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Our cruise arrives in Lima Peru at 10:00am and we spend overnight in port. Does this mean we can get off the ship very early(7:00am) the next morning to start a week land tour or do we need to wait until (8:00am) which is the norm? Is this normally an issue or is this a simple request to Regent and/or my TA? Could I leave the night before?

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You certainly can get off early, but plan on taking your own luggage off with you.

 

As for the night before, I believe you can, but wait for another post. I think you might have to arrange this with the ship as well. Also arrange for your own luggage.

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You absolutely can do this. A few times when the ship overnights in a port we disembark the night before everyone else disembarks (avoids the waiting, etc.). You do have to let Destination Services know and they are happy to help you with your luggage! On one of our upcoming cruises we have a 12:30 a.m. flight so will disembark the ship around 8:30 p.m. (allowing a half an hour to get to the airport).

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Luggage isn't an issue, I can pack for two weeks in a carry on! My husband and I normally plan our own land trips. When you need to lug your luggage, you learn how to pack very light and every piece of clothing matches! (Actually my luggage is smaller than his.) Thanks for the quick responses.

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Luggage isn't an issue, I can pack for two weeks in a carry on! My husband and I normally plan our own land trips. When you need to lug your luggage, you learn how to pack very light and every piece of clothing matches! (Actually my luggage is smaller than his.) Thanks for the quick responses.

 

Two weeks in a carry on! I'm impressed. We need you to be so kind as to share some tips. That would make a very helpful sticky.

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one additional thing-the port in Lima is in a kind of scary part of town. I would recommend you have a driver prearranged to pick you up. It is not like you can just go out and hail a cab. When we were there, the port authorities would not let our driver actually into the port. We had to take a bus from the ship to the port entry, and yes, there was one at 4:30 am. We were not the only people getting off at this time.

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Luggage isn't an issue, I can pack for two weeks in a carry on! My husband and I normally plan our own land trips. When you need to lug your luggage, you learn how to pack very light and every piece of clothing matches! (Actually my luggage is smaller than his.) Thanks for the quick responses.

 

Greetings, irishwitchy. Please give me a couple of tips for carry on packing. I know about matching items. However, I have had every kind of stain, unexpected rips and tears, and other wardrobe wrecking adventures. Lately I have tried the new high tech fabrics. Hard to stain and wrinkle, but horribly easy to snag. Our next cruise is in December. I will be happy to attend Packing 101.

 

Mary

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I will keep my input on point as to this Thread--which is early debarkation--not packing tips. (not that there is anything wrong with that aspect, but it will hopefully be further explored on another Thread.

 

Brief experience at Rio doing the night-before end of cruise debarkation to beat the rush, and wait, at an airport the next morning to fly home. This was in late December '15 aboard Mariner following a pre-safari segment, then Cape Town to Rio. We had arranged our own air (Delta, Rio to Atlanta; then Delta on to Seattle) and transfer off the ship. Reason: why spend needless time on departure morning waiting to leave the ship; when the option is there to debark about 12 hours earlier--still having had a nice dinner on the final night; and arrive home at a reasonable time. In this instance--the day before Christmas Eve.

 

The Rio Delta flight was scheduled for a 10:45pm departure. Total cooperation from Regent personnel. Two stewards helped us with our luggage, to include staying with us after leaving the ship to a holding area; while we waited a short time for the taxi Destination Services had called on our behalf. The dispatcher (local guy, but wearing a Regent jacket), made it clear to the driver what the fare would be. Another nice touch. Our bags were loaded, and off to the airport. Relax a bit in the Lounge before fly-away.

 

Therefore, when the situation warrants, we also depart on the last night, particularly when a long flight home requiring a transfer is involved. In this case, we were back home a day before Christmas Eve during the day; while those that departed at the "normal" time were still waiting at some intermediate airport somewhere in the US. And, weather was a real consideration, as we avoided a weather delay that next morning at Atlanta which affected other passengers on that ship (we found out later).

 

The above will not work in all cases. Example: when one has to clear U.S. Customs upon arrival at the debarkation port. In our case, we cleared Customs (Global Entry) in a breeze at Atlanta.

 

The bottom line is that Regent facilitated our departure without hesitation. Hey, that was one-less couple to deal-with the next morning; and it made it easier for the room steward to turn our ****e-around for the next occupants.

 

GoARMY!

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Rachel, thanks for worrying about our safety - the private tour we are going on will be picking us up at the port, so we have that covered! As for the packing tips - I will start another topic on that, maybe with some pictures.

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GOARMY, perfect description of how early debarkation works! We did the same in Rio and also in Lima. As you experienced, there is assistance with luggage - either from the stewards or butlers (unless you leave in the middle of the night when the crew is hopefully asleep).

 

We did the very long wait in Rio the first time we were there and would never do it again. As it is, Rio is one of the most crime ridden cities in the world (speaking of hurting people -- not just pick pocketing as there is in Rome, Barcelona and other countries). I purchased a leg "pocket" for my passport and credit cards since we had all of our belongings with us (except for luggage that was in a conference room in a hotel). Although we had a great lunch next door to the hotel, we were basically uncomfortable the entire day. To add to that, it was some kind of holiday and it took 3 hours to get to the airport (on a Regent provided bus). Once at the airport, since we were late, no one went through any type of security...... it was a mess.

