What time is it?

[Iowa-Cruiser]

This is definitely a newbie question, but an important one...

Does the ship time change as the ship passes into different time zones?

I ask because on our Caribbean cruise we will be in 3 different time zones and I would like to know if the times posted in the itinerary are local or ship (if there is a difference) - it makes a difference when deciding when to head back to the dock.

I'd rather not have an :eek: moment waching the ship sail away.

[Roz]

Iowa,

 

99% of the time the ship adjusts to port time. When there is a time change, your steward will put a card and a chocolate :D on your bed in the evening, instructing you to either move your watch ahead 1 hour or back 1 hour.

 

Roz

[jtl513]

Does the ship time change as the ship passes into different time zones?

Yes, in the Caribbean the ship time will be adjusted to local time. Each time that there is an adjustment to be made you will be notified the evening before with a card on your bed and an announcement by the Cruise Director at the evening show.

[AlanAllyn]

Ships sometimes change time to local time and sometimes do not. They will let you know in the daily program which it is. I would suggest that you keep your watch on ship time, even if that differs from local time. Sailing time is always ship time.

[IRL_Joanie]

This is definitely a newbie question, but an important one...

Does the ship time change as the ship passes into different time zones?

I ask because on our Caribbean cruise we will be in 3 different time zones and I would like to know if the times posted in the itinerary are local or ship (if there is a difference) - it makes a difference when deciding when to head back to the dock.

I'd rather not have an :eek: moment waching the ship sail away.

 

On botht the Oosterdam and the Westerdam the Ship clocks in our rooms changed automatically.

 

I cannot remember if any announcements were made though. I tend to have a slight memory that it was noted on the TV, the Ship's channels.

[Boytjie]

On botht the Oosterdam and the Westerdam the Ship clocks in our rooms changed automatically.

 

What cabin category were you in? We have not had any clocks in out balcony cabins on the Zuiderdam and Eurodam.

[suse]

of the time during a normal day. With all the time zone changes, it's almost impossible. Those ships zip around and I have to change my watch. It's one more thing.

[Mpowered]

We had a balcony cabin on the Zuiderdam for our Alaska cruise. It did have a wall clock, and it was automatically adjusted when we moved into a different time zone. There was also an announcement, and I think it was mentioned in the daily program.

 

Joan

[photomikey]

50 weeks a year I live and die by the clock.

 

When I get on the ship, for those 7 or 10 or God-willing 14 days... I take off my watch. I eat when I'm hungry and sleep when I'm tired. When we go into port I put on my watch and set it to port time, and when we get back in the room it goes right back into a drawer.

 

If someone asks me the time, I cheerfully reply, "I don't know!"

[RuthC]

Ships sometimes change time to local time and sometimes do not.

That may be true for some lines, but not for HAL. Except for one port on the western side of Mexico, HAL changes as the ship moves to another time zone.

I've even had to change my watch by 1/2 hour once or twice, as that's the way the time zone did it.

[IRL_Joanie]

What cabin category were you in? We have not had any clocks in out balcony cabins on the Zuiderdam and Eurodam.

 

 

On the Oosterdam May 17-24 2008 VF 5054 and on the Westerdam May 10-17 2009 SA 7076 here is the photo with the clock on the Westerdam, top left just above the robes, same location as on the Oosterdam. http://abqreunion2008.com/Westerdam/1085.gif

 

Just found some photos from the Eurodam that have clocks located also above the robes, this is an SB 6105 http://abqreunion2008.com/Westerdam/1085.gif

 

On the Zuiderdam there is one photo of a clock in VB 6148 http://abqreunion2008.com/Zuiderdam/TB_6148-4.gif

 

The time changes took place while we were sleeping generally.

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Only the PS, SA, SB, SC, S Delux suites have clocks on the wall.

Do they always change automatically -- NO. We have been a couple of S class ships -- the clocks worked but they had to changed by hand by the cabin stewards -- the auto part no longer worked.

Now - to the OP's question -- yes the ship will change the clocks when you are in the Caribbean -- there will be a note on your pillow under your chocolate. And there will also be a note in your daily program.

