Half of our party getting on at second port: How does it work?

[twopeasonepod]

Long story short, DH and DS1/2 are going to meet us in Maui so the boys can go to school for one more day. When my dad, stepmom, and I embark in Honolulu:

1) Can I still check in early and try for a port upgrade (slim chances, but still three Cat T left)? My parents don't care about upgrading their stateroom.

2) Do I still produce their passports? Or is that only necessary when they actually arrive? I had planned to have them anyway and get off to meet them. We are docking in Maui overnight, so they will arrive on the day that we are staying in port. No rush on the time or anything, so I figure it won't be very crowded when they arrive.

Lastly:

3) How does it work when people show up at later ports? If anyone can explain the procedure, I'd appreciate it!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Long story short, DH and DS1/2 are going to meet us in Maui so the boys can go to school for one more day. When my dad, stepmom, and I embark in Honolulu:

1) Can I still check in early and try for a port upgrade (slim chances, but still three Cat T left)? My parents don't care about upgrading their stateroom.

2) Do I still produce their passports? Or is that only necessary when they actually arrive? I had planned to have them anyway and get off to meet them. We are docking in Maui overnight, so they will arrive on the day that we are staying in port. No rush on the time or anything, so I figure it won't be very crowded when they arrive.

Lastly:

3) How does it work when people show up at later ports? If anyone can explain the procedure, I'd appreciate it!

Just curious - have you already arranged with DCL for the split embarkation? You can't just show up at a later port and plan on getting on without prior arrangements.

 

[twopeasonepod]

Just curious - have you already arranged with DCL for the split embarkation? You can't just show up at a later port and plan on getting on without prior arrangements.

No, haven't done it yet since I wanted to see how it works before finalizing everything. But I know I need to make arrangements. Thank you!

And wait, I was hoping you would be the first to give me all the answers....like you always do!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No, haven't done it yet since I wanted to see how it works before finalizing everything. But I know I need to make arrangements. Thank you!

And wait, I was hoping you would be the first to give me all the answers....like you always do!

Well, you'd have to contact DCL and explain what you want to do. They would be the ones who decide whether to allow "late boarding" in a different port than the embarkation one.

And the sooner you do it, the better. If they're agreeable - get it in writing.

 

[bumbershoot]

Are you sure you can do this at all? Does the PVSA interfere with it?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No, since the cruise ends in Vancouver it doesn't fall under the PVSA.

 

[twopeasonepod]

Thanks for the input. I didn't realize it might be an issue at all. I was thinking more about the people that miss the ship and fly to the next port. I don't want to cause any waves with DCL. We basically just decided this a couple of hours ago after talking with the boys' teacher. I didn't even tell my parents or the boys yet.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks for the input. I didn't realize it might be an issue at all. I was thinking more about the people that miss the ship and fly to the next port. I don't want to cause any waves with DCL. We basically just decided this a couple of hours ago after talking with the boys' teacher. I didn't even tell my parents or the boys yet.

There aren't really that many who miss the ship and have to board at the next port. In the past (on most major cruise lines) this was allowed. But not so much anymore.

Generally those cruises that were closed loop cruises have to process their paperwork a certain way (for immigration/customs procedures upon return at the end of the cruise). When someone board the ship at a later port on a closed loop cruise, it changes the type of cruise from "closed loop" to "foreign itinerary". Yes, just one person boarding later will do this. And the paperwork for a foreign itinerary cruise is much more involved.

All that being said, cruises, say in the Med, often will allow people to board/debark at various different ports, as many ports that are not traditional embarkation/debarkation ports still have the manpower/staffing to handle the process.

I'm not sure how DCL would handle an open-jawed cruise in this respect. But I do know in all instances, prior arrangements need to be made with the cruiseline.

 

[twopeasonepod]

There aren't really that many who miss the ship and have to board at the next port. In the past (on most major cruise lines) this was allowed. But not so much anymore.

Generally those cruises that were closed loop cruises have to process their paperwork a certain way (for immigration/customs procedures upon return at the end of the cruise). When someone board the ship at a later port on a closed loop cruise, it changes the type of cruise from "closed loop" to "foreign itinerary". Yes, just one person boarding later will do this. And the paperwork for a foreign itinerary cruise is much more involved.

All that being said, cruises, say in the Med, often will allow people to board/debark at various different ports, as many ports that are not traditional embarkation/debarkation ports still have the manpower/staffing to handle the process.

I'm not sure how DCL would handle an open-jawed cruise in this respect. But I do know in all instances, prior arrangements need to be made with the cruiseline.

Gotcha. If it really is an issue, I'll just have them miss school. It's not a big deal to me, I was only trying to avoid an extra absence. I don't have the same attitude toward attendance as most people, and am totally fine with them missing. I will call Costco and have them call DCL while I'm on hold.

