arrival and departure times

[georgiatraveler]

I am looking at several NCL cruises for 2010 and I am a little confused about the length of the port times.

 

If the cruise line shows arrival and departure times on the itinery and then notes that the disembarkation begins 2 hours after docking and cruisers must be back on board 2 hours before sailing does this mean that the port time is actually 4 hours less that the posted time? or are the extra hours before and after the posted times?

 

Thanks!

[pateoreo1]

I am looking at several NCL cruises for 2010 and I am a little confused about the length of the port times.

 

If the cruise line shows arrival and departure times on the itinery and then notes that the disembarkation begins 2 hours after docking and cruisers must be back on board 2 hours before sailing does this mean that the port time is actually 4 hours less that the posted time? or are the extra hours before and after the posted times?

 

Thanks!

 

All I can tell you is on our Alaskan cruise last month we would get into port and within 30min we were allowed off the ship. They post the times that you need to be back on board I think it is like 30-45min before they sail away. So if you got to port @6:00pm you were off the ship @6:30pm. If the ship was scheduled to leave @9:00pm you had to be onboard by 8:15 or 8:30. Hope this helps. The only time we had a 2hr time was on embarkation day.

[patseacruiser]

Embarcation day you have to be onboard a minimum of 1 hour early for 911 rules but generally you have to be back on port 1/2 hour before sailing. And usually customs clears the ship within an hour of docking. We did have to wait because there was an alien on our Canada cruise that did not present himself to immigration and until they tracked him down we couldn't get off but our excursions waited for us. It wasn't but a 1/2 hour or so.

[Heads&Tails]

I am looking at several NCL cruises for 2010 and I am a little confused about the length of the port times.

 

If the cruise line shows arrival and departure times on the itinery and then notes that the disembarkation begins 2 hours after docking and cruisers must be back on board 2 hours before sailing does this mean that the port time is actually 4 hours less that the posted time? or are the extra hours before and after the posted times?

 

Thanks!

 

The 2 hour rule pertain's to embarkment time for those that have not done their edocs/advance registration online. It's important that these docs are done ahead of time since 9/11.

[martinchem]

If you tender expect a delay, otherwise when reboarding be on ship 30 minutes before departure.

[uppitycats]

I am looking at several NCL cruises for 2010 and I am a little confused about the length of the port times.

 

If the cruise line shows arrival and departure times on the itinery and then notes that the disembarkation begins 2 hours after docking and cruisers must be back on board 2 hours before sailing does this mean that the port time is actually 4 hours less that the posted time? or are the extra hours before and after the posted times?

 

Thanks!

 

The 2 hours embarkation/disembarkation time is for the FIRST time you get on the ship, when you're beginning your cruise, and when you leave the ship for the LAST time. In other words, you have to be ON the ship 2 hours before it leaves the first port, and you can't LEAVE the ship for about 2 hours after it arrives at the LAST port (and you're getting off to leave home.)

 

Otherwise, for ports along the way, you generally have to be back on the ship no more than 30 minutes before it is to leave port. As for getting off at ports along the way-- usually you can get off within 30 minutes or so, but everybody rushes to do that, so there may be a line.

[Toyz711]

the port times will be posted in your daily newsletter, each night, for the next day. signs will be posted on the gangway.

some port vary, due to customs/officialas releasing the ship and allowing the passengers off. usually it's 30 mins to and hour, once the ship is docked. tendering is a different process...can take longer.

you can find out more, on each port, by going to that port-of-call board.

this sign is from our day in belize..the last tender was a hour before sailing. for other ports it's was 30 mins, before sail away, to walk back on.

[georgiatraveler]

Thanks for all of the replys. I cruised in Alaska last month on Princess and we always had to be back about 30 minutes before the posted departure time. I am now looking at European cruises and thought that the times may be different there.

 

The itinerary on NCL's web site has a footnote for every port day that disembarkation is 2 hours after docking and passengers must be back on board 2 hours before sailing. I called NCL today and was told that the 2 hours is only the first and last day of the cruise.

 

It just seems confusing the way it is presented on their web site. I definately don't want to get to Greese and discover that my 8 hour port days are actually 4 hours!

 

thanks for everyone's help

[gb58]

We did have to wait because there was an alien on our Canada cruise that did not present himself to immigration quote]

 

 

Was he green?? Was he visiting relatives in Roswell??:D:eek:

[garycarla]

I wish NCL was more clear about this. Folks come here weekly with this confusion.

 

2 hours before ORIGINAL departure.

 

Though they may say 30 minutes before departure in each port, you actually have until 1 minute before, though not advised.

 

Getting off is usually very soon after arrival. Varies on current mood of shore side officials.

 

And, the last day can be longer, especially if you return to a U.S. port. We are the king of paperwork.