Caribbean Princess-time change

[pablo222]

What do you think I should do when I arrive at the dock at 4.45 and discover the ship has left?

 

So your point is that it is too confusing if the ship doesn't change to local time?

[Corfe Mixture]

So your point is that it is too confusing if the ship doesn't change to local time?

 

Not really, though it is a fact that, whilst my phone will automatically show two times, HOME and LOCAL, as HOME is not EST for me, neither of these will relate to the time the ship uses.

 

As a well travelled person who is used to changing time zones and live half my life in France which is one hour different from the UK, it seems beyond belief that anyone would want to try to live their lives in anything other than local time.

 

Would you for example expect a cruise from LA to Hawaii to stay in Pacific Time?

 

In truth, I think you are simply wriggling to get out of the fact that you suggested the ship could leave at midnight.

;)

[pablo222]

Not really, though it is a fact that, whilst my phone will automatically show two times, HOME and LOCAL, as HOME is not EST for me, neither of these will relate to the time the ship uses.

 

I don't think princess will change to local time simply because you

ask them to. But, maybe drop a request off at the purser's desk

when you board. Tell them about your phone. Who knows...

[Corfe Mixture]

I don't think princess will change to local time simply because you

ask them to. But, maybe drop a request off at the purser's desk

when you board. Tell them about your phone. Who knows...

 

I think I prefer to wait for you to ask them to change the departure time to midnight

 

:D

[geoherb]

The reason the December 13 cruise seems not to be selling well is that cruises between Thanksgiving and Christmas usually don't. I wouldn't book that cruise until after the final payment date. There will probably be some kind of sale.

 

Four- and five-day cruises can attract a different mix of passengers, but at that time of year, they'll primarily be (1) from the U.S., especially those living in Florida, and (2) older.

[Luvmyrotti]

Some of us would need three watches.

 

EST has no significance for me once we leave Port Everglades and, when roaming, my mobile phone automatically changes to the time zone being transmitted by the local telephone company and the home screen displays both local time and UK time.

 

The idea of having to remember that I am living in neither of these zones just seems plain stupid. We are booked on Ocean this Christmas and arrive early. We were considering taking a five day on Caribbean Princess.

 

However, given Princess appear to feel that the clientele this ship attracts will be uncomfortable changing time zones, we have come to the conclusion that this particular ship is probably going to be too down market for our taste.

 

Think we will rent a car instead and drive down to Key West, or maybe stay a few days in St Pete's Beach and drive up to Tarpon Springs (we are flying into Tampa as we had already decided we wanted to drive down the Gulf Coast and through the Everglades).

 

At least I will benefit from the fact that my mobile phone contract includes free calls to US and Europe, but sadly not Canada, when in the US, but not when I am in Mexico.

 

The fact that you would consider a ship "too down market" for your tastes simply because Pricess elects not to switch to local time on a short, port-limited cruise only serves to highlight that you are rather narrow-minded. Perhaps the people you would meet on such a cruise would be bright, well-traveled cruisers looking to get away for a short getaway. I absolutely fail to see how staying on ship's time implies that fellow passengers would be less well-traveled or interesting.

[pablo222]

I think I prefer to wait for you to ask them to change the departure time to midnight

 

 

I don't see how any of your comments have helped with

the original poster's question.

[VOLEYMOM]

Have to admit the responses have been, shall we say, quite interesting! I have been on quite a few cruises and have had some move the clocks and some did not.

We are going on the Oct. 4, 7 day sailing. Ports are Grand Cayman, Roatan, and Cozumel. Our times say 7:00 am to 4:00 for Grand Cayman. If we don't change our clocks and since they don't do daylight savings it means 6:00 am? their time. That can't be right. Ugh, this is the only bad thing about booking your excursions off the ship. Our Roatan times are 10:00 -5:00 and Roatan is on Central Standard time so 2 hours behind Florida time then Cozumel, which is 7:00 am - 5:00, back to the same time zone as Grand Cayman. It makes it more complicated with Roatan 2 hours different. Guess we will just go with the flow. Not sure if there are any 7 day cruises with the same itinerary right before ours. Since I am in charge of 12 people on this cruise just don't want to screw it up!!

[waltd]

The fact that you would consider a ship "too down market" for your tastes simply because Pricess elects not to switch to local time on a short, port-limited cruise only serves to highlight that you are rather narrow-minded. Perhaps the people you would meet on such a cruise would be bright, well-traveled cruisers looking to get away for a short getaway. I absolutely fail to see how staying on ship's time implies that fellow passengers would be less well-traveled or interesting.

