So if you get left at a port ....

[Pierlesscruisers]

deleted

[satxdiver]

Hi,dont take the $10 watch bought onboard,as we havent had one yet that has lasted more than 24 hrs,cheers,Brian.

 

I am just off the Crown where I bought a $10 watch. It lasted about a day and a half. Pure junk.

 

You can use your cell phone ONLY, and ONLY, if you go to the Time/Date Settings of your phone and TURN OFF the automatic date and time setting. Then, you can manually set your phone to ship time and be good for the rest of the cruise. Just remember to turn the automatic data and time setting on when you arrive to your home port to sync up with the network.

 

Paul

 

Very good point. I always disable automatic date and time setting on my cell phone when I board the ship.

[Credit 00]

I have been on several Princess cruises where the ship time and port time were not the same for a single port.

 

Yes, same here and it's always been to "Adjust" ahead of time to the next port, I can confirm that this does happen.

[Lucky TGO]

1) Just sit down take a deep breath. 2) Look for Credit Card because your going to need it. 3) Say good by to a lot of your money. :loudcry: :loudcry:.

Tony

[geoherb]

We've taken several Princess cruises where the ship's time did not match local time. I learned to appreciate the reason for not doing so after taking a HAL cruise to the Panama Canal last month. We changed time four times during the cruise.

 

Two women we ate dinner with told us about the time they missed a ship in St. Thomas. I never had the nerve to ask how much it cost them. They said they had a great time staying on the island before flying back to meet their ship in Norfolk. St. Thomas was their last port. When they went to get their luggage, they saw other passengers they had met on the ship who told them about how lucky they were to have missed the ship. It turned out that the trip back to Virginia was very rough.

[cruisemom42]

I would NEVER leave the ship at a foreign port without my passport and a least one major credit card. You never know what might happen where having appropriate documentation is critical. I'm not a doom and gloom person but your have to consider things like an accident, a medical emergency, etc.

 

 

And have you fully considered what would happen if you are pickpocketed or robbed ashore (or just careless) and you lose your passport?

 

Given some of the reports I've heard on Mediterranean cruises, many more people lose their documents to pickpockets than miss the ship and need their passport.

 

(Besides which it has been confirmed to me that passport that are either left in one's safe or -- in some cases -- are being held by Princess will be left with the port agent if one does not turn up before sailing.)

[tonit964]

You may want to read the link that I posted (second post of this thread). It tells what one guy had to do. And yes, he missed the ship in Nassau. Not an easy procedure and actually a little scary.

 

BTW, here it is again: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2121215

 

 

This was a great read. Very eye opening and yes, very scary!

[Friscoonetwo]

This may sound like a rather dumb question. But if you have missed the ship and it is heading out to sea, how do they get the contents of your cabin safe to the post agent since the ship has left the port?

[wheezedr]

This may sound like a rather dumb question. But if you have missed the ship and it is heading out to sea, how do they get the contents of your cabin safe to the post agent since the ship has left the port?

They do it prior to leaving the port. After that they sail away.

[OCruisers]

Always good to have your ship's port agent info with you. ;)

[Kingofcool1947]

Getting a little worried now with all the stories of it taking hours to tender... then having to be back to port 2 hours before ship leaves...

This cuts an 8 hr dock to 4 hrs !

 

 

So I don't want to cause an argument... however on practical terms. What do you do if you miss the ship?

I assume they give your passports to the port manager and go ������

 

So any tips.

Obviously always carry a credit card and Meds.

 

Just curious, why are you so worried about missing the ship?

Be sure to set your timepiece to ship's time, and not local time.

And, allow enough time to arrive at the dock to catch a tender back to the ship.

 

Enjoy your cruise. And if God wills, grant you good health, and to live and not die before your cruise.

 

"I cruise to eat healthy food, and to live longer."

[notentirelynormal]

Just curious, why are you so worried about missing the ship?

Be sure to set your timepiece to ship's time, and not local time.

And, allow enough time to arrive at the dock to catch a tender back to the ship.

 

Enjoy your cruise. And if God wills, grant you good health, and to live and not die before your cruise.

 

"I cruise to eat healthy food, and to live longer."

 

I think she's worried because somehow she has figured her port time from 8 hours down to 4 hours. Realistically it is probably 7 hours including tendering.

[Kingofcool1947]

And, the very first photo I take at every port as I leave the ship is one of the "Be Back By" sign that is posted by the gangway as we leave the ship. That way if I have any doubt about what time to return I just look at my camera.

 

Bob

 

I need to do the same because sometimes I can't remember.

[frugaltravel]

Just curious, why are you so worried about missing the ship?

Be sure to set your timepiece to ship's time, and not local time.

And, allow enough time to arrive at the dock to catch a tender back to the ship.

 

I wondered the same thing. I have only taken 1 ship-sponsored excursion in something like 10 cruises. Never had a problem getting back in time. Knock on wood, but I plan ahead, leave extra time, use reliable independent operators, etc. It is not an accident that I don't miss the ship! :)

[Kingofcool1947]

I wondered the same thing. I have only taken 1 ship-sponsored excursion in something like 10 cruises. Never had a problem getting back in time. Knock on wood, but I plan ahead, leave extra time, use reliable independent operators, etc. It is not an accident that I don't miss the ship! :)

 

Good strategy. Thanks.. :)

 

And, if the OP is so worried about the possibility of missing the ship, the OP can always book a ship-sponsored excursion to maximize time ashore. Then, if the excursion is delayed arriving back to the tender dock, isn't it true the ship will wait?

