Last day of cruise is an overnight -- want to leave early. Problems?

[golfguyhhi]

The last day of our cruise is in Sydney, and it is an overnight (arrive 8 AM Friday, disembark 8 AM Saturday). My flight is at 11 PM. I'd like to leave the ship at 7:30 PM Friday for the airport, flying out a day early, rather than have 15 hours waiting around on Saturday after having to leave the ship.

 

Have any of you done this? How does this work as regards passport control/customs, etc at the dock? I imagine the authorities are planning full staff for Saturday morning, but how can I get through with my luggage the night before? I know I need to let the ship staff know what I'm doing.

[SMNYCruise]

We are doing this in Cape Town. Having dinner onboard and leaving the night before disembarkation to catch a 12:30am flight. I called Oceania and they said it was fine as long as we handled our own luggage and left before 5:30am.

[sitraveler]

I've done it leaving Rio a couple of times. Handling luggage when you're leaving is no great deal, there is no crush of departing cruisers. If you leave the ship that first day, O may disable your card. You will have to arrange to get back into your cabin.

[ORV]

Is your flight through Oceania? If so then this will require paying a deviation fee.

 

I'm assuming there are no flights booked yet?

[StanandJim]

The usual problem with leaving a cruise early has to do with the way that Cruise Lines report to local governments, i.e We're bringing in 600 day trippers at 8AM and taking the same 600 out at 6PM.

 

With an overnight in the same port, all of that won't be an issue.

 

My concern about leaving early is that the Customs Service at the ship isn't necessarily a 24 hour operation.

 

7:30PM should be fine, but for others reading this, don't count on being able to leave the ship during the wee hours.

[sammiedawg]

We disembarked early in lIma to avoid killing an entire day waiting for a red eye. It worked beautifully. We informed reception we were leaving and our name was on a list of early departures.

We had dinner in the Terrace prior to disembarking.

[golfguyhhi]

Not sure why I put Sydney, I meant Rio. And, yes, it will involve a deviation (both ends, coming into Barcelona early).

Sounds like it is achievable, as long as the proper parties are notified in advance. Thanks everyone for your input.

[katz]

We have disembarked the night before twice. Once in Dubai and again in Singapore. Dubai was around 11:00 pm. Singapore was 5:30 pm. We had our own transfers. All you have to do is notify reception that you will be leaving the night before. It was very easy to do.

[RachelG]

We have disembarked early a couple of times when it was an overnight port. No issues at all. Just tell the front desk what you are planning to do, and be prepared to take you own luggage off and have your own transportation arranged.

[Caroldoll]

I got permission from the main office. Glad I did as we had a mishap at the end and the ship didn't end where it was scheduled to end. No problem and you generally have to handle your own luggage. In this instance because we got permission and because they didn't go to Montreal and because there was no permission for the crew to help you, they had to handle it. We also got off in Tahiti once early. Plan on handling your own luggage and getting your own transportation and it is a good idea. No one wants to sit in the airport for 10 hours or take a taxi ride for 6 hours and then the airport. Go for it.