Disembark Time

[abugarcia1]

Hello. We are looking to take a cruise with NCL next year. (Hopefully). We're wondering about how long does it take to disembark once you reach a port. For example if we arrive at a port at 7:00am if we scheduled dinner at 8:00pm would that allow us enough time to make it off and to a local restaurant? Thank you!

[1025cruise]

I'd be more concerned with the ship leaving by 8pm....

[abugarcia1]

Thanks for the reply. Some of the cruises we have been considering the time scheduled to leave port are 10 or 11pm. Long day potentially.

[hallux]

Keep in mind that you'll need to be on board at least 1 hour before sail-away.  With that in mind, an 8 PM reservation might cut it close if it's a 10 PM sail-away and dinner takes a while or the restaurant isn't that close to port.

[abugarcia1]

Good to know, thank you. Would you happen to know about how long it takes to get off the ship once you arrive in port?

[poohdreaming]

It depends on the port / the clearing of custom and if you have a shore excursion. If you have a shore excursion lined up, you are given priority to be off the cruise ship. It does not take long to get off. You would be gather at a meeting point on the cruise ship. Your shore excursion ticket will mention where the meeting point is. If you do not have a shore excursion, then you would either line up waiting to get off at a deck that is mentioned or you just walk off when certain times (no line up) after docking.

[abugarcia1]

Thank you, appreciate the information.

[casofilia]

@candkchinn

 

 For example if we arrive at a port at 7:00am if we scheduled dinner at 8:00pm would that allow us enough time to make it off and to a local restaurant? 

 

This doesn't read right to me; 11 hours to get to a restaurant?

[Budget Queen]

3 hours ago, poohdreaming said:

It depends on the port / the clearing of custom and if you have a shore excursion. If you have a shore excursion lined up, you are given priority to be off the cruise ship. It does not take long to get off. You would be gather at a meeting point on the cruise ship. Your shore excursion ticket will mention where the meeting point is. If you do not have a shore excursion, then you would either line up waiting to get off at a deck that is mentioned or you just walk off when certain times (no line up) after docking.

This is for tendering?    There is no priority for docked ships and ship shore excursions.   There is more than one debark gangway.   

[abugarcia1]

Yes thank you. That was a typo with the time. Rookie mistake. Thanks

[Roger88]

I never understood all these schedules really. To me they are so confusing. And I also never thought deeply about it. Does it have to do with anything? I mean, its not like I really care as long as Idont have to leave the ship in the middle of a night

[abugarcia1]

isn't that the truth 

[pinkie60]

What ship and port are you talking about. And why not schedule dinner sooner at 6 pm instead of 8 pm. All ports are so different and how far is the restaurant from the port. 

[abugarcia1]

The cruise we were looking at has been canceled. As first time cruisers we were just trying to figure out plans for a different cruise since ours has been canceled. The port would have been Victoria BC before it was canceled. 

[hallux]

1 hour ago, candkchinn said:

The port would have been Victoria BC

I was there last April - absolutely beautiful city.  I don't recall much in the way of sit-down places right near the port (meaning within a 5-10 minute walk for the average person) so you would definitely need to build in time for that, especially if you're going downtown.

 

Unfortunately - those late-arrival stops in Victoria are often procedural in nature, needed for meeting the foreign stop regulation (different from the distant foreign port requirement on one-way trips, to prevent violation of the PVSA) on a closed-loop Alaska cruise.

 

As a first-time cruiser one tip I will give you is to ALWAYS be mindful of the all-aboard time.  As I noted earlier, this is usually 1 hour before the scheduled departure in port of call cities.  Wear a regular watch (not a smart watch that has the time updated through your phone) and keep that watch set to ship's time as THAT is the clock you need to go by.

Edited June 9, 2020 by hallux

[abugarcia1]

That is a great tip! Appreciate that. thank you