Early Disembarkation when ship is in "overnight" status

Our Holland America cruise is scheduled to dock in Papeete at 8pm (sat ), and disembark the next day at 6am.

Is it too ambitious to attempt to disembark after the ship is cleared on Saturday to catch a 11:45 pm flight?

Anyone ever done this?

Usually this is quite doable, but it's very important to check with HAL before you book the flight as it might require a "Deviation" approval from corporate well in advance. Most all the flights out of Papeete go out very late so they should be very familiar with this situation.

I'm not sure what Papeete's requirements for Customs might be and if there will be officials available late in the evening, but I would think so because of the airline schedules which would make this a usual need.

When we have been in Papeete overnight we were free to come and go on and off the ship overnight at will, but disembarking is different. m--

This is likely doable but as mentioned you need to get permission ahead of time and I would get it in writing.

Keith

Let us know what you find out, I am curious about that myself!

I would also be interested in what you learn

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I have been cautioned by a Holland America rep not to try and do this because of the unknown about a possible delays in clearing a ship, and cutting the time too short to departure. But, I can't see port authority delaying a large ship. Surely, with flights only departing for the US twice a day, they must be aware of logistics. Holland allows arriving passengers from 9:45 pm flights to embark late, when the ship doesn't actually depart until the next afternoon. So why wouldn't it be an acceptable practice to depart early, after the ship docks, for the reason of travel. And why written approval? The other alternative to wait all day for the next evening flight. Then your choices are to shop, get a day room, or rest on the floor of an airport, because you aren't allowed access to the gate area until two hours before flight departure.

Embarking late is different from disembarking early, Immigration and Customs wise. Follow HAL's advice.

If for any reason the ship docks later than planned, you miss your flight.

Point taken.

It would be very helpful if cruise ships would discuss when a ship "overnights " in their embarkation and disembarkation information, the differences between the two, and what is allowed and not. There would then be no more questions about exceptions.