How much time do I have on embarkation day?

[Richard M Nixon]

I'm a first time cruiser putting together my pre-cruise itinerary before a Danube cruise on the Crystal Ravel. Embarkation is from noon to 6pm and the boat remains at the port overnight. I'd like to go into the city and spend the evening there. Will I be able to? I understand that there will be a mandatory muster drill at about 6:30 but is there anything after that? I assume I can just leave the boat after the drill and come back whenever I choose.

[G.M.T.]

Which embarkation port?

[Richard M Nixon]

10 minutes ago, G.M.T. said:

Which embarkation port?

Budapest

[Roz]

It's a cruise ship, not prison. 😄

[Richard M Nixon]

3 minutes ago, Roz said:

It's a cruise ship, not prison. 😄

Ha - I guess my question is more 'is the muster drill the only thing I have to be there for and I'm free after 6:30?' Are there any interesting onboard activities planned for the first night, like an overview of the week?

[Roz]

39 minutes ago, Richard M Nixon said:

Ha - I guess my question is more 'is the muster drill the only thing I have to be there for and I'm free after 6:30?' Are there any interesting onboard activities planned for the first night, like an overview of the week?

 

I've only sailed Uniworld, but on the first night the cruise director would gather us in the lounge and give us an overview of the week.  Afterwards there was an opportunity to sign up for shorex so they had a head count.  

[Daisi]

43 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

I've only sailed Uniworld, but on the first night the cruise director would gather us in the lounge and give us an overview of the week.  Afterwards there was an opportunity to sign up for shorex so they had a head count.  

 

I think this is standard, as it was the same with Avalon.  I believe the briefing was only for a bit before dinner, as it was just an overview, then they did nightly ones 1/2 hr before dinner each night that was in more detail.

 

One  thing to warn you about...make sure to inform the front desk you are going off exploring, and make sure you know what time to be back by.  Avalon would let us know when they "locked" the entrance - I'm thinking it was quite early in the morning like 2 or so, but still...if you are out exploring bars etc, you just might want to get back on board when you finish. 🙂

 

[Coral]

Yes - you are free after Muster to go into town.

 

We had a few who missed Muster drill due to late flights. I assume they had a makeup Muster Drill.

[franski]

On 9/25/2019 at 1:06 PM, Daisi said:

One  thing to warn you about...make sure to inform the front desk you are going off exploring, and make sure you know what time to be back by.  Avalon would let us know when they "locked" the entrance - I'm thinking it was quite early in the morning like 2 or so, but still...if you are out exploring bars etc, you just might want to get back on board when you finish. 🙂

 

Any time you leave the boat, you will hand in your room key at the front desk, and they will give you a "shore pass"...  this has the information for the ship in case you need assistance (ie: want to take a taxi back, and the driver doesn't speak your language....).  This way, they also know who is on and off the ship.

Some boats have a door code to punch in on a key pad if the doors are locked.  Even if they don't there is a someone on the desk 24/7... they may be doing rounds, but you would only have to wait a few minutes for them to return (the boats aren't that big....).

 

Fran

[Coral]

42 minutes ago, franski said:

Any time you leave the boat, you will hand in your room key at the front desk, and they will give you a "shore pass"...  this has the information for the ship in case you need assistance (ie: want to take a taxi back, and the driver doesn't speak your language....).  This way, they also know who is on and off the ship.

Some boats have a door code to punch in on a key pad if the doors are locked.  Even if they don't there is a someone on the desk 24/7... they may be doing rounds, but you would only have to wait a few minutes for them to return (the boats aren't that big....).

 

Fran

On Crystal - we had a magnetic card similar to what large cruise lines and hotels use. They would beep you out and beep you back in. We were not handed "a shore pass". They have "Security" at the entrance at all times when in dock. They did have maps at the front desk which probably showed our docking info.

 

Crystal ran our river cruise much like they run their ocean cruise. We didn't have nightly meetings like most river cruise lines do.

 

On Crystal there is a gathering the first night. I missed it as it was labeled "Meet the Officers". I didn't realize there was more to it. We had only one other meeting midway through as our itinerary slightly changed. It was a day when we were sailing in the morning and in port after lunch.

 

Excursions can be reserved online in advance (which I recommend) or at the front desk (and probably on the iPad in the room). They leave the excursion information in the rooms.

Edited September 28, 2019 by Coral

[Keith1010]

We began our Crystal Cruises May River Cruise with an overnight.

 

They did have the Muster drill late in the afternoon the first day.  I am sure if you are off the ship you can make it up.  Just ask when you are on board.

 

You come and go as you please.

 

We were on Mozart and we had two people who alternated as the security guard throughout the voyage and were at the entrance to the ship to swipe the shipboard card but if not there someone at the reception desk could do this.  Yes you can come as you please 24 hours when the ship is docked.

 

Keith