Loading Page...

How long can you stay on the ship at the end of the cruise?

On voyage-conclusion days, also called turnaround days, passengers are asked to vacate their cabins between 8 and 8:30 a.m. so stewards can begin cleaning them for the next round of cruisers. Everyone from the cruise that's ending must be off the ship between 9 and 10 a.m. in most cases.



People Also Ask

On the final morning of a cruise experience in most countries all guests must leave the ship before the guests joining the next cruise can board. In most environments the latest time to leave the vessel will be between 10:00am and 11:00am.

MORE DETAILS

Usually everyone has to be gone by 9-10am.

MORE DETAILS

Bottom Line: The process of readying for passengers to leave once the ship arrives in port can take 30-45 minutes. After that, actually getting off the ship once passengers are allowed ashore takes just minutes.

MORE DETAILS

Generally, passengers are required to disembark within an hour or two after docking. However, some cruise lines may allow passengers to remain onboard for a few extra hours if they have special arrangements with the port authority.

MORE DETAILS

Disembarking at the end of a cruise is a bit more complicated, this can take a few hours, depending on the cruise size. At the end of your trip, you will need to take care of paying the bill for purchases made on board, checking out your room and, in some cases, passing through customs and immigration.

MORE DETAILS

The vast majority of passengers simply sail their normal cruise itinerary. But can you just get off the ship and return home on your own terms? The answer is yes, but there are some major complications (and laws) that should be considered.

MORE DETAILS

Go to breakfast Room service may or may not be available on disembarkation day. Head to the buffet or main dining room to enjoy a leisurely breakfast — unless you are in a rush to get to your flight.

MORE DETAILS

Guests Can Enjoy a Quieter Ship There are a number of benefits to staying onboard a cruise ship on a port day. Many cruisers enjoy sea days where the ship doesn't dock and I do too. That said, on sea days, the cruise ships can be quite busy.

MORE DETAILS

Linger Where You Shouldn't Want to drive the crew crazy? Staying in your cabin past when you've been asked to leave or lingering in the atrium before your debarkation group has been called will do both as these will slow down the entire disembarkation process, delaying everything.

MORE DETAILS

No matter the scheduled time, you MUST be onboard and checked-in no later than 90 minutes prior to the departure. To expedite this process, make sure you have completed your cruise line's pre-registration and printed your boarding pass.

MORE DETAILS

Cruise ships will leave passengers at ports if they're late. Any experienced cruiser knows that the cruise ship isn't required to wait for you. After all, you and your family aren't the only ones who are impacted by your lateness.

MORE DETAILS

The vast majority of cruise lines don't publish official curfews, though they do rely on parents to exercise good judgement. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the very kid-friendly Disney Cruise Line does not have an official policy regarding curfew for underage cruisers.

MORE DETAILS

If your cruise leaves you behind, don't panic! Most major cruise companies have an agent at every port who will be able to assist you. In many cases, the boat knows that you aren't on board because you haven't checked in. So, they'll remove your essential belongings and leave them with the port agent.

MORE DETAILS

The cost of buying an apartment on a residential cruise ship is between $1 million and $14 million. There are also annual fees of between $60,000 and $300,000 to pay. In theory, you could cruise on traditional cruise ships for around $35,000 per year, if you choose a basic cruise.

MORE DETAILS

It is possible to live on a cruise ship and there are several cruise lines that allow you to purchase an apartment onboard. Alternatively, you could book a series of short cruises on a mainstream cruise line. It's better to choose a cruise ship designed for long-term living than one from a mainstream cruise line.

MORE DETAILS

Embarkation day is the first day of your cruise. It's the day you arrive at the cruise terminal to embark on your vacation. Disembarkation, similarly, is the last day of your cruise, when you disembark from the ship, whether you're staying an extra day in port or catching a flight back home.

MORE DETAILS

Feeding Yourself on Debarkation Day Even though you're leaving the ship, you're still entitled to breakfast onboard. These are your options: Eat in a Dining Room You'll be assigned to the same dining room you had dinner in on the last night of your cruise.

MORE DETAILS

All big ships come alive at night -- expect theater shows (ranging from Las Vegas-style revues to Broadway musicals), live music, crew talent shows, stand-up comedy, themed parties on the lido deck or in the dance club, dinner theater, ship wide scavenger hunts, feature films or even renditions of The Dating Game.

MORE DETAILS

If you are a U.S. citizen and your cruise embarks or disembarks in a foreign country, including Canada, you will always need your passport for the cruise (in some cases a passport card will suffice). You'll also need a passport for a cruise that begins and ends in different U.S. ports.

MORE DETAILS