Newbie questions re: schedule and "ship time" in Alaska

[Groovyyaya]

I debated putting these questions on the first time cruiser board, but thought it might be cruise line specific

 

I'm heading to Alaska on the Pearl in a couple of months. Round trip, out of Seattle. I know Alaska is an hour earlier that we are (I'm from Washington state) - what will "ship time" be? If it is Alaska time, does that mean that the "6 PM to 12 PM" time in Victoria, BC will be 7 PM to 1 AM BC time???

 

Also, reading the itinerary and the specific times, is that the time of the ship getting into Port (and leaving Port) or the time you must be back on board? If it is the time leaving the port - when should I get back to the ship to get back on board?

 

I wasn't going to worry about it, since for our first trip we're mainly sticking with cruise excursions - except for Juneau. We were thinking of just doing the tram and trip out to the Glacier. We figure we can just walk to the tram and buy the tickets there, and then take one of the shuttle buses I've read about to the glacier if we decide to go that day (unless people tell me that I should book ahead of time - it will be the 4th of July). Didn't want to book ahead in case the weather was bad, or we decided to shop instead :)

 

But, I'm not doing any excursions in Ketchikan - I have family there, and I'm hoping to see them. I don't want to tell them to meet me at the wrong time, or that they have to get me back by 1 PM, when I really needed to be back at noon!

[cb at sea]

You will know the night prior what time it will be. The ship's don't always change time to match ports...but sometimes, they do! It will be in your daily newsletter! Always check the ship's clock before you leave, and make sure your WATCH is set to the correct time!

 

If you're on a ship's excursion , time doesn't matter one bit...they take care of it for you!

[don't-use-real-name]

Basically Ship Time is the same as Port Time.

Your ship comes in and arrives at port time and departs at port time.

 

There are not a lot of clocks on ships to confuse things or move dials one way or another.

 

If there is going to be a change in time (Time Zone) your Daily newspaper in your cabin will alert you to this change.

Turn on the in cabin TV anytime and view the time at your current location.

Use the house phone to find out the time at your current location.

 

If crossing into a new time zone remember to change your watch forward or back to be on ships/port time when that occurs.

Know how to change the time format be in analog or digital and double check it against a known source.

 

The critical time of Time Zone changing would be in the Spring and Fall - DST CHANGES - use caution - Don't Spring Back

or Fall Forward !

 

When leaving the ship have a clear understanding of when to be back on board i.e. ship sails at 6PM back on board at least by

5:30PM. Plan it down to the last second and become comical fodder for the ships entertainment - No the pilot boat is not your

personal ferry to the ship.

 

P.S. you are on the wrong good ship lollypop if you are using Mickeys Big Hand for your time !

[hawkeyetlse]

It's very rare for ship's time to be different from local time in port, and I've never heard of it happening in Alaska. They will turn back the ship's clocks on the first or second night, so you'll be on Alaska time for all of your port stops up there. Easy!

[easyboy]

In addition, there wll be a notice onboard before there are time changes. Just make sure your time is the same as the ship's.

 

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[Kamloops50]

Have never been to Alaska where the ship didn't change to local time. Ship is always on local time.

[BirdTravels]

I'm heading to Alaska on the Pearl in a couple of months. Round trip, out of Seattle. I know Alaska is an hour earlier that we are (I'm from Washington state) - what will "ship time" be? If it is Alaska time, does that mean that the "6 PM to 12 PM" time in Victoria, BC will be 7 PM to 1 AM BC time???

The ship will change to the local port time. Each night, you will be notified of time changes.

Also, reading the itinerary and the specific times, is that the time of the ship getting into Port (and leaving Port) or the time you must be back on board? If it is the time leaving the port - when should I get back to the ship to get back on board?

All aboard time is 30 minutes before departure. If you are late, the ship will leave without you.

 

But, I'm not doing any excursions in Ketchikan - I have family there, and I'm hoping to see them. I don't want to tell them to meet me at the wrong time, or that they have to get me back by 1 PM, when I really needed to be back at noon!

The ship is on local port time. The ship normally in port earlier than the advertised arrival time. Pick a meeting point, your family can't come up to the ship.

Have a great cruise. We have done Alaska for the past 2 years.

[Kamloops50]

Victoria stop will be on the same time as Seattle or PDT.

 

 

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[Groovyyaya]

You will know the night prior what time it will be. The ship's don't always change time to match ports...but sometimes, they do! It will be in your daily newsletter! Always check the ship's clock before you leave, and make sure your WATCH is set to the correct time!

 

If you're on a ship's excursion , time doesn't matter one bit...they take care of it for you!

 

 

Well, crap. As I said, that doesn't help in terms of Ketchikan - there is no official "spend time with your cousin" excursion!

 

Hopefully someone will post the dailies from their trips on the Pearl this summer - doubt they'd change procedure just for my week!

[Kamloops50]

I debated putting these questions on the first time cruiser board, but thought it might be cruise line specific

 

I'm heading to Alaska on the Pearl in a couple of months. Round trip, out of Seattle. I know Alaska is an hour earlier that we are (I'm from Washington state) - what will "ship time" be? If it is Alaska time, does that mean that the "6 PM to 12 PM" time in Victoria, BC will be 7 PM to 1 AM BC time???