[jtl513]

On the Zuiderdam there is one photo of a clock in VB 6148 http://abqreunion2008.com/Zuiderdam/TB_6148-4.gif

Sorry, but that is not a VB cabin! It looks to me to be a stern corner suite, either SB or SC. My guess is that it is SC6158 before the April 2008 retro-fit.

[Copper10-8]

On botht the Oosterdam and the Westerdam the Ship clocks in our rooms changed automatically.

 

I cannot remember if any announcements were made though. I tend to have a slight memory that it was noted on the TV, the Ship's channels.

 

Yep, happened to us several times also - As a matter of fact, the mechanism turning the hands at 0200 woke us up a couple of times;)

 

1. The CD will mention it at his pre or post-show chat

 

2. It will be listed in the Daily Program

 

3. There will be a reminder in the form of a card (underneath the nighly chocolat) on your pillow (so two total if there's two of you)

 

Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's west coast is the port where HAL elects to stay on Pacific Standard time. (Puerto Vallarta is on Central Standard Time). They advise you of this several times

[IRL_Joanie]

Sorry, but that is not a VB cabin! It looks to me to be a stern corner suite, either SB or SC. My guess is that it is SC6158 before the April 2008 retro-fit.

 

I know John, that's why I put a Caveat above and below the Stateroom photos. 6158 is now an inside stateroom and I thought it better to put in the caveat what it is now instead. Hopefully cause less confusion...

 

Joanie

[Iowa-Cruiser]

I knew I could get the answer here - one more thing to check off the list of questions. Thank you.

 

Counting the days....:):):):cool:

[NMLady]

Ships sometimes change time to local time and sometimes do not. They will let you know in the daily program which it is. I would suggest that you keep your watch on ship time, even if that differs from local time. Sailing time is always ship time.

 

 

Definitely wear a watch that is set to ship's time when you are in port.

The majority of the time the ship and the port are on the same time, but in the few instances when that is not the case, if your watch is set to ship time you will be able to be back on board on time without missing a minute in port.

[Boytjie]

Definitely wear a watch that is set to ship's time when you are in port.

The majority of the time the ship and the port are on the same time, but in the few instances when that is not the case, if your watch is set to ship time you will be able to be back on board on time without missing a minute in port.

 

 

And be carefull if you take a cell phone ashore - it may reset to local time!

[DaveOKC]

As others have said - the ship changes time with the area it is in and it is announced in the program and a special little postcard.

 

PAY ATTENTION to this - the ship activities times also adjust. On my last cruise, a young man had to be called in his room as he overslept and was going to miss the poker tournament he had already paid for the night before.

 

One of the guys at the table insisted we hold the game up for him (we had to wait 15 minutes). I went along, even though I knew better (that is normally the guy who ends up winning). Funny thing, on the FIRST hand, the young man we waited on went "all in" and the older guy who held up the game for him called him! You guessed it - the young guy won and the older guy was knocked out the first hand! You can never be nice in playing poker!

 

P.S. - I ended up winning the tournament (the young guy finished third), so I was happy.

 

DaveOKC

[jcrandle]

The correct answer is, "It's Howdy Doody time!" Am I showing my age?

[RMLincoln]

Often there is a clock at the gangway as you exit telling you what time "ship time" is.

[NMLady]

And be carefull if you take a cell phone ashore - it may reset to local time!

 

Good point! Cell phones usually use nearest cell tower.

 

A non-cruise story about that. Laughlin NV is right across the CO River from Bullhead AZ. Since NV is Pacific time whereas AZ is Mountain time that creates an interesting situation. When we're in Laughlin in winter we have to be careful where we are in our room if we're going to use our cell phone as a clock. The windows overlook the river and the phone often picks up AZ towers instead of a NV tower so shows mountain time instead of the pacific time where we are. That has caused some problems in the past until we learned to use our watches instead.

Interestingly, because AZ does not use Daylight Savings Time, in the summer both states are on the same time so it's not a problem then.