How do you come back to the ship....strolling or sprinting?

[widallas]

I had posted this on the "First Time Cruisers" page but thought I'd ask here, too...

 

How (and WHEN) do you come back to ship after a day in port?

1. I'm always back with plenty of time to spare.

2. Being on the ship 1/2 hour before we are scheduled to leave is perfect.

2. I like to arrive right on time...they are just pulling the ropes when we get there.

3. "Pier running" is the best part of the cruise!

 

Poll is at the top -- happy voting!

Edited February 4, 2016 by widallas
Added last line

[TM38Rob]

I like to be back on the ship with Plenty of time to spare, however, I voted for "I'm on the ship 1/2 hour before we are scheduled to leave."

 

Depending on the itinerary, getting back to the ship early may not be an option. Back a couple of years ago in Bermuda, I kept missing the ferry back. I just made the ferry to St. Georges from Dockyard. I watched the dunking stool reenactment, and then the ferry left St. Georges just as it ended, so I missed that boat and had to wait for a bus to Hamilton. After lunch, I just missed the ferry to Dockyard with only one more ferry to arrive minutes before the Explorer of the Seas was to depart. I took the bus instead that was supposed to arrive in Dockyard before the ferry. Bus fell behind schedule, and I was worried I wasn't going to make it back in time. Nonetheless, I made it back to the ship just as the ferry was arriving. People were running to the ship from the ferry by the time I got on my Balcony. Never want to cut it that close again, although I did enjoy my ride around the islands of Bermuda.

[sky0000547]

I normally back on the ship hours before departure.

[mirp]

An hour before. I can't take the stress. It's a vacation not a race.

[abbflex]

only been on cruise one time, but in every port we were back a couple of hours before depature because we were afraid of missing the boat :)

[papaflamingo]

Define "plenty of time to spare." For me, I always make at least one hour before departure as my "drop dead be back" time. At the very least, in the port area. I have seen too many miss the ship. Doesn't seem to be as often, but last year we were in San Juan and two women were in town shopping (it appeared) and got back as we were leaving. No, they weren't allowed on. My guess is that they didn't set the clock correctly as we had an hour ahead move of the clock the day before (at sea). Gotta be diligent.

But again, one hour prior is my definition of "plenty of time."

Edited February 4, 2016 by papaflamingo

[Cruise_Christy]

I would want at least one hour spare to be in the immediate vicinity of the ship - although I have loitered around the immediate area of the ship up to 15 minutes before setting sail (for example doing some shopping in the port shops or just sitting outside by the water depending on the port - mostly this was on my last Norwejian fjords trip as most of the stops there are in beautiful picturesque villages with wonderful views from the pier).

 

Most of the time I am back quite a few hours in advance as I don't plan super long excursions and would rather get back and relax anyway.

 

The only time I was ever late was in Rome and it was on an organized excursion. Due to some traffic problems the coach ended up being over 1 hour late returning and we were reassured the entire time that the ship would wait for the pax since it was an official tour.

[Clarea]

An hour or two before all aboard.

[PensFan1028]

We've only had one experience where we were jogging back to the ship in St. Thomas. We were sitting at the Fat Turtle enjoying frozen drinks when we realized that we misread the departure time and were pretty much already late. The jog back trying to guzzle down frozen drinks (read brain freeze) before we boarded is a memory we still laugh about.

[fletch1027]

My friend has a great story about they they and 2 other couples rented jeeps in St. Maarten, got stuck in traffic coming back and by the time they got to the port (15-20 mins late) the ship was still there. They literally threw the keys to the guy at the rental place as they ran down the pier. They could hear their names being paged on the ships pa as they made it to the gangway. They got dirty looks from the officer as they boarded.

 

The funniest thing was that they weren't last on. A single woman was staggering down the pier. Apparently she got drunk at the beach and passed out. Two crewmen literally grabbed her and shoulder carried her onto the ship as the ship was casting off. If it wasn't for my friends group of 6, that one lady would have been left for sure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CRUISEFAN0001]

I'm on vacation...sprinting to board is not an option.

[cb at sea]

We pushed the limit once....at a casino trying to cash out..and the folks working there were like "One potato.....two potatoes...." sooooo slow! By the time we got our winnings, there were no cabs. Another ship's couple was waiting, too...so we split the cost of a limo, and high-tailed it back to the ship! (This was a 2 am departure, in Nassau....)...we made it just in time.

