While staying in a port over night, can we get off ship and stay in a hotel?

[donnatello]

My question is....If a ship is going to be in a port overnight, why would you want to get off and go stay in a hotel that night?

[John Bull]

33 minutes ago, donnatello said:

My question is....If a ship is going to be in a port overnight, why would you want to get off and go stay in a hotel that night?

 

 

That depends on the distance & transportation between port and place-of-interest.

Not sure about Cabo San Lucas (???)

But for instance Bangkok is a couple of hours or more from the port at Laem Chabang  and no suitable public transport. Staying overnight in Bangkok avoids duplicating the travel time & cost. And gives an evening in the city - something not usually possible on cruises.

Much the same for HaLong Bai to Hanoi, Phu My to Saigon, Ashdod to Jerusalem, Safaga to Luxor and a few dozen other places in the world.

 

JB 🙂

[jollyjones]

 

You enter Bermuda under different immigration rules as a cruise ship passenger versus a land based tourist.

I don't know the actual details - I guess you ought to be OK if you are going to reboard your ship but you must check it out with your cruise line. 

 

[BruceMuzz]

Many cruisers do not entirely understand the workings of Immigration for Cruise Ships.

In many countries, your cabin key is your temporary visitor visa to legally visit the country.

That temporary visa is valid only so long as your ship remains in the territorial waters of that country.

If the ship leaves you behind for any reason, and departs the territorial waters of that country, your temporary visa expires. Unless you have arranged another visitor / tourist visa, you suddenly become an illegal alien. 

[K32682]

4 hours ago, donnatello said:

My question is....If a ship is going to be in a port overnight, why would you want to get off and go stay in a hotel that night?

 

We stayed in a hotel in Reykjavik on a two-day port visit. It was nice break to be in a larger space with proper showers and facilities. It saved us the trip back and forth from the port which was a couple of miles away. We didn't have to queue at the buffet for breakfast nor be crammed in cheek to jowl in restaurants and it made excursions and exploring more convenient. I highly recommend it and would do it again. 

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, donnatello said:

My question is....If a ship is going to be in a port overnight, why would you want to get off and go stay in a hotel that night?

 

Some ports -- like Livorno -- are a long way from the city one wants to spend time in (Florence).  When a ship overnights in Livorno, as they sometimes do, you can save yourself 3+ hours in commuting if you just spend the night in the city instead of returning to the ship.

 

Same is true on a larger scale of ships docking in Alexandria overnight for Cairo -- except there you save more like 6 hours.

 

[wheezedr]

There are risks. We cruised from Buenos Aires to Santiago.  The ship came to  BA from FLL with its last stop in Montevideo. Departing from BA our first scheduled stop was also Montevideo.  A handful of passengers on both segments decided to do Iguazu Falls OTO leaving the first cruise in MV and returning when the second segment stopped there.  A monster storm blew in, and while we were able to depart BA in rough seas the Captain opted to skip MV on his way out.  Those 6 never did rejoin us as they could not get to the Falklands and then we were 4 days in Antarctica.  The original plan sounded good but weather can affect everything.

[leaveitallbehind]

On 2/10/2024 at 5:51 AM, donnatello said:

My question is....If a ship is going to be in a port overnight, why would you want to get off and go stay in a hotel that night?

 

I've actually heard of more, but as one example, we knew of a person on one of our cruises to Bermuda who was visiting and old friend but wasn't able to stay at their house.  They had dinner together, went into Hamilton for evening sightseeing, returned to the friends house for cocktails, and then this person stayed at a hotel overnight and they then met again the next day.  

 

I'm sure there are other reasons as well.

 

On 2/10/2024 at 7:43 AM, jollyjones said:

You enter Bermuda under different immigration rules as a cruise ship passenger versus a land based tourist.

 

What different rules are you referring to?  We are US citizens and, over a 42 year period, have been to Bermuda three times for land vacations and many times via a cruise with three days in port and have just used a Passport for all of them. (Going again in June via cruise ship). I am not aware of any different rules that have ever applied to our arrival and stay there, be it by plane and in a hotel or on board a ship, with any of our dozen+ visits.

Edited February 11 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

On 2/10/2024 at 7:43 AM, jollyjones said:

 

...I guess you ought to be OK if you are going to reboard your ship but you must check it out with your cruise line. 

 

 

Specific to Bermuda, notifying the cruise line - more specifically the ship when in port - that you plan to be off overnight might indeed be a good idea and a courtesy.  But I am not aware of any permission required to do so, if that is what you mean by checking it out with them.  But if I am incorrect perhaps someone can explain it.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

…

 

What different rules are you referring to?  We are US citizens and, over a 42 year period, have been to Bermuda three times for land vacations and many times via a cruise with three days in port and have just used a Passport for all of them. (Going again in June via cruise ship). I am not aware of any different rules that have ever applied to our arrival and stay there, be it by plane and in a hotel or on board a ship, with any of our dozen+ visits.

