How close to "on time" do most cruises leave port on embark days

[cio541]

I am sittiing here watching the Splendor web cam hoping to watch it sail out. It was scheduled at 4:30 (as least our cruise in Oct is schedule at that time)

 

It is still sitting in port....which leads me to ask what can delay the departure, how often do they leave "late" and is the 4:30 usually a true number the time they put some people get on board by then?

[scchasgal]

Large group from the ship on a Carnival sponsored excursion running late maybe?

[CWcruisers]

Ships try and sail close to debark time, but for one to be more than an hour late, it could be a large number of flights running late, and especially, if it's flights with passengers who booked their air through Carnival. Or it's just luggage loading running behind, but even still, most likely will not effect arrival in Cabo.

[PenguinLife]

I think a lot depends on the individual port, and weather, we tend to cruise out of Galveston, TX in the winter/spring months, this is also the time of year that the area is known fr dense fog which can often keep ships at sea until it burns off later in the day. So far we have been lucky and only delayed by 2-3 hours on departure, however I have known of cruises right before and after ours being delayed (coming in and going out) over 24 hours due to dense fog.

[ZooTycoon223]

Our last cruise on the Miracle we were told we would be leaving at 4. The muster drill started later than expected, and finished around 4. True to their word, the muster drill hadn't even been finished for 2 minutes before we started to pull out of the dock.

However today i was watching the Port Everglades webcam watching the Freedom sail away and it left about 20 minutes late.

[cb at sea]

Unless a large group of ship-sponsored excursions or ship-booked flights are late, they will depart ON TIME 99% of the time! Always be prepared to be on the ship by the posted time!

[cio541]

I am sittiing here watching the Splendor web cam hoping to watch it sail out. It was scheduled at 4:30 (as least our cruise in Oct is schedule at that time)

 

It is still sitting in port....which leads me to ask what can delay the departure, how often do they leave "late" and is the 4:30 usually a true number the time they put some people get on board by then?

 

 

 

Hour late they just pulled out :-)

[puntacana]

Of all the cruises I have taken, about 75% depart on time. I have been on quite a few that were still docked when I have gone to bed after 10 pm.

I just have been told they were waiting for large groups that are running late.

Did the Muster drill the next morning.

[cio541]

Hour late they just pulled out :-)

 

The pool is still empty and covered. Do they usually have it that way on the first day? I assume they wait till they are out to sea to fill, I guess I just didnt realized they left doc with it empty. Maybe there was some problem. pool area is pretty vacant, I guess no pool no reason lol

[Smithkids5521]

They could have been waiting for a number of reasons, but maybe they had to wait for the Harbor pilot. If it was a busy day in port and a few ships were leaving around the same time, the Harbor pilot may have been running behind.

 

Here in Baltimore, when the ships are ready to leave, they have to wait sometimes for the tide...getting under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a tight squeeze so they need low tide in order to fit. I am not familiar with the port that Splendor leaves from, but maybe tides had something to do with it also?

 

I guess they eventually left- so better late than never, right? ;)

[kris12]

The only cruise that I've been on that was significantly delayed was out of Long Beach, we left about 4 hours late due to a delayed disembarkation from the previous cruise. They had a passenger that was taken off in handcuffs (we heard he was busted with drugs) and they wouldn't let anyone else off or allow us to board until he was removed. Tough way to get off the ship first!

[Islandbuoy]

How about not leaving til noon the next day(coast guard inspection and repl emerg. generator) Ist nite was very smooth sailing!

[ccruisequeen]

The Paradise left 30 mins late on Fri & the Splendor was an hour late-- they are usually only 15-20 minutes late on departure. (see my sig)

[hancogran]

When we sailed Pride back in May we were scheduled to leave at 4:30 but it was 6:10 when the ship actually set sail. Our balcony overlooked the port area so we watched while they were unloading two huge transport trailers.. I'm assuming it was food supplies, etc. The K9 unit were there and it was fun watching the dog sniff each crate and skid before they put the orange sticker on it. Not sure why the trailers hadn't been unloaded earlier.