 

I think the word is snob.

[Corfe Mixture]

I think the word is snob.

 

If you wish to think that fine. Indeed, others may agree with you.

 

However, whilst I may not have expressed my point very well, viewed from over here, it does cause one to wonder why Princess feel that on the cheaper cruises, but not on the more expensive two week cruises, Princess seem to think that folks might have difficulty coping with the time change.

 

It is the same as you guys starting a short cruise from Southampton which visits Viga and La Rochelle and finding that the ship insists that the whole cruise be conducted in UK time. It would just never happen and, from a long way away, one cannot help but ask oneself the question as to why Princess find it necessary to stay in EST on these cruises.

 

We have enjoyed enormously the company of all the American citizens we have met on all our two week Princess cruises. However, if the reason Princess do not change to local time is because these low cost cruises are populated almost entirely by people who find changing times zones a difficult concept, then I have to say I would be fearful that the cruise would not live up to our normal Princess experience.

 

Snob - Maybe.

Confused as to why Princess might think their clientele would prefer, or need, a cruise to Mexico to be run in EST - Certainly.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Corfe Mixture
Spelling

[Luvmyrotti]

If you wish to think that fine. Indeed, others may agree with you.

 

However, whilst I may not have expressed my point very well, viewed from over here, it does cause one to wonder why Princess feel that on the cheaper cruises, but not on the more expensive two week cruises, Princess seem to think that folks might have difficulty coping with the time change.

 

It is the same as you guys starting a short cruise from Southampton which visits Viga and La Rochelle and finding that the ship insists that the whole cruise be conducted in UK time. It would just never happen and, from a long way away, one cannot help but ask oneself the question as to why Princess find it necessary to stay in EST on these cruises.

 

We have enjoyed enormously the company of all the American citizens we have met on all our two week Princess cruises. However, if the reason Princess do not change to local time is because these low cost cruises are populated almost entirely by people who find changing times zones a difficult concept, then I have to say I would be fearful that the cruise would not live up to our normal Princess experience.

Snob - Maybe.

Confused as to why Princess might think their clientele would prefer, or need, a cruise to Mexico to be run in EST - Certainly.

 

Herein lies the issue . . . you assume, for an unknown reason, that this is the basis of the decision to stay on ship's time. Perhaps your assumption is flawed and Princess' decision to stay on ship's time has absolutely nothing to do with some pre-conceived notion of the clientele's ability to tell and manage time. You may want to examine your assumptions.

[Corfe Mixture]

Herein lies the issue . . . you assume, for an unknown reason, that this is the basis of the decision to stay on ship's time. Perhaps your assumption is flawed and Princess' decision to stay on ship's time has absolutely nothing to do with some pre-conceived notion of the clientele's ability to tell and manage time. You may want to examine your assumptions.

 

What other reason would there be other than to meet the needs of the customer?

 

I am entirely willing to be convinced, but operationally it doesn't make any difference to the ship or to the crew who will be very used to changing time zones.

 

Here in Europe we have lots of short cruises from Southampton to France, Belgium and Spain and nobody would ever dream of suggesting that the ship's clock and the published arrival and departure times whilst in these countries should stay in UK time zone.

 

You may well be correct and my assumption may be flawed but, from this side of the pond, there appears to be no logical reason for staying in EST other than the fact that Princess feel the customers on these particular cruises prefer not to have to deal with the fact that on these particular cruises they are not in the US. It is this which suggests to me that the clientele on these cruises may be very different from the passengers I always enjoy meeting on other Princess cruises.

 

I may of course be entirely wrong in my assumption and there may be a very good, but obscure, reason why, unlike the rest of the world, some short US based cruises feel the need to stay in departure port time, but it is simply not a risk I am prepared to take.

 

It is for this reason that I have decided against taking a 5 day cruise on Caribbean Princess, prior to our main cruise on Ocean, and decided instead to visit the Everglades and then to drive down to Key West.

[ggprincess2004]

What other reason would there be other than to meet the needs of the customer?

 

I am entirely willing to be convinced, but operationally it doesn't make any difference to the ship or to the crew who will be very used to changing time zones.

 

Here in Europe we have lots of short cruises from Southampton to France, Belgium and Spain and nobody would ever dream of suggesting that the ship's clock and the published arrival and departure times whilst in these countries should stay in UK time zone.

