Are RCCL's excursion times shown in ship's or local time?

[mrc1961]

I always assumed that the times displayed for selection when purchasing shore excursions from RCCL's website were ship's time. The tickets you get onboard always show ship's time.

 

I noticed today that the Catamaran Sail and Snorkel in Montego Bay (available to purchase online for my Radiance cruise in November) leaves at 12:30. It is listed a 4 hour excursion. The problem is the ship departs at 4:00!

 

Is RCCL's website perhaps showing local time?

 

Thanks!

[Aquahound]

Excursions are advertised on ship's time. Everything you do will be on ship's time as not to confuse anyone. Look at the tickets when you get them on board. Sometimes they have to adjust the excursion times for early departures. In other words, they may not hold to the 12:30 time.

[cb at sea]

Always keep your watch set to ship's time--If you don't you risk missing the boat! Doesn't matter what time it is anywhere else--you and the ship need to be syncronized!!! At all times! I'm serious!

[kingsgirl]

How can we know this for sure? I want to make plans with operators not used by RCI (Chilkoot Charters for Alaska)...how to I plan around the time? Anyone have experience with this?

[mrc1961]

kingsgirl,

 

If you are booking independently, the independent operators will operate on local time. As others have said, it is up to you to "do the conversion" and adjust for ship's time.

[Sheffie]

On our Splendour cruise, (Western) the ship changed to local time. It is up to each captain if he wants to change or not.

 

Yes, you do need to be on ship's time, but it is often also the local time.

 

Ask the local operators what time your ship gets in. They know your ship's schedule since they see her arrive every week.

 

About Alaska - isn't the whole state in the same time zone as your departure port?

 

If you are going on a ship's excursion you don't have to even worry about this issue - you will be scheduled while the ship is in port - you HAVE to be!

[wrp96]

About Alaska - isn't the whole state in the same time zone as your departure port?

 

 

Nope. Alaska's an hour behind Seattle and Vancouver.

[celle]

Can someone please tell me if ship and shore times differ on cruises to Alaska?

 

Specifically, I will be cruising on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas in June 2007.

 

I know that Alaska time is one hour behind Vancouver time. Does the ship change its time once it enters Alaskan waters?

 

If the ship and shore times are different, will I need to make allowance for this when booking tours with independent companies?

 

I am a little confused at the concept of "Ship Time" mentioned in other threads, as when we cruised the Mediterranean on Brilliance, the time on board ship was the same as the time on shore in Europe.