I must be dense....

[FloridaLaura]

Please help me understand ship time vs. island time vs. my time.

 

I live is Florida which is on EST. For example right now its 1pm, I have never changed my watch while cruising and never noticed a different time while on an island (St. Martin, St. Thomas, Nassau)

 

I have recently read people were late returning to the ship because island time was different then ship time. Or people missed excursion w/ private tour operator because tour was on island time and cruisers were on ship time please help me understand.

 

I also read it has something to do with daylight savings time.

 

I want to book an excursion (private tour operator) in St. Thomas, our ship arrives at 10am I will allow an hour for customs, so I would like to meet him at the pier at 11am, will that be the same as island time?

 

Please help me get this thru my thick skull lol

[FloridaLaura]

I can't be the only one who doesn't get it lol Some one surly knows :)

[addicted to cruising]

Pending where and when you cruise this can come into play...if your EST and doing the eastern carib usually this isnt a prob but when you venture to the Southern or Western you will get ports that are on different time zones and some dont observe daylight savings. Im about to try and figure this out myself as Im EST heading to San Diego for a few days..so I'll get on there timezone and when I board my ship we head to the Mexican Rivera where some of my ports will be an hr ahead of me..I think. Not sure about the daylight savings thing yet.

 

Check each port and see what timezone and then if they observe daylight savings...that is the best you can do. Also it is the captain of the ship that determines "ship" time...it is not always that of the originating port. If a ship enters another timezone for a long period, often the captain will make that ship time which means your 9am is the ports 9am.

 

Is your head spinning?? Just watch the boards closer to your cruise and many passengers from you ship can fill you in on what the captain did.

 

Word to the wise...never book your excursion within an hr of arriving and make sure it ends within 2hrs of leaving. If you do that you should be fine regardless of "ship" vs local time

[cruisin1982]

We were told the ship is on eastern time zone. So all you need to do is find out what time zones your ports are in. I think most of the eastern Caribean is on eastern time zone. I know we were on the western one and the only port that was on ship time was Grand Cayman. Hope this helps.

 

Mike & Cindy

[KenMo]

The ships that leave from Florida are on EST. If it is DST in Florida when you sail, then that is the time that is used.

 

One ship I was on (don't remember which one) they did change ship's time for whatever reason....I don't recall...for one day while in port.

 

I believe it is Grand Cayman that does not do DST.

 

In short....I can never keep it straight either! I always just go by what it say in the Capers. I think it's always on the front page. I always leave my watch on ship's time.

 

As far as excursions....I use independents, for the most part. When I book with them, I tell them what time the ship will be there (they already know that) and ask what time it is for them. Just so there's no misunderstanding about a meeting time. Then I also know what time to leave the port once I know what time they're on.

 

I know it's kind of a convoluted answer but it works for me!

[gazingm42]

It also depends on the time of the year. If we are on daylight saving time, etc.

 

I know when we travel from Vancouver,BC to Whitter, AK the ship does change

time from PST to AST.

[addicted to cruising]

I can't be the only one who doesn't get it lol Some one surly knows :)

 

Laura....just realized you are doing Glory in a few weeks..Im digging here on my desk to check out "port" time...we went in June last yr and Ive got the cappers

 

All three ports are on the sametime as us, although they are on different timezones. nassau EDT, St Thomas ST, and St Martin is EST.

 

We didnt have to change our time at all...made it supper easy

[FloridaLaura]

Thanks to all who replied, I think I understand :p

 

Addicted to cruising...yes we are going on the Glory!

 

I will keep checking the boards as the days get closer and see what anyone says about it!

 

Thanks again

 

PS We just had daylight savings time and we will be cruising next month if that helps in any answers.

[addicted to cruising]

Laura,

There was a good point on here about booking your own excursions....let them know your ship and port time, they know what time it will be for them. Trust me they know by the minute what time those ships arrive each day. It is rare to be off more than an hr so if you use that as a rule of thumb you will make your excursion and be on board in time to sail. We always double check the clock at that gangway before we exit to make sure our watch is set right, then I usually grab a local and say "what time is it" that way I know the difference in case my watch breaks

[FloridaLaura]

Laura,

There was a good point on here about booking your own excursions....let them know your ship and port time, they know what time it will be for them. Trust me they know by the minute what time those ships arrive each day. It is rare to be off more than an hr so if you use that as a rule of thumb you will make your excursion and be on board in time to sail. We always double check the clock at that gangway before we exit to make sure our watch is set right, then I usually grab a local and say "what time is it" that way I know the difference in case my watch breaks

 

Thank you for that info we will do that!

[Hotfire]

That is all great information, but here is a point that may have been missed.

