Debarking early

[Nebr.cruiser]

We are booking a cruise in August, 2021 (knowing that we may or may not cancel, depending on Covid restrictions) that starts in Iceland and ends in Southampton.

 

We want to debark in Edinburgh, the last port before a sea day and arrival in Southampton, because we want to fly to Dublin to watch the Nebraska Football team, which is playing Illinois in Dublin on the last sea day.  Almost an unbelievable twist in a cruise we are very interested in!  

 

Our agent has called NCL and told him they don't arrange early debarks ahead of time, would have to get permission once on the ship, and it's not guaranteed, which is different than most cruise line handles this.  If we can't debark early, or won't know until we are on the ship, we will be cancelling for sure.

 

Has anyone had any experience in getting off the ship early with NCL?  I realize that different ports may have different rules on this, but surely it can be ascertained ahead of time for Edinburgh.

 

I will be calling NCL myself to see if I can find out anything different, but hope some of you have some advice on this unique situation

 

 

[hallux]

Keep trying.  Check out this thread from a couple years ago where the poster wanted to do similar, also on a cruise in Europe.  After appealing to higher powers they seem to have gotten approval.  If you search the forums you may find other experiences.

 

 

[farmersfight]

1 hour ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

we want to fly to Dublin to watch the Nebraska Football team, which is playing Illinois in Dublin on the last sea day.  Almost an unbelievable twist in a cruise we are very interested in!  

 

2021 AER LINGUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL CLASSIC

 

Saturday, August 28, 2021
Aviva Stadium | Dublin, Ireland
Illinois vs. Nebraska

I found it quite interesting that there is going to be a college football game in Dublin, Ireland in August 2021. I'm sure you're huge Huskers fans, so I don't blame you for trying to attend the game since you'll be in the area on a cruise. I think with enough advance notice you'll be able to work something out with NCL and the ship. Good luck!

 

P.S. sorry the helmets are so big above, I couldn't make them smaller, lol.

[halberd7]

You would think the NCAA would want Notre Dame to play in Ireland.

[ColeThornton]

1 minute ago, halberd7 said:

You would think the NCAA would want Notre Dame to play in Ireland.

 

They were scheduled to play Navy in Dublin but it got canceled because of the pandemic.

[farmersfight]

4 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

They were scheduled to play Navy in Dublin but it got canceled because of the pandemic.

 

Yeah, I did see that, thanks. Indeed very appropriate for the Fighting Irish to play in Ireland! I'm sure it'll happen in the near future...

[halberd7]

52 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

They were scheduled to play Navy in Dublin but it got canceled because of the pandemic.

I did not see that, thanks.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Thanks everyone--yes, very interesting to hopefully be able to see our team in Dublin.  Well, with Covid, all plans are shaky and likely to change, but, who knows, maybe it will work out.

 

We will keep working on the ability to debark and any more advice or experiences are welcome.  We can cancel with all funds returned until April 11; after that it would be cruise credit, which I am not too interested in.

[complawyer]

im not sure about the logistics, or t he actual ramifications, but it seems to me that if youre packed and get off the ship, there is no way anyone will try and stop you from doing so. if you got off in edinburgh, and didnt make it back to the ship in time they'd leave without you anyway. its not like they'll put out an APB.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Well, we have actually thought about doing this; just unsure if there are some legal ramifications?  It might be a little suspicious if we are getting off with all our luggage, but yeah, I doubt they would physically keep your from leaving.

 

Just don't know about customs, immigration, passports at airport, etc.

[BirdTravels]

Yes, the cruise line would have to arrange for (potentially at your expense) UK customs and immigration to process your entry into the country. If you just departed, they would put an APB out for you and you would be detained when trying to exit the country and fly to dublin (you would not have an entry stamp or record of entry). 

[Trimone]

Remember the U.K. will be out of the EU by then, another problem is all U.K. countries have devolved powers, and during Covid-19, Scotland could be not accepting visitors, whilst Wales and Northern Ireland are, it’s all too soon to make plans.

