Boarding after excursions

[midwestchick]

What's the latest I can get back on the ship after an excursion if our ship leaves port at 6:30 P.M.? Do you have to be back on 30 minutes before sailing or is it longer?

[uktog]

Have to be is as I recall 30 mins (though I have seen it as 15 mins) reality sorry in my book its 60 mins unless you have a large supply of blood pressure tablets. The only difference of course is if you are booking a ships excursion in which case it is immaterial as you are not at risk of being left behind

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

They will tell you prior to each port day, both in your daily newsletter and by announcements. Most of the time it's 30 minutes, but not always. The time will also be posted on a large board as you get off the ship. Make sure your watch is set to SHIP time in case that differs from port time.

[Lois R]

They also have a sign at the Gangway for both passengers and crew

that states when you and they need to be back on board.

[midwestchick]

They also have a sign at the Gangway for both passengers and crew

that states when you and they need to be back on board.

 

 

So, will I be safe with one hour? I have to let my driver know for sure and of course, I don't want to take any chances missing the ship. :eek: :eek:

[Lois R]

So, will I be safe with one hour? I have to let my driver know for sure and of course, I don't want to take any chances missing the ship. :eek: :eek:

 

1 hour should be good. I went to the Med last year but honestly, I can't

rememeber what the time frame was.....we were always back in plenty

of time and these were private tours.

But I do thing 1 hour is in plenty of time:)

[kathynorth]

So, will I be safe with one hour? I have to let my driver know for sure and of course, I don't want to take any chances missing the ship. :eek: :eek:

 

We had a scary situation one time when we were in Ketchikan. We were high up in a float plane (highly recommended company) with time ticking away. We reminded the pilot of our all aboard time and she responded that she thought we were from a different ship that was scheduled to leave later in the evening. It became a mad rush to land, take a van back to the ship, and run up the gangway that was already being brought onto the ship.

 

This is the only close call we've ever had. We've since learned to start any tour by confirming with the driver/pilot the name of our ship and our requested back to the ship time before we get into the tour vehicle. We almost always book private tours and when we do we plan for a 1 hr buffer.

[uktog]

Coming back from Pompeii one hour was very very tight due to a problem on the roads into Naples

[miched]

It doesn't matter if you are on a excursion or just off the ship in the port, it is the same time. There will be an announcement, written in the paper, posted as you walk off. Be sure to ask what the ship's time is and check as you leave the ship. Don't trust the local time, or what anyone tells you at the port. The ship's time is what the ship goes by.

 

 

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[midwestchick]

It doesn't matter if you are on a excursion or just off the ship in the port, it is the same time. There will be an announcement, written in the paper, posted as you walk off. Be sure to ask what the ship's time is and check as you leave the ship. Don't trust the local time, or what anyone tells you at the port. The ship's time is what the ship goes by.

 

 

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Not sure I understand. Last year on our Med cruise, the ship's time was the same as local time. :confused: :confused:

[Kathie44]

The ship's time IS the local time. That's why we change our watches when necessary. The clock on the phone in the rooms changes automatically. I always get back at least an hour early. The one time we got back late was on a ship-sponsored tour in St. Thomas to St. John's. The ferry boat was late and we got back after the scheduled sailing time, but they held the ship for us. If you are late on your own, you are SOL.

[H2Oregon]

On our Baltic cruise this spring in Tallin Estonia the time to be back on board was 4:30 and sail time was 5:00. Our balcony was on the side of the ship where we were docked so we were able to watch all the drama. At 4:30 the crew had picked up everything but one boarding ramp.

 

There was a man from the port that kept pacing back and forth like he was waiting for someone. At about 10 minutes until 5 he jumped into his car and headed toward the end of the pier. At about the same time the port crews were starting to unhook the ship and throw the lines. A few minutes later the port person came driving back to the ship and three women got out of the car just in time to see the ship about 10 - 15 feet from the pier. They were yelling and waving their arms, but the ship did not return to pick them up. It was about 5 min before 5:00 when the ship left the pier.

