Miss the ships sailing on purpose?

[wrp96]

Another possible problem with your plan. What if the ship makes it to San Juan, you get off planning to reboard the next day (or a few days later in St. Thomas), but bad weather comes up (or a mechanical problem) and they are forced to miss St. Thomas? How do your non-flying in-laws get back to Florida.

[rolloman]

Thanks Peacha you made a great point about the choppy seas. It wouldnt bother me the least bit but the in laws may be wishing they were on the plane by the time it was over. I would still like to hear from someone who has made shuttle between the two islands. I do like playing travel agent so I will see what kind of trip I can put together. The alternate plan I need to find a cruise that SJ is one of its last stops for both ends. One that leaves Florida and then hits SJ as a later port. Disembark and then a week later catch a cruise on the end of its trip that is heading back to FLorida. YES of course I would clear all arrangements in advance with the cruiselines. I want to make this a gift to the in laws, they are getting up in years and I think it would be special for them to visit family and friends before its too late.

[wrp96]

Thanks Peacha you made a great point about the choppy seas. It wouldnt bother me the least bit but the in laws may be wishing they were on the plane by the time it was over. I would still like to hear from someone who has made shuttle between the two islands. I do like playing travel agent so I will see what kind of trip I can put together. The alternate plan I need to find a cruise that SJ is one of its last stops for both ends. One that leaves Florida and then hits SJ as a later port. Disembark and then a week later catch a cruise on the end of its trip that is heading back to FLorida. YES of course I would clear all arrangements in advance with the cruiselines. I want to make this a gift to the in laws, they are getting up in years and I think it would be special for them to visit family and friends before its too late.

 

Rolloman, I know Granduer does repo cruises that stop and end in San Juan. I think next year it does New Orleans to San Juan and then San Juan to Baltimore. All you would need to do is find another cruise that would go mainland San Juan (or vice versa) during a similiar time period. I don't think RCCL has any other ships doing it, but you might check other cruiselines.

[rolloman]

Good points WRP. I remember once I was supposed to sail to San Juan and we went elsewhere, so I get your point about no guarantees when sailing. I will check that Granduer sailing out. That might be a good one for the return leg.

[wrp96]

Or if you can find a sailing that gets you to San Juan prior to April 20th, you could take the Empress repo from San Juan to Norfolk.

[thepeacha]

Rollo- I WAS on a Puerto- Rico/ St Croix ferry, 90 miles, about the same as STT, when I brought my horse over in December of 2001 when we moved here. We hit some high seas in clear weather, had 15 foot rolling swells, and I was in the horse trailer all night with my blessedly sane horse! It was a Blackhawk ship, they don't take passengers ( I was an attendant, they need sep. licenses to carry passengers, long story). The passenger ferry travelling the 40 miles between STX and STT frequenly offloads some very green-faced travellers, my DH included! Have you tried the boards on tripadvisor? The St Thomas or Puerto Rico forums would be a good bet. I LOVE repositioning cruises, they are often rather empty and sometimes lots of sea days. Best of luck in solving your dillemma, it is nice that you are working so hard to see your family... best of luck to you.

[sdear]

Very thoughtful of you to do this for your in laws ! Good luck in your venture.

[rolloman]

Peacha that sounds like it was a trip to remember for sure. I was in some monster storms before in the good ole Navy but for people who dont sail that could be a mini nightmare.

I like that Empress trip WRP just told me about. April would be an ideal month to pull this off and the Empress hits Bermuda (my favorite port) on the way home for as little as 499.00 inside cabin, 8 day cruise, now thats a deal!!!

[MGoBlue2]

Valuable lesson learned. You must SPELL out every detail. Yes of course I would let the ship know in advance I was planning this. What I really wanted to know is if someone has done this previously. The Jones act doesnt apply as I am embarking in Miami. I was told on a recent visit to St Thomas that a ferry runs every weekend. Good point from a fellow poster about the choppy seas prohibiting sailing.

All I want to do is have my puerto rican in laws who refuse to fly enjoy a couple days in their native land. I guess my only recourse is to book a cruise out of Miami and then book a seperate cruise sailing out of San Juan to get back to the States. Thanks to all replies who were not rude.

