Brilliance Arrival in Cozumel--What time for excursion?

[bluegirlum]

I am sailing on Brilliance in March and we are scheduled to arrive in Cozumel at 8am. I would like to book an excursion that would pick us up at the pier at 9:30. Do you think we'll be clear in time to make it, or should I book it at 11 instead?

[BillB48]

When I was on the Brilliance in November we changed times to match the time in Cozumel. March may present another challenge for times... the US will shift to DST early in March while Mexico (Cozumel) doesn't spring forward until early April. That leaves almost a month where there is a two hour time difference between EDT and CST. On short cruises the ship may handle the times differently.

 

The only suggestion I have is if your cruise is later in March try and contact someone from a Roll Call earlier in March to see how the times were handled on their cruise.

Edited January 11, 2015 by BillB48

[30scruiser]

I would do 11 exactly for the reasons the pp said. The captain decides whether the ship changes to local time or not. So you don't know if 9:30 will be your 9:30 or your 7:30 and won't be able to find out reliably. Unless the tour company is giving you ship's time and will adjust

[bluegirlum]

this would be March 3

[Podie]

I was on Brilliance in late November and the Captain did NOT change the time, so our 8 am Cozumel arrival time was 7 am local time. I will be back on Brilliance on Saturday and will let you know what happens then.

[BillB48]

Your cruise will be over before the spring forward to Daylight Saving Time (March 8), so that won't be an issue. An 8AM arrival you should have plenty of time for a 9:30 excursion. If by chance the ship doesn't match local time, that will just give extra time to meet your 9:30... no worries!

[Trekker954]

Generally the ship arrives in port earlier to allow for an 8am disembarkation, so yes. you can email shorex@rccl.com and they will confirm the times for you

 

It doesn't sound like the OP is booking a ship excursion, but rather a private one - so this email would be worthless to her. If it were a ship excursion, there wouldn't be discussion about a time. So my bet its a private excursion.

 

Each captain decides if he'll go on the local time. I've been to coz many times, half change the time, half don't. I'm sure your tour guide means 9:30 local time - so make sure you know when that is.

[bluegirlum]

It doesn't sound like the OP is booking a ship excursion, but rather a private one - so this email would be worthless to her. If it were a ship excursion, there wouldn't be discussion about a time. So my bet its a private excursion.

 

Each captain decides if he'll go on the local time. I've been to coz many times, half change the time, half don't. I'm sure your tour guide means 9:30 local time - so make sure you know when that is.

 

Yes, it is a private excursion; wouldn't matter for a ship excursion. I assume it's local time, but I will double check.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Trekker954]

when you email the shore excursion people, they will confirm the ships itinerary matches local times for excursions and arrival...try emailing them before it works. Since its up to a captain individually to change the time if he chooses, how would anyone ever know what time it was. Something has to remain a constant which is local time. here is a response. from shore excursion people on Royal.

I hope this email finds you well. Please be advised that all debarkation times on itineraries are on local times.

 

 

That may be for the ship you were sailing, but it is true, it is up to the Captain and they don't always agree. As others here have reported also. The Captain on the Jewel out of Tampa always stayed on EST and the ones out of Port Everglades or Miami did local time. (I think that was the way it was). But regardless, the excursions will be on local time. The Captain, cruise director and cruise compass will definitely let you know well in advance if you are setting you clocks back an hour.

[TravelerThom]

when you email the shore excursion people, they will confirm the ships itinerary matches local times for excursions and arrival...try emailing them before it works. Since its up to a captain individually to change the time if he chooses, how would anyone ever know what time it was. Something has to remain a constant which is local time. here is a response. from shore excursion people on Royal.

I hope this email finds you well. Please be advised that all debarkation times on itineraries are on local times.

Be aware that this poster has been told many, many times by many, many people that the information he posts about ship time versus local time is misleading in some cases and outright wrong in others, yet he continues to post it. Read the following links to see how many people have informed him he is wrong.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2068467

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2126852

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2071430

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2069104

 

On RCI, as on most cruise lines, is entirely up to the Captain whether the ship time switches to local time. If local guides are servicing just the ship, they will adjust to ship time. Usually any one guide is handling either just customers off of one particular ship, or land based customers. Your only difficulty is if you managed to sign up with a guide who has customers simultaneously from both ships and hotels. Check with whoever you signed up through, they certainly should be able to tell you what the situation is.