 

You may well be correct and my assumption may be flawed but, from this side of the pond, there appears to be no logical reason for staying in EST other than the fact that Princess feel the customers on these particular cruises prefer not to have to deal with the fact that on these particular cruises they are not in the US. It is this which suggests to me that the clientele on these cruises may be very different from the passengers I always enjoy meeting on other Princess cruises.

 

I may of course be entirely wrong in my assumption and there may be a very good, but obscure, reason why, unlike the rest of the world, some short US based cruises feel the need to stay in departure port time, but it is simply not a risk I am prepared to take.

 

It is for this reason that I have decided against taking a 5 day cruise on Caribbean Princess, prior to our main cruise on Ocean, and decided instead to visit the Everglades and then to drive down to Key West.

 

Perhaps you will find you prefer the company of alligators.

[geoherb]

The reason for not changing time to match local time isn't just a short cruise phenomenon. Our Island Princess cruise to the Panama Canal was 10 days long. It's probably just easier for Princess to keep the clocks on the same time zone instead of moving them back one night to match local time in one port and then forward the following night to match the local time in the next port.

[ggprincess2004]

The reason for not changing time to match local time isn't just a short cruise phenomenon. Our Island Princess cruise to the Panama Canal was 10 days long. It's probably just easier for Princess to keep the clocks on the same time zone instead of moving them back one night to match local time in one port and then forward the following night to match the local time in the next port.

 

Exactly, for a number of operational reasons!

[pablo222]

Snob - Maybe.

Confused as to why Princess might think their clientele would prefer, or need, a cruise to Mexico to be run in EST - Certainly.

 

 

I think this would be very confusing, as the east coast of the US

is currently EDT, not EST.

Edited September 8, 2014 by pablo222

[piper28]

Have to admit the responses have been, shall we say, quite interesting! I have been on quite a few cruises and have had some move the clocks and some did not.

We are going on the Oct. 4, 7 day sailing. Ports are Grand Cayman, Roatan, and Cozumel. Our times say 7:00 am to 4:00 for Grand Cayman. If we don't change our clocks and since they don't do daylight savings it means 6:00 am? their time. That can't be right. Ugh, this is the only bad thing about booking your excursions off the ship. Our Roatan times are 10:00 -5:00 and Roatan is on Central Standard time so 2 hours behind Florida time then Cozumel, which is 7:00 am - 5:00, back to the same time zone as Grand Cayman. It makes it more complicated with Roatan 2 hours different. Guess we will just go with the flow. Not sure if there are any 7 day cruises with the same itinerary right before ours. Since I am in charge of 12 people on this cruise just don't want to screw it up!!

 

As I noted, at least on our cruise, the itinerary we had before was showing local times. So while it said 7am for Grand Cayman, ship time it was 8am.

 

Personally I'm astounded that Corfe Mixture would judge the clientele by whether the clock is being changed or not. Who really cares? If it's really that big a deal for you, then quite honestly, I think I'm just as happy if you're not on any cruise I'm on. There's just far bigger issues in life to worry about than that.

[VOLEYMOM]

Thank you Piper28, you helped a lot!!

[Mrs Moho]

If you wish to think that fine. Indeed, others may agree with you.

 

However, whilst I may not have expressed my point very well, viewed from over here, it does cause one to wonder why Princess feel that on the cheaper cruises, but not on the more expensive two week cruises, Princess seem to think that folks might have difficulty coping with the time change.

 

It is the same as you guys starting a short cruise from Southampton which visits Viga and La Rochelle and finding that the ship insists that the whole cruise be conducted in UK time. It would just never happen and, from a long way away, one cannot help but ask oneself the question as to why Princess find it necessary to stay in EST on these cruises.

 

We have enjoyed enormously the company of all the American citizens we have met on all our two week Princess cruises. However, if the reason Princess do not change to local time is because these low cost cruises are populated almost entirely by people who find changing times zones a difficult concept, then I have to say I would be fearful that the cruise would not live up to our normal Princess experience.

 

Snob - Maybe.

Confused as to why Princess might think their clientele would prefer, or need, a cruise to Mexico to be run in EST - Certainly.

 

As one Brit to another can I just say that your words incense me - how dare you insinuate those words highlighted above !!! My husband & I are travelling on this cruise as part of a B2B. Trust me, with flights, hotel accommodation etc this is not a low cost cruise or holiday but, it is our choice and if not changing our watches to local time and not missing the ship then we have a win win situation. What is your problem with it ? - it obviously works!! We have experienced this on a previous cruise and it worked fine, whereas on a cruise last year where time zones were changed, twice we had to leave passengers behind, so I think I know which I would prefer.

