What happens if you leave the cruise early on purpose?

[She Sails Away]

Naive question of the day: What happens if you're on a cruise and you choose to pack up and leave permanently at a port stop?

 

I called and was told this is not allowed. So believe me, I'm not planning on doing it. But I just wondered. If you packed your bags and informed guest services that you weren't coming back to the ship, would you be banned for life? Fined? Charged with some kind of crime?

[twangster]

It depends.  

They can levy a fee for the extra processing involved. The manifest is submitted to all governments that a ship visits.  Getting off early may seem like it's a no big deal for you, but it can be a lot of paperwork for the ship.  From an international travel, immigration and border control for the countries involved it's a big deal and it's a major red flag for them.  It's the kind of thing criminals who are trying to bypass immigration and custom procedures might try so it's gets everyone's attention.  The mere appearance of a red flag can be enough to draw a lot of attention beyond the ship personnel.

If your choice to leave early results in a law being broken, such as the Passenger Vessel Services Act in US, that could result in a nearly $900 fee since that is the penalty levied by US CBP for PVSA violations.  It's written into federal law so there aren't many ways around it.

 

 

[Southern Waters]

I can't imagine wanting to leave a cruise early.  When I get off of one, I'm already looking for another gang plank to get on another one--if only I could afford to LOL

[CanHardlyWait]

I've done this. Had to get off mid week in Puerto Rico and fly back to New York. Had to go to guests services and they had to arrange to have a crew member escort me to customs who were waiting especially for us to check me and my luggage before I could get a taxi for the airport. The immigration agents are not set up on port days to handle random passengers and there bags. It had to be arranged on board a few hours in advance by guests services on board. You can't do it without them involved. No cost, just some paperwork and escort.

[ScottD]

2 hours ago, Southern Waters said:

I can't imagine wanting to leave a cruise early.  When I get off of one, I'm already looking for another gang plank to get on another one--if only I could afford to LOL

I mean..if they plan on staying where they get off, might sound pretty tempting. 

[CanHardlyWait]

1 hour ago, ScottD said:

I mean..if they plan on staying where they get off, might sound pretty tempting. 

You know it was a long time ago, but I might have had to show my flight info/reservation.

[twangster]

I've left a cruise early due to a family emergency but that's different than choosing to depart a cruise early.  

Working through it with guest services I received a pass that I gave to security when leaving the ship.  Seeing me with all my luggage made security at the gangway pause but with the pass they scanned me off and away I went.  I would not have been let off without the pass. 

I had already completed a web based travel authorization application with the country involved and in my case it didn't violate the PVSA so that was one less hurdle.  That other country basically wanted to see my flight showing I wasn't staying on their island indefinitely.    During the restart of cruising the testing requirements were a major PITA but those are gone now.  

Flying home that same day resulted in the SSSS on my boarding pass for the flight off the island.  An unexpected one-way plane ticket purchased on short notice raised a flag and TSA was very thorough screening me. 

 The ship was very accommodating and helpful given the situation but I have no idea what they would have done if I just wanted off for no reason.

[Pattycruise]

6 hours ago, twangster said:

 

If your choice to leave early results in a law being broken, such as the Passenger Vessel Services Act in US, that could result in a nearly $900 fee since that is the penalty levied by US CBP for PVSA violations.  It's written into federal law so there aren't many ways around it.

 

 

I was on a New England/Canada cruise out of NY.  2 people I met planned to get off in Maine, stay with friends and get back on at the next port in Maine.  Lucky for them they inquired at Guest Services about their plans. They were told they would not be permitted back onboard and they’d have to pay the penalty for violating the PVSA.  Needless to say they vacated those plans. 

[Snowchaser]

10 years ago or so we share a large main dining room table with a family from St Maarten.  First I found it interesting that a family from the Caribbean would be taking a Caribbean cruise, second was the fact that they were going to disembark when they hit their home island.  This was on a southern Caribbean cruise out of Puerto Rico and St Maarten was our last port before returning to PR.

[D Alt]

@Snowchaser

This is an interesting scenario.  When I was on my last cruise there were a lot of "locals" on the ship.  We started in Barbados and went to Grenada, Aruba, Bonaire  and Trinidad.  By the time we got to Trinidad, it seemed to me there were some people leaving with luggage. I even made friends with someone who said she was getting off the ship to go "home" to see parents but she came back. So at the time, thought this was allowed that the Trinidadians were leaving to go home.  Maybe my assumptions were wrong. 

So did these people need prior permission to do this? 

[minniemouse27]

It may have been easier to do back in 2000 (pre-9/11 and far less security considerations), but our best man planned from the outset to return home mid-way through our destination wedding cruise due to work responsibilities back home.

