What time to schedule excursions?

[spring162]

This may be a silly question but if it says your ship (RCCL) will be in port from 9am-6pm does that mean you can be off the boat at 9 or should you allow some time to get off? Also, if you are staying until 6 does this mean you best be on well before 6? I want to schedule some excursions and I dont want to cut it too close.

[Sea Hag]

You should allow some time to get off the ship. You might be off at the stated arrival time or even earlier, but I'd say you need to allow an hour just in case.

 

Usually, you need to be back on board an hour before sailing time. This will be posted for each port in your newsletter for that day.

[HesitantCruiser]

And if you have to tender, allow more time.

[Marcy09]

What do you mean "if you have to tender allow more time?" What does that mean?

 

Thanks!

[curlywurly]

What do you mean "if you have to tender allow more time?" What does that mean?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hi Marcy,

 

Tendering is where the ship anchors a short distance from shore rather than docking and then uses the larger of the life boats to ferry people backwards and forwards between the ship and shore. It should specify in your itinery which ports are tender ports if any.

[Marcy09]

Curly,

Thank you for clarifying. I have read that many places on this site and was confused! :)

We do have one tender in CocoCay.

Thank you,

Marcy

[bluegirlum]

If you are planning to sign up for anything in Coco Cay, you'll have to sign up for it through RC, since it is their private island. They will have it planned so you will have plenty of time to get to/from the island. It will usually say on your excursion ticket what time you need to be there--depending on the time, the line for the tender can get kind of long, so keep that in mind. Also, depending on what you're doing, you may want to do it earlier in the day so you can spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, having lunch and drinking Coco Locos! :) Have fun!

[Marcy09]

Great advice! We just want to go snorkling!

 

You may have already said this, but how do we pick an early snorkling time? Will that be when we purchase the snorkling package on RC's website?

 

THANK YOU!:)

[bluegirlum]

Great advice! We just want to go snorkling!

 

You may have already said this, but how do we pick an early snorkling time? Will that be when we purchase the snorkling package on RC's website?

 

THANK YOU!:)

 

I don't think you have to actually pick a snorkeling time for Coco Cay. (I brought my own snorkeling gear, so I just went on my own). You can just go to your reservation, then click on Coco Cay and excursions and it will give you the information. In looking at the general CocoCay excursion info, it looks like

you should just be able to get the snorkeling equipment whenever you want and keep it all day. If you bring your own equipment, you still have to get a life vest from them.

 

Have fun!

[cruiserbryce]

chances are you wont be walking off the ship right at 9am and as far as all aboard time...if the ship is scheduled to leave at 6pm, all aboard will likely be at 5:30

[RUBBER DUCK]

definately plan on being back ON the ship 1/2 hour plus before the set sail time. If you have any excursions planned on your own, allow plenty of buffer time before that. Many tour operators go on "island time" which is more like "whenever I feel like it", so they may not be as concerned to get you back on time. If you plan an excursion though the cruise line, it will end appropriately and you will be back in time, or they will hold the ship-that's the #1 benefit of booking excursions through the cruise line.

 

Many of us more experienced cruisers like to hang out by the deck rails overlooking the pier area at set sail time just to watch the people run for the ship (and make up stories of why they missed it). Yes, a little demented, but it's still fun.