 

[bumbershoot]

No, since the cruise ends in Vancouver it doesn't fall under the PVSA.

I've read of people having to wait a port or two before they can board, because of PVSA, but I can't remember if they had to wait until the ship had stopped at a far foreign port, or if it was the other way around. That's why I worried about it.

 

[kaseyC]

You should probably call DCL because you may not be allowed to do it even with the cruise ending in Canada. I was booked on the recent EBTA from PC to Copenhagen and wanted to have my eldest DD board in NYC so she could finish her final exams. A few other folks also wanted to board in NYC too. DCL wouldn't allow it, even though it didn't fall under PVSA. I talked to numerous people at DCL and they wouldn't budge. So I cancelled the cruise.

 

[twopeasonepod]

Interesting! The DCL agent told the Costco agent that they cannot embark in Maui because it is NOT a closed loop sailing. I have no idea what the "real" rule is as far as PVSA goes.

Now my next question: Can I check in without them to try to upgrade and embark without them? Or do I have to embark with them after school?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The PVSA only comes into play for a cruise that begins and ends in two different US ports. If the cruise does this, then a stop in a distant foreign port is required (a distant foreign port is any port NOT in North America, Central America, the Bermuda Islands, or the West Indies (including the Bahama Islands, but not including the Leeward Islands of the Netherlands Antilles, i.e., Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao).

A cruise that begins or ends in a foreign port doesn't fall under the PVSA requirements.

That being said, many cruiselines have made administrative decisions as to what, if any, ports they will allow embarkation in other than the "regular" embarkation port for any given cruise. Most of them now don't allow it.

Interesting! The DCL agent told the Costco agent that they cannot embark in Maui because it is NOT a closed loop sailing. I have no idea what the "real" rule is as far as PVSA goes.

Now my next question: Can I check in without them to try to upgrade and embark without them? Or do I have to embark with them after school?

I believe the person has to actually BE there to check in. But, I would think you could try for the upgrade without them there. I could be wrong.

 

[twopeasonepod]

I believe the person has to actually BE there to check in. But, I would think you could try for the upgrade without them there. I could be wrong.

Thank you for all the info. I will try to check in earlier and upgrade. No big deal, I live two miles from the port!

 

[lbgraves]

I've read of people having to wait a port or two before they can board, because of PVSA, but I can't remember if they had to wait until the ship had stopped at a far foreign port, or if it was the other way around. That's why I worried about it.

You can't board the ship in Key West if you miss the ship in PC when KW is the first port due to PVSA. You need to wait until the first foreign port to board.

 

[noahdove]

I would call DCL myself... just to get clarification first hand.. Good luck..

 

[kuhltiffany]

I know that you can check in without a person being present. Last cruise DH returned the rental car while I got on the ship with the kids. I had his passport to check in with, they printed his KTTW card and kept it at the check in desk. I then got on the ship without him. He arrived and got into the terminal and picked up his card using his Driver's License as ID.

 

[twopeasonepod]

I know that you can check in without a person being present. Last cruise DH returned the rental car while I got on the ship with the kids. I had his passport to check in with, they printed his KTTW card and kept it at the check in desk. I then got on the ship without him. He arrived and got into the terminal and picked up his card using his Driver's License as ID.

Thanks! I will try to do this!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

There aren't really that many who miss the ship and have to board at the next port. In the past (on most major cruise lines) this was allowed. But not so much anymore.

Generally those cruises that were closed loop cruises have to process their paperwork a certain way (for immigration/customs procedures upon return at the end of the cruise). When someone board the ship at a later port on a closed loop cruise, it changes the type of cruise from "closed loop" to "foreign itinerary". Yes, just one person boarding later will do this. And the paperwork for a foreign itinerary cruise is much more involved.

All that being said, cruises, say in the Med, often will allow people to board/debark at various different ports, as many ports that are not traditional embarkation/debarkation ports still have the manpower/staffing to handle the process.

I'm not sure how DCL would handle an open-jawed cruise in this respect. But I do know in all instances, prior arrangements need to be made with the cruiseline.

On my last 12 night Med cruise in 2014 a few people enquired about this and it was a flat No due to compliance you cannot get on it get off early ( only exception is if your ship overnights in the same place on the last night.

So it is not possible in the Med my friends tried and were declined.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

On my last 12 night Med cruise in 2014 a few people enquired about this and it was a flat No due to compliance you cannot get on it get off early ( only exception is if your ship overnights in the same place on the last night.

So it is not possible in the Med my friends tried and were declined.

DCL may not allow it, but I know I have heard reports of others on other lines doing this in the med. But maybe they were EU citizens??