes ago, BruceMuzz said:

This is not always the case.

Some ships and some cruise lines do not do this.

Some countries do not allow this.

It is always a good idea to inform the ship that you plan to be ashore all night.

That way, they can inform the port agent and ship security if anything goes wrong.

 

On my ship in Southeast Asia, if you stayed ashore all night without informing us, we would have the police searching for you.

Good point and I was referring to Bermuda from a US based closed loop itinerary.  Probably should have specified that.

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

This is not always the case.

Some ships and some cruise lines do not do this.

Some countries do not allow this.

It is always a good idea to inform the ship that you plan to be ashore all night.

That way, they can inform the port agent and ship security if anything goes wrong.

 

On my ship in Southeast Asia, if you stayed ashore all night without informing us, we would have the police searching for you.

Agree that it is a great idea (to notify the ship) and actually can be vital.  We always let them know (a few days in advance) at the Guest Relations desk and we also make sure to inform our cabin steward so that he/she does not get concerned about the empty cabin.   

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Good point and I was referring to Bermuda from a US based closed loop itinerary.  Probably should have specified that.

Your mentioning Bermuda reminded me of an NCL cruise I took from New York several years ago. After overnighting at St. George the ship moved to Hamilton (supposedly for the next two nights).  Shortly after mooring alongside, rough weather reports triggered decision to head away from the island.  Many were ashore, so ship left a few tenders to bring them out to where it was waiting (for several hours) off the north shore.  Most made it, but I heard a few were left behind when we finally pulled away and headed (slowly, to eat up time) back to New York.
 

When it comes to ships’ movements  there is no such thing as a sure thing.

[cruisemom42]

9 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

You should probably check carefully with the cruiseline.

There *might* be some local regulations about this that are separate from any of the ship or cruiseline policies themselves.

 

GC

 

A good point!

 

I consider myself a very careful planner and even I got tripped up on one Med cruise. I was traveling with a friend and we were onboard a ship that visited Corfu in the morning, then the ship moved to Sarande, Albania for the afternoon.

 

(Anyone who's been to Corfu probably knows that you can actually SEE Sarande from Corfu, it's only about an hour's sail or a quick trip on a ferry.)

 

Anyway, we had both been to Corfu before and we wanted to have more time in Sarande as we had the opportunity to arrange a full-day tour with an archaeologist who had overseen some of the excavations at Butrint and other Roman sites in the vicinity. So I emailed the cruise line well in advance and asked for permission for us to take the ferry in the morning from Corfu to Sarande, then meet back up with the ship at the end of the day. As any potential weather between the two ports would be clearly apparent, it didn't seem like much of a risk. I received a response from the cruise line indicating my plan was fine.

 

Cut to the cruise. The ship was holding the passports for all passengers to facilitate clearances at ports. We had to go ask for ours in order to cross from Greece (EU, Schengen) to Albania (Non-EU, non-Schengen). The person at guest services looked aghast and told us to wait, then came back with an officer who informed us it was not possible to do what we had planned. 

 

We argued, showed permission, to no avail. There was some regulation in place that said the ship had to depart Corfu with the same number of passengers it arrived with (or they had to be accounted for in some way such as "taken to hospital"). Due to this, they would not let us go. A solo crossing by ferry to Sarande was apparently not in the "acceptable" list of reasons. I assume it was due to the non-EU/non-Schengen angle but....whatever. There was no budging.

 

So...we were able to reach our guide in Albania and warn her that our tour was now a half-day tour, and she was nice enough to reduce her rate. 

 

But onboard a ship, never count your chickens until they're on your dinner plate....

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Your mentioning Bermuda reminded me of an NCL cruise I took from New York several years ago. After overnighting at St. George the ship moved to Hamilton (supposedly for the next two nights).  Shortly after mooring alongside, rough weather reports triggered decision to head away from the island.  Many were ashore, so ship left a few tenders to bring them out to where it was waiting (for several hours) off the north shore.  Most made it, but I heard a few were left behind when we finally pulled away and headed (slowly, to eat up time) back to New York.
 

When it comes to ships’ movements  there is no such thing as a sure thing.

Good point.  I was referring to the many times we have been to Bermuda via a cruise we have docked at Kings Wharf the whole time we were there.  (We have also been there on land vacations a couple of times as well).  Less of a chance at having your described issues there, particularly on those larger ships.

 

Unfortunately the ships we have been on for those cruises have been too large to dock at either St. George or Hamilton and we have spent the entire time docked at Kings Wharf.  Having spent a fair amount of time in both locations, I would have enjoyed being docked at either (or both) St. George or Hamilton.

Edited February 10 by leaveitallbehind