How to embark or debark from alternate port?

[sue.young]

We are traveling with some friends who need trim one day off the crusie due to business. How difficult is it to either pick up the ship at a different port or leave the ship at the next to the last port? Any help/suggestions would be welcome. Thanks

[springtxbill]

If your original port and the alternate port are both in the US, expect to pay about $300 per person fine for a Jones Act Violation that will be charged to the cruise line and passed on to you. It would help to have this cleared with the cruiseline ahead of time, but should not be that big of a problem. :)

[Shanafan]

Our first cruise the couple we were with had the same situation. He was to leave from St Thomas in the afternoon. We went to Megans Bay, and then headed back so he could go to the airport. My Hubby and I, and his wife then went on the Kon Tiki Party Boat. We preceded to get hammered, and then stumbled our way back to the ship. Guess who turns up in line to board behind us? Yep---he had a confirmation ticket, not an actual paper ticket, and they would not let him board the plane. He had taken every precaution to make sure the flight was still on before we left, and even asked if the paper he had stating his confirmation number, ect was going to be enough to board the plane. They told him they do it all the time because it was last minute, and they would not have time to get the tickets to him. He fought for hours at the airport, finally gave up and came back to the ship. Of course the airline apologized profusely after the fact, refunded his money, and gave him a free ticket to use anytime within the next year. About 2 weeks before it expired--he called and asked if we wanted to do another cruise---of course we said yes--had my mom on a plane to come watch our kids (from California to Michigan) within 3 days, and the 5th day after he called, we were on a flight to Miami.