When do ships REALLY leave port?

[chach123]

HI all! I was wondering when one should head back to a ship while in a port? If the times of port are from 8am to 1 pm, what time should I head back to the ship?

[98Charlie]

When you go ashore there will be a sign indicating the "All Aboard" time. It's best to be back before then:p

 

There is usually a line to get back on during the last ½ hour. We generally try to be back an hour before the ship shoves off to avoid that.

 

Also, always keep your watch on ship's time. It may be different from the local time. The ship sails on ship's time.

 

Charlie

[KruznKel]

HI all! I was wondering when one should head back to a ship while in a port? If the times of port are from 8am to 1 pm, what time should I head back to the ship?

 

Usually 1/2 before the ship leaves it will tell you on the front of your fun times;)

[Rochmom]

You should be back to the ship about 1 hour prior to the posted sailing time. For the most part, they mean the time that they say - they don't delay because delaying costs the cruise line money.

 

For what it's worth, do NOT rely on your cell phone to tell you the time - cell phones automatically re-set to the local time of the nearest cell tower. The ship will stay on the time zone setting for it's home port. So when the itinerary says leaving port at 1:00 p.m., that means 1:00 p.m. ship's time, not 1:00 p.m. local time.

[Room Service!]

I can't tell you when you should "head" back to the ship, but I can say, you should be back on the ship when they tell you to.

[golfadj]

It is no fun taking a picture of your ship heading out to sea while you are not aboard.

[elcuchio24]

The ship leaves ON TIME. It's up to you to make sure yo are back onboard well ahead of that time.

[thinfool]

The ship will stay on the time zone setting for it's home port.

 

???

 

This depends on your itinerary. Ships time may be adjusted for local conditions, time zone boundaries and standard time/daylight savings time.

 

There will likely be an onboard announcement or a note in the daily calendar of events, depending on cruise line, ship and Cruise Director.

[maldenmusic]

Your Fun Times will tell you when to be back on board. From my experiences, the ship will leave port exactly on time. The only exception I can think of would be if a Carnival excursion was late getting back then they will wait for those passengers.

[98Charlie]

???

 

This depends on your itinerary. Ships time may be adjusted for local conditions, time zone boundaries and standard time/daylight savings time.

 

There will likely be an onboard announcement or a note in the daily calendar of events, depending on cruise line, ship and Cruise Director.

While for a majority of our cruises the ships have stayed on home port time, it is up to the Captain (and probably the CD) to determine if the ship's time will change.

 

We did one 7 nighter (Mexican Riviera) where the time changed 4x:eek:

 

Charlie

[jennmaybe]

We always set a goal to be back 1 hr before the ship is scheduled to leave.

 

However, in St. Lucia last year, we got stuck on an excursion. A big group of us on 2 different boats....both broke down in the water. We were pushing our luck on the time. The other boat made it back just in time and our friend was telling the lady who was sliding the S & S cards for those that just got back, that there was another group of us on our way. We must have had a wonderful captain, because he waited for us!! No, this was not a Carnival booked excursion, but he still waited. We left out a little late, but no harm done. We were running to the ship and of course, we were the lucky ones getting applauded by the balcony watchers.:D:)

[jenigirl4]

It is no fun taking a picture of your ship heading out to sea while you are not aboard.

 

 

^^^ This would suck but it cracked me up!!:D

[kroozers]

I heard a cruise director once tell us what to to if you get back a little late and see the ship pulling away from the pier. Just raise your hand high over your head so the captain can see it...and wave goodbye.

[okgirl]

???

 

This depends on your itinerary. Ships time may be adjusted for local conditions, time zone boundaries and standard time/daylight savings time.

 

There will likely be an onboard announcement or a note in the daily calendar of events, depending on cruise line, ship and Cruise Director.

 

But most of the time you stay on the time zone of the embarkation port. In 23 cruises I have only had them change time to local time once.

 

Carnival usually tells you to be back on board 30 minutes before scheduled departure time. And most of the time they leave pretty much on time. I think it actually costs them money to delay departure too much. They have a pilot boat crew that has a pretty strict schedule.

[NEWORLEANSCRUISER1]

I always check the time onboard the ship and make sure my watch is the same time. Get back one hour before sail away!!

[zqvol]

HI all! I was wondering when one should head back to a ship while in a port? If the times of port are from 8am to 1 pm, what time should I head back to the ship?

 

 

As has been mentioned there will be a sign telling you when to be back on board. Pay attention to it. If you are a minute or two late (and I mean literally less than 5 actual minutes), you will just join the tail end of the line reboarding. As soon as the line is gone they start taking in the gangway and the ship sails at the appointed time whether you are on board or not.

 

If you are in port until 1:00 p.m. you should be back by 12:15 and no later than 12:30, or you will watch the ship leave without you.

[zqvol]

. . . For the most part, they mean the time that they say - they don't delay because delaying costs the cruise line money.

. . .

 

Really? The only extra costs is in fuel in the event they have to sail faster to get back on schedule. They are not charged by the hour to stay docked.

[rickcop44]

Really? The only extra costs is in fuel in the event they have to sail faster to get back on schedule. They are not charged by the hour to stay docked.

 

I don't know if leaving late costs the cruiseline additional money either but that said, I will agree that they almost always leave on time. That said, in February, we were three hours late leaving Belize when the anchor got lodged under a shelf on the sea floor. The ship finally got it out and up after a tug showed up and was able to get it loose. My philosophy is to make sure my watch shows the same time as the ship's clock and I get back to the ship no later than an hour before the scheduled departure time.

[golfadj]

See no reason to worry about missing ship so we will always plan to be back on board 1 to 1/2 hrs before ship scheduled to leave.

[cruisin1982]

you hear the ships horn:D is when you need to head back. At least what the 20 or so runers we had on our last cruise in Cozumel. We try 30 min before they state in the fun times.

 

Mike

[golfadj]

It can be kind of funny to watch the runners coming back to the ship.

 

There was a post here of some people missing the ship and kind of funny and sad at same time.

 

Once did see video of someone getting onto the ship from pilot boat.

[matj2000]

They will leave when everyone is back on board. But there sometimes is exceptions..

[UpcountryTravelers]

Carnival doesn't adjust to the time zone they are in? That's bad!

 

We're used to Princess who always adjust to local. On a Royal Caribbean cruise to Bermuda we did last year the ship did not adjust time, and there were MANY missed ferries and some of our group missed their excursions. The locals told us ours was the only ship that didn't use local time and people were always missing things due to time confusion. No such problem with the NCL that was in port at the same time.

[98Charlie]

Carnival doesn't adjust to the time zone they are in? That's bad!

 

We're used to Princess who always adjust to local. On a Royal Caribbean cruise to Bermuda we did last year the ship did not adjust time, and there were MANY missed ferries and some of our group missed their excursions. The locals told us ours was the only ship that didn't use local time and people were always missing things due to time confusion. No such problem with the NCL that was in port at the same time.

NCL changed time? We've cruise NCL 15 times and I can't remember them ever changing time zones.

 

Charlie

[elcuchio24]

NCL changed time? We've cruise NCL 15 times and I can't remember them ever changing time zones.

 

Charlie

 

Diddo. Captains choice, as far as I understand.