Early Disembarkation

[GayCruise8]

We will arrive in Athens on the February 11th but disembarking isn't until 12th. Does anyone know if there would be a problem leaving in the evening of the 11th to get a flight home early the following morning. Hope someone knows, I already have my flight booked.

[CruiserBruce]

Nope. No problem. The ship is cleared when you dock.

[GayCruise8]

Thank you so much. I am on a messenger chat with Celebrity and they still have not answered this question, LOL. Glad you got me an answer

 

[StollyBolly]

We are doing this in Lima in January.  No point in hanging around Lima before an 11pm flight.  Seabourn advised our TA for us to make the ship aware of our plans when onboard.   

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, GayCruise8 said:

We will arrive in Athens on the February 11th but disembarking isn't until 12th. Does anyone know if there would be a problem leaving in the evening of the 11th to get a flight home early the following morning. Hope someone knows, I already have my flight booked.

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Glad you got an answer and that it was the one you wanted!

 

Like StollyBolly said, just make sure the ship's personnel know that you are leaving early. Including your cabin stewards! but not only them... Someone higher up...

[Ashland]

Many people on our RCI Jewel cruise that ended in Amsterdam disembarked when we docked. We however spent that last night onboard since our flight home was already scheduled.

[donaldsc]

7 hours ago, GayCruise8 said:

Thank you so much. I am on a messenger chat with Celebrity and they still have not answered this question, LOL. Glad you got me an answer

 

 

Our answers really do not count.  Only the cruise company's answer counts.  Make sure that they approve it in writing and also make sure that the people on the ship know what will be happening.

 

DON

Edited December 19, 2023 by donaldsc

[John Bull]

6 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Our answers really do not count.  Only the cruise company's answer counts.  Make sure that they approve it in writing and also make sure that the people on the ship know what will be happening.

 

DON

 

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

I agree with Don, you need the cruise line's permission.

If it's given by phone, get it backed-up by e-mail before you commit to your airline tickets.

 

NCL seems to be the only cruise line which usually declines permission to disembark ahead of cruise-end, but even that is for disembarking at the penultimate port whereas - like @Ashland - you would still be disembarking at the turnaround port. And in any case you're sailing with Celebrity. 

Athens (Piraeus) port is of course an international port, so has full immigration and customs facilities.

 

But you need the OK from Celebrity, and there are possible complications abut settling the on-board account especially if it's cash not backed by a card. Double-check your on-board account (on most ships its in real time via your cabin TV screen) - it's much much easier to resolve any (very rare) errors on the spot rather than weeks later 

Some cruise lines charge a fairly nominal admin. fee for disembarkation before cruise-end.

 

Athens is well worth the full day or more, I'm guessing you've been there before or have commitments back home.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[ontheweb]

48 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

I agree with Don, you need the cruise line's permission.

If it's given by phone, get it backed-up by e-mail before you commit to your airline tickets.

 

NCL seems to be the only cruise line which usually declines permission to disembark ahead of cruise-end, but even that is for disembarking at the penultimate port whereas - like @Ashland - you would still be disembarking at the turnaround port. And in any case you're sailing with Celebrity. 

Athens (Piraeus) port is of course an international port, so has full immigration and customs facilities.

 

But you need the OK from Celebrity, and there are possible complications abut settling the on-board account especially if it's cash not backed by a card. Double-check your on-board account (on most ships its in real time via your cabin TV screen) - it's much much easier to resolve any (very rare) errors on the spot rather than weeks later 

Some cruise lines charge a fairly nominal admin. fee for disembarkation before cruise-end.

 

Athens is well worth the full day or more, I'm guessing you've been there before or have commitments back home.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

Interesting that you mentioned that NCL usually declines to give permission to disembark early. Our cruise on NCL this past summer ended in Reykjavik, and the day prior was an overnight in Reykjavik. There were some complaints in our roll call from passengers who used the NCL BOGO flight offer that their flights were either very late or even the next day. They said there were early flights from Reykjavik, but NCL would not even consider letting them out early on the day of disembarkation even though they were ported there from the day before. 

[John Bull]

2 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Interesting that you mentioned that NCL usually declines to give permission to disembark early. Our cruise on NCL this past summer ended in Reykjavik, and the day prior was an overnight in Reykjavik. There were some complaints in our roll call from passengers who used the NCL BOGO flight offer that their flights were either very late or even the next day. They said there were early flights from Reykjavik, but NCL would not even consider letting them out early on the day of disembarkation even though they were ported there from the day before. 

 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr 😡😡😡.

There may be a legitimate reason, but I guess NCL's record on the subject kinda says it all.

