When do ships REALLY leave port?

[johneeo]

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.

 

Don't think so.

 

I am sure that the port has workers that are on the hour, and those costs are passed on to the cruise line.

 

Think about it, suppose the ship is to be gone by 5:00, and for some reason it does not leave until much later. Suppose another ship is scheduled to come in? Do you really think the port is going to absorb the costs associated with the failure of the ship to meet its obligations?

[Cyber Kat]

First time I was on a cruise we got back to the ship in plenty of time. We stood at the rail with all the other passengers and jeered the late arrivals. i vowed NEVER to be late coming back to the ship. I could only imagine how embarrassing that would be. A couple of cruises ago, we decided not to hurry off the ship in Puerto Rico. There was another Carnival ship berthed next to us. Their late arrivals were treated to jeers from 2 ships - their own and those still onboard ours!

[arush5268d]

I would plan on being ship-side 1/2 hour before the time posted in the Fun Times / on the signage when you leave the ship. Don't press your luck - the ship will leave without you.

[zqvol]

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

 

Charlie

 

Without knowing the real answer I suspect that Bermuda is an exception to the rule. The ships are there for 3 - 5 nights and it just makes better sense to stay on local time.

[elcuchio24]

At the end of the day, if the captain does decide to change times, they will make so many announcements about it that you CAN'T miss it!

[Jolimont]

We set our phones to ship time before we get off and we set an alarm for 1hr before sail time. If I get back on with 1/2 hour to spare, that's still good. Less than that and I'm a nervous wreck.

[98Charlie]

Without knowing the real answer I suspect that Bermuda is an exception to the rule. The ships are there for 3 - 5 nights and it just makes better sense to stay on local time.

Yup. That would seem to be a good idea for that itinerary.

 

Charlie

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

We've been on two ships that have waited for passengers...the Valor and the Freedom...I can't remember the port on the Valor but on the Freedom it was Jamaica...you can usually tell what's going on because you will hear the passenger's names paged over and over again. Finally in Jamaica we saw the couple running the pier...about half way down the woman just stopped running...I think she was carrying some shopping bags...the guy kept running and people from the ship were trying to cheer the woman on, but she just waved her hand like she was done with it all...they had already taken the gangway away, but then put it back for the couple to board. It was at least 30 minutes after departure time...so if the captain wants to wait, I guess he'll wait!