Time in Port

[lovescakes]

I have been on 2 cruises before but I was young and with my grandfather and didn't really pay attention to details. I was wondering if you really only get off the ship 2 hours after arrival and need to be back 2 hours before. So if the port times list 8am to 7pm. We would only have from 10 to 5? It doesn't seem like that would be right especially with how long the shore excursions say they take.

 

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[theloo]

Usually, the ship has to be cleared by port officials before passengers can get off. It normally does NOT take 2 hours, more like 15 minutes. This will be different at tender ports, however, as it takes longer to get off ship.

 

At each port, there will be a notice about when you must return. Technically, on ncl.com, it says 1 hour before departure, but on my last cruise, it was always actually 30 minutes before departure.

Edited July 13, 2015 by theloo

[Cruzinnana47]

Once the port authorities clear the ship, passengers can start getting off, usually those with ship excursions or priority status will be first. In tender ports, it might take longer, but generally you wouldn't need to wait 2 hrs., unless there was some type of problem.

 

As theloo stated, most often they announce (and post on the ship's newsletter) that passengers need to be back onboard one hour before departure. That's been our experience on nearly all of our cruises.

Edited July 13, 2015 by CRUZIN'NANA

[www3traveler]

The 2 Hour Rule is for when you board the ship in your Embarkation Port-like Miami, New York City, etc.

 

YOu MUST be on board 2 hours prior to whatever your sailing time is. For instance if you are scheduled to sail at 4:00 P.M. You would be required to be on board by 2 P.M.

[lovescakes]

Okay that makes sense thanks so much.

 

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[ngrund]

I have been on 2 cruises before but I was young and with my grandfather and didn't really pay attention to details. I was wondering if you really only get off the ship 2 hours after arrival and need to be back 2 hours before. So if the port times list 8am to 7pm. We would only have from 10 to 5? It doesn't seem like that would be right especially with how long the shore excursions say they take.

 

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if you book the excursion through NCL (and not yourself) you should be fine with the times-they will get you off the ship with priority, and you "can't be late", baring any extraordinary circumstances

[4774Papa]

Usually, the ship has to be cleared by port officials before passengers can get off. It normally does NOT take 2 hours, more like 15 minutes. This will be different at tender ports, however, as it takes longer to get off ship.

 

At each port, there will be a notice about when you must return. Technically, on ncl.com, it says 1 hour before departure, but on my last cruise, it was always actually 30 minutes before departure.

There are exceptions. We did a cruise around the North of Australia that stopped in Bali and it took 2.5 hours to clear Indonesian customs.

 

Somebody needed to pay off somebody faster.

[cb at sea]

You will be allowed off the ship soon after it docks. You will need to be back ON the ship 30 mins. prior to sailaway.....BOARDING DAY, you need to be on 90 mins. prior to sailaway....

[tomk3212]

Way back in '04 we had a TWO HOUR delay getting off the Dawn in NYC; seems some Russian pax either ignored or didn't get the message for ALL foreign nationals to come up to Deck 12 to personally check in with US Customs. Our CD kept paging and paging these people over the loudspeakers to please come up to Deck 12. We had arrived right on time between 0730 & 0800 but we didn't start disembarkation till well after 1000. CD sounded majorly annoyed. I think the US Customs rules have changed since then because we've NEVER had a similar incident since then when coming back to NYC.

 

I don't know how strictly the 2 hour prior to sailing rule is enforced; we cruise out of NYC usually & I have seen pax boarding the ship after 4PM. However those folks could previously boarded, gotten off for some reason then gotten back on again. Personally, I wouldn't take any chances.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Tom