 

"Island Time" also refers to the extremely relaxed attitude the islanders have... especially when it comes to time. In other words they are NOT time conscious at all.

 

You may be on a tight schedule to get back to the ship, but your excursion folks may be on "Island Time".

 

Hotfire

[FloridaLaura]

That is all great information, but here is a point that may have been missed.

 

"Island Time" also refers to the extremely relaxed attitude the islanders have... especially when it comes to time. In other words they are NOT time conscious at all.

 

You may be on a tight schedule to get back to the ship, but your excursion folks may be on "Island Time".

 

Hotfire

 

 

LOL...I hear that!

[FloridaLaura]

I just read this on the st martin board...

 

Daylight Saving Reminder

We're (USA) now in Daylight Saving Time.

 

St. Maarten (and most of the Caribbean) does not observe DST.

 

That means that St. Maarten time and Florida time are now the same. If your ship leaves from Florida then ship time and SXM time will be the same until November.

 

San Juan is on Atlantic Standard Time, the same as St. Maarten time, so there is no change.

 

gary

[Socref124]

Please help me understand ship time vs. island time vs. my time.

 

I live is Florida which is on EST. For example right now its 1pm, I have never changed my watch while cruising and never noticed a different time while on an island (St. Martin, St. Thomas, Nassau)

 

I have recently read people were late returning to the ship because island time was different then ship time. Or people missed excursion w/ private tour operator because tour was on island time and cruisers were on ship time please help me understand.

 

I also read it has something to do with daylight savings time.

 

I want to book an excursion (private tour operator) in St. Thomas, our ship arrives at 10am I will allow an hour for customs, so I would like to meet him at the pier at 11am, will that be the same as island time?

 

Please help me get this thru my thick skull lol

 

Easy. If you are in Central time zone and your ship leaves at 4PM(EST), you must be back at the ship no later than 2:45 CST or 3:45 EST. If you never change your watch from the time in Central or South Florida. Make sure you are back no later than 3:45.

If you are in the Atlantic Time Zone and your ship leaves at 4PM(EST or 5pm AST), you must be back at the ship no later than 4:45 AST or 3:45 EST. Once again, if you never change your watch, you must be back at the ship no later than 4:45.

Try to remember that at Noon EST it will be 1 PM AST and 11AM CST.

This is one of the reasons DW and I take ship sponsored excursions for the most part. Don't want to miss the boat, literally that is...If the islands do not adhere to Daylight saving, then AST and EST will be the same... Now I see why you are confused, you are not dense...

[FloridaLaura]

Easy. If you are in Central time zone and your ship leaves at 4PM(EST), you must be back at the ship no later than 2:45 CST or 3:45 EST. If you never change your watch from the time in Central or South Florida. Make sure you are back no later than 3:45.

If you are in the Atlantic Time Zone and your ship leaves at 4PM(EST or 5pm AST), you must be back at the ship no later than 4:45 AST or 3:45 EST. Once again, if you never change your watch, you must be back at the ship no later than 4:45.

Try to remember that at Noon EST it will be 1 PM AST and 11AM CST.

This is one of the reasons DW and I take ship sponsored excursions for the most part. Don't want to miss the boat, literally that is...If the islands do not adhere to Daylight saving, then AST and EST will be the same... Now I see why you are confused, you are not dense...[/quote]

 

 

Lol thanks!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Please help me understand ship time vs. island time vs. my time.

 

I live is Florida which is on EST. For example right now its 1pm, I have never changed my watch while cruising and never noticed a different time while on an island (St. Martin, St. Thomas, Nassau)

 

I have recently read people were late returning to the ship because island time was different then ship time. Or people missed excursion w/ private tour operator because tour was on island time and cruisers were on ship time please help me understand.

 

I also read it has something to do with daylight savings time.

 

I want to book an excursion (private tour operator) in St. Thomas, our ship arrives at 10am I will allow an hour for customs, so I would like to meet him at the pier at 11am, will that be the same as island time?

 

Please help me get this thru my thick skull lol

 

You are making this way harder then it has to be. Book your excursion with whomever you want and tell them the ships name. They know what times the ships get in.

 

Not to confuse matters more but you are now on EDT not EST.

 

The ship will also tell you to change your clocks or not. Just keep your watch on the ships time.

 

Have a blast!:)

 

Bill

[santacap]

I left my watch onboard in St Thomas and asked a guy what time it was, he looked at me and said 'its summer time man'

:D

[FloridaLaura]

I left my watch onboard in St Thomas and asked a guy what time it was, he looked at me and said 'its summer time man'

:D

 

 

LOL :)