[Travelling2Some]

We wanted to do something similar a few years ago.  Long story short - two ports in Spain on the ship's itinerary were only 2 hours apart.  We wanted to overnight in the first port and catch up with the ship the next day in the second port.  (BTW, we had legally entered Spain already since the ship embarked from Barcelona.)  After two months of trying to get a straight answer from NCL they denied the request.  They would not cite any real reason other than "their policy" and were very rude and dismissive on the phone.  I was shocked at the way they spoke to me and it is one reason that we will not be cruising with them in the future.  We should have just kept quiet and missed the ship!  That said, I believe there are flights from Southampton to Dublin.

[PTC DAWG]

If we can’t do anything in August, we are lost as a civilization.  IMHO

[rhblake]

Be aware that if the UK exits the EU without any agreements, you will probably have to go through customs and immigration, which may or may not be available in Edinburgh.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Thanks again for all the food for thought.  Too bad it is all so complicated.  We will pursue the issue as far as possible, but we do realize this may be difficult or impossible.  

 

Sigh.  There are four of us in total, just wanting this unique itinerary plus the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch our team in Ireland.

 

Note:  the game is on the 28th, which is a sea day after the port of Edinburgh.  The cruise officially ends in Southampton on the 29th of August.  So, we would not be going to Southampton if we go to the game.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, rhblake said:

Be aware that if the UK exits the EU without any agreements, you will probably have to go through customs and immigration, which may or may not be available in Edinburgh.

 

15 hours ago, Trimone said:

Remember the U.K. will be out of the EU by then, another problem is all U.K. countries have devolved powers, and during Covid-19, Scotland could be not accepting visitors, whilst Wales and Northern Ireland are, it’s all too soon to make plans.

Even today, if you cross the channel from France, you need to go through passport control and enter the UK (if you have a EU passport it is more showing them you have a passport, but non-EU persons have to enter). You just don’t walk in. 

[hamrag]

9 hours ago, rhblake said:

Be aware that if the UK exits the EU without any agreements, you will probably have to go through customs and immigration, which may or may not be available in Edinburgh.

Why do you think Edinburgh may have no customs and immigration?

[hallux]

5 minutes ago, hamrag said:

Why do you think Edinburgh may have no customs and immigration?

If the ship is scheduled for just a port call there would be no need for passport control/immigration so there won't be staff there for those functions.  The port/country would charge a fee to the cruise line, above and beyond the normal port fees, to have someone there to process immigration, and I'm sure that would be passed on to the individual requesting it if they were to allow it.

[All-ready2cruise]

4 hours ago, hamrag said:

Why do you think Edinburgh may have no customs and immigration?

Would they have immigration officers available for just a port stop? 

4 hours ago, hallux said:

If the ship is scheduled for just a port call there would be no need for passport control/immigration so there won't be staff there for those functions.  The port/country would charge a fee to the cruise line, above and beyond the normal port fees, to have someone there to process immigration, and I'm sure that would be passed on to the individual requesting it if they were to allow it.

Not sure they had any officers there when we stopped there but that was in 2015 so perhaps things have changed.  We loved Edinburgh. 

[casofilia]

Remember there are two ports that give access to Edinburgh.   As neither is a normal embark/debark port it is unlikely that there will be customs migration staff there as of right especially if the ship has docked elsewhere in the UK before Edinburgh.

Your US passport will not get you through the same way as those of us with UK/Euro passports.

[Trimone]

Most of the U.K. is in lockdown, I live about 55 miles from the Welsh border however I’m not allowed to enter, no customs etc, but police are pulling over vehicles and issuing fines.

I suspect you won’t be able to leave a ship without a dedicated tour booked, Covid-19 is not under control, one of Ireland’s biggest events Ploughing was cancelled this year, they are taking the virus very seriously, I know people with relatives in Ireland that haven’t seen them since February.

[hamrag]

6 hours ago, casofilia said:

Remember there are two ports that give access to Edinburgh.   As neither is a normal embark/debark port it is unlikely that there will be customs migration staff there...

Not true! Rosyth is an embarkation port for some of the UK based cruiselines. Trust me, in Scotland there are customs staff at every port area. 😉