 

Note that for almost the entire year Cozumel local time is one hour behind Florida time (there are actually four weeks in the Spring when Cozumel is two hours behind Florida). IF the ship doesn't change time (and there is a good chance that the Brilliance out of Tampa might not), be careful: the clock in the bar and the clock on your cell phone (unless you are in airplane mode) will register local time, and for part of March 4pm local may be 6pm ship time; enjoy your view of your ship sailing away:eek:

 

Thom

[akcruz]

Be aware that this poster has been told many, many times by many, many people that the information he posts about ship time versus local time is misleading in some cases and outright wrong in others, yet he continues to post it. Read the following links to see how many people have informed him he is wrong.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2068467

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2126852

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2071430

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2069104

 

On RCI, as on most cruise lines, is entirely up to the Captain whether the ship time switches to local time. If local guides are servicing just the ship, they will adjust to ship time. Usually any one guide is handling either just customers off of one particular ship, or land based customers. Your only difficulty is if you managed to sign up with a guide who has customers simultaneously from both ships and hotels. Check with whoever you signed up through, they certainly should be able to tell you what the situation is.

 

Note that for almost the entire year Cozumel local time is one hour behind Florida time (there are actually four weeks in the Spring when Cozumel is two hours behind Florida). IF the ship doesn't change time (and there is a good chance that the Brilliance out of Tampa might not), be careful: the clock in the bar and the clock on your cell phone (unless you are in airplane mode) will register local time, and for part of March 4pm local may be 6pm ship time; enjoy your view of your ship sailing away:eek:

 

Thom

 

I was going to post something similar, but getting tired of correcting them. From personal experience I have visited Cozumel multiple times, it is about 50/50 on whether the ship time was the same as local time. Knowing how a certain ship/captain operates will help, but is no guarantee and personally feel I get better advice here on CC from most posters than from the cruise lines (especially RC lately) directly.

Edited January 12, 2015 by akcruz

[BillOh]

One point, whether this is private excursion or a royal sponsored ones, the operators depend on word of mouth with cruise passengers. If it is private and he knows you are coming in on a ship and what ship, they will know if the ship has arrived or not. Most likely they will still be waiting for you. If it is a Royal excursion and the ship is late for the first time, chances are the 2nd will be late as well.

[kc320]

On the Brilliance in Dec. we changed our clocks for Cozumel...this was the Dec. 15th sailing...

[bluegirlum]

On the Brilliance in Dec. we changed our clocks for Cozumel...this was the Dec. 15th sailing...

 

So you were on Cozumel time? (I know this isn't rocket science--I just want to make sure I'm clear)

[kc320]

So you were on Cozumel time? (I know this isn't rocket science--I just want to make sure I'm clear)

 

yes, changed our clocks the night before arriving in Cozumel...and changed them back the night we left...BUT...this could change by your sailing..it totally depends on the captain...

[bluegirlum]

yes, changed our clocks the night before arriving in Cozumel...and changed them back the night we left...BUT...this could change by your sailing..it totally depends on the captain...

 

Gotcha. Thanks!

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I recently cruised aboard the Brilliance of the Seas (Jan. 8 - 12, 2015). On this four-night cruise, the ship never changed time. The Cruise Compass contained an advisory warning that the time in Cozumel was different than the time aboard the ship.

 

Chuck

[PH8]

I have been on Brilliance quite a few times recently.......The ONLY times,we changed clocks was when we did the Grand Cayman/Cozumel itinerary.

 

For the Key West/Cozumel run,the clocks stayed the same......same for the 4 night cruise that just goes to Cozumel............

[TravelerThom]

As of 1 Feb 2015 the Mexican state of Quintana Roo (which includes Cozumel will switch "permanently" to the Eastern Time zone. This is based on a 4 Dec 2014 vote in the Mexican Congress. It is unclear when or if Cozumel will go on Daylight time.