What time is it?

[YankeesFan4Life]

Question for us traveling to the Caribbean...Do we stay on "home port" time, or do we switch to local time while traveling to Honduras, Belize and Mexico?  

 

Basically, while we're traveling in Central Time Zone, do they make an announcement  to switch or watches/clocks?  I can see it being an issue for excursions in those Central American countries, but what about shows/reservations etc ON the ship?

[smplybcause]

Every 7 day out of Florida NCL cruise I've been on stayed on Florida time. It might be different on a longer cruise. 

[fondtravel]

The NCL 7-day cruise to the Western Caribbean that we took out of New Orleans switched to local time after departure and back again before arrival. We kept track by following the daily newsletter or by getting reminders from cruise staff.

[kayjay76]

Yes, the time changes. Look in your dallies for time changes. And you can also look on your room phone for the correct time at all times.

[KeithJenner]

8 hours ago, YankeesFan4Life said:

Question for us traveling to the Caribbean...Do we stay on "home port" time, or do we switch to local time while traveling to Honduras, Belize and Mexico?  

 

Basically, while we're traveling in Central Time Zone, do they make an announcement  to switch or watches/clocks?  I can see it being an issue for excursions in those Central American countries, but what about shows/reservations etc ON the ship?

The time changes to port time.

 

It is a bit odd on this itinerary, as Honduras and Belize are currently two hours behind Miami time, but the Mexican ports are just one hour.

 

We had to put our clocks back one hour on each of the first two nights. Then forward one hour after leaving Belize and another hour after leaving Mexico.

[KeithJenner]

6 hours ago, smplybcause said:

Every 7 day out of Florida NCL cruise I've been on stayed on Florida time. It might be different on a longer cruise. 

I have never had a cruise anywhere that didn't change the ship time to local time for every port, including both of our NCL Caribbean cruises.

[newmexicoNita]

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I have never had a cruise anywhere that didn't change the ship time to local time for every port, including both of our NCL Caribbean cruises.

neither have we. 

[JohnIreland]

NCL ships always change to local time.

[smplybcause]

5 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I have never had a cruise anywhere that didn't change the ship time to local time for every port, including both of our NCL Caribbean cruises.

 

Interesting, I don't recall them changing the time when we were in Cozumel. Not sure when they would have jumped back to Eastern time either - I know my phone that stayed on eastern woke me up at the right time the day after Cozumel. I know the Royal cruises I've been on did not change ship's time to Cozumel's time. 

[Krisco]

9 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

The time changes to port time.

 

It is a bit odd on this itinerary, as Honduras and Belize are currently two hours behind Miami time, but the Mexican ports are just one hour.

 

We had to put our clocks back one hour on each of the first two nights. Then forward one hour after leaving Belize and another hour after leaving Mexico.

What he said.  Just got back from Western on NCL.  It might be different my company.  On Carnival we always stayed on ship time so I had to make notes when traveling out of times zones to make sure excursion pick up times were correct.  

[zqvol]

17 hours ago, YankeesFan4Life said:

Question for us traveling to the Caribbean...Do we stay on "home port" time, or do we switch to local time while traveling to Honduras, Belize and Mexico?  

 

Basically, while we're traveling in Central Time Zone, do they make an announcement  to switch or watches/clocks?  I can see it being an issue for excursions in those Central American countries, but what about shows/reservations etc ON the ship?

 

Every Western Caribbean cruise on NCL that I have been on has switched times, often multiple times because of the time zone in Cozumel being different than Roatan and Belize.

Edited April 29, 2019 by zqvol

[FitchburgWIFamily]

For those of you who are getting confused by all the different answers: 

 

One:  daylight savings time is not universally observed.  So when we are "sprung forward" some of the Caribbean stops are not (now a two hour difference between Miami and say St. Thomas).   When we are not observing daylight savings time (fall back), there is only a one hour difference.  Mexico observes daylight savings time, Belize and Honduras do not.  

 

Two:  Ships leaving from FL are leaving from Eastern Timezone which it shares with Cuba, Jamaica the Bahamas and Caymens.

Ships leaving from New Orleans are leaving from the Central Timezone which is shares with Mexico and most of Central America (not Panama).

And the eastern Carribean:  Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Virgin islands, etc. are an hour ahead (depending on daylight savings time) of Miami.

 

So, bottom line is NCL tries to be on local time which may involve a lot of time changes, a few times changes or no time changes depending on the port of departure, destination and time of year.

Edited April 29, 2019 by FitchburgWIFamily

[Peachypooh]

There will be information left in your room each night about the upcoming port stop (if any). It will

include instructions on changing the clocks if it is necessary.

[RedRover96]

For instance, Tortola, St Thomas & Nassau are the same time now as the eastern US DST.  Therefore, no time changes for us next week on the Breakaway!