Do they ever open the gangway early?

[kaylie44]

I'm sailing on Harmony on Saturday and the only thing I'm a little uneasy about is our excusion in Jamaica. We booked through a private tour company to go to the Blue Hole and Dunn's. It is a 6 hour tour so we have been given specific instructions to get off the ship as soon as possible. I've never had to worry about being the first one off at a port before. I was just wondering do they ever open the gangway and let you off sooner than the scheduled time. We have been told to get in line at 10am to get off the ship at 10:30 right when they open the gangway. I know there could be delays but just wondering if anybody has experienced it opening early. Thanks!

[rolloman]

I'm sailing on Harmony on Saturday and the only thing I'm a little uneasy about is our excusion in Jamaica. We booked through a private tour company to go to the Blue Hole and Dunn's. It is a 6 hour tour so we have been given specific instructions to get off the ship as soon as possible. I've never had to worry about being the first one off at a port before. I was just wondering do they ever open the gangway and let you off sooner than the scheduled time. We have been told to get in line at 10am to get off the ship at 10:30 right when they open the gangway. I know there could be delays but just wondering if anybody has experienced it opening early. Thanks!

 

You wont have a problem. I am sure they will wait 15 extra minutes or so if necessary. Did you pre-pay? If not, I can 100% guarantee they will wait...lol

Regardless, they see the ship coming in, and do this for a living. Therefore they know how much longer they need to wait for someone.

[Langley Cruisers]

It is a 6 hour tour so we have been given specific instructions to get off the ship as soon as possible.

 

As soon as they are given the all-clear, the gangway will be opened. No exceptions for anyone because let's face it, others have early excursions too. ;)

 

Is this a tour with just your party? If not, then you will be waiting for others who are going with you in your group. I'm sure you'll be fine, please don't stress.

[138east]

Go down and wait on deck 5. Don't wait for the announcements. They may let the folks waiting get off and then announce to the rest of the ship that the ship is cleared for disembarkation.

 

This happened to some of us in Malaga, so we were a bit late for our excursion because we weren't waiting right at the gangway area.

[kaylie44]

This is an excursion with just my party and we have not prepaid. I'm actually not concerned with missing the excursion or getting special treatment for an early excursion. I'm more concerned with getting started on time because it is a 6 hour excursion and I don't want to miss the ship leaving the port! I just wanted to know if they ever open the gangway prior to the scheduled time. If we get a late start I will probably just cut out Dunn's. But my kids and mother have never been so I wanted to fit that in too.

Thanks!

Edited November 16, 2016 by kaylie44

[rolloman]

This is an excursion with just my party and we have not prepaid. I'm actually not concerned with missing the excursion or getting special treatment for an early excursion. I'm more concerned with getting started on time because it is a 6 hour excursion and I don't want to miss the ship leaving the port! I just wanted to know if they ever open the gangway prior to the scheduled time. If we get a late start I will probably just cut out Dunn's. But my kids and mother have never been so I wanted to fit that in too.

Thanks!

 

Trust me...the excursion folks will adjust the time if need be. I am glad you did not pre-pay, I am on your sailing and a tropical storm is brewing just south of Cozumel so there is an outside chance we may not even go there.

[kaylie44]

Trust me...the excursion folks will adjust the time if need be. I am glad you did not pre-pay, I am on your sailing and a tropical storm is brewing just south of Cozumel so there is an outside chance we may not even go there.

 

Yeah I saw that! I live in Key West so I'm always up for a little tropical excitement. 10 years ago we went on a cruise with about 10 other friends that was suppose to stop in Key West. A hurricane passed through a few days before and the Key West port got cancelled. We were happy but other passengers were not.

 

The only excursion I booked was Jamaica because I think my kids would love the blue hole. But in all honesty I'm sailing for the ship not the ports:)

[bouhunter]

This is an excursion with just my party and we have not prepaid. I'm actually not concerned with missing the excursion or getting special treatment for an early excursion. I'm more concerned with getting started on time because it is a 6 hour excursion and I don't want to miss the ship leaving the port! I just wanted to know if they ever open the gangway prior to the scheduled time. If we get a late start I will probably just cut out Dunn's. But my kids and mother have never been so I wanted to fit that in too.

Thanks!

 

They'll know what ship you arrived on and when you have to get back regardless of how many hours it's advertised at. Everything will be Irie mon!:D;)

 

The Blue Hole is a great place to visit. Personally we liked it much more than Dunns River Falls. We combined it with river tubing and it was a fantastic day.

Edited November 16, 2016 by bouhunter

[Langley Cruisers]

This is an excursion with just my party and we have not prepaid...

 

Well that's the good thing about a private tour for just your group: you can re-schedule/edit as needed. We did a private tour in Barbados, told the guide what time we wanted to be back to the ship, and it was so! They know how long it takes do do certain things, and he should be waiting for you at each stop, not you waiting for him so it's not a problem. :)

 

Have fun.

[Yoshikitty]

We've been on Radiance of the Seas yesterday and twice, they opened the Tender Service earlier than initially announced.

[BillOh]

I'm sailing on Harmony on Saturday and the only thing I'm a little uneasy about is our excusion in Jamaica. We booked through a private tour company to go to the Blue Hole and Dunn's. It is a 6 hour tour so we have been given specific instructions to get off the ship as soon as possible. I've never had to worry about being the first one off at a port before. I was just wondering do they ever open the gangway and let you off sooner than the scheduled time. We have been told to get in line at 10am to get off the ship at 10:30 right when they open the gangway. I know there could be delays but just wondering if anybody has experienced it opening early. Thanks!

 

Listen for announcements about when the gangway opens. (I haven't been on Harmony, so I don't know, but the CD may say what time that is on his morning show or at evening shows the night before. Lines getting off the ship will not be bad, this ship will discharge through two exits and it goes really fast, team that with a lot of people don't even get off in Fallmouth, or wait, I doubt you will see crowds.

[slyster]

Trust me...the excursion folks will adjust the time if need be. I am glad you did not pre-pay, I am on your sailing and a tropical storm is brewing just south of Cozumel so there is an outside chance we may not even go there.

 

I agree...they know when folks typically start getting off the ship. They will also adjust the tour if it's needed to make sure you are back on time.

[BillOh]

Go down and wait on deck 5. Don't wait for the announcements. They may let the folks waiting get off and then announce to the rest of the ship that the ship is cleared for disembarkation.

 

This happened to some of us in Malaga, so we were a bit late for our excursion because we weren't waiting right at the gangway area.

 

Deck 5? Why deck 5 on Harmony?

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Harmony has a touch pad where you touch your sea pass card to a reader as you leave.

 

This takes half the time of the old hand held scanner for the sea pass cards. We found it to be a very quick process leaving the ship. They can move a lot of people out in a short time. . . . and they often use both gangways [forward/aft]. Harmony is a very efficient ship.