Cruise Excursion Timings

[EFP7165]

Hi! We are going on our first cruise on Celebrity Reflection (11 Night Ultimate Caribbean Cruise) in November, SO EXCITED!

 

This sounds like a really stupid question - but in terms of the cruise excursions - are you back on the ship at the "end time" ? As an example:

Stingray City & Barrier Reef Snorkel - Starts: 07:50 Ends: 11:20

Amazing Cartagena: Bay And Walled City - Starts: 09:00 Ends: 12:00

 

ETC

I'm asking because if we are back on the ship and have the afternoon to have lunch/ relax and sunbathe then I will really want to book a trip or activity for every port. But if ending at midday means we won't be back on the ship until much later then I will review my itinerary and options as we want a really good mix of exploring but relaxing too. 

 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated :) 

[CruiserBruce]

The cruise line excursions are pretty good about keeping their schedules. And, as a result, in anticipation of situations like you are asking about, most cruise lines have policies that keep a buffer in between excursions. Like you can't book another excursion that departs less than 45 or 60 minutes after your first one.

 

 

[CruiseDigits]

Agreed, the times are usually pretty accurate.

[denmarks]

Yes. The times start and end at the ship.

[cb at sea]

If you book excursions THROUGH the ship, time is not an issue.  You have no need to do anything but meet them when and where you're told...from that point, all you do is enjoy.  They will get you there AND back on time!  Sounds pretty rushed, to me, but it's doable.

[dadroy]

And this is why i do not like doing ship excursions.  If a member on the excursion is late getting back to the bus by 20 minutes, some other stop will be cut short to make sure they are back at the boat at the stated time.

 

on a private excursion, you will often have the excursion extended, as long as you still get back in time for alk aboard time.

[Kate P.C]

On 7/5/2019 at 3:25 AM, dadroy said:

And this is why i do not like doing ship excursions.  If a member on the excursion is late getting back to the bus by 20 minutes, some other stop will be cut short to make sure they are back at the boat at the stated time.

 

on a private excursion, you will often have the excursion extended, as long as you still get back in time for alk aboard time.

I totally agree with you, it had happened to us once, and no one was happy about it. However, we still continued to book some through the cruise line, but we also started looking more at private tours that turned out to be amazing!

[zqvol]

On 7/3/2019 at 3:22 AM, EFP7165 said:

Hi! We are going on our first cruise on Celebrity Reflection (11 Night Ultimate Caribbean Cruise) in November, SO EXCITED!

 

This sounds like a really stupid question - but in terms of the cruise excursions - are you back on the ship at the "end time" ? As an example:

Stingray City & Barrier Reef Snorkel - Starts: 07:50 Ends: 11:20

Amazing Cartagena: Bay And Walled City - Starts: 09:00 Ends: 12:00

 

ETC

I'm asking because if we are back on the ship and have the afternoon to have lunch/ relax and sunbathe then I will really want to book a trip or activity for every port. But if ending at midday means we won't be back on the ship until much later then I will review my itinerary and options as we want a really good mix of exploring but relaxing too. 

 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂

You are back to the place where the excursion started at the specified time. Usually at the end of the pier so you have to walk back down the pier to the ship. I suggest adding 20 - 30 minutes to the end time as to when you are actually back on the ship.

[donaldsc]

On 7/3/2019 at 10:37 AM, denmarks said:

Yes. The times start and end at the ship.

 

Usually but not necessarily.  Read the tour description to be sure.  I don't usually take ship tours but I have seen for rxample tours that start at the ship but drop you off in town and you walk back to the ship.

 

DON

[2BACRUISER]

9 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Usually but not necessarily.  Read the tour description to be sure.  I don't usually take ship tours but I have seen for rxample tours that start at the ship but drop you off in town and you walk back to the ship.

 

DON

Have to agree with this. We've been on morning excursions finishing at 12 noon and been given the option of continuing back to the ship on the coach or staying in the town and making our own way back, which we have done. It depends how long your ship is staying in port we have had half days in some ports so in order to see something a ship's excursion was really the only way, an example was Messina, Sicily we were in at 7.30am but leaving at 1.30pm, we went on a ships excursion, there was an accident that closed the motorway and we had a massive detour. All aboard time was 12.30 noon. We got back to the ship at 1.10pm and were told there were 3 other ships excursions behind us which they were waiting for so we left port at 3.30pm. If we'd been on an independent trip who knows what would have happened. 

[cb at sea]

If it's a ship's excursion, time matters NOT....they will take you and bring you back, and it all works out.  If it's a private excursion, YOU are responsible to get by 30 mins. prior to sail away.

[snirpville]

On 7/3/2019 at 3:22 AM, EFP7165 said:

Hi! We are going on our first cruise on Celebrity Reflection (11 Night Ultimate Caribbean Cruise) in November, SO EXCITED!

 

This sounds like a really stupid question - but in terms of the cruise excursions - are you back on the ship at the "end time" ? As an example:

Stingray City & Barrier Reef Snorkel - Starts: 07:50 Ends: 11:20

Amazing Cartagena: Bay And Walled City - Starts: 09:00 Ends: 12:00

 

ETC

I'm asking because if we are back on the ship and have the afternoon to have lunch/ relax and sunbathe then I will really want to book a trip or activity for every port. But if ending at midday means we won't be back on the ship until much later then I will review my itinerary and options as we want a really good mix of exploring but relaxing too. 

 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated :) 

Yes, you will generally be back around the end time of the excursion. I loved this because then we had the entire afternoon on board to enjoy the food and amenities. I would certainly book an excursion in every port. Just be sure to read the details; as others have stated, some tours will pick up at pier but leave you in the port area to make your own way back or have an option to pick up a cruise line bus ride back.

 

My first Caribbean cruise was this past March and we did a ship excursion on each island (except for one - can't remember which now) and we were always back on the ship around 1-2pm depending on the tour. It was great.

[angie7911922]

just make sure to check starting and ending point. Mostly it will be the pier were the ship docked/tenders especilally for the morning tours. And the tours times are quite accurate. Even if you come back a little later then expected, you can never get hungry with all the options onboard.