 

I guess the moral of the story is: make sure you are back on board at the time posted.

 

I never heard what happened to the three ladies. I hope they carried their passports with them. The next day was a sea day and they had to figure out how to get to Gothenberg Sweden.

[dln929]

Give it at least an hour if not a tad more! Sometimes the Captain will leave port early, as happened to us in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands when we were on the Equinox TA. My husband was the LAST person on the ship. We were scheduled to leave at 6 pm and we walked up at 5:30 pm on the nose. The Captain sailed out at 5:45 pm on the nose. :p

[Lsimon]

Give it at least an hour if not a tad more! Sometimes the Captain will leave port early, as happened to us in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands ...

 

I do notice that they pull the ramps and leave early every now and then, but I've always presumed that it has always been because everyone was back on board and accounted for.

[ORV]

The ship's time IS the local time.

 

Not necessarily true for all cruise lines in all ports. There are instances in the Caribbean that they are different, which can lead to confusion with booking private excursions. The vendors are used to the policy that Carnival follows.

 

Didn't mean to murk the waters, as every Celebrity cruise I've been on does follow local time.

[RickT]

On our recent Silhouette sailing the ship either left early or right on time. My rule is the time the ship says you need to be on board is the absolute latest time and not a second later. My personal goal is to be back on board at least 30-60 minutes prior to that time if not earlier.

 

I've seen too many people crying and screaming on the pier as the ship is sailing away to ever want to even consider being late.

[midwestchick]

Thanks for all the replies. We're scheduled to be back at 5:30. This is a very reputable tour company who came highly recommended by a cc member who uses them and are also highly rated on tripadvisor.

I usually set my watch ahead when we board our connecting flight.

[dodger1964]

Not necessarily true for all cruise lines in all ports. There are instances in the Caribbean that they are different, which can lead to confusion with booking private excursions. The vendors are used to the policy that Carnival follows.

 

Didn't mean to murk the waters, as every Celebrity cruise I've been on does follow local time.

 

Our last Caribbean cruise didn't change time the whole cruise, which made it different than local time at some ports.

 

I ake it that it is up to the captains preference.

 

I don't think being on a ships shore excursion guarantees that u will make it back to the ship b4 it leaves port. I think there have Ben instances where the ship had to leave port without passengers. (Of course they get u to next port and pay for it)

 

 

 

 

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[Knolmom]

Believe one of our Captains informed us that the Captain makes the decision for each port as to what time he wants his passengers back on the ship, in the event he wants to leave a little early, considering the tides and sea conditions. So actually, no one can say for sure in advance what time the gangway will be lifted in each port. The sail away time is published, but the Captain can leave early if everyone is on board, or he may delay departure for late returning tours, crew or senior officers. Yes, I said SENIOR OFFICERS. Occasionally someone is joining the ship as a non- rev or has family coming aboard or leaving the ship so the timetable is expanded a little. Usually happens at the departure port or at European Ports.

[midwestchick]

To put my mind at ease, I just checked all of the excursions X is offering. Naples is a great port for seeing Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, etc.

There are a good number of 9, 9.5 and 10 hour excursions they are offering. Most of the long excursions are due to return at 5:30 so we should be fine. My cup is definitely half full tonight. :D I don't know why I didn't check the ship's excursions before I posted this thread. :o :o

If we're late getting back from the Amalfi coast due to traffic, etc., there will be other excursions getting back late. I doubt they would leave port with that many pax still out on excursions if something was delayed. It wouldn't make sense for X to have to pay to get all those pax to Malta.

We were delayed in Livorno last year and it was a ship excursion...they were waiting...all of the officers and a band playing music from the Godfather....lol...loved it.

[Christine Frances]

They also have a sign at the Gangway for both passengers and crew

that states when you and they need to be back on board.

 

I always make sure I am on ships time and then take a picture of the sign at the gangway with my cell phone! Sorts out all the arguments about what time to be back to the ship but best of all I know at what port my pictures were taken when I get back home and its all a blur lol

 

 

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