 

JB 🙂

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr 😡😡😡.

There may be a legitimate reason, but I guess NCL's record on the subject kinda says it all.

 

JB 🙂

Nicks BOGO airfare is usually a money saver, but the flights aren’t always optimal, it’s a discount program and I don’t think they would book flights while the cruise is still technically in process.

[John Bull]

Just now, mjkacmom said:

Nicks BOGO airfare is usually a money saver, but the flights aren’t always optimal, it’s a discount program and I don’t think they would book flights while the cruise is still technically in process.

 

Hi,

 

My gripe isn't about NCL-organised flights - I do understand about discounts on  sub-optimal flights.

 

My gripe is about restricting passengers who make their own flight arrangements, - @ontheweb's " there were early flights from Reykjavik, but NCL would not even consider letting them out early on the day of disembarkation even though they were ported there from the day before."

 

NCL do have a record of being unhelpful and even apparently-unnecessarily obstructive to passengers who wish to make different plans.

 

I've seen many examples, the most frequent one is on round-trip cruises out of Southampton - whereas other cruise lines allow passengers to leave the cruise at their penultimate port of Le Havre to spend post-cruise days in Paris & fly home from there  (some lines levy a fairly-nominal admin charge), NCL outright refuse permission, requiring their passengers to sail back to Southampton overnight and gett to Paris from there.

Ridiculous.😡

 

JB 🙂  

[navybankerteacher]

4 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Hi,

 

My gripe isn't about NCL-organised flights - I do understand about discounts on  sub-optimal flights.

 

My gripe is about restricting passengers who make their own flight arrangements, - @ontheweb's " there were early flights from Reykjavik, but NCL would not even consider letting them out early on the day of disembarkation even though they were ported there from the day before."

 

NCL do have a record of being unhelpful and even apparently-unnecessarily obstructive to passengers who wish to make different plans.

 

I've seen many examples, the most frequent one is on round-trip cruises out of Southampton - whereas other cruise lines allow passengers to leave the cruise at their penultimate port of Le Havre to spend post-cruise days in Paris & fly home from there  (some lines levy a fairly-nominal admin charge), NCL outright refuse permission, requiring their passengers to sail back to Southampton overnight and gett to Paris from there.

Ridiculous.😡

 

JB 🙂  

Then there is the fact that a long flight from France to anywhere is likely to be significantly less expensive than one from England because of the “environment” fee the British add to outgoing fares. 

[jsn55]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

Hi,

 

My gripe isn't about NCL-organised flights - I do understand about discounts on  sub-optimal flights.

 

My gripe is about restricting passengers who make their own flight arrangements, - @ontheweb's " there were early flights from Reykjavik, but NCL would not even consider letting them out early on the day of disembarkation even though they were ported there from the day before."

 

NCL do have a record of being unhelpful and even apparently-unnecessarily obstructive to passengers who wish to make different plans.

 

I've seen many examples, the most frequent one is on round-trip cruises out of Southampton - whereas other cruise lines allow passengers to leave the cruise at their penultimate port of Le Havre to spend post-cruise days in Paris & fly home from there  (some lines levy a fairly-nominal admin charge), NCL outright refuse permission, requiring their passengers to sail back to Southampton overnight and gett to Paris from there.

Ridiculous.😡

 

JB 🙂  

This kind of restriction is really maddening, bordering on outrageous.  I wonder if NCL is reacting to some horrible negative experience in the past or if they just can't be bothered.  

[Shorex]

We are also leaving the disembarkation port, Cape Town, one day early (December 27 instead of 28). The ship will have been in South Africa for several days so no immigration issues would apply.

 

The process for Silversea is that we needed to fill out an "early departure form". The request was approved. We will finalize our account on the 27th and the butler and room attendant will assist with luggage. We've arranged our transport to the airport.

 

Procedures on other cruise lines may vary, and circumstances may vary.  I concur with the comments from Don and John Bull. Make no assumptions and coordinate with the cruise line in advance.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Then there is the fact that a long flight from France to anywhere is likely to be significantly less expensive than one from England because of the “environment” fee the British add to outgoing fares. 

 

Yes, inter-continental flights from the UK include a big environmental fee - total APD of about $58 versus just $10 from France, a country which cares less about the environment. 😛

 

But the cost of getting to Paris from Southampton instead of from Le Havre is significantly higher than that APD difference of just $48 !!!

Plus the waste of a day and a half.

