Currently on Allure. New SHIP TIME policy confusion....

[Shippy]

As with all new policies,there is confusion.

I remember when you were going into a new port,there would be a card left the night before on your door or bed....no more. Not even a mention in your cruise compass you get the night before.

The new policy is to just stay on ship time.

Biggest issue I see is for the poor room service people.

I leave my iPad on the nightstand.at night I just tap it to see the time so I do not have to turn on the light & get my glasses to look at the phone.

I have coffee & pastry delivered at 6:30am

[Shippy]

Continued...

Sorry, posted previous to early.

Anyway....luckily they call you before delivery.

The other morning I mentioned to the caller that he was a bit early. My iPad showed 5:30am but he said it was really 6:30am.

This morning I had just looked at my iPad which said 4:30am. I was thrilled to see I ha 2 hours left to sleep but 1 minute later the phone rang....it was really 6:30 BUT THAT IS SHIP TIME !

All your electronics automatically reset. The poor room service guy said it was wrecking havoc for him because some people not to happy by the ‘surprise time ‘ delivery.

Also, when you are in port...do NOT look at any clocks.

Best to use an old fashion watch to keep yourself on shiptime.

[Clarea]

... All your electronics automatically reset. ...

We set our phones to manual time once we get on the ship.

[swoopy2110]

Your iPhone and devices will only update to local time when connected to land mobile network.

Just turn your stateroom TV on to view the current 'ship time'.

They only leave a card out for you if the ships time is going forward / back by hours.

You can't refer to your devices in this scenario.

[NateUpNorth]

Continued...

Sorry, posted previous to early.

Anyway....luckily they call you before delivery.

The other morning I mentioned to the caller that he was a bit early. My iPad showed 5:30am but he said it was really 6:30am.

This morning I had just looked at my iPad which said 4:30am. I was thrilled to see I ha 2 hours left to sleep but 1 minute later the phone rang....it was really 6:30 BUT THAT IS SHIP TIME !

All your electronics automatically reset. The poor room service guy said it was wrecking havoc for him because some people not to happy by the ‘surprise time ‘ delivery.

Also, when you are in port...do NOT look at any clocks.

Best to use an old fashion watch to keep yourself on shiptime.

 

Absolutely critical info for many people who rely on the tech gadgets. Thanks for the reminder.

[Havingfun2010]

It's not a new policy. In the Caribbean it has always been ship time. What has changed is the use of phones instead of watches. On every vacation, I do this. I turn off my auto sync on my phone. I wear a watch. I only use the watch for time keeping. Been doing it for 30 years on ships, and it works. I still have my iPhone, but I use a small travel alarm clock for alarms.

 

On international flights, I set my watch to my destination time.

 

I think it might be time to update the practice. I agree, it makes it easy for the crew etc. to stay on a schedule, but it creates so many problems now, with digital items, that maybe it should change. On International cruises (non-Caribbean), clocks always change. I don't see anyone having issues with it. So why not just do it in the Caribbean now?

[BND]

Our experience is that it's been years since we've shifted times on a ship. I don't remember how many years. I do know when we did a Mexican Riviera cruise in 2007 on Princess we changed time zones twice so we changed clocks twice going and twice returning back to San Diego. Ship's time has been the standard for a long time. It's just easier. And, a reason they tell people to not go by their cell phones (or idpads). We use watches though and honestly, you can buy a cheapo watch ($25) or so with an alarm to use for cruising. Just like people buy a multitude of items to take only on cruises, why not a watch? I wear a regular watch usually, but recently got a fitbit versa. DH takes his cheap Casio digital and we use it if we need to get up early for something and he wears it ashore. It can get wet so it's great for cruises.

[moposh]

I won't be connected to WiFi so I doubt my phone will update and neither will my Fitbit so I'll be okay!

[Clarea]

I won't be connected to WiFi so I doubt my phone will update and neither will my Fitbit so I'll be okay!

Unless your phone is in Airplane mode, it could connect to the ship's cell service or a land based tower in port and get the time reset that way.

[kerryincork]

You can turn the automatic update for time off on your phone as well. That way your phones time will not update when moving in to a new time zone.

 

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[Hypo]

$10.00 portable travel alarm clock from WalMart. Problem solved.

[Big_G]

One of the reasons over the years I've bought a few watches at the $10 sale on the Promenade. That and if it breaks or dies over a few cruises, it's only $10 lost.

