How FAST can u GET OFF the board!!

[shorjai]

hi just wondering, if we arrive at the ports, HOW fast can we get off the ship?? we do have to line up to get out??

 

thanks

[Wennfred]

hi just wondering, if we arrive at the ports, HOW fast can we get off the ship?? we do have to line up to get out??

 

thanks

 

Yes, you have to line up to get out as there are people moving in front of you. Lets say a ship docks Pier side at 7am, you can be off the ship by 7:15, it should take 15 to 20 minutes.

 

2 things will happen, 1 the photo people will be holding up the line due to those gangway photos and 2, the security check point machine, sometimes they have to take retake a picture or something and that will hold up the line.

 

By the way why do you need to get off the ship ASAP?

 

 

 

Fred

[momofzeke]

What Fred said is true, provided you are not in a port where you have to tender. Which ports will you be at?

[Rockee4055]

hi just wondering, if we arrive at the ports, HOW fast can we get off the ship?? we do have to line up to get out??

 

thanks

 

A couple things here.

If you have a shore excursion in the morning you will usually be taken in a group to the gangway to get off. That will usually be a priority departure since you are on a Carnival purchased tour.

 

If we are going to just go ashore to shop or walk around we will usually wait until we have breakfast and just kind of chill a bit. The lines are normally very short or non-existent at that point and you can just walk off with no waiting.

[shorjai]

Thanks for the information guys, i need to hurry to get off to go take a FERRY from ST. thomas to Tortola. My ferry is at 8:45AM. i will be at ST. thomas at 7AM. From cruise Terminal to the ferry is about 20min.

 

i will be heading to Dolphini discovery located in BVI. which is in Tortola, i just want stuff to plan out SMOOTH..

[Wennfred]

Thanks for the information guys, i need to hurry to get off to go take a FERRY from ST. thomas to Tortola. My ferry is at 8:45AM. i will be at ST. thomas at 7AM. From cruise Terminal to the ferry is about 20min.

 

i will be heading to Dolphini discovery located in BVI. which is in Tortola, i just want stuff to plan out SMOOTH..

 

You have plenty of time, no rush. Did you book this excursion on your own or with Carnival?

 

 

Fred

[shorjai]

i booked on my own... the carnival shore excursion doesnt have this tour cuz i am goin to southern carribean.

[Wennfred]

i booked on my own... the carnival shore excursion doesnt have this tour cuz i am goin to southern carribean.

 

Thats good to know, please return and post your separate review with times and prices on how all of this worked out for you because myself and others we would be interested to do this on our own also.

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Fred

[shorjai]

the ferry is $55 dollar and dolphin discovery is $99 dollar. i will post a review for u guys, as soon as i am back from the cruise..

[NCTribeFan]

Depending on your itinerary, you may have to clear immigrations in St Thomas. That experience seems to vary greatly from sailing to sailing. Could be off the ship quickly, could take quite a while.

[zqvol]

the ferry is $55 dollar and dolphin discovery is $99 dollar. i will post a review for u guys, as soon as i am back from the cruise..

 

You need to take a hard look at doing this. You have better than a 50 - 50 chance of missing the ship on the way back.

 

Some problems include:

 

1. You have to clear immigration when you arrive is St. Thomas. You should not count on being off the ship before 8:00 a.m.

 

2. You have to clear customs when you arrive at Tortola. This can easily take any extra 45 minutes.

 

3. The ferries in the islands run on island time, and there is no promise that you will be on time. In addition they have been known to cancel trips for no reason.

 

4. When you get back to St. Thomas you have to clear both customs and immigration. Sometimes this is fast sometimes not so fast depending on if CBP officers are available or not.

 

This is an ambitious excursion for someone who is staying overnight on St. Thomas, and is almost guaranteed to be a disaster for someone on a cruise ship.

 

If you stop to think about it, if it was a doable excursion Carnival would be offering it because of its popularity.

[dan40]

Actually the ship must clear immigration at every different country [island] visited. Immigration on the islands just wants to be sure the passengers have lots of pictures of dead Presidents to bring ashore. Sometimes, but very rarely this takes a little time.

 

Dan

[shorjai]

uh huh.. but i give my self lots of hrs coming back to the cruise. the excursion ends at 12PM and take the Ferry at 2:45pm going back to St. Thomas, i will arrive at St. thomas at 3:45. My cruise depart at 5:00pm.. Should be no problem at all...

[Wennfred]

uh huh.. but i give my self lots of hrs coming back to the cruise. the excursion ends at 12PM and take the Ferry at 2:45pm going back to St. Thomas, i will arrive at St. thomas at 3:45. My cruise depart at 5:00pm.. Should be no problem at all...

 

On the front of the Capers for St. Thomas it has an Emergency number incase something happens with the Ferry. Make sure you write this emergency number down or take a copy of the Capers with you. You can call them and let them know your status. Onboard Freedom since we went to San Juan Puerto Rico first we didnt have to go through customs in St. Thomas but the people that were on the Triumph did, most of them were off the ship by 8:30am.

 

 

Fred

[shorjai]

thanks all of u for the information. VERY helpful...

[vacruizer]

uh huh.. but i give my self lots of hrs coming back to the cruise. the excursion ends at 12PM and take the Ferry at 2:45pm going back to St. Thomas, i will arrive at St. thomas at 3:45. My cruise depart at 5:00pm.. Should be no problem at all...

 

I would really reconsider this, too. What if your 3:45 ferry is late or there is traffic and the 20 minute ride back to the pier takes 45 minutes? You will be asked to be back onboard by 4:30 for a 5pm sailing - if your ferry is on time that only gives you 45 minutes clear immigration and customs and make the 20 minute ride back to ship. If your ferry is late or your cab ride is longer than you think you may well miss the ship.

 

I'd make sure I had a passport and good travel insurance before I did this. No - actually - I just wouldn't do it - 25 minutes of extra time is just not long enough for me. I actually think the passport may be required for the ferry trip to Tortola anyway but am not sure on that one.