All of which makes the fee a moot point.😏

 

JB 🙂

Edited December 19, 2023 by John Bull

[K32682]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Interesting that you mentioned that NCL usually declines to give permission to disembark early. Our cruise on NCL this past summer ended in Reykjavik, and the day prior was an overnight in Reykjavik. There were some complaints in our roll call from passengers who used the NCL BOGO flight offer that their flights were either very late or even the next day. They said there were early flights from Reykjavik, but NCL would not even consider letting them out early on the day of disembarkation even though they were ported there from the day before. 

 

I have twice disembarked early. I did not ask for "permission" but gave notice to customer services of my intentions and they made it happen. If I want off the boat I'm getting off. 

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

Yes, inter-continental flights from the UK include a big environmental fee - total APD of about $58 versus just $10 from France, a country which cares less about the environment. 😛

 

But the cost of getting to Paris from Southampton instead of from Le Havre is significantly higher than that APD difference of just 

Plus the waste of a day and a half.

All of which makes the fee a moot point.😏

 

JB 🙂

If a good part of that day and a half were to be spent in France rather than in England there are some who would hardly call it a waste.

 

And, depending upon where, and how, you are flying, that APD can be a lot more than $58.  First class to Los Angeles would make it 200 GBP.

Edited December 19, 2023 by navybankerteacher

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, K32682 said:

 

I have twice disembarked early. I did not ask for "permission" but gave notice to customer services of my intentions and they made it happen. If I want off the boat I'm getting off. 

 

How are you going to handle the documentation and clearance from local officials if they do not have any officers in place.  If you try to walk off the ship early with luggage there are also ship security people at the ship departure spot who might have something to say if they figure out what you are trying to do.  Might not be as your "try to stop me" plan.

 

DON

[John Bull]

22 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

If a good part of that day and a half were to be spent in France rather than in England there are some who would hardly call it a waste.

 

 

That's very much the point I made, NBT.

The wasted day-and-a-half is day mooching around Le Havre, an overnight on-board crossing the English Channel, then the next day re-crossing  by air from Southampton or by train to London, crossing central London, and train thro the Channel tunnel to Paris.

You're arguing with someone who agrees with you. 😄

 

My figures were based on cattle-class.

A couple of hundred dollars APD won't worry those who choose to pay £5,000+ for first-class 

 

JB 🙂

[K32682]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

How are you going to handle the documentation and clearance from local officials if they do not have any officers in place.  If you try to walk off the ship early with luggage there are also ship security people at the ship departure spot who might have something to say if they figure out what you are trying to do.  Might not be as your "try to stop me" plan.

 

DON

 

Most major ports have local officers in place at all times. I will have already expressed my intention to the cruise line and should ship's security have "something to say" they can say it while I'm leaving the boat. I'm quite confident they will not prevent me from departing.  

[Essiesmom]

POn his cruise the two ports prior to Piraeus are both in Greece, so he is already cleared into the Schengen area, so no immigration formalities.  if there was taxi/transportation availability he could probably walk off in the wee hours and save hotel fees.  EM

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

I have twice disembarked early. I did not ask for "permission" but gave notice to customer services of my intentions and they made it happen. If I want off the boat I'm getting off. 

 

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

How are you going to handle the documentation and clearance from local officials if they do not have any officers in place.  If you try to walk off the ship early with luggage there are also ship security people at the ship departure spot who might have something to say if they figure out what you are trying to do.  Might not be as your "try to stop me" plan.

 

DON

 

Again I'm going to agree with Don.

 

Whilst in many cases cruise lines will not object to disembarking before cruise-end, altho I'm no expert on the subject there are sometimes legitimate reasons why you will not be allowed to do so.  Customs and Immigration facilities are one (errrrrr - two) reasons, cabotage laws are another - cruise lines can be heavily fined ($ thousands) for breaking cabotage laws. There will also be other reasons which the knowledgeable might be bothered to explain to you.

Yes, I know that accidents & illnesses can interfere, but there's a big difference between being offloaded into an ambulance and trying to just walk off with all your luggage saying "I want off the boat, so I'm getting off the boat".

If you try that in the wrong port, I hope someone is filming it - the video will go viral on social media 😄

 

Now I'm off to ride my pushbike on the local motorway - it's not permitted, but I want to do it so I will.

After all, the police can't just debit my credit card.😏 

 

JB 🙂

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

Most major ports have local officers in place at all times. I will have already expressed my intention to the cruise line and should ship's security have "something to say" they can say it while I'm leaving the boat. I'm quite confident they will not prevent me from departing.  

 

Looking forward to your reports, if you tried this in China or Russia.

 

You can also never discount the human factor of experiencing a not so accommodating local official. Yes, they do exist, as I have experienced them in many ports.

[GayCruise8]

Thank you all for all of your responses. I did just get a response from Celebrity stated that they have given permission from there onboard team and also sent an email stating so.