Dh and I were married in Jamaica while on a Western Caribbean cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. We had one day at sea with Jamaica as the first stop, followed by Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Key West. Our best man retuned home from Grand Cayman without any issues that I can remember. He even booked his return flight from Grand Cayman months before the cruise. 

I am sure it is very different now, 23 years later!

[Vancity Cruiser]

I may be wrong but I believe MSC does some Caribbean cruises (not originating in US) where there passengers started or ended their cruise in various ports along the way. I vaguely remember seeing a video about this.   

[DoomSlayer]

2 hours ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

I may be wrong but I believe MSC does some Caribbean cruises (not originating in US) where there passengers started or ended their cruise in various ports along the way. I vaguely remember seeing a video about this.   

This used to be common before the Covid shutdown, but after the reopening, many Caribbean countries set strict rules, laws, and policies which explicitly prohibited this.  I remember early after the restart, only people that had booked excursions and were fully vaccinated were allowed off the ship.  And these excursions were tightly controlled and designed to limit contact with most residents on the islands.  These restrictions eased as time went on obviously, but I am not sure we are 100% back to our pre-Covid rules with the various countries they visit, so there may still be some limitations for legal reasons outside of any cruise line's ability to control.

[BrianB]

My issue is the opposite of this.

Not only do I not want to get off mid-cruise but...I hate getting off at the end of the cruise and have to drag myself, kicking and screaming, off the ship!

[Rurallc]

I can see wanting to get off early.  I have never done a cruise and the thing keeping me from doing one is boredom.  If I’m not enjoying myself, I’d want to be able to get off at some port and fly myself home.  

[Xaa]

You're going to find this to be a non-issue @Rurallc.  You aren't going to be bored.

[ChessE4]

Boredom can occur in AM on sea days, but it is short-lived. Larger ships have more to do. I have never felt the need to disembark early, just stay on longer,,,

[BrianB]

At many ports I see crew members either leaving with their luggage or new crew members coming aboard. This is just their contract periods ending or starting. The company arranges travel and many times they’ll meet, or leave, the ship at ports along the way.
In particular, headliners come and go from ship to ship at various ports. Sometimes you’ll hear a performer talk about how they joined the ship from another ship mid-cruise. 
I was on the Jewel sailing to Greenland in September and a group of performers joined us at Nuuk, Greenland. They were flown in the day before and stayed at a local hotel. Everything was arranged by the company. They had a great time waiting for us…hiking up a mountain and enjoying the local food and sights.
The company handles all the arrangements and works with the local governmental agencies to facilitate crew members moving through their jurisdictions. Flights, hotels and transportation are pre-arranged.

Crew members also get to enjoy shore leave at many destinations. But there is always the odd instance where a crew member ‘jumps ship’ and never returns. This happens sometimes in the US. Some restrictions are put in place for crew members on their first contract where they are denied shore leave. I’ve even heard where some ports will deny crew members shore leave due to past instances.

But, any passenger who decides to ‘jump ship’ will be pretty obvious as they carry their luggage with them. Getting past ship’s security is one thing…and whatever penalty the company decides to levy, such as processing fees and future banning. But then it’s likely they’ll end up in the arms of local authorities who likely will be thorough in their inspection and investigation.

As posted above, if you have a reason to leave such as an obvious emergency, the ship will facilitate your leaving and communicate with the local authorities. They can even help arrange transportation and allow access to WiFi or even telephone service onboard to help. But that requires some time. Being patient and cooperative is the only way.

[smokeybandit]

I've never been bored on a cruise. Downtime is just as much part of the experience as activity.

[Ryan79]

If you are board on a cruise, that is a YOU problem not a cruise problem!

[PL8SWPR]

Last week on Liberty, we saw someone getting off with what I would say was all of his luggage.  When we left port they appeared to still be waiting for someone then eventually loaded up the ramp and we left.  It wasn't the typical loading up right after the last person gets on.

We assumed it was the guy who left with his luggage.  He wasn't being escorted off so I don't think the cruise line kicked him off.

[Baked Alaska]

19 minutes ago, PL8SWPR said:

Last week on Liberty, we saw someone getting off with what I would say was all of his luggage.  When we left port they appeared to still be waiting for someone then eventually loaded up the ramp and we left.  It wasn't the typical loading up right after the last person gets on.

We assumed it was the guy who left with his luggage.  He wasn't being escorted off so I don't think the cruise line kicked him off.

I was on this sailing. Could it have been the juggler guy as one of the "Headliner Act?" I didn't think he was that entertaining. Maybe they kicked him off. JOKE!

[PL8SWPR]

19 hours ago, Baked Alaska said:

I was on this sailing. Could it have been the juggler guy as one of the "Headliner Act?" I didn't think he was that entertaining. Maybe they kicked him off. JOKE!

 

Perhaps.  It was in Costa Maya.  Should have also left the comedian behind.  He was good for a couple chuckles, but that was it.