It's the Passenger Services Act that applies to this situation, and I wouldn't be at all sure that it doesn't apply to your situation. It specifies the United States - not US territories and possessions. It took a special act of congress for Puerto Rico to be exempted.

[Nitra]

I was speaking with a fellow TA about this and they said something like this was recently brought up during a training at sea. The RCCL rep told them it is in violation of contract and also can be considered illegal, depending on the circumstances.

 

I would suggest talking to the cruiseline about the situation and seeing if they would be agreeable to you disembarking the ship in PR and then maybe meeting up with the ship in ST Thomas, but it might require a flight to get there.

 

I know some folks just dont want to fly but there are times when it is necessary, if they want to visit an island for an extended stay. Im not sure what ships leave from PR and return to Miami, most would be a return to PR I would think but without research I wont say for sure. I dont know if the cruiseline can allow you to disembark and then rejoin the ship a week later when it sails that route again? It cant hurt to ask, all they can do is say no, then you know to move onto working on another plan.

[rolloman]

Interesting thought Nitra. I think that would be a valid question to ask. Can I leave Miami, get off in PR and then stay a week only to finish my cruise back to miami on a second sailing of the same ship??? Cool idea. It would be even cooler if I didnt have to pay for a double cruise. Not sure if I would have more of chance because I am diamond on RCLL or if I would have a better chance on a line that needs some passengers.

[andy1962]

Isn't the serenade of the seas home ported in San Juan?

[rolloman]

I know the adventure of the seas is home ported there but it does not go to Florida. I did alot of research on all the lines this evening and there basically are no full cruises that leave/start in SJ and end/finish in Fla. Ok well one does its a high end line "SilverSea" at 6000k a person...ouch. There are two ships Grandeur and Empress that leave SJ and head to the states but they port in Maryland and Norfolk in that order.

[Nitra]

Interesting thought Nitra. I think that would be a valid question to ask. Can I leave Miami, get off in PR and then stay a week only to finish my cruise back to miami on a second sailing of the same ship??? Cool idea. It would be even cooler if I didnt have to pay for a double cruise. Not sure if I would have more of chance because I am diamond on RCLL or if I would have a better chance on a line that needs some passengers.

 

It cannot hurt to ask. Im sure you would have to pay for the 2 weeks if they even allow it but if you dont ask then you know for sure it wont happen.

 

If they wont get on a plane, if you get to Maryland or Norfolk, then you could hop a train home maybe?

 

Options are there, it might get complicated, have to decide is it worth all the work. Maybe talk to them too and get some feedback.

[OPSoccermom]

Rolloman,

 

Not sure if it still exists, but several years ago, DH and I spent a week in PR on vacation. While we were there, we took a one day "cruise" to St Thomas on an old cruise ship. I am not sure of the name - it was set up through the hotel concierge. The crossing to St Thomas was short, and we spent most of the day touring St Thomas. Not sure how much it cost or if you could take it one-way and not round trip. I don't recall the seas being rough at all. Maybe your relatives in PR could check into it.

 

BTW - I agree with your comment about some of the other posts - wish people would read the rest of the thread, or at least the OP, before chiming i

[Merion_Mom]

Interesting thought Nitra. I think that would be a valid question to ask. Can I leave Miami, get off in PR and then stay a week only to finish my cruise back to miami on a second sailing of the same ship??? Cool idea. It would be even cooler if I didnt have to pay for a double cruise. Not sure if I would have more of chance because I am diamond on RCLL or if I would have a better chance on a line that needs some passengers.

 

It cannot hurt to ask. Im sure you would have to pay for the 2 weeks if they even allow it but if you dont ask then you know for sure it wont happen.

 

Rolloman: I agree with Nitra, even though I'm hardly a travel agent. :)

 

If they allowed you to do this (and my guess is that they would), they would charge you for two full cruises per person, no matter how many days you were actually on board. After all, they can't sell those cabins to anyone else!

[seamama1]

Boy, this is one of the screwiest things I have ever read on these boards, bar none!

