Disembark Cruise Early

[adoris]

I’m wondering if anyone has had any luck disembarking NCL Alaska cruises in Victoria instead of continuing on to Seattle.  I’ve done it on Princess and RCL but NCL won’t allow it.  I don’t even think they submit a request.

[lylabelle1]

I don't know how they could make you get back on.  Can't you just grab your things and go?  We disembarked early on a Med cruise (not NCL) and just walked off with our stuff. 

[hallux]

54 minutes ago, lylabelle1 said:

Can't you just grab your things and go?

The Canada Immigration folks might have something to say about this plan.  While the OP is likely a resident, they have technically left the country (they crossed the border to board, right?) and if things are not done properly they wouldn't have re-entered.  To do this properly NCL will need to arrange for the proper authorities to process them back into Canada, which I believe costs NCL money beyond the authorities that would be there for a regular port stop.

 

It MAY also complicate processing of the ship upon return to Seattle - they'll want to know what happened to the missing passenger(s) and it MAY change how the rest of the ship is processed for re-entry.

 

@chengkp75 would be the authority on this...

[casofilia]

Canada<=>USA would be VERY different to an EU<=>EU early off.

 

If NCL got caught with you "bunking off" and charged then I am sure they would pass the charges on to you.

[adoris]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

The Canada Immigration folks might have something to say about this plan.  While the OP is likely a resident, they have technically left the country (they crossed the border to board, right?) and if things are not done properly they wouldn't have re-entered.  To do this properly NCL will need to arrange for the proper authorities to process them back into Canada, which I believe costs NCL money beyond the authorities that would be there for a regular port stop.

 

It MAY also complicate processing of the ship upon return to Seattle - they'll want to know what happened to the missing passenger(s) and it MAY change how the rest of the ship is processed for re-entry.

 

@chengkp75 would be the authority on this...

I would never do this without the proper approval.  
I know that paperwork has to be submitted by NCL to Border Services.  I just don’t understand why other cruise lines request and get the approval and NCL doesn’t seem to even want to ask if this is possible.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, lylabelle1 said:

I don't know how they could make you get back on.  Can't you just grab your things and go?  We disembarked early on a Med cruise (not NCL) and just walked off with our stuff. 

They can't make you get back on. But when you try to exit Canada without legally entering, you are an illegal alien. Now you face being fined and deported (well,,, you'll get back to the US), but you will never be allowed back into Canada.  

[adoris]

17 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

They can't make you get back on. But when you try to exit Canada without legally entering, you are an illegal alien. Now you face being fined and deported (well,,, you'll get back to the US), but you will never be allowed back into Canada.  

But, I’m a Canadian citizen living in Victoria!

[chengkp75]

7 hours ago, adoris said:

I would never do this without the proper approval.  
I know that paperwork has to be submitted by NCL to Border Services.  I just don’t understand why other cruise lines request and get the approval and NCL doesn’t seem to even want to ask if this is possible.

NCL does not want the hassle of submitting a new passenger manifest to the US CBP for arrival back in Seattle.  Because the manifest has changed from the one submitted when the ship left Seattle, it is no longer a "closed loop" cruise.  The cruise that ends in Seattle is now one that started in Victoria, because you left.  CBP can choose to process all returning passengers as if they were on a cruise that started in a foreign country (which it did), which is different from processing a closed loop cruise.  NCL fell afoul of this when they tried to do "interporting" on cruises from Tampa, that also picked up passengers at a foreign port (who got off in that same foreign port), and this changed the way CBP processed the Tampa-Tampa passengers, with attendant delays and complaints.

[Rick&Jeannie]

We are traveling with another couple in 2 weeks that are leaving the ship one day early.  They had some special paperwork that had to be submitted to NCL...and I *think* a $25 fee.

[adoris]

20 hours ago, hallux said:

The Canada Immigration folks might have something to say about this plan.  While the OP is likely a resident, they have technically left the country (they crossed the border to board, right?) and if things are not done properly they wouldn't have re-entered.  To do this properly NCL will need to arrange for the proper authorities to process them back into Canada, which I believe costs NCL money beyond the authorities that would be there for a regular port stop.

 

It MAY also complicate processing of the ship upon return to Seattle - they'll want to know what happened to the missing passenger(s) and it MAY change how the rest of the ship is processed for re-entry.

 

@chengkp75 would be the authority on this...

Thank you for your explanation, it makes perfect sense.

 

[adoris]

7 hours ago, Rick&amp;Jeannie said:

We are traveling with another couple in 2 weeks that are leaving the ship one day early.  They had some special paperwork that had to be submitted to NCL...and I *think* a $25 fee.

Thank you.  I tried calling NCL again and asked and was told ‘NO’.