 

Also, reading the itinerary and the specific times, is that the time of the ship getting into Port (and leaving Port) or the time you must be back on board? If it is the time leaving the port - when should I get back to the ship to get back on board?

 

I wasn't going to worry about it, since for our first trip we're mainly sticking with cruise excursions - except for Juneau. We were thinking of just doing the tram and trip out to the Glacier. We figure we can just walk to the tram and buy the tickets there, and then take one of the shuttle buses I've read about to the glacier if we decide to go that day (unless people tell me that I should book ahead of time - it will be the 4th of July). Didn't want to book ahead in case the weather was bad, or we decided to shop instead :)

 

But, I'm not doing any excursions in Ketchikan - I have family there, and I'm hoping to see them. I don't want to tell them to meet me at the wrong time, or that they have to get me back by 1 PM, when I really needed to be back at noon!

 

 

They'll know what time to come. The cruise ships Ketchikan aren't hard to miss.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

Basically Ship Time is the same as Port Time.

 

Your ship comes in and arrives at port time and departs at port time.

 

 

 

There are not a lot of clocks on ships to confuse things or move dials one way or another.

 

 

 

If there is going to be a change in time (Time Zone) your Daily newspaper in your cabin will alert you to this change.

 

Turn on the in cabin TV anytime and view the time at your current location.

 

Use the house phone to find out the time at your current location.

 

 

 

If crossing into a new time zone remember to change your watch forward or back to be on ships/port time when that occurs.

 

Know how to change the time format be in analog or digital and double check it against a known source.

 

 

 

The critical time of Time Zone changing would be in the Spring and Fall - DST CHANGES - use caution - Don't Spring Back

 

or Fall Forward !

 

 

 

When leaving the ship have a clear understanding of when to be back on board i.e. ship sails at 6PM back on board at least by

 

5:30PM. Plan it down to the last second and become comical fodder for the ships entertainment - No the pilot boat is not your

 

personal ferry to the ship.

 

 

 

P.S. you are on the wrong good ship lollypop if you are using Mickeys Big Hand for your time !

 

 

There actually no pilot boats in Alaska. The pilot the ship in Vancouver ' date=' Seattle, Whittier or Seward .

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

It's very rare for ship's time to be different from local time in port, and I've never heard of it happening in Alaska. They will turn back the ship's clocks on the first or second night, so you'll be on Alaska time for all of your port stops up there. Easy!

 

 

They will move the clock back the night before the first port. Coming back they will move clocks forward the night before Victoria. Vancouver departures more or less use the schedule.

 

 

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[Groovyyaya]

Thank you everyone!!!!!!!!

 

Being my first cruise, I was planning on doing cruise excursions for the most part. But we're undecided on Juneau, and the ship timing was very important in terms of Ketchikan!

 

I know Victoria (the downtown part) pretty well - was hoping that the timing was going to be different so I could dash over to the Royal Museum if they have a good temp exhibit going.

 

I've watched enough YouTube "This person got left at port" videos to be VERY paranoid. Going to lie to the cousin about what time I need to be back just to be sure! I'm very aware that they know when the cruise ships come in (heard stories about that for years)... but the Pearl gets in at 6 AM, and she lives out of town -- I'm assuming she might be asleep or just getting up.

[OhJinkies]

Ships time is generally local time, unless you're cruising on Carnival. They usually just stay with the home port time throughout the entire cruise... it depends on the itinerary.

"All aboard" time is generally half an hour prior to posted departure time.

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

I've watched enough YouTube "This person got left at port" videos to be VERY paranoid.

For every one of those videos, there are like 100,000 videos that no one bothered making and posting, of people coming back to the ship on time, no problem. Don't be paranoid, just don't be careless/reckless/drunk, and you'll be fine.

[OhJinkies]

One more thing – Bring your Freestyle Daily on shore with you. It includes the "all aboard time" on the front page, along with port agent information. This is your emergency back-up in case you do miss the ship. Sometimes the port agent can help reconnect you with your ship via pilot boat, or at least give you a hand in making arrangements to catch up at the next port or get home.

 

 

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[Groovyyaya]

For every one of those videos, there are like 100,000 videos that no one bothered making and posting, of people coming back to the ship on time, no problem. Don't be paranoid, just don't be careless/reckless/drunk, and you'll be fine.

 

Only paranoid about Ketchikan - my cousin is ALWAYS late. (So am I on most things, except travel departures. Late to the airport is showing up an hour and 45 minutes early rather than 2 hours - and I always travel with carry on only, and precheck on the phone!)

[Groovyyaya]

One more thing – Bring your Freestyle Daily on shore with you. It includes the "all aboard time" on the front page, along with port agent information. This is your emergency back-up in case you do miss the ship. Sometimes the port agent can help reconnect you with your ship via pilot boat, or at least give you a hand in making arrangements to catch up at the next port or get home.

 

 

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GREAT tip!!!

 

Will probably have my friend and I just take pictures of it with our cell phones. I'll lose a piece of paper, but never my phone!