When do you need to be back on board?

[Farrlacey]

We'll be sailing on Eurodam from Barcelona to Venice on 30 May and are currently looking at booking a few non cruise line excursions.

 

We"ve cruised quite a bit before but never with HAL.

 

Any ideas how long before sailing times you need to be back on board? Has anyone had recent HAL experience in the Med?

[ellieanne]

My experience has been all board time is a half hour before sail-away time for port where the ship is docked and an hour before sail-away time for ports where the ship is anchored and tendering is required.

 

If I were going to do my own excursions, the latest I would feel comfortable getting back to the ship is an hour before the all-aboard time -- so an hour and a half before sail-away time at docked ports, and two hours before sail-away time at anchored ports.

 

When I'm on my own in ports, that's how I plan. But I'm a worrier and think it's far better to be safe. I can always find something to do on board. And it's really interesting to me to watch the activity on the dock before sail-away. Watching them "bring the tenders home" is fun too.

Edited May 8, 2016 by ellieanne

[Shetlander]

We'll be sailing on Eurodam from Barcelona to Venice on 30 May and are currently looking at booking a few non cruise line excursions.

 

We"ve cruised quite a bit before but never with HAL.

 

Any ideas how long before sailing times you need to be back on board? Has anyone had recent HAL experience in the Med?

 

I would guess it's about 30 - 60 minutes, but I'm afraid I can't really remember! We sailed the Med last summer so I can probably find out some examples of All Aboard times and sailing times if you are interested.

 

If you are booking an organised excursion then I would have thought that they would know all the timings?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Docked ports you need to be back on the ship 1/2 hour before the ship sails.

For anchored ports -- the last tender from shore is usually 1/2 hour before the ship sails -- you should be lined up for that tender at least 15 minutes before it leaves shore.

Private excursions, I would arrange with the company to be back at least 1 hour before the ship sails.

You may even have to allow more time if the ship is docked in an industrial/freight area.

[jtl513]

We try to do excursions that get back to the ship 3 or 4 hours before sailing and spend the rest of the shore time within 20 minutes walking distance ... or head back if the weather turns bad or there's nothing more we want to see/do.

 

 

[Sir PMP]

We'll be sailing on Eurodam from Barcelona to Venice on 30 May and are currently looking at booking a few non cruise line excursions.

 

We"ve cruised quite a bit before but never with HAL.

 

Any ideas how long before sailing times you need to be back on board? Has anyone had recent HAL experience in the Med?

 

When you leave the ship there will be a sign: All Aboard....

[cb at sea]

Usually, it's 30 mins. prior to posted sailaway...except from your home port...then, you need to be checked in 90 mins prior.

 

Even tendered ports, it's usually "last tender" 30 mins prior to sailaway depending on how long the tender takes!

 

It will be posted when you leave the ship as to what time to be back!

[TAD2005]

On some Collector's Cruises and Back-2-Backs (B2B), you may be expected to participate in a muster drill before departure. Even if you are a transit guest and had a muster drill when you boarded. Depends on the ship, sometimes all passengers must attend, sometime only the new guests coming on-board.

When this happens, you will have an earlier "Back on Board" time. In Rome, on a Collector's cruise, sail-away was 17:00, but the Back on Board time was 15:30 due to the muster drill for all passengers, even transits.

[SilvertoGold]

Best is to plan being back 1 hour before the ship sails.

 

Why cut it short, get stuck in traffic and end your day feeling that you could miss the ship?

[Copper10-8]

Do not go by departure times because they are subject to change! You need to be back by All Aboard time which is always posted on a sign at the gangway as well as in your "Today on location" program. Any later and you'll run the risk of missing the ship! Don't do that to yourself/selves as it will rise your anxiety level. Like I always tell the crew in my presentations "take into account your car/cab/bus breaking down, traffic jams, road closures/detours, traffic accidents, driver getting lost, public demonstrations, you name it, that could delay your return back to the ship!".

 

Remember also that if you are on a private excursion, the ship has no clue where you're at and, more importantly, what your ETA back to the ship is. If you are planning to take a cell/mobile phone with you to Europe, register that number with the Front Office. It could become a "lifesaver" as far as contact between you and the ship in case your excursion is running late returning back to the port/vessel

 

I was just on AMDM and we called at Piraeus, Katakolon, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Monaco, Barcelona, Cadiz and Funchal - Enjoy the Med and take care of/watch your personal belongings!

[Farrlacey]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Sounds like the normal all aboard times. Thought I'd seen somewhere that some cruise lines were disembarking and embarking slower recently. Didn't know if this was due to extra security or something. .

[boone2]

A good idea is to take a picture of the back on board notice on your cell phone as you leave the ship so you know.

Terry

[The-Inside-Cabin]

A good idea is to take a picture of the back on board notice on your cell phone as you leave the ship so you know.

Terry

 

Once on our last cruise, the time in the On Location was later than the sign...always go by the sign. We take a picture of it with our phone to avoid memory problems.

 

[esimon]

wondering why you think someone at home can answer that question before being on ship or on your particular cruise -- or what HAL would be much different than any other cruise line?

[dakrewser]

wondering why you think someone at home can answer that question before being on ship or on your particular cruise -- or what HAL would be much different than any other cruise line?

 

Because, as the OP said, this is their first HAL cruise. Experienced cruisers know that different lines (heck, even different captains) handle some things differently.