In your case: no problem;  but many US cruisers  sail without a passport - and to go and stay on the island you need a passport

[leaveitallbehind]

19 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

In your case: no problem;  but many US cruisers  sail without a passport - and to go and stay on the island you need a passport

Thanks.  Not familiar with that as said, we always have just used a passport. 

 

Just curious - If per this thread you are planning to stay on the island one night from the ship, how is that verified?  Do the hotels request a passport at check in?  I don't recall that in the past with our land vacations.

 

Also the confusing part about this to me is if it is OK to board the ship in the US bound for Bermuda with a BC and photo ID and to disembark and visit the island, why would they further require a passport to stay on the island.  Once the ship is in Bermuda waters it must be in compliance with immigration regulations with just the BC and photo ID.  And the ship is the hotel there.  Again, just curious.

Edited February 11 by leaveitallbehind

[K32682]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Specific to Bermuda, notifying the cruise line - more specifically the ship when in port - that you plan to be off overnight might indeed be a good idea and a courtesy.  But I am not aware of any permission required to do so, if that is what you mean by checking it out with them.  But if I am incorrect perhaps someone can explain it.

 

Even if there are different immigration rules for cruise passengers if the boat's in port so are you. When we stayed in a hotel on a two day port stop in Iceland we didn't inform the cruise line much less seek "permission." 

[leaveitallbehind]

14 minutes ago, K32682 said:

 

Even if there are different immigration rules for cruise passengers if the boat's in port so are you. When we stayed in a hotel on a two day port stop in Iceland we didn't inform the cruise line much less seek "permission." 

Agree. IMO notifying the ship would just be a courtesy so they understand why you never scanned back in that night.  But I don't see it as a requirement.

 

Your comments also echo my question, relative to Bermuda, as to why would you need a passport to stay overnight on the island when you don't need one (on US based closed loop itineraries) to be there for the days you are in port?

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

In your case: no problem;  but many US cruisers  sail without a passport - and to go and stay on the island you need a passport

Not so.

You've already been cleared to stay in Bermuda for the amount of time your ship will be in port. How and where you spend that time is your choice. 

The gangway is open 24 hours a day. You can come and go as you wish during the ship's time in port. 

 

Edited February 11 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Agree. IMO notifying the ship would just be a courtesy so they understand why you never scanned back in that night.  But I don't see it as a requirement.

 

Your comments also echo my question, relative to Bermuda, as to why would you need a passport to stay overnight on the island when you don't need one (on US based closed loop itineraries) to be there for the days you are in port?

You don't need a passport to stay off the ship while it's in port in Bermuda.  You've been cleared to be in Bermuda for the time the ship will be in port. You can come and go as you please and stay in a hotel if you wish.

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

In your case: no problem;  but many US cruisers  sail without a passport - and to go and stay on the island you need a passport

 

13 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

You don't need a passport to stay off the ship while it's in port in Bermuda.  You've been cleared to be in Bermuda for the time the ship will be in port. You can come and go as you please and stay in a hotel if you wish.

 

That is what I always thought as well.  But what initiated my confusion and questions regarding that is the information as provided above by @navybankerteacher who has indicated that to stay (at a hotel) on the island you need to have a passport.  This would contradict you comment as well as my understanding.

 

I would tend to agree with you.

Edited February 11 by leaveitallbehind

[K32682]

45 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

You don't need a passport to stay off the ship while it's in port in Bermuda.  You've been cleared to be in Bermuda for the time the ship will be in port. You can come and go as you please and stay in a hotel if you wish.

 

The only challenge might be checking into a hotel without a passport. I can't speak to Bermuda but hotels outside of North America that I've stayed at requested a passport from international visitors.

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, K32682 said:

 

The only challenge might be checking into a hotel without a passport. I can't speak to Bermuda but hotels outside of North America that I've stayed at requested a passport from international visitors.

Hotels requiring a passport is not as common as it was years ago and in Bermuda it wasn't my experience even many years ago.

[navybankerteacher]

It may not be a requirement, but I recall, from several years ago, a couple of times being asked for my passport upon checking in.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

It may not be a requirement, but I recall, from several years ago, a couple of times being asked for my passport upon checking in.

Don't doubt you at all. Especially if you arrived by plane. 

 

It just seems contradictory to me that since by ship you can arrive and stay for several days on their soil with a BC and photo ID, to then have to have a passport (to stay) at a hotel.  I agree that it probably is not a requirement.  But I know I don't know for sure so don't want to presume I am definitely correct.