Question on when to get back to ship

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

If it's an option sure but the cruise line will still need to know that and the port agent would be the one to tell them.

Agreed.

[lenquixote66]

On our first cruise we wandered off on our own and realized that the ship would be leaving in 45 minutes .We were more than an hour from the cruise port and we decided to hitchhike .A guy picked us up and we told him where we needed to be.He did not believe that we could get back on time but he exceeded the speed limit and got us back as the crew was in the process of leaving .Luckily we were able to board.

[Hlitner]

DW and I have been doing on own thing at cruise ports (all over the world) for decades and have never missed a ship (came close on two occasions).   For us, going off on our own (even when we go hours from the port) is not a big deal.  But, it does involve planning to minimize the risk and, at some ports, to have a Plan B, in case we would miss the ship (this has never happened.  

 

The first rule is always (and I mean ALWAYS) know when you must be back and know the proper time.  The basic rule is to head towards your most distant place early in the day and work your way back towards the cruise port as you get closer to when you must be back aboard.  Another of our basic rules is to never rely on the last possible train unless we feel good about catching up to the ship the following day.  Trains do run late and some times get cancelled.  Allowing extra time gives you some wiggle room to find an alternative way back to the ship (i.e. taxi, etc).

 

Another very important thing is to have the name and phone number of the ship's agent (this is usually in the daily schedule) so you can call if you will miss the ship.  These days some vessels have a direct phone number and we always ask about this (early in any cruise) since it can be very handy to be able to directly call a ship.

o

Although we prefer NOT to carry our Passports, in Europe we always have photocopies on our phones.  This can be necessary in the event you need to check-in to a hotel if you need to move to Plan B and play catch-up.  I should mention that there are times when I rent a car (in Europe) where the rental agency does want to see my Passport (a copy on the phone is often acceptable).

 

Hank

 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 12/15/2022 at 9:28 AM, sparks1093 said:

That is a good point about having multiple ships in port. I did read a thread where the OP was at Senor Frogs (Nassau I believe) and kept looking at his ship thinking "I still have time". Eventually he realized it was another Carnival ship that was in port and his had sailed. Of course had he been mindful of the time as well he would have made the ship.

That's a special kind of stupid.  Was he thinking he'd wait until his ship started to move, and then -- what? -- jump on?  

On 12/20/2022 at 9:27 PM, lenquixote66 said:

On our first cruise we wandered off on our own and realized that the ship would be leaving in 45 minutes .We were more than an hour from the cruise port and we decided to hitchhike .A guy picked us up and we told him where we needed to be.He did not believe that we could get back on time but he exceeded the speed limit and got us back as the crew was in the process of leaving .Luckily we were able to board.

I hope you bought a lottery ticket because that was your lucky day!  

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

... But, it does involve planning to minimize the risk and, at some ports, to have a Plan B ...

Yep, we minimize risk by choosing relatively close-to-the-port options ... by photographing the ship's agent information ... by always having money for a taxi, just in case ... and by having written directions as well as GoogleMaps.

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The first rule is always (and I mean ALWAYS) know when you must be back and know the proper time. 

Yes, and understand ship's time vs. island time.  I never change my watch; rather, if I'm "losing an hour" because of the time change, I'll just take that hour away from my allotted time.  Plus I always aim for two hours ahead of all-aboard; I'm not comfortable cutting it too close.  

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The basic rule is to head towards your most distant place early in the day and work your way back towards the cruise port as you get closer to when you must be back aboard. 

Okay, that's such a basic concept -- so clear in my mind -- that it's right up there with "wear shoes off the ship".  I'm not being sarcastic, just I can't imagine why this isn't obvious to everyone.  

[K32682]

We generally plan to be back on the boat 30 minutes before all aboard time. We carry our passports with us in the event we don't make it. 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, K32682 said:

We generally plan to be back on the boat 30 minutes before all aboard time. We carry our passports with us in the event we don't make it. 

SOP is for the security staff to open your cabin safe and take your passports out (everyone uses the safe for passports don't they ?)  and give them to the port agent, should you not get back to the ship.

No need to carry your passport with you.

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, K32682 said:

We generally plan to be back on the boat 30 minutes before all aboard time. We carry our passports with us in the event we don't make it. 

I don't think 30 minutes is enough.  Traffic, a twisted ankle, any other small problem could delay you by that much time.  