 

I know that some people do private excursions while waiting for their flights but this isn't something that we were interested in doing (we discovered early on that Rio was the only place in the world that we felt both unsafe and uncomfortable - despite the beauty of the beaches, etc.).

 

Leaving the ship early, IMO, is the best thing someone can do if they are not interested in spending time post-cruise in the city where you debark.

 

Note: Customs is typically done the day you arrive in port. There is nothing to do when you are leaving the ship at night. I would double check that any transportation that you arrange can actually drive up to the ship and not to the gate (especially in Lima and Rio). While there is a shuttle to get you to the gate, you need to take the time that is involved into consideration.

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Travelcat 2: As we say in the Army, Right On.

 

As to Rio, where we have visited on numerous occasions--A mixed experience. There is such a gulf between the very, very rich; and the very-very poor. That '15 experience in my earlier post was an eye-opener concerning the very-poor. And, this was when Rio was trying to get ready for the '16 Olympics.

 

We arrived in Rio a day early, due to a medical emergency involving two passengers which required canceling a stop at St. Helena; and going, as the Captain described, "at all possible speed" to Rio. So, basically, our comrades had an extra day at Rio. This was when the temperature was approaching 100 degrees, with same as to humidity. Having been there previously, and done the required tourist stops, Sue and I stayed on the ship, at port. We did venture out to a newly-opened Museum near the terminal.

 

I did a quick walk-around outside the immediate dock area. Met with, and talked-with very friendly workers involved in the Olympics preparation process. The uniform opinion was: totally corrupt local, and federal government officials. I was also advised not to venture further from the port. Certainly, took the advice.

 

Taxi ride to the airport: our driver, maybe on purpose, took us through some really grim street areas. Then, on the supposedly-"freeway" to the airport: not really. Vehicles going about 10-15 mph due to vendors wandering out on the road, and no-no presence of any authority to sort out the mess. However, we survived.

 

Just saying: be totally aware of your surroundings. And, hopefully see some of you in about three weeks aboard Navigator at Miami.

 

GoArmy!

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Be sure to arrange the departure time with destination services early on in your cruise. Early departures may be influenced by such things as when or how you can clear customs.

You don't go through customs getting off the ship in Lima. But you do need to let destination services when you are going to get off.

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I will keep my input on point as to this Thread--which is early debarkation--not packing tips.

 

I thought this thread was about early debarkation in Lima, rather than debarkation arrangements in Rio (or the pluses/minuses of Rio as a destination); but I won't quibble.

 

Just to say that those that left the ship early on that cruise missed an excellent pre-run of Jamie & Dana's Christmas show. However I can understand those wishing to get home for Christmas. We stayed on-board for the next segment up the Amazon and thoroughly enjoyed festivities on the ship

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GOARMIY: We must have been on the same cruise (Cape Town to Rio)! The Captain certainly had the ship speeding to get to Rio. Unfortunately, that itinerary is one where helicopters cannot reach the ship to take a passenger to a hospital. As I recall, there were three ambulances awaiting the ship.

 

In terms disembarking early in Lima vs. Rio or anywhere else, it is still on point with a few different nuances. Both are cities where Regent ships tend to overnight which gives passengers the opportunity to fly home a few hours earlier

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Just as a point of clarification, everybody appears to be talking about customs which in most countries arriving people simply walk thru. What you are talking about is immigration which in all countries is different from customs and which you either go thru in person or thru the ships Purser in every different country except for the EU which is considered a single country for immigration.

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Whatever you call it, I believe that we are talking about the same thing - whether or not there is a procedure to go through when you disembark - especially if you are leaving at night. The answer to that question should be "no" since procedures are usually handed shortly after docking. BTW, when we disembarked in Barcelona last month, we had to go through immigration - even though our previous ports were part of the EU (at least the last port is temporarily still part of the EU).

 

It is always best to check with Destination Services.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Our cruise arrives in Lima Peru at 10:00am and we spend overnight in port. Does this mean we can get off the ship very early(7:00am) the next morning to start a week land tour or do we need to wait until (8:00am) which is the norm? Is this normally an issue or is this a simple request to Regent and/or my TA? Could I leave the night before?

 

irishwitchy,

 

You may debark the day prior without issue or at any point throughout the night when we arrive the day prior to disembarkation. Simply advise the Destination Services of your interest in advance and they will communicate if any restrictions may exist.

 

Customs may be an issue in select ports, however, this requirement typically occurs upon arrival and some ports may require additional screening inside the terminal which may limit the times offered for open disembarkation. Therefore, we always suggest you speak to Destinations once on board or in advance via your travel agent & reservations to advise of this request.

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  • 10 months later...

We intend disembarking in Buenos Aires the afternoon/evening before general disembarkation as the ship arrives very early that day. We will transfer straight to the airport for a late evening flight. Any snags with that?

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