 

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[Shippy]

Although most reply’s are saying basically ...no problem,easy fix......it obviously is a problem for the poor. Room service people with morning deliveries.

My room service man was glad that I said something to him because he was going to report it.

I told him no because it really ok with me.

He replied that he wanted people to say something because that was the only time he could report it & some people get really upset about.

He feels there should be some kind of reminder to the guests the night before.....I agree with him.

[gatour]

Royal Caribbean has been on "ships" time for years and years. There was a time I was flipping between cruiselines and had to remember which line I was on in determing if I can use local time to determine all-aboard time or not.

 

So this is not a new policy. As others have said, it is just now people are relying on their smart devices for alarms etc, and they are locking into a local cell phone tower.

[mom2tcdx2]

Carnival most times has always remained on ships time for the port the ship left from, and we don't allow any of our devices to automatically update. So we more often have been used to staying on ships time. Gets confusing when looking at time locally when in port and then trying to remember what time to be back to a ship.

[SevenSeas1492]

Could make things confusing for shore excursions booked with private tour companies.

[John&LaLa]

We changed clocks in the Baltics last month. Entirely up to the captain is my understanding. Several reminders throughout the ship

 

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[S.A.M.J.R.]

I took my first cruise in 2013. I know that's not very long ago compared to most people here, but a little research then told me ship's time could vary from local time and everything associated with the ship (ship excursions, dinner seatings, shows, and yes, room service delivery) operated on ship's time.

 

This is nothing new. This is vacationers who do very little research and rely on automatically set time pieces.

[bouhunter]

Thanks for another reminder why we put the phones on airplane mode all week. They're only for pictures after that:p

[luvscruising2007]

On all of our cruises with RC there has been a reminder in the Compass of any clock changes. It has always been announced at the show in the evening.

I don't understand where the problem is. But I don't use a phone as a watch, especially on a cruise. And, DH always wears a watch.

[liberiben]

I’m no not tech savvy, but my friend is. He told me to go into settings,on the iPhone at least, and change it to New York time zone. I think you just tell it to keep it there so it won’t change.

[ONECRUISER]

Our experience is that it's been years since we've shifted times on a ship. I don't remember how many years. I do know when we did a Mexican Riviera cruise in 2007 on Princess we changed time zones twice so we changed clocks twice going and twice returning back to San Diego. Ship's time has been the standard for a long time. It's just easier. And, a reason they tell people to not go by their cell phones (or idpads). We use watches though and honestly, you can buy a cheapo watch ($25) or so with an alarm to use for cruising. Just like people buy a multitude of items to take only on cruises, why not a watch? I wear a regular watch usually, but recently got a fitbit versa. DH takes his cheap Casio digital and we use it if we need to get up early for something and he wears it ashore. It can get wet so it's great for cruises.

Not mine. Royal ships I have last 6yrs have almost always changed times. First or 2nd nite Spring ahead, then last or 2nd to last nite back the hr so you get extra hr sleep before going home. At times reverse... This one EC, WC and SC. Point is always go on ship time, no port time. Agree set Electronics to manual adjust, not auto time or as you said a watch...

Edited September 14, 2018 by ONECRUISER

[ravensfan52]

I am trying to arrange transportation and private excursions for Roatan and it gets confusing when emailing the folks because I have to keep reminding myself to make a note of ships time vs local time. Plus when the ship says you arrive at 8 am ship's time, its really 6 am local time - who is going to be available that early for ziplining, scuba, etc? Takes a little extra thought when planning your day if you don't use a ship excursion. You also don't want to miss the boat because you thought you had 2 extra hours in port!

[smplybcause]

I've never been on a cruise that doesn't do ship time. I don't buy internet so it hasn't been a problem for me. (One would think there'd be a way for the ship to somehow have connected devices on the same time, but I guess not). My tablet doesn't connect even when my phone works in a country so that's my alarm clock. When I'm going to a country with a different time zone but is included in my phone plan I just disconnect my Fitbit so it stays on ship time. Never got around to playing with the time on my phone.

 

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[maryjaden]

Could make things confusing for shore excursions booked with private tour companies.

Most of the tour companies schedule to ship time. When booking a private excursion I always reiterate that the times are ship time. I also wear a good old fashioned wrist watch set to ship time.