 

Anyway, it seems to me that most "all aboards" are around 5:00 and most people tend to return to the ship 1:00 - 3:00ish.  That seems to be the amount of time most people need /want for a typical excursion or "walking around".  

27 minutes ago, wowzz said:

SOP is for the security staff to open your cabin safe and take your passports out (everyone uses the safe for passports don't they ?)  and give them to the port agent, should you not get back to the ship.

No need to carry your passport with you.

I honestly don't know whether they search for your passports, but I agree that carrying your passport isn't necessary.  Your risk of losing it or having it pick-pocketed is greater than your risk of missing the ship.  From reading this board you can get the idea that multiple people miss the ship at every port -- but it's actually pretty rare.  

[cruisemom42]

5 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Anyway, it seems to me that most "all aboards" are around 5:00 and most people tend to return to the ship 1:00 - 3:00ish.  That seems to be the amount of time most people need /want for a typical excursion or "walking around".  

 

While this may be the case in the Caribbean, there are a lot of cruises that go elsewhere. In Europe very few people are coming back to the ship early....

[Mum2Mercury]

Just now, cruisemom42 said:

 

While this may be the case in the Caribbean, there are a lot of cruises that go elsewhere. In Europe very few people are coming back to the ship early....

Yes, I was thinking of the Caribbean.  

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

While this may be the case in the Caribbean, there are a lot of cruises that go elsewhere. In Europe very few people are coming back to the ship early....

Exactly.  Many full day tours ( and I mean real full days - think 8am to 5pm) in Europe. 

[Hlitner]

It occurred to me that many in this thread are only thinking about Caribbean islands.  My post was also intended for ports all over the world.  Most (not all) Caribbean islands are relatively compact and passengers are likely going to be within a few miles of the port.  But once you start cruising in other parts of the world you will likely discover that there are port days when you will travel 50+ miles from the port.  Many of us routinely go (on our own) more than 50 miles from the port and that does require some good planning.

 

Again, I urge folks to do their pre-trip homework and know your options.  Another issue (especially in the Caribbean) is that it is a good idea for at least one person (within a group) stay relatively sober so they can look out for their friends and have a mind that continues to function 🙂

 

Hank

[jsn55]

49 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

It occurred to me that many in this thread are only thinking about Caribbean islands.  My post was also intended for ports all over the world.  Most (not all) Caribbean islands are relatively compact and passengers are likely going to be within a few miles of the port.  But once you start cruising in other parts of the world you will likely discover that there are port days when you will travel 50+ miles from the port.  Many of us routinely go (on our own) more than 50 miles from the port and that does require some good planning.

 

Again, I urge folks to do their pre-trip homework and know your options.  Another issue (especially in the Caribbean) is that it is a good idea for at least one person (within a group) stay relatively sober so they can look out for their friends and have a mind that continues to function 🙂

 

Hank

Yeah, when it comes to avoiding Pier Runs, sobriety is often the key.

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

SOP is for the security staff to open your cabin safe and take your passports out (everyone uses the safe for passports don't they ?)  and give them to the port agent, should you not get back to the ship.

No need to carry your passport with you.

 

 Yes, there are two schools of thought on taking passports ashore.

I agree with you - the risk of your passport getting lost or stolen or damaged ashore is greater than the risk of missing the sailing. And yes, the usual routine is for the crew to search the cabin safe for the passports of anyone who's still missing at sailaway time and hand them to the port agent (sometimes via the pilot boat).

The advice of the captain & senior crew is the same.

 

But if you plan to rent a car, check with the rental agency whether a passport is needed as well as a DL.

 

Long time ago I gave up trying to persuade folk to leave their passports in their cabin safe if not required by immigration to take them ashore, nowadays I stick to telling them of the risks & consequences & leave them to make their own decision.

 

JB 🙂

[Smokeyham]

14 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Okay, that's such a basic concept -- so clear in my mind -- that it's right up there with "wear shoes off the ship".  I'm not being sarcastic, just I can't imagine why this isn't obvious to everyone.  

It sounds like you are quite an experienced traveler, so things which might seem obvious may be new ideas to those less experienced.  

I appreciate the ideas expressed by everyone, especially given this is a board for those who are new to cruising.

