Quick exit from the ship at ports...

[mrtravel123]

How long does it usually take to exit the ship? Any recommendations on how to exit quickly?

 

I'd like to do some jet-skiing in Key West when our ship (the Rhapsody) docks there at 3:00pm. However, the jet-ski tour starts at 3:30pm. Any thoughts on this attempt? The tour operator thinks that this is possible... but he says that it's also very possible that it won't work because of various factors (ships being late, etc).

 

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[hstrybuf]

I'd say it's highly doubtful that you can get off the ship that quickly, but you can certainly try. You may be cutting it close.

[madforcruising]

You never know how long it´ll take to get the ship cleared by local authorities.

[Travelgrrl]

The two times I docked in Key West, we did not get off the ship until 4:00 at the earliest. One time, we zooooomed to the Hemingway House (on foot) and got there before last entry at 4:30. Last time, we wanted to go to the Butterfly Museum, but it also closed at 4:30, was a longer walk, and the cabs and bike guys wouldn't bring us because the streets are really clogged by then and they knew we wouldn't make it.

 

Key West is really more of a shopping and nightspot port when one arrives so late, IMO. It's too bad!

[mrtravel123]

Thanks for all of the input. Seems like my Plan B might need to become Plan A!

[CruisinDawn]

Keep in mind that Key West makes you clear US customs, we have waited up to 2 hours to get off before (1st time 2 hours, 2nd time 50 min). No tender but takes forever to get people cleared if you have the ignorant ones aboard. They do pass out tickets for exit so I would get there asap and get the first group exiting. Don't think about taking the stairs down because they block them and unless you have the right number they wouldn't let anyone pass. I hope you have no trouble but just want you to know that there can be problems.

 

Bon Voyage

Dawna

[Rubia_Boricua_PR]

And depending and what you are doing after you get out you will be in the 1st,2nd,3rd group and so on to get out and they are color coded. We were last since we were staying over post cruise but if you had a flight to catch that same day you would get the 1st group or so. Good luck!

[flagger]

I cannot imagine having to clear customs when you are cruising from one US port to another US port. We never did going from port to port in Alaska. Rhapsody's embarkation is Galveston and the first stop is Key West.