Boarding/sail-away/port times

[anonmom]

We're not new cruisers but it has been 3 years since we cruised, due to the pandemic. It has been a long 3 years and I can't seem to remember some very basic things 😄

 

We are sailing on the NCL Epic from Barcelona in a few weeks and I'm trying to plan our dinners and port days. Are these the times that the ship pulls in to port/sails away? Or do we need to add 2 hours to each time for when we can get off the ship and when we need to be back on board?

 

TIA!

[ldubs]

I read a "notice" like that as meaning be onboard no later than 4 pm on Sept 25, and expect to disembark no earlier than 7 am on Oct 2.  

 

I would be shocked if the notice applied to every port stop, but can see how the location of that notice right below the itinerary could cause some head scratching.      

 

I look forward to hearing what others say.   

Edited September 7, 2022 by ldubs

[edinburgher]

That would also be my interpretation. IE refers only to initial embarkation and last day disembarkation.

 

Most likely there to assist pax when planning flights or other inward or  onward transportation.

[John Bull]

As per Idub's post, the Notice refers to the start & end of the cruise.

Ship sails at 6pm & you must register & board by 4pm in order to be included in the manifest which the purser is obliged to provide to the authorities, and to take part in the mandated pre-departure emergency drill.

Whilst the arrival time back in Barcelona is 5am, the ship needs clearance from the authorities before disembarkation and there are some logistics eg off-loading baggage,, so disembarkation will be from about 7am, or a little earlier if these matters are finished in time. 

 

It's all quicker for your ports of call, usually disembarkation can start 30 to 60 minutes after tying-up, but that's a little vague because some cruise lines quote arrival time & others quote disembarkation time. Two ports at 6am looks suspiciously like ship's arrival time - too early for most passengers and for logistics like taxis & tour buses. but 9am at Livorno looks more like disembarkation time.  Mixed arrival times and disembarkation  times on one cruise isn't normal & that's all purely my guesswork.

 

"Back-on-board time" at your ports-of-call is usually 30 minutes before sailing for ports where your ship is berthed eg 6 pm for Ajaccio, but 60 minutes before for tendered ports (that's be at the tender pier 60 mins before sailing, not be back on the ship by then). Your ports are berthed except for Cannes, which I'm pretty certain is tendered for ships the size of NCL's.

 

Complicated, innit 😉

 

JB 🙂

[sanger727]

The 2 hours before is for the initial boarding only. On port days you will have to be back by "all aboard" time which can vary. In my experience it's usually 30 minutes ahead of the sail away time (the times listed in the itinerary) for docking ports and 60 minutes ahead of the sail away time for tender ports. The same for disembarking. the within 2 hours is for the final port. All other days disembarking usually starts at the listed arrival time, however, there can always be delays.

Edited September 7, 2022 by sanger727

[anonmom]

Thank you! 2 hours really seemed excessive, but it makes sense for start/end of cruise. I'll ask about all aboard times on the NCL board