[K32682]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

SOP is for the security staff to open your cabin safe and take your passports out (everyone uses the safe for passports don't they ?)  and give them to the port agent, should you not get back to the ship.

No need to carry your passport with you.

 

You can choose to rely on the "SOP" and the security staff and hope you can reach the port agent if you miss the boat or you can be entirely self-reliant and carry it yourself. I choose me.  

[wowzz]

37 minutes ago, K32682 said:

 

You can choose to rely on the "SOP" and the security staff and hope you can reach the port agent if you miss the boat or you can be entirely self-reliant and carry it yourself. I choose me.  

Individual choice, and individual risk assessment.  JB and I have similar views. You have yours.

Do whatever you are happy with.

[Heidi13]

45 minutes ago, K32682 said:

 

You can choose to rely on the "SOP" and the security staff and hope you can reach the port agent if you miss the boat or you can be entirely self-reliant and carry it yourself. I choose me.  

 

I don't need to hope I can reach the "Ship's Agent", as we don't go ashore without having their contact details with us, either taking the daily paper or copying. Never had any issue contacting the Ship's Agent, in many years at sea.

 

The passports, of no-show pax, are normally landed ashore, unless they are not in the safe/readily apparent, or the Master deems they have insufficient time to delay departure. It is not security that makes this decision.

 

We prefer to base the decision on a risk assessment, determining if the potential theft of our passports is more of a risk than being able to contact the agent and retrieving passports. Having dealt with ship's agents and been involved in the process of sending passports ashore, from my experience in the industry, the potential risk of having the passport stolen is greater than getting the passports from the agent. We tend to carry our actual passports when it is mandated by the country we are visiting.

[K32682]

14 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

I don't need to hope I can reach the "Ship's Agent", as we don't go ashore without having their contact details with us, either taking the daily paper or copying. Never had any issue contacting the Ship's Agent, in many years at sea.

 

The passports, of no-show pax, are normally landed ashore, unless they are not in the safe/readily apparent, or the Master deems they have insufficient time to delay departure. It is not security that makes this decision.

 

We prefer to base the decision on a risk assessment, determining if the potential theft of our passports is more of a risk than being able to contact the agent and retrieving passports. Having dealt with ship's agents and been involved in the process of sending passports ashore, from my experience in the industry, the potential risk of having the passport stolen is greater than getting the passports from the agent. We tend to carry our actual passports when it is mandated by the country we are visiting.

 

Contacting the ship's agent may be a challenge if you are in hospital or detained by authorities. Even if you do reach the port agent there is no guarantee they will have it. As you noted the crew may decide they have better things to do than rummage through your cabin looking for your passport.

 

In the very unlikely event I lose my passport while ashore I can still get back on the boat and would rather sort out a missing passport in the secure comfort of my cabin than in a foreign country. I keep photo copies of my passport in the safe. 

 

Certainly people who are careless with their documents or lack the confidence in their ability to carry them securely should leave their passports on the boat and take their chances that "normal" procedures are followed if they can't get back before departure. 

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, K32682 said:

Certainly people who are careless with their documents or lack the confidence in their ability to carry them securely

So, you are saying that in every case of robbery or mugging, it is the fault  of  the individual's inability to securely carry their belongings ?

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

Contacting the ship's agent may be a challenge if you are in hospital or detained by authorities. Even if you do reach the port agent there is no guarantee they will have it. As you noted the crew may decide they have better things to do than rummage through your cabin looking for your passport.

 

In the very unlikely event I lose my passport while ashore I can still get back on the boat and would rather sort out a missing passport in the secure comfort of my cabin than in a foreign country. I keep photo copies of my passport in the safe. 

 

Certainly people who are careless with their documents or lack the confidence in their ability to carry them securely should leave their passports on the boat and take their chances that "normal" procedures are followed if they can't get back before departure. 

 

In the highly unlikely event I am detained by the authorities, whether I am carrying my passport is the least of my worries, and I will be contacting the local Canadian or UK Consulates requesting assistance for more than a temporary passport.

 

You may be capable of securing your passport against common pick-pockets, but no matter how well hidden, it isn't secure against muggings, which are rather common in a number of port cities. If you are mugged and end up in hospital, the probability of muggers taking the ship's daily news paper or the agent's contact details is fairly low, so in all probability you or the hospital can still contact the agent. Failing that you contact the local Consulate, who will check with the ship's agent.