 

Let me see if I have this right: You are going to buy a cruise, then call RCCL and advise them you might "miss the ship" in Puerto Rico to allow your inlaws to visit - and then "see y'all" in St. Thomas the next day. Please let us know just how long the agent laughed before she said "no".

 

Missing passengers on a cruise ship is a deadly serious matter. It is true that people do miss the ship once in a while. It is not just a matter of "oh well, they're not here - let's go". While it may be true that you might be able to board the next day in St. Thomas, you won't be permitted to just show up, flash your pass and board. In addition, when the ship leaves passengers behind, the local authorities are also notified and there is a search for them by the locals. The ship also has responsibilities. They must notify their people, lots of paperwork, why they were left,how long did the ship wait before leaving.

 

And, you may not be able to board in St. Thomas for all kinds of reasons; water too rough and ship skips port, someone suspects your scheme and hands you your luggage at the pier in St. Thomas and tells you "so long". Local authorities may stop your car or find you - anything can happen.

 

Why you would even consider inconveniencing so many people is beyond me. RCCL isn't a ferry service. It is a cruise ship, filled with a coupla thousand passengers. Your contract is for a round-trip cruise - no stopovers.

 

My assumption is that you haven't cruised before, haven't ever read the "terms and conditions" and "contract of carriage". I suggest you do before embarking on this venture. You will embarass yourself, cause extra work for a lot of people, may cause delay of the ship and may end up in St. Thomas having to find your own way home.

[negc]

Rolloman: I agree with Nitra, even though I'm hardly a travel agent. :)

 

If they allowed you to do this (and my guess is that they would), they would charge you for two full cruises per person, no matter how many days you were actually on board. After all, they can't sell those cabins to anyone else!

 

Years ago, (in the 80sLOL), Cunard used to offer a cruise that stopped in St. Lucia half way through and allowed passengers to get off and spend a week at a resort, then reboard the ship a week later and finish the rest of their itinerary. Since they were dropping off and picking up passengers in St. Lucia every week, they were able to reuse the cabins. I always thought that it would be an interesting two week vacation, but apparently it wasn't so successful that any other lines copied it and it was eventually discontinued. Since it didn't involve embarking and disembarking passengers in different US ports, the Passenger Services Act didn't apply.

[rolloman]

Well there you have it folks, a nice thread with alot of good thoughts and boom here comes trouble. Seamama..pfffffffffffft. I forgot more about sailing than you ever will learn. I have spent years at sea, yeah thats right YEARS. You might want to take a course that pertains to basic reading comprehension. Read through the threads troublemaker. I clearly stated I would get this squared away in advance with the cruiseline. Noone at any point said they would do anything that would cause delays to the ship. As a matter of fact know it all, the cruiselines do in fact let you board a ship mid cruise. I just had a friend catch a Carnival ship 3 days in and ride it back to FLorida. These boards are about information sharing. Dont Jack with me lady.

[SailyaCruise]

Yes there may well be a fuss about you missing the ship. On my cruise last week we were all woken at some ungodly morning hour by a message from the Captain across the WHOLE ship, even in my cabin ( I turned off the inroom speaker and stuffed towels into the outside speaker, hate those !@#$ anouncements!) looking for a Keisha Smith. He was very polite and apologetic but it was clear that she was missed by someone... I personally would have strangled her if I found her, waking us all up at 5am!!!

 

So ships do take missing passengers VERY seriously; your Seapass card lets them know if you are on. Flights to PR are cheap (like $300 from NYC, for example), and loads of cruises originate from PR- these may be way better routes to extend your visit with friends/ family than holding up the whole ship, or, worse, waking them all up. Keisha I am gonna get you!

I was on the Aug. 6 Freedom sailing and heard about the Keisha Smith incident. Luckily for me I am an extremely sound sleeper and never heard the announcement.