Edited March 27, 2017 by Kingofcool1947

[lolane1]

And have you fully considered what would happen if you are pickpocketed or robbed ashore (or just careless) and you lose your passport?

 

Given some of the reports I've heard on Mediterranean cruises, many more people lose their documents to pickpockets than miss the ship and need their passport.

 

(Besides which it has been confirmed to me that passport that are either left in one's safe or -- in some cases -- are being held by Princess will be left with the port agent if one does not turn up before sailing.)

 

Ahh, yeahhhhhh! I had my passport stolen in the Duomo in Florence. The woman sliced into my Longchamp bag from behind. My passport was in a leather case and she probably thought it was a wallet. Fortunately, she didn't get any money and I had quite a bit with me. Two things were in my favor 1. It was a land trip and 2. I had a copy of my passport back at the hotel. I was able to get a new passport at the Italian consulate within 24 hours. They actually told me it would be easy because of the copy and because I still had other identification. God, I loved that passport!!! Stated that it was issued in Florence. I would assume a copy left in your safe on the ship would probably facilitate you when disembarking in a foreign port but you might not be able to travel back to the US until you got a new one. Thankfully, I haven't experienced that.

[Kingofcool1947]

Ahh, yeahhhhhh! I had my passport stolen in the Duomo in Florence. The woman sliced into my Longchamp bag from behind. My passport was in a leather case and she probably thought it was a wallet. Fortunately, she didn't get any money and I had quite a bit with me. Two things were in my favor 1. It was a land trip and 2. I had a copy of my passport back at the hotel. I was able to get a new passport at the Italian consulate within 24 hours. They actually told me it would be easy because of the copy and because I still had other identification. God, I loved that passport!!! Stated that it was issued in Florence. I would assume a copy left in your safe on the ship would probably facilitate you when disembarking in a foreign port but you might not be able to travel back to the US until you got a new one. Thankfully, I haven't experienced that.

 

When I did an independent land trip to Italy I stuffed my passport down the front of my underpants. Never had a problem, although once in the Milan metro, I had a pickpocket feel me up.

 

 

"I cruise to eat healthy, so I can live longer."

[Lucky TGO]

They do it prior to leaving the port. After that they sail away.

 

I'm sorry!!! I just can't believe someone from the crew starts packing your luggage to give it to the port agent.

When do they stars packing 5 or 10 minutes after they were supposed to leave or before? :confused: :confused:.

Tony

[wheezedr]

I'm sorry!!! I just can't believe someone from the crew starts packing your luggage to give it to the port agent.

When do they stars packing 5 or 10 minutes after they were supposed to leave or before? :confused: :confused:.

Tony

It does help if you read the original post to which I referred, which wondered when they got the contents of the safe to the port agent. What they remove from your room and give to the port agent is any I D they find in the safe, in particular your passport if it is in there. That is the key item you would require if stranded in a foreign port. No one said they did any packing of your luggage or other items.

[ar1950]

I'm sorry!!! I just can't believe someone from the crew starts packing your luggage to give it to the port agent.

When do they stars packing 5 or 10 minutes after they were supposed to leave or before? :confused: :confused:.

Tony

 

If they do pack it I am sure that it isn't a very neat packing job......;p

[Colo Cruiser]

This may sound like a rather dumb question. But if you have missed the ship and it is heading out to sea, how do they get the contents of your cabin safe to the post agent since the ship has left the port?

 

It is gathered by security and the purser then given to the port agent before sailing.

[Colo Cruiser]

I'm sorry!!! I just can't believe someone from the crew starts packing your luggage to give it to the port agent.

When do they stars packing 5 or 10 minutes after they were supposed to leave or before? :confused: :confused:.

Tony

 

 

Contents of the safe.

[satxdiver]

Good strategy. Thanks.. :)

 

And, if the OP is so worried about the possibility of missing the ship, the OP can always book a ship-sponsored excursion to maximize time ashore. Then, if the excursion is delayed arriving back to the tender dock, isn't it true the ship will wait?

 

The ship will wait until all their ship excursions have returned. I have seen this many times and in fact have been on ship excursions where the ship had to wait with one time being 45 minutes. If the ship cannot wait for some reason and has to leave port, Princess is responsible for getting you to the ship at the next port, put you up in a hotel and pay for your meals.

 

Reputable private excursion operators are very mindful of the deadline to reboard the ship and will do everything in their power to get you back to the ship. It is in their best interest to make sure you do not miss the ship. Can you imagine the bad publicity that would result if they did not get their pax back in time.

[LeeW]

When we renewed our passports this past time, we paid extra and got the small cards. They are about the size of a drivers license. We thought that they would be a good thing to have in ports. Also, when my husband goes to Canada fishing the card is sufficient and he doesn't need his passport book.

 

He can use the Passport Card to drive into Canada but it won't get you on an airplane from a foreign country. Will work as ID for the embassy to reissue a passport, though.

[satxdiver]

There was a true story posted on here a year of so ago. A husband/father was late in returning to the ship and by the time he arrived at the pier, the ship was gone. The port agent was waiting for him however but did not have his passport. The agent took him to a hotel for the night near the US Consulate because of the time of day he had to wait until morning. He had a copy of his passport and appeared at the Consulate as soon as it opened. He was able to get a temporary passport but then had to wait another day before flying to the next port. Luckily he had credit cards to pay for what he needed. So sometimes the tardy pax's passport is not given to the ship's agent. Always at least carry a copy so if needed one can get a temporary passport IF there is a US Consulate/Embassy in that port.