 

Normally, we never push it that close, but those folks in the cage simply couldn't count! Vegas, it wasn't!!!!

[pjnj40]

I alway managed to get back in time early enough. When I was in Labadee , my dad was a worried warts. I wanted to get some few things from the shop and he said it to short of time. I said don't worry. Meanwhile there still tons of people flocking to the ship

[gwsster]

I like to be back an hour early. I don't like the stress of worrying about missing the boat. I also like sitting on the balcony (if we face the pier) and watching the pier runners. I am always amazed at the relaxed individuals that saunter to the ship as the Ships security are yelling at them to run. Last October the NCL Gem left 2 in Nova Scotia.....they missed the boat.

Edited February 4, 2016 by gwsster

[Keith1010]

Strolling.

 

I don't want stress when we cruise.

 

Keith

[Lazz]

On a few cruises, the entire ship would know who is late getting back. They would announce the name and cabin number of the party, asking them to call guest relations in the event they got on without checking in. We, along with many of the passengers, would line the deck watching for the party to come sprinting down the dock. Everyone would cheer and call them by name telling them to hurry. That convinced us never to cut it that close.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we go out on our own, we always make certain that we are back to the ship at least 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail.

[DocF]

We get back aboard in plenty of time. One has to do this to watch the

"minutemen" make the 500 yard pier dash.

 

I have seen passengers at Grand Turk be sent up the crew gangway and even be pitched aboard by a couple of deckhands.

 

We also have watched the wonderful dejected look on the face of people who are suddenly sobering up to the reality that the large object moving away from the pier where they are standing is their ship.

[figi4]

on a few cruises, the entire ship would know who is late getting back. They would announce the name and cabin number of the party, asking them to call guest relations in the event they got on without checking in. We, along with many of the passengers, would line the deck watching for the party to come sprinting down the dock. Everyone would cheer and call them by name telling them to hurry. That convinced us never to cut it that close.

 

lol

[Katy_Tbird]

Always back at least an hour before all aboard is called. Except once in St. Maarten. We spent the day on the beach in Little Bay within full view of the Allure docked in Great Bay. We packed up early as usual to head back to the ship.

 

Grabbed a taxi to make the normally 20 minute trip back to the dock but at the bottom of the hill we found that the fine citizens of Philipsburg were having a parade that blocked the only road back to the ship. It would take at least a couple hours to walk around the bay back to the ship, especially with the crowds.

 

Fortunately, we were only a 1/2 hour walk to a pier where the water taxi makes round trips so we humped it through town to the pier and gladly paid the all day fare for a one-way trip back to the dock. Made it with 15 minutes to spare.

 

Good thing we always allow extra time. Could have ruined a perfectly good cruise. Trading a cruise for an airplane ride is NOT our idea of a good vacation.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Our sprinting days are long past, although we have never sprinted for the ship. I like to be back a hour before sail away.

[4x4bob]

The first photo I take when departing the ship for a port is the Be Back No Later Then sign.

 

However, Once in Greece our tour guide hustled us down to her favorite Gold Jewlery shop (spelled kick back)

 

We stayed way too much time in that shop. I wandered outside taking photos, but did not go out of sight of the shop. Another father and daughter did wander further afield.

 

By the time we got back to the bus it was late and the wife of the missing man was panicked. The tour guide told the woman that her husband had decided to take a cab back to the ship, don't know if that was true or not.

 

Then being held up in traffic made us about an hour late. On the ride back the wife and I were discussing airport options.

 

That is the only time in many years of going on cruises that I was late getting back on a ship which had waited for us. Because, watching pier runners is much better then being one.

 

Bob

[marshhawk]

I agree watching the runners is fun. I too marked that I get on 1/2 hour before departure, but that is only because if i am doing a shore excursion, then I am at the mercy of the driver-I prefer not having to rush to get to my ship.

 

During a Q and A on our last cruise, our cruise director informed us that there were 3 reasons why people miss the ship in Cozumel, three Amigos, Senior Frogs, and all inclusives on the beach. :)

[AKman2495]

We are usually back well before departure. One time, however, we were on a ships's tour that came back an hour late. The ship was there waiting for us, but the cool towels and the "welcome back" were not there. It was like "get on the ship"!

 

The tour was worth it, though!

[SteveH2508]

I only run in case of fire - besides it is undignified and it panics the troops.:cool: