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What time do we have to be on the ship?


EElizabethR
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Hello! Going on my first cruise this Sunday! Symphony of the Seas from Barcelona. What time do we need to be back on the ship each day? For example, day 2 we are in Mallorca and it says we depart at 4pm. Is there a standard time you must be back on the ship or just before 4pm? I've heard everything from 2 hours (from my travel agent) to 5 minutes before (from frequent cruisers). Any advice is appreciated!

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Two hours - or anything like 2 hours - is only at your embarkation port, not at your ports-of-call.

 

Back-on-board time at your ports-of-call is normally 30 minutes before the advertised sailing time.

 

The back-on-board time isn't a "suggestion", it's a rule and if you're late the best you can expect is a stern word.

 

At tendered ports, where you're taken ashore by boats (called tenders), the last-tender time is usually an hour before the advertised sailing time. That's the latest time you must be back at the tender pier, you don,t have to worry about a line at the tender pier or what time you actually get back to the ship.

 

So it's normally back at the ship's gangway by 30 minutes before sailing if your ship is at the pier, or back at the tender pier by 60 mins before sailing if the ship is moored off-shore.

 

That's the norm,

But as packer has posted, you'll be told at each port - usually in the ship's newspaper and a notice at the gangway.

 

JB :)

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I don't think it can be stressed enough, the all aboard time is not a suggestion, not a guideline, not approximate. It is the time by which all passengers must be back aboard. (At least in line to get back aboard.) Being late runs the real risk of missing the ship. Once the gangway lifts, even if the ship is still at the pier, chances of getting aboard approach zero.

 

The all aboard time will be printed on the front page of the daily cruise compass. One will also see a sign as one exit the ship and/or at the bottom of the gangway. Times changes can be announced, so checking as one leaves the ship is always a good practice.

 

Have a great cruise.

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30 mins. prior to the posted sailaway time, make sure your butt is on the ship! They will leave you, if you're not there. Bring a watch...don't rely on your cell phone for the time...sometimes, "ship's time" is different than "local" time! There are clocks at EVERY exit...make sure your watch and the ship's clocks are synchronized!

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On embarkation day, you must be aboard about 2 hours before departure, as the ship must submit a final manifest before departure.

 

At all other ports, check the gangway sailing board and read it carefully, as it sometimes has 1 time for crew & another for pax. Most ports it is 1/2 hr before departure. This permits time to remove/strip down gangways and let lines go in time for departure. As others mentioned return aboard time is also included in the daily paper delivered to your cabin.

 

However, in the event of a discrepancy, the gangway sailing board is the one to comply with.

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Usually the all aboard time is 30 minutes before the departure time on docked ports. Usually the last tender time is 60 minutes prior to departure on tender ports. I’ve certainly been on ships that began pulling out a few minutes prior to the ‘departure’ time listed so getting back 5 minutes early would have left you on the dock. I wouldn’t take any advice from people telling you that you can return to the ship 5 minutes prior to departure. Personally, we are always back at least 30 minutes before all aboard time. It’s not work missing the ship to spend an extra 30 minutes on shore.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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You should try to respect All-Aboard times, specially in tender ports.

I can confirm a few early departures (5-10min maximum).

Once, due to rain & traffic in Istanbul, we got to the ship from an off-company tour, 10 minutes before departure - got lucky!

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On a cruise being a Minute Man, like in the last minute is not a very good idea.

 

Thinking that there is time for one more drink or time to cruise through one more shop could leave a person with a very nice photo for their trip album as the ship is sailing away from the dock with that person still standing on the dock.

 

And, that is when the fun really begins. As the person try's to figure out how to either fly back home or fly forward to catch the ship at the next port. That flying of course is on that person's own dime.

 

Bob

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This information is dictated by the ship and can change day to day. Do not "plan" anything based on info posted here. Rule of thumb is 30 minutes from push back.

One of our favorite pastimes was to watch drunks show up at the dock in Mazatlan as the ship starts moving.

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If you are on a ship excursion, they will get you back to the ship on time or to the tender pier on time. If something goes wrong, the ship will wait for their excursions to return.

If you are out and about on your own, you should plan to get back to the ship 30 minutes for docked ship or 1 hour for tenders. When we are touring around on our own, we like to return to the ship 1 hour before it sails.

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If you are on a ship excursion, they will get you back to the ship on time or to the tender pier on time. If something goes wrong, the ship will wait for their excursions to return.

 

Not necessarily true.

 

However, if you miss the ship, the cruise line is responsible for getting you home or to the next port to catch the ship.

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Lets just say... you just want to watch the pier runners on YouTube' date=' not be features as a pier runner on YouTube.[/quote']

 

VERY true.

 

But I have disappointed on our last two cruises, no runners. Some people ambling up fairly late, but not too late.

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