Carnival Excursions = get off ship first?

[mirrajay]

Hello -

I have heard both sides of this and was hoping someone could clear it up for me. I am thinking of booking the Duck Tour in Boston through Carnival simply b/c our ship comes in rather late and I'm worried that I wont be able to make it from the Pier to the tour in time. So, the question is: when you book an excursion through Carnival, are you allowed off the ship first before the people who have not booked through the cruiseline?

Also, how do they transport you where you need to go? Is it a like a van or shuttle kind of vehicle?

 

Thanks!

Carey

[pungo3]

I honestly believe there is not one answer to this question. It depends on the ship, whether you dock or tender, time of arrival, etc. I have been on cruises where we were tendered and the people who booked Carnival excursions that departed early were given the earliest tickets for the tenders. I've also been on ships that docked early in the morning before we woke up. We could go ashore whenever we wanted to. As far as transportation is concerned, that varies from excursion to excursion. Occasionally, you are picked up by a water taxi, but most times, you ride in a van, jeep or bus. It really depends on where you are going and what you are doing for the day. If you have specific destinations to ask about, maybe someone who has done that tour will have a better answer for you.

[aggieastrosfan]

I've noticed that in tender ports, Carnival excursions generally get off first. In docking ports, it's a free-for-all. I'm sure it varies by port, but we did Carnival excursions in Progreso and Cozumel (both docking ports), and we had no priority in getting off the ship, even though we had early excursion times. In Belize, where we used an independent, the ship excursions got all of the first tenders, so we had to sneak our way on one.

[NinaCO]

If the tour is scheduled for right after the ship docks or anchors, Carnival will schedule a meeting room for the tour. Everyone for the tour will then go together to meet the tour guide(s).

 

If you're docked, other people will be leaving the ship the same time as the tour groups. If they tender (wouldn't think they would in Boston), those on Carnival excursions usually get priority.

 

One thing I've noticed on my three Carnival cruises is that they don't make any announcement when you can go ashore. I wish they would! I'm not usually in a rush to leave the ship, and if an announcement was made I could time my exit for 45 mintues after the announcement.

[mirrajay]

Hmm okay....We certainly wont tender in Boston, so is it that they dock and they people can just make a run for it or what? This process seems like it would be a madhouse if that were the case...and then what if you are on a Carnival excursion and you are the first ones of the ship and others lollygag and wait 45 mins? Like Nina said, there must be a place to meet and then I guess the group would go off the ship together....This makes me wonder something else kind of random. How many ways off the ship are there? There must be many entrace/exits right? It seems the more I try to plan, the more I confuse myself :p

[pungo3]

Mirrajay, you are told ahead of time when & where to meet for excursions. I believe they usually have you meet at appointed times in one of the Show Lounges. You will then exit the ship together, as a group, and proceed to your transportation on shore. It depends on the dock as to where you exit. I believe almost all of the cruises I've been on, you exited on the lower deck where the crew lives. Once off the ship, the group leader for your excursions will be waiting for you, usually holding a large sign with the excursion name listed. Once he has everyone (he knows the number he's looking for), he'll lead you to the transportation. I hope this helps.

[mirrajay]

That does help! I knew there had to be some kind of organization to the whole thing.

 

Thanks so much...Now I can worry about something else :)

[NinaCO]

How many ways off the ship are there? There must be many entrace/exits right? It seems the more I try to plan, the more I confuse myself :p

Nope, there aren't many exits. There's only one place you can get off and on the ship. When the ship first docks, the stairways back up with people trying to get off ASAP, and you can just about forget about using the elevators.

 

But, don't worry about it! If you're meeting a Carnival tour that's scheduled for right after the ship docks, the group leave the room (usually a lounge) together. As soon as you leave the ship, you'll probably see a tour guide holding up a sign for your tour. There will be folks from the cruise director's staff there to assist you as well.

 

If one of your other tours meets later in the day, then Carnival won't schedule you to meet in a room. Instead, you'd meet the tour guide in a designated area not far from the ship. (The tour guides don't come aboard.)

 

Although it can be crowded because everyone wants off the ship now (especially if you've just had a couple of days at sea), it's not that bad. In the ports where you're not pressed for time, have a leasurely breakfast while everyone else is pushing to get off the ship. That's what I do. If you need to get off early, just brace yourself a bit. It kind of reminds me of the D.C. metro at rush hour. :eek: