Disembarking NCL at ports

Hi!

I am going on a cruise with NCL for the first time this summer. I have been on a different (much smaller) cruise line in the past, so I am only familiar with how they work.

We are trying to plan our days while on the trip and would like to understand how long it takes to get off the boat and what that process looks like.

If it says the boat will port at 7am, what time do they allow passengers to get off? How long does this typically take (is it done by room location)?

In the past we have had to get onto smaller boats from the cruise that would take us to land. Is this something you do on NCL?

One last question: if it says the boat will leave at 7pm, what time do we need to get back onto the boat?

Thanks so much!

Hi - What is the ship, port, and date? Thx

Tendering is port-dependent, not cruise line-dependent. If a ship can’t safely dock, then tenders (“small boats”) are used. In the Caribbean, it’s usually because the island is protected by a reef which larger ships cannot cross.

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If you are tendering it takes much longer and yes, you will be tendering at assigned times based on several things. If you are not tendering there are no special arrangements, you just get off at your leisure. The ship will usually be cleared for debarkation about an hour after arriving. You do not have to worry too much, vendors and tour operators know about when the sip will be cleared and work with you. You should be back on board about an hour prior to sailing. Make sure, if booking privates tours you allow for unplanned slow downs. We have always, after on scary experience only booked private tours if we have a few hours at the end to get back on the ship.

If the boat can dock in port you can get off close to the time listed. They have to clear the boat with immigration and get the gangway set up and then will announce when passengers can start leaving. On my last cruise we had 5 ports and in 4 we were able to get off at or before the ‘docked’ time. One had a 45 min delay so quite a line built up and it took longer.

You have to be back by ‘all aboard’, which is usually 30 minutes prior to the time listed to leave.

Tender ports take longer on both ends, but a majority of ports are docked.

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Here’s a list of NCL tender ports where you will need to take a small boat to shore. In a lot of places, it depends if the ship has a “parking place” at a dock available (ports with *).

The following are tender ports:

Alaska, Canada, U.S. Pacific Coast & New England

• Astoria, Oregon*
  
• Bar Harbor, Maine
  
• Catalina Island, California
  
• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island*
  
• Gaspésie, Quebec
  
• Icy Strait Point, Alaska*
  
• Juneau, Alaska*
  
• Ketchikan, Alaska*
  
• Newport, Rhode Island
  
• Rockland, Maine
  
• Saguenay, Canada*
  
• Sitka, Alaska*
  
• Sydney, Nova Scotia*
  

Caribbean, Mexico & Panama Canal

• Belize City, Belize
  
• Basseterre, St. Kitts*
  
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
  
• Cozumel, Mexico*
  
• George Town, Grand Cayman
  
• Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas
  
• Gustavia, St. Barts
  
• Harvest Caye, Belize*
  
• Key West, Florida*
  
• Manzanillo, Mexico
  
• Ocho Rios, Jamaica*
  
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico*
  
• Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras*
  
• Roseau, Dominica*
  
• Samana, Dominican Republic
  
• San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
  
• St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands*
  
• Tortola, British Virgin Islands*
  

Hawaii

• Kona, Hawaii
  
• Lahaina, Hawaii
  

South America

• Alter Do Chao, Brazil
  
• Buzios, Brazil
  
• Ilha Grande, Brazil
  
• Ilhabella, Brazil
  
• Porto Belo, Brazil
  
• Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
  
• Puerto Montt, Chile
  
• Punta Del Este, Uruguay
  
• Stanley, Falkland Islands
  

Europe

• Bergen, Norway*
  
• Cannes, France
  
• Cork (Cobh), Ireland*
  
• Dubrovnik, Croatia*
  
• Edinburgh (Newhaven), Scotland
  
• Falmouth, England*
  
• Flam, Norway*
  
• Geiranger, Norway*
  
• Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK
  
• Hellesylt, Norway
  
• Helsingborg, Sweden
  
• Inverness (Invergordon), Scotland
  
• Istanbul, Turkey*
  
• Kotor, Montenegro*
  
• Leknes, Lofoten Islands, Norway
  
• Monte Carlo, Monaco
  
• Mykonos, Greece
  
• Lerwick, Shetland Islands
  
• Monte Carlo, Monaco*
  
• Mykonos, Greece*
  
• Naples, Italy*
  
• Olden, Norway*
  
• Santorini, Greece
  
• Split, Croatia*
  
• St. Malo, France
  
• Stockholm (Nynashamn), Sweden*
  

Asia

• Bali (Benoa), Indonesia*
  
• Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
  
• Ko Samui, Thailand
  
• Komodo Island, Indonesia
  
• Phuket, Thailand*
  

Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific

• Airlie Beach, Australia
  
• Akaroa, New Zealand
  
• Alotau, Papua New Guinea
  
• Bora Bora, French Polynesia
  
• Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  
• Fakarava, French Polynesia
  
• Eden, Australia
  
• Geelong, Australia
  
• Gisborne, New Zealand*
  
• Huahine, French Polynesia
  
• Ile des Pins, New Caledonia
  
• Kangaroo Island, Australia
  
• Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
  
• Rangiroa, French Polynesia
  
• Sydney, Australia*
  
• Whitsunday Islands, Australia
  

* Indicates a port where ship can dock or anchor, varies by call.

The time you must be back on board at ports is usually but not always 30 minutes before ship departure. At most tender ports last tender back to the ship is usually 60 minutes before ship departure, except on Great Stirrup Cay it is 30 minutes before ship departure. Read your Freestyle Daily each night and watch for the signs when you depart the ship each day to be sure.

If you are tendering it takes much longer and yes, you will be tendering at assigned times based on several things. If you are not tendering there are no special arrangements, you just get off at your leisure. The ship will usually be cleared for debarkation about an hour after arriving. You do not have to worry too much, vendors and tour operators know about when the sip will be cleared and work with you. You should be back on board about an hour prior to sailing. Make sure, if booking privates tours you allow for unplanned slow downs. We have always, after on scary experience only booked private tours if we have a few hours at the end to get back on the ship.

In the past, we've mostly booked land tours thru NCL but I'm interested in doing private tours for our cruises in March 2019. I would appreciate helpful hints on finding reputable private tours since I've looked at several sources. We have 3 overnights and our 2 previous overnights in the middle east we booked thru NCL and not sure what to do about these overnights and day trips.

Thanks so much.

Rita

One thing I'll add is that, even if the ship docks, there can be a long line to walk off, especially on a large ship. This depends partly on whether it's possible to use more than one gangway - on Epic in the Mediterranean recently the number varied from one to three, depending on the configuration of the dock. Because everyone's key card will be swiped on leaving and returning to the ship, it's not as simple as everyone walking off or on as fast as they can. The longest I waited to walk off was 30 minutes and I suspect that I was getting in line during the peak time.

In the past, we've mostly booked land tours thru NCL but I'm interested in doing private tours for our cruises in March 2019. I would appreciate helpful hints on finding reputable private tours since I've looked at several sources. We have 3 overnights and our 2 previous overnights in the middle east we booked thru NCL and not sure what to do about these overnights and day trips.

 

Thanks so much.

Rita

wht are your ports?

if you look at ports of call forums you will be able to look at specific areas where private tour operators are frequently discussed

Thank you for responding. By chance I found some recommendations for some of the ports in Vietnam but not sure I was looking in the correct spot to view all the ports. Also, CC website seems to have drop down options on some pages but not others.

If there is a link to the ports, please let me know. We will be traveling March 2019 but I want to secure tours soon.

There are the The NCL cruise ports: Singapore, Ko Samui, Sihaoukville, Ho Chi Minh City, Chan May, Hanoi, Hong Kong.

We are following up the next day with Holland America cruise with ports: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin/Beijing, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Yokohama & then on our own a few days in Kyoto.

Thank you for your guidance.

Rita

Thank you for responding. By chance I found some recommendations for some of the ports in Vietnam but not sure I was looking in the correct spot to view all the ports. Also, CC website seems to have drop down options on some pages but not others.

 

If there is a link to the ports, please let me know. We will be traveling March 2019 but I want to secure tours soon.

 

There are the The NCL cruise ports: Singapore, Ko Samui, Sihaoukville, Ho Chi Minh City, Chan May, Hanoi, Hong Kong.

 

We are following up the next day with Holland America cruise with ports: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin/Beijing, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Yokohama & then on our own a few days in Kyoto.

 

Thank you for your guidance.

Rita

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=70

this should be link to Asia ports of call-hope your research pays off

Here’s a list of NCL tender ports where you will need to take a small boat to shore. In a lot of places, it depends if the ship has a “parking place” at a dock available (ports with *). ]

 

 

As always your posts are always helpful....thanks!

Thanks for your prompt response. This link did take me to where I found some private tour options previously and happy to know I'm in the right spot.

Greatly appreciated.

Rita