Jjislander

Sounds like it may all come together!! Thanks!!! :)

Thank you SO much Greatam! I guess that's the way to go...TRY to make it to Miami, and if I don't, then take a flight to St. Maarten...

I really appreciate it!

One more question cause you're pretty straight forward: if I miss the ship in Miami & cruise line approves embarkation from st. Maarten due to this, will customs/immigration still be an issue that might prevent me from boarding the ship??

The problem OP is asking about doesn't fall under the PVSA. That has to do with transporting passengers from one US port to a different US port.

 

The cruise they were taking begins and ends in Miami. The first port is St. Maarten. They want one (or some) of their group to be able to board in St. Maarten, not Miami.

 

In the past, cruises would allow those passengers with whatever issues they had that needed to "catch up" with the ship to do so in a foreign port.

 

Recently, it's been reported that the Customs/Immigration procedures have changed. The procedures in effect for a closed loop cruise (beginning and ending in the same US port) are different than the procedures for a foreign itinerary(beginning in a foreign port and ending in a US port). Apparently, the customs/immigration people now view any closed loop cruise that allows passengers to embark at another (foreign) port, other than the original embarkation/debarkation port as a foreign itinerary cruise. Thus, more involved processing (for the whole ship, not just the passengers involved). Many cruise lines now don't allow passengers to "catch up" to the ship due to the increased processing necessary.

Thanks schmoo here!!! At least things are starting to make sense!!! May not look good,but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

Thank YOU!!! To all the knowledgable CCers who replied with more clear information!!!

You can change U.S. CBP policy. Good luck with that. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

You've received your answer from your cruise line. They don't want the additional costs and headaches with CBP to accommodate your boarding in St. Maarten. You don't like that answer. What you now have are two options: 1) You can board the ship in Miami. 2) You stay home. The choice is all yours.

No, I did not receive an answer from the cruise line. First they said yes, then they said no. No explanation as to why was given. Plus, it was booked through a TA. So now, I'm interested in booking directly with MSC. The answer I was looking for was whether it was possible or not....

the ship gets into a LOT of trouble and is fined heavily, they can and usually do pass that fine along to the passenger.

 

furthermore it is possible the officials in St Maarten refused to allow you to embark, which the cruise line has no control over.

Seems pretty bad...how do you know for sure? Where can I find this out??

The OP has started three different threads with this question, posing it as "hypothetical" when that is not the case--he has a very specific beef with one specific cruise line. Advise from Cruise Critic after the fact is not going to settle anything. OP, if you feel you have been treated unjustly by MSC, and lost money due to them not honoring their promises, seek legal help. You are flogging a dead horse here.

Spending time with my family & friends on this special occasion is more important the the $$ lost on airfare...

Therefore, I'm not interested in pursuing legal actions..if that was the case, it would've been done by now.

I'm trying to work with MSC on this since my original booking was through a TA. I'm hoping to have more info fromCC members , maybe someone who has done this already, so I can contact MSC directly now, and see if they will accommodate when booking thru them directly.

In ANY case, this may help open doors for others who may need this service in the future....so...ALL IS NEVER LOST!

Thanks for your advice...

WORD OF MOUTH IS THE BEST MEDIUM OF ALL - William Bernbach

The problem wouldn't be for just you. It would be for the entire ship. That is why cruise lines aren't very willing to allow this any more.

Why? Do you have experience with this?? Is there anything I can do to avoid problem if it was (hypothetically) approved!?

So why not just book an earlier flight for the original departure date? Why are you so convinced that there would be a delay causing you to miss the original debarkation date?

Ok meg, I'll give you the scoop even though we're not on FB....my daughter has been working for many months on a production with her schools musical theater club. It's a big thing for her. She has to perform on the morning of the 9th....so if I book a pm flight on the 9th to Miami, I risk missing the cruise.....

The 1st port of call is st. Maarten .....I can be there with no risk of missing the cruise....I had booked a 5:00 am flight....even if there was a 5 hour delay...I'd still make it to the ship!!

Again, if I was irresponsible enough to book such a late flight from Boston to Miami to BARELY make it....& the ship,would've sailed....MSC said they would take me in @ st. MAarten....BUT, if I'm responsible enough to plan ahead of time to avoid this madness and fly into st. Maarten, they won't let me on!!

Still doesn't make sense to me....hope it clears up any confusion as to why I would pay FULL FARE & miss 3 days of cruise.

I was wondering the same thing. The OP was so sure there would be a flight delay that she intentionally planned to fly several days later instead, mising several days of the cruise? Because apparently she knew for a fact there would be no flight delays into St. Maarten? Is that a magic airport or something, unaffected by flight delays/cancellations?

Something tells me there's a whole lot more to this story than what the OP has shared.

Of course there's more...this isn't FB!! :p

That was exactly what I was thinking straight away. Other CC-members posted similar problems in the past, with every possible cruiseline. The rules for closed loops seem to be pretty strict.

Thanks for the input!! Where can I find rules about closed loops??

Would't a better place to post this be the MSC board.

 

Many cruise lines do let you embark from a different port with approval as long as you pay the full fare but it varies on a case by case basis for a range of reasons including the local regulations for the specific itinerary you are on.

 

Keith

Thanks Keith. I have posted on MSC board, but it there aren't any replies.