 

Pax that lose passports ashore can have a challenging time getting a temporary replacement due to to ship visiting multiple ports and not all ports have access to consular services. It may take a few days to acquire a replacement passport, in many countries.

 

BTW - in the unlikely event, time is not available to land passports ashore, that decision is not made by the "Crew", it is made by the Master, who is not a member of the crew. If not landing passports ashore, the Master does not have, "Better things to do", they have valid operational and/or safety reasons for not delaying departure by a further few minutes.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Heidi13

[sparks1093]

All cruise lines require passengers to carry the required documentation throughout the cruise. If one loses their documentation then the cruise will likely put the passenger ashore where the passenger will have to sort things out. One could potentially hide the fact their passport is gone but I suspect that would make sorting things out more difficult.

 

 

 

 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 12/22/2022 at 9:45 AM, Hlitner said:

... Again, I urge folks to do their pre-trip homework and know your options ...

I don't care what topic you're discussing, doing your homework /knowing your options is always the right answer.  

On 12/22/2022 at 2:50 PM, Smokeyham said:

It sounds like you are quite an experienced traveler, so things which might seem obvious may be new ideas to those less experienced.  

Well, starting from the farthest point and "working your way back" is good advice at home too, say, while you're running errands.  Organization is my super power.  

On 12/22/2022 at 6:03 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

I don't need to hope I can reach the "Ship's Agent", as we don't go ashore without having their contact details with us, either taking the daily paper or copying. Never had any issue contacting the Ship's Agent, in many years at sea.

Agree.  Both my husband and I will have this person's name /phone in our backpacks.  

On 12/22/2022 at 6:03 PM, Heidi13 said:

... We prefer to base the decision on a risk assessment, determining if the potential theft of our passports is more of a risk than being able to contact the agent and retrieving passports ...

Agree:   risk assessment. 

 

You have tremendous control over whether you return to the ship on time.  Sure, you may encounter problems -- maybe even a really serious problem -- but if you've made good choices, you're going to be okay.  That is, if you've kept your group together, you have money for an unexpected taxi, you know the pier you're trying to find, and -- perhaps most important -- you've allotted yourself plenty of time for your return trip.  If you've made good choices, it would take something genuinely awful to keep you from making it back to the ship.  

 

On the other hand, in every port evil-doers are waiting for tourists, and they hone their craft in the same way you work hard at your job.  You can make good choices to minimize your chances of being a victim, but it only takes a moment of distraction or bad luck for you to become their victim.  You don't have a great deal of control over whether the pickpocket (or worse, mugger) picks you.  

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

On the other hand, in every port evil-doers are waiting for tourists, and they hone their craft in the same way you work hard at your job.  You can make good choices to minimize your chances of being a victim, but it only takes a moment of distraction or bad luck for you to become their victim.  You don't have a great deal of control over whether the pickpocket (or worse, mugger) picks you.  

Excellent points.

Which is why we take as little of value as possible when going ashore. 

To be fair,  passports are of little value to the average pickpocket/mugger etc. They really want  cash or credit cards.  Unfortunately people tend to keep their wallets/purses together with their passport,  so if they get robbed,  they lose everything. 

[K32682]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

On the other hand, in every port evil-doers are waiting for tourists, and they hone their craft in the same way you work hard at your job.  You can make good choices to minimize your chances of being a victim, but it only takes a moment of distraction or bad luck for you to become their victim.  You don't have a great deal of control over whether the pickpocket (or worse, mugger) picks you.  

 

You have more control than you think. Situational awareness, advance preparation and a little common sense go a long way. A pickpocket is not getting my passport. A mugger might but he would more likely prefer pursuing easier targets. 

 

To be sure if the prospect of losing your passport concerns you more than being stranded in a foreign country without it then leave it in the cabin, hope the crew gets it to the port agent if you miss the boat and that you can manage to track down the agent. 

 

[jsn55]

On 12/23/2022 at 12:46 PM, sparks1093 said:

All cruise lines require passengers to carry the required documentation throughout the cruise. If one loses their documentation then the cruise will likely put the passenger ashore where the passenger will have to sort things out. One could potentially hide the fact their passport is gone but I suspect that would make sorting things out more difficult.

 

"All cruise lines require passengers to carry the required documentation throughout the cruise."  What does this mean???  I carry my room key; what is required documentation?