First night is in port overnight

I know first day normally means check in , boarding, checking stateroom, having lunch etc and then safety drill and sailaway.

but,

If the cruise overnights in port on the first night, when is the safety drill done? Can I just check in, collect the key, and head back into town to explore more? Return when I want, even maybe stay off the ship completely and return a few hours before sailaway?

Cruise in question is out of Barcelona, where the ship overnights, with sailaway at 11 pm on day 2.

It just seems a waste of a day if we have to check in, board, and wait for the safety drill on day1.

When we did something like that in Singapore, you could check in, as you said, and then take off to do your own thing. The second day, there was a regular muster drill at 4 or whatever, but if you let them know you would be late, they had an additional safety drill about 10 p.m., for those who had missed the earlier one. On the Volendam, I think they even had to "muster" a third time for the stragglers, before we could deport!

The drill will be sailing day, not boarding day. When we did our Barcelona to FLL (with an overnight the first night) we just dumped our carry-on stuff in our cabin and went right back off the ship.

In our case we were joining the last segment of a Grand Mediterranean Voyage, so there were only about 30 of us that had a drill just before a 3:45 sailing. I don't know what time they will have it for a late sailing.

And yes, you are free to remain off the ship until all-aboard time on sailing day if you wish.

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I don't understand the concept. Why do you overnight on the ship before it sails? Why isn't it sailing on boarding day?

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I imagine it is actually the second half of a collector's cruise - it was on ours. The passengers who boarded for the first "half" will be having an overnight in Barcelona. That happens fairly often in the popular ports, Singapore, Istanbul, Barcelona, etc.

Mine wasn't a collectors cruise. It was a reposition from quebec to Fort lauderdale. They probably assume folks will be interested in exploring the area.

They probably assume folks will be interested in exploring the area.

We overnighted in Venice and the muster was on the second day. On the first day we checked in, had lunch and went into Venice not returning, to the ship, until around midnight.

In some interesting ports like Venice or Barcelona, cruisers arrive a day early so they can see some of the sights. This is at your own expense. With a two day stop, they can save on the hotel and food expenses by overnighting on the ship. It's a good thing!

On an overnight in Venice on the new Nieuw Amsterdam, due to some problem we had to stay even one more night!! Honestly, an extra extra night in Venice! Whatever!

When we did something like that in Singapore, you could check in, as you said, and then take off to do your own thing. The second day, there was a regular muster drill at 4 or whatever, but if you let them know you would be late, they had an additional safety drill about 10 p.m., for those who had missed the earlier one. On the Volendam, I think they even had to "muster" a third time for the stragglers, before we could deport!

I remember them doing just that.

I don't understand the concept. Why do you overnight on the ship before it sails? Why isn't it sailing on boarding day?

 

 

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We will be on the Maasdam for two nights in Feb while she is docked in Rio. The ship becomes a floating hotel that allows access to whatever port you are in.