I'm trying to figure out reasons to see if there is something I can do. I was first told by MSC that I could pre -arrange late embarkation from st. Maarten on day 4 of cruise and NOT from San Juan PR because of maritime laws. That seemed pretty specific so I thought they knew what they were talking about...I had various verbal approvals from both MSC and TA, so I thought it was a done deal and I proceeded to pay the airfare...the whole thing took about of week of asking and calling ...I can't believe it ended up to be that I was cancelled.

This whole thing makes little sense. One issue may be the PVSA, another may be rules for closed loop cruises (depart and return to the same port). Who knows...I'll confess, I rarely do a closed loop - so I may be off base.

 

What I seem to think is that there is some family gathering on the cruise, the OP wants to take only part of the trip (or for some reason, is only able to take part of the cruise), and since they now are being told they can't, they want to vent.

 

Sorry....in my book, if you ever want to make a "non-standard" type of arrangement, I would have it researched and double-check confirmed six ways to Sunday before putting down dollars. Seems you took one agent's answer (who was never going to be in trouble for a wrong answer) and now got the real scoop.

 

But feel free to vent....it won't change the rules.

Thanks for the invitation to vent flyer talker, but not necessary. I've vented enough to my 23 friends & family that will be on board!

What I am trying to figure out on the CC boards IS the RULES!! Some meme hers have done this, but there is no concrete answer as to closed loop cruises....if it's been done before, it CAN BE DONE AGAIN!! Unless, it's a US customs issue AND NEITHER MSC, nor anyone else has confirmed that.

The TA which I had originally booked with said they book late embarkations all the time on ROYAL and other US lines.

SO I AGREE....you can't change the rules... But in this case....what are they??

If the cruise is a round trip from Miami, this will probably NOT be allowed due to the fact that it would not be a closed loop cruise. When this happens, customs tends to do a more intense look at all departing guests.

So maybe possible ? But troublesome at debarkation? Do you know if there's customs paperwork I can fill out?? Thank you!!

I joined CC because my friend in Miami told me about it....

WORD OF MOUTH IS THE BEST MEDIUM OF ALL - William Bernbach

You are best to contact the cruise line directly to see if this is possible. The specific itinerary can have an impact on the answer.

 

Keith

Thank you Keith! I have - I've posted on the MSC board and I've called their member services #. I'll try them again on Monday. Thanks!!

Interesting - exactly the same question posed 2 days ago:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2048992

 

Same cruiseline, same itinerary, same denial.

 

It seems their question was answered by the cruiseline on that one. At least according to post #5.

Yes, like I said in another thread...we're a group of 25. We're in Boston, but our friends in Miami had an issue with booking or something. I heard MSC took care of it & it all,worked out.

I guess she was asking around for us....I actually did start threads about this on different boards. I've never done had a late embarkation, so I'm just trying to get feedback from maybe someone who has and might help me join my family and friends on this. Plus, I don't think its fair that MSC originally approved the pre-arranged late embarkation, and then contacted my TA to say they were mistaken after I had purchased airfare. I didn't just buy airfare the 1st time I inquired about this either. I had been calling MSC and TA for over a week and every time I was told SPECIFICALLY from MSC to TA that it could be done at st. Maarten and not Puerto Rico, what times my flight should arrive, etc, etc.

When that seemed certain, I paid for airfare.

I have also posted this on the MSC board hoping for feedback from them, the cruise air board in case anyone has had similar experience, and the general questions board.

Just trying to get information from CC members (or MSC) that might point me in the right direction...I've heard already from some cc members that this could be arranged, so I'm still hopeful!

You wanted to miss 50% of your cruise to avoid missing the ship on the 9th because of a possible flight delay? Am I missing something here?:confused:

Yeah, it's more of a family reunion. It's not like I can book the next cruise...we have 25 family & friends on board to celebrate a special occasion....that's why I'd rather miss 2 days at sea, than miss the whole thing altogether.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Have you asked this on the MSC board? EM

Yes, no reply yet :(

They actually cancelled by booking after having approved the late embarkation!! Lost airfare $$! Don't know what's going on??

What port and how late?

 

DON

Philipsburg/St. Maarten....Sails out of Miami Aug. 9th / docks @ St. Maarten Day 4 (Aug. 12). This would be the 1st port of call....thanks for the help!!

Has anyone purchased a groupon for MSC? Carribean cruise leaving out of Miami 1/12/14.... Looking into it but wondered pros and cons

Did you ever purchase and go?? I'm trying to book with them for August..thanks!

$800. 11 day balcony cruise from San Juan last December. The TA provided OBC's just about covered the gratuities.

Wow! Was this including taxes & fees? Which cruise line? Thanks!!

I had pre-arranged late embarkation from St. Maarten on MSC sailing out of Port of Miami...PAID for cruise and AIRFARE!!! The next day, MSC says they cannot allow for the late embarkation ....It's RIDICULOUS!! They only allow late embarkation if it wasn't planned...like a flight delay or something.....that is exactly what I'm trying to avoid!!

How is it that if your flight is delayed, or there is some unplanned occurrence that makes you miss embarkation of your cruise, cruise line will allow you to embark from a different port on the itinerary? BUT.......when you PLAN to AVOID this problem In advance, they won't approve late embarkation at a different port on itinerary????

It's almost like you HaVE to screw up in order for them to help you out!!