Ship time vs. local time

[Mistizoom]

I know on my last cruise 3 years ago NCL switched to local time for all our Western Caribbean ports, as they were all in the same time zone. This year, we are leaving from Miami on the day Daylight Saving Time starts, and two of our stops will be the same as Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) in Miami, two will be one hour behind in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

 

Miami (U.S.A. - Florida) Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 11:00:00 AM EDT UTC-4 hours

Kingston (Jamaica) Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 10:00:00 AM EST UTC-5 hours

George Town (Cayman Islands) Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 11:00:00 AM CIDST UTC-4 hours

Cancún (Mexico - Quintana Roo) Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 10:00:00 AM EST UTC-5 hours

Nassau (Bahamas) Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 11:00:00 AM EDT UTC-4 hours

Corresponding UTC (GMT) Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 15:00:00

 

(We are actually stopping at Ocho Rios in Jamaica, Cozumel in Mexico, and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, but those cities are the closest I could find).

 

Does anyone know how the time changes will be done, or I need to call NCL to find out? I want to do private tours in Grand Cayman and Cozumel so ship time vs. local time might be a factor. We will leaving Miami Sun March 13, in Jamaica on Tue March 15, Grand Cayman on Wed March 16, Cozumel on Thur March 17, and GSC on Sat March 19, return to Miami on Sun March 20.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Mistizoom

[triptolemus]

Ship time almost always (99.9%) matches local time. The ship will move clocks forward or backward overnight around 2AM (regardless of its actual position) such that the indicated arrival time matches the port time the next morning.

 

You are already on the right track by looking at UTC. Use this information to verify which nations/regions participate in DST. I'd watch out for Cayman...according to that list, they are set to begin using DST in 2016. Hopefully, everyone is on the same page!

 

You will receive a written notice in your stateroom the night before a time change is set to occur.

Edited January 3, 2016 by triptolemus

[Mistizoom]

Ship time almost always (99.9%) matches local time. The ship will move clocks forward or backward overnight around 2AM (regardless of its actual position) such that the indicated arrival time matches the port time the next morning.

 

You are already on the right track by looking at UTC. Use this information to verify which nations/regions participate in DST.

 

You will receive a written notice in your stateroom the night before a time change is set to occur.

 

So you think we will move back 1 hour before getting to Jamaica, move forward one hour that night for Grand Cayman, then move back again one hour when leaving Grand Cayman before getting to Cozumel? The move forward again for GSC and return to Miami.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Mistizoom

[triptolemus]

So you think we will move back 1 hour before getting to Jamaica, move forward one hour that night for Grand Cayman, then move back again one hour when leaving Grand Cayman before getting to Cozumel? The move forward again for GSC and return to Miami.

 

Yup.

 

You can also verify this by looking at the port schedules for these locations and finding your ship.

Edited January 3, 2016 by triptolemus

[casofilia]

So you think we will move back 1 hour before getting to Jamaica, move forward one hour that night for Grand Cayman, then move back again one hour when leaving Grand Cayman before getting to Cozumel? The move forward again for GSC and return to Miami.

 

Yes indeed.

Where at all possible the ship changes its clocks to be on port time and they will tell you with a note with the Freestyle Daily to move your clocks back or forward.

I would have one watch that you make sure is set to Ship Time every day so you are not late for embarkation. Don't rely on computers or phones to keep correct time when you change time zones.

Make sure you are certain you are on the right time; there is nothing worse than arriving for an excursion 1 hour early, well there is, arriving 1 hour late!!

Mike

[Mistizoom]

Yup.

 

You can also verify this by looking at the port schedules for these locations and finding your ship.

Good idea, thanks.

[Mistizoom]

Yes indeed.

Where at all possible the ship changes its clocks to be on port time and they will tell you with a note with the Freestyle Daily to move your clocks back or forward.

I would have one watch that you make sure is set to Ship Time every day so you are not late for embarkation. Don't rely on computers or phones to keep correct time when you change time zones.

Make sure you are certain you are on the right time; there is nothing worse than arriving for an excursion 1 hour early, well there is, arriving 1 hour late!!

Mike

Thanks, I do have a waterproof watch I will wear the entire cruise that I can easily switch between two time zones.