 

However, in Pharaoh's Palace the next night, the head of that large group on that sailing, NPN, jokingly introduced Keisha to the audience during a break in the performance in that lounge. Smith was not an NPN member, but the announcer wanted everyone to know Keisha was onboard, safe, and sound. I was moritified for her because she was absolutely the talk of the ship because of the Captain's rather startling plea over the PA system. Btw she's a great dancer as she tried to teach a group of us the steps to R. Kelly's "The Step" song in Pharoah's Palace that night. She was a pleasant enough young woman who I believe was out late probably with a "date," didn't tell her cabin mates about her whereabouts, and the rest is Freedom of the Seas lore.:eek: I remember now we saw her out late on Friday night when we were up at the dance party at the pools. :eek: You've got to let someone know where you'll be on the ship late at night. Save yourself embarrassment and everyone else grief.

[cusyl]

Years ago, (in the 80sLOL), Cunard used to offer a cruise that stopped in St. Lucia half way through and allowed passengers to get off and spend a week at a resort, then reboard the ship a week later and finish the rest of their itinerary. Since they were dropping off and picking up passengers in St. Lucia every week, they were able to reuse the cabins. I always thought that it would be an interesting two week vacation, but apparently it wasn't so successful that any other lines copied it and it was eventually discontinued. Since it didn't involve embarking and disembarking passengers in different US ports, the Passenger Services Act didn't apply.

We actually did this, it was a wonderful vacation. We got off the ship in St. Lucia and stayed at Cunard's La Toc Hotel, returning to the ship the following week for the trip back to Ft Lauderdale. They also owned a hotel in Barbados they did the same thing with. :D

[rolloman]

There is a cruiseline called Discovery that leaves out of Fort Lauderdale and goes to Freeport Bahamas. You can go for the day or you can stay and take it back at a later date. I took this a couple years ago and stayed for about 4 days. There are options out there . Some people just have no imagination or sense of adventure.

[negc]

We actually did this, it was a wonderful vacation. We got off the ship in St. Lucia and stayed at Cunard's La Toc Hotel, returning to the ship the following week for the trip back to Ft Lauderdale. They also owned a hotel in Barbados they did the same thing with. :D

 

Thanks for confirming my recollection. I was pretty certain that they had a hotel on another island where the same arrangement was available but didn't remember that it was Barbados. In those days, we couldn't afford the time or money to take a two week vacation or else we would have joined you at La Toc.:)

The closest we ever came was when Seawind Crown offered a free three night pre-cruise stay at La Cabana in Aruba (a one week stay if you booked a suite). That was quite an experience.:D

[seamama1]

Well there you have it folks, a nice thread with alot of good thoughts and boom here comes trouble. Seamama..pfffffffffffft. I forgot more about sailing than you ever will learn. I have spent years at sea, yeah thats right YEARS. You might want to take a course that pertains to basic reading comprehension. Read through the threads troublemaker. I clearly stated I would get this squared away in advance with the cruiseline. Noone at any point said they would do anything that would cause delays to the ship. As a matter of fact know it all, the cruiselines do in fact let you board a ship mid cruise. I just had a friend catch a Carnival ship 3 days in and ride it back to FLorida. These boards are about information sharing. Dont Jack with me lady.

 

I rarely compare bona-fides but you will excuse me if I point out that being in the Navy doesn't qualify you as a cruiser. And your list of cruises would fit on the first page of my journal.

 

In addition, I was in the business for 32 years....

 

And, you weren't talking about Carnival...

 

And, no, they don't let you board the ship mid-cruise unless it it a cruise sold in segments.

 

And, I did share information - having the right to my own opinion, having a lot more passenger cruise experience than you and being a member....if you don't like my information, feel free to pass over or ignore it...

 

JACK!:cool:

[PlanoDebbie]

I would definitely speak with someone at Carnival before doing that. The ship knows exactly who has left the ship, and who has come back on before they leave port. If you just "choose" not to get back on the ship in Puerto Rico, they will start to panic and think you've been abducted or fell overboard. I don't think they'll be very amused the next day when you show up in St Thomas to re-board the ship. They may deny you entrance.

 

On the port maps you can pick up on the ship, they will have an emergency contact number on there in case you run into any difficulty while on shore. At the very least, I would recommend you call the ship and tell them your car broke down or something, and that you don't think you'll be back before they leave port. Ask them how you should get back to the ship at the next port. They may not be happy with you, but at least they will appreciate the call.