Fitbit: how to change time zones while at sea?

I want to take my Fitbit Alta with me on our transatlantic crossing, not only to tell the time time but to track my physical activity, sleep, etc., as normal.

Normally, changing the time zone on a fitbit is either 'automatic' or via inputting through the app.

Since I will not be taking a phone or a tablet with me on vacation (horrors!), does anyone know how to change a Fitbit clock time, as the ship's time changes, please?

I suppose one answer might be to take a conventional watch too. But as the time zones change Fitbit is going to get confused about when days start and end and bed time and wake time, etc...

Any boffins out there know how to solve this?

You will need to log into your Fitbit account, change to the correct time zone on your profile, and sync. Just do a google search for how to do this, and you will be fine.

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You will need to log into your Fitbit account, change to the correct time zone on your profile, and sync. Just do a google search for how to do this, and you will be fine.

 

 

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So I can't do it without a separate computer device?

You can do it on the Fitbit website, however you can access it. I am fairly certain that it cannot be done via the app.

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In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

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In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

 

that depends on the ship and especially what kind of trip. When crossing westward Hamburg to NYC on QM2 we changed time zones most nights .. 5 zones or was it 6? - gaining an extra hour of sleep! - staying on the original time zone would have been a problem on arrival in NY! And I see OP IS talking a crossing . . .

I'm no fitbit expert but I plan to take mine with me on a cruise several time zones away from home {tomorrow}. I AM taking my phone but it will mostly be in AIRPLANE MODE to be used for photos and wifi connection e-mail {ship provides free internet/wifi}. With the phone I can manually change the phone's time zone and then I'm guessing I can bluetooth synch to the fitbit which will grab the time from the phone .... I know that when my FB battery gets low the clock can wander and a quick sync to the phone always resets the time .....

Maybe I'll be able/interested in telling how this works next week ... or I'll be too busy enjoying the trip . . .

technical tidbit .... changing anything on the web site can only get TO the FB via it sync'ing to something via BT or by being plugged into the charger which is connected to a computer via USB (but I have a BLAZE so this model might be different). If the charger is connected to an ac power source there is no data path .....

In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

 

 

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In 40 years of both working and sailing as a pax on cruise ships this is definitely not my experience. In all my time at sea I have only experienced 1 port where ship time was not consistent with port time.

While some ships may not incur clox, especially those sailing North/South itineraries, in my experience (P&O, Princess, P&O Australia, RCCL, Cunard, CMV) most ships do change cloxs.

Even all our Alaska cruises which only have a 1 hr difference changed the cloxs.

In 40 years of both working and sailing as a pax on cruise ships this is definitely not my experience. In all my time at sea I have only experienced 1 port where ship time was not consistent with port time.

 

While some ships may not incur clox, especially those sailing North/South itineraries, in my experience (P&O, Princess, P&O Australia, RCCL, Cunard, CMV) most ships do change cloxs.

 

Even all our Alaska cruises which only have a 1 hr difference changed the cloxs.

I've only been on three cruises, but none of them changed time to match port.

I'm not saying that will be the case for every cruise, but just another indication that each ship/sailing can be different.

not changing time zones on a transatlantic trip is akin to flying

we all know how dreaded is the time change when we land ....

it is a reason some people refuse to fly TA and will only cruise - absorb the time change SLOWLY !!!!

The confusion in the Carib' is in a large part due to Daylight Savings Time!!!!! Where going to Cayman from Miami means SOMETIMES there is a change ... sometimes NO change ..... cuz the islands do not play DST .....

You will need computer access to update the time. And this will happen several days in a row on a TA.

In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

 

 

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This has not been true at all on the three Transatlantic cruises we have been on. If it were, when the ship arrived at its final destination, ship clocks would be 5-7 hours different than local time. Perhaps you have never crossed multiple times zones while at sea?

If ypu have the Fitbit on Eadtern time the change until you reach Europe will only be 5-6 hours. If you change it forward say 3 hours before dept., your daily step count will not be much off, unless you are a night owl.

In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

 

 

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The only line I have sailed that did NOT change time zones to match port is Carnival. EM

My Fitbit is reset when I turn my phone on in port since that is where my app was installed. It is automatic. I typically go on transpacific and transatlantics so my Fitbit is useless as a watch for a few days at a time. I try to remember to add or subtract an hour, but it gets complicated.

I've only been on three cruises, but none of them changed time to match port.

 

 

 

I'm not saying that will be the case for every cruise, but just another indication that each ship/sailing can be different.

This definitely depends on the ship. I have never had one that didn’t change to match port time, but I have been in ports where we went on an excursion and the lunch buffet was at different “times” for people on different ships. I thought that was odd until I noticed they had two clocks hanging up and labeled with cruise line names. NCL time matched Island time, Carnival time was an hour off, and there was one other ship that I forget which time they were on. So everyone was eating lunch at the same time, they were just calling the time different things.

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I don't have a Fitbit, but I do use a Garmin Activity tracker, that is also a watch, every day all year around, and have done so for a couple of years.

On cruises, no matter the length, I do my daily exercise walking routine of a minimum of 10,000 steps. My device stores the data, and I download it after I get back home and can sync my device with my smart phone without incurring any extra costs related to my phone. I have had as many as 30 days worth of data waiting to be downloaded by the time I get home sometimes, So far, my Garmin has had no problem saving it all and downloading it all later.

To make sure I am on the correct time wherever I am in the world, especially when going ashore, I wear my tracker on one arm and an inexpensive wrist watch on my other arm.

In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

 

 

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The OP is making a TRANSATLANTIC cruise! I can assure you the ship will not stay on home port time.

There will be 5-7 time zone changes.

In case you did not know, most cruise ships do not change their clock based on time zone. They normally stay on the time zone of their home port. Relying on your Fitbit to get you back to port for sail away might result in you finding no ship to board! Just be sure you understand “ship time” as sail away time is per ship time.

 

 

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Completely untrue on a crossing that the OP is talking about. The time will change almost daily, and certainly no less frequently than every other day.

We have another device that’s a PITA to change the time. We just remember what difference is and add/subtract accordingly. This worked doing round trip Hawaii from Los Angeles with 3 time zone changes.

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Why bother changing it? I never do. You still get your sleep hours listed and how many steps you take every day.

Why bother changing it? I never do. You still get your sleep hours listed and how many steps you take every day.

I don't bother changing mine either, but I think the OP was planning to use the Fitbit as a watch too.

Just buy a cheap watch that you can change the time on. A much easier solution.

DON

You can do it on the Fitbit website, however you can access it. I am fairly certain that it cannot be done via the app.

 

 

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I have a Blaze and I had to do it with the app; what a pain in the neck that turned out to be.

Like the post above this one, buy a cheap watch because using the Fitbit for time was one hassle I didn't need.