Embarking in Messina instead of Rome

[kkbay]

We will be in Italy and Sicily on a Globus tour in September 2014, ending in Palermo, Sicily. We have booked a Celebrity cruise that originates in Rome and wish to embark the ship in Messina, Sicily the next day instead of having to travel to ROme. Celebrity says it is possible. Has anyone done something similar. ANy advice on travel from Palermo to Messina will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Iamthesea]

I know that RCCL has a cruise that embarks both in Barcelona and then the next port of call, Toulon, France. Being from the U.S., we could choose. So, I don't see why you couldn't embark in Messina. ;) If Celebrity says you can, I'd check with another rep and see if you get the same answer. There may be a problem with where you want to disembark, though. Would that be Rome, or Messina? :rolleyes:

[DebbieMacG]

They would disembark at the end of the cruise in Rome (or wherever the cruise would normally end) with everyone else and would "lose" the first day.

 

If Celebrity says its ok that's good but I would get something in writing if it were me ;) they actually need to have the facility in Messina to allow you to check in and get your sea passes, will they provide an agent there for you? Messina isn't a normal embarkation port for Celebrity (only MSC) so I would check how this is going to be handled.

[CruisinS]

We will be in Italy and Sicily on a Globus tour in September 2014, ending in Palermo, Sicily. We have booked a Celebrity cruise that originates in Rome and wish to embark the ship in Messina, Sicily the next day instead of having to travel to ROme. Celebrity says it is possible. Has anyone done something similar. ANy advice on travel from Palermo to Messina will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

 

I was on the Reflection in June and disembarked in Naples (last port) instead of Rome. I had to get permission to do this from the "Emergency Travel Team" in advance of the cruise. Your travel agent or Celebrity agent should be able to give you the email address of the travel team. I had to provide my name, reservation number, the date I wanted to disembark and the requested port of disembarkation. They responded back to me very quickly that my request was approved. Make sure you take a copy of the email with you.

[bjarrett7]

You can take a train from Palermo to Messina. Be sure you give yourself plenty of time since public transportation can sometimes be unpredictable. If looking at a map, it may look like a short drive but that isn't the case. Most of the road winds along the edge of a cliff which is beautiful...but you will enjoy it more in the train. Messina is the only way off the island as everyone (including the train) must take a ferry to cross over to Reggio Calabria.

[DebbieMacG]

I was on the Reflection in June and disembarked in Naples (last port) instead of Rome. I had to get permission to do this from the "Emergency Travel Team" in advance of the cruise. Your travel agent or Celebrity agent should be able to give you the email address of the travel team. I had to provide my name, reservation number, the date I wanted to disembark and the requested port of disembarkation. They responded back to me very quickly that my request was approved. Make sure you take a copy of the email with you.

 

I've heard of many people disembarking early and its simple and easy to organise. Embarking late is something entirely different though as they need to have something set up to check in and give out sea passes etc

 

I've not seen anyone on this forum talk about embarking a day late but perhaps someone will come along and help the OP, certainly the "Emergency travel team" may help. :)

 

Let us know how you get on Op :)

[CruisinS]

I've heard of many people disembarking early and its simple and easy to organise. Embarking late is something entirely different though as they need to have something set up to check in and give out sea passes etc

 

I've not seen anyone on this forum talk about embarking a day late but perhaps someone will come along and help the OP, certainly the "Emergency travel team" may help. :)

 

Let us know how you get on Op :)

 

 

I would imagine the Purser's office/Guest Relations can check passengers in and hand out sea passes. The important thing is to get the ok in writing from Celebrity/RCCL, ask for details on how the embarkation will work and to make sure you have copies of the approvals.

 

From Celebrity website:

Can I Join My Cruise After It Starts Or Disembark Before It Ends?It depends on the specific itinerary of your cruise, your nationality, and various United States and foreign laws. Joining the cruise at one of its ports of call, or leaving the cruise prior to its scheduled termination point, may be prohibited by law. If you need to join late or leave early, or both, submit your request in advance and we will tell you whether your proposed changes will be permitted.

For more information, call 800-256-6649. There is a cut-off date for submitting this information, so make your request early. Please note that no refunds, prorated or otherwise, are granted to customers who join their cruise late or leave their cruise early. Certain governments impose fines or other charges when a guest permanently disembarks from a cruise before its final port of call. The guest will be responsible for those charges