Oasis - Ship v Local Time (St Maarten)

[jbaz]

Hi There

 

Hoping someone can clear up the confusion I have.

 

We are sailing on the Oasis on 11th Jan and arrive in St Maarten according to our Cruise Itinerary at 08:00am and Depart at 05:00pm.

 

I have booked a private tour and the tour operator has advised that she will meet us at 09:30am local time. Can someone please advise how this equates to 'ship time'?

 

Am I correct in assuming that all aboard time that day will be 04:30pm (ship time??)??

 

I know I'm being paranoid but considering our last stop of the tour will be Maho to see the big planes, I don't want to leave anything to chance and need to ensure we are back on board well prior to departure.

 

Thanks in advance

 

jbaz

[lvstitch]

Yes, in January ship's time would be an hour earlier than Island time. So docking at 8am ship's time would be 9am island time.

[Karysa]

I would post this ? on the RCL board. On our NCL New Years cruise we turned our clocks ahead to be on the same time as the eastern Caribbean islands and then after leaving St. Thomas which was our final port we switched the clocks back.

[cleophus12]

The ships usually switch to local time. They will usually advise you of this in your daily activities guide the night before. And then they will remind you many times before you get off the ship to change your watch also. Your breakfast server will probably remind you too.

[Ocean Boy]

The ships usually switch to local time. They will usually advise you of this in your daily activities guide the night before. And then they will remind you many times before you get off the ship to change your watch also. Your breakfast server will probably remind you too.

 

When we sailed on Oasis the ship did not change to local time.

[Karysa]

When we sailed on Oasis the ship did not change to local time.

 

What was your sailing date?

[tneah]

When we sailed on Oasis the ship did not change to local time.

 

Just sailed Oasis 4/27. We were always on ship time, not island time.

 

Take a watch. We found that people used their cells which automatically switch to current time on the island. This caused some of those late arrivals or almost missed the ship trauma.

[mkmom514]

Same here. On Oasis ship's time did not change during the cruise.

[Karysa]

Just sailed Oasis 4/27. We were always on ship time, not island time.

 

Take a watch. We found that people used their cells which automatically switch to current time on the island. This caused some of those late arrivals or almost missed the ship trauma.

 

I really find your post confusing. How could people get messed up between ship time and St. Maarten time in April? They are both on the same time at that time of year.

 

It's after the fall time change up until the spring time change that St. Maarten is an hour ahead of Florida. This is when cruisers need to know if the ship is staying on Florida time or switching to St. Maarten time.

[Karysa]

Same here. On Oasis ship's time did not change during the cruise.

 

That is because in August there is no time difference between Florida and St. Maarten.

[reesser]

St Maarten is always on Atlantic Standard Time, so it is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

I would hope that you do not cut it close to the sailing time. Moho Beach is probably a good hour away from the pier at late afternoon. It can even be worse if the draw bridge opens. There are no short cuts.

Bob E

[Karysa]

St Maarten is always on Atlantic Standard Time, so it is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

I would hope that you do not cut it close to the sailing time. Moho Beach is probably a good hour away from the pier at late afternoon. It can even be worse if the draw bridge opens. There are no short cuts.

Bob E

 

From Sunday March 10th 2013 until Sunday November 3rd of 2013 St. Maarten (AST) and Florida which is EST but has Daylight Savings Time during these months are on the same time.

 

From Sunday November 3rd 2013 until Sunday March 9th 2014 St. Maarten (AST) is one hour ahead of EST.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong here:)

[Ocean Boy]

What was your sailing date?

 

First week in March. I remember that we stayed on ship time because daylight savings time started on the day we got back to Ft. Lauderdale and we lost an hour of sleep during the last night of the cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

From Sunday March 10th 2013 until Sunday November 3rd of 2013 St. Maarten (AST) and Florida which is EST but has Daylight Savings Time during these months are on the same time.

 

From Sunday November 3rd 2013 until Sunday March 9th 2014 St. Maarten (AST) is one hour ahead of EST.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong here:)

 

You are not wrong.

[Karysa]

First week in March. I remember that we stayed on ship time because daylight savings time started on the day we got back to Ft. Lauderdale and we lost an hour of sleep during the last night of the cruise.

 

Poor crew. Lost an hour of sleep on turn around day! That would stink!

[Ocean Boy]

Poor crew. Lost an hour of sleep on turn around day! That would stink!

 

It seemed to me that it would have made more sense to change to Atlantic Time after leaving Nassau. Then we would have been on island time for St. Thomas and St. Maarten and it would have been all set for returning to the US on daylight savings time.

 

When we sailed on Indy the last time (also first week in March) the ship changed to Atlantic time before arrival in St. Maarten, went back to eastern time on the way to Labadee, and then went to daylight savings time the morning of arrival in Ft. Lauderdale. It would have made much more sense to me to stay on Atlantic time after the first change and, again, we would have been all set for arrival back in Florida on daylight savings time. Instead we went through three time changes that week.:eek:

[Karysa]

It seemed to me that it would have made more sense to change to Atlantic Time after leaving Nassau. Then we would have been on island time for St. Thomas and St. Maarten and it would have been all set for returning to the US on daylight savings time.

 

When we sailed on Indy the last time (also first week in March) the ship changed to Atlantic time before arrival in St. Maarten, went back to eastern time on the way to Labadee, and then went to daylight savings time the morning of arrival in Ft. Lauderdale. It would have made much more sense to me to stay on Atlantic time after the first change and, again, we would have been all set for arrival back in Florida on daylight savings time. Instead we went through three time changes that week.:eek:

 

That is exactly what I was thinking when I read your post.