 

Everyone has an opinion and this is mine. I don't want to get into a tit for tat conversation but please be careful when making assumptions. My husband and I are both well travelled people, on land and sea, are fully aware of time zones and don't have a problem with the 'difficult concept' of changing time zones, but aware that some people may. More importantly, we are aware of other peoples feelings, circumstances and cultures, particularly when visiting their country - just saying :)

[Thrak]

While I think it would be best to always use local time I do have the capacity to read the information in the Patter and to listen to the announcements. I would guess there is probably a notice board posted at the disembarkation points as well to remind passengers which time scheme is in place. I don't really see this as an issue.

 

I believe the OP has had the original question answered.

[geoherb]

Another thing to consider is not waiting until the last possible minute to be back on the ship. If we are going on an excursion on our own, I like to be back at least 90 minutes before the ship is scheduled to sail.

[pablo222]

OK we are established Princess customers and know that the majority of the US citizens we meet on board are both well travelled, and interesting conversationalists. However, if I was a potential new customer, who enjoys the experience of meeting new interesting people, I would think twice about booking with a cruise line which gives me the impression that the majority of its clientele had perhaps never been outside the US State they were born in.

 

I noticed in some recent posts that Princess has been changing

the timezone on Carribbean western carribbean itineraries.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44351767&postcount=12

 

Perhaps you will now find the people booked better able to meet your

requirements.

[whatcruiseisnext]

This thread amazes me as I have a high regard for the typical Princess customer.

 

Most people who travel regularly are quite used to changing our watches to match local time and not being in local time simply confuses us.

 

Indeed a few years back in Cozumel, we got talking to some US folks on the beach, who noticed our accents, about what ships we were all on. In the course of conversation, they announced that they had to leave as they needed to be back by a certain time. When I questioned why they were leaving so early, they announced that they had been instructed not to change their watches from Eastern Standard Time and told not to ask any local people the time. I asked them what cruise line they were on and made a mental note not to use that line as I wondered about the intelligence profile of their typical customer,

 

Even us Europeans are aware that the US, excluding ,Hawaii, has four time zones, and the idea that a cruise ship finds it necessary to tell people not to change their watches gives the impression that the majority of their customers are not used to travelling within the US, let alone abroad.

 

OK we are established Princess customers and know that the majority of the US citizens we meet on board are both well travelled, and interesting conversationalists. However, if I was a potential new customer, who enjoys the experience of meeting new interesting people, I would think twice about booking with a cruise line which gives me the impression that the majority of its clientele had perhaps never been outside the US State they were born in.

 

Some of us would need three watches.

 

EST has no significance for me once we leave Port Everglades and, when roaming, my mobile phone automatically changes to the time zone being transmitted by the local telephone company and the home screen displays both local time and UK time.

 

The idea of having to remember that I am living in neither of these zones just seems plain stupid. We are booked on Ocean this Christmas and arrive early. We were considering taking a five day on Caribbean Princess.

 

However, given Princess appear to feel that the clientele this ship attracts will be uncomfortable changing time zones, we have come to the conclusion that this particular ship is probably going to be too down market for our taste.

 

Think we will rent a car instead and drive down to Key West, or maybe stay a few days in St Pete's Beach and drive up to Tarpon Springs (we are flying into Tampa as we had already decided we wanted to drive down the Gulf Coast and through the Everglades).

 

At least I will benefit from the fact that my mobile phone contract includes free calls to US and Europe, but sadly not Canada, when in the US, but not when I am in Mexico.

 

 

 

Your posts are disgusting. What an awful assumption to make.

[Homosassa]

I just came back from a 7 day western Caribbean cruise on the Caribbean Princess.

 

We changed our clocks back one hour to be on Grand Cayman time (first port). After that the clocks were left on ship's time and not changed again for Roatan or Cozumel which meant ship's time was one hour ahead of local time.

 

Clocks were turned back one hour for the sea day proceeding our last port of Princess Cay.

 

Perhaps the length of the cruise is the determining factor for changing the clocks. Five days or less, clocks stay on ship's time. Seven days, clocks may only be changed once even if multiple time zones are involved. Longer cruises may have multiple time changes.

[Retiring cajun]

cruising in February western carribbean out of Houston, central standard time. is Cozumel in that time zone??