How strict is the cruise departure time?

Hello,

My husband and I are going on our first cruise next month. Just curious how strict the cruise departure times are. For example, if a cruise ship is scheduled to leave the port at 5PM, do we just need to get to the port by say 4:45PM or do we need to get there earlier? I don't mean for check-in; this is just for when to return after spending a day exploring the port of call.

I have tea reservation at the Fairmont in Quebec at 2:30PM and the ship is scheduled to leave at 5PM. I figure maybe 90 minutes to enjoy the tea, so we would be done by 4PM. It looks like the Fairmont Hotel is only 0.7 mile (1.1 km) from the port and should only take 20 minutes of walking. Does this schedule seem okay, that we would get to the port by 4:20PM for a 5PM departure? The ship is supposed to leave from Le Terminal Port of Québec, 84 Rue Dalhousie, Quebe QC Canada. Is this port pretty easy to get to from the Fairmont?

Thank you in advance!

Hello,

 

 

 

 

 

My husband and I are going on our first cruise next month. Just curious how strict the cruise departure times are. For example, if a cruise ship is scheduled to leave the port at 5PM, do we just need to get to the port by say 4:45PM or do we need to get there earlier? I don't mean for check-in; this is just for when to return after spending a day exploring the port of call.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have tea reservation at the Fairmont in Quebec at 2:30PM and the ship is scheduled to leave at 5PM. I figure maybe 90 minutes to enjoy the tea, so we would be done by 4PM. It looks like the Fairmont Hotel is only 0.7 mile (1.1 km) from the port and should only take 20 minutes of walking. Does this schedule seem okay, that we would get to the port by 4:20PM for a 5PM departure? The ship is supposed to leave from Le Terminal Port of Québec, 84 Rue Dalhousie, Quebe QC Canada. Is this port pretty easy to get to from the Fairmont?

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you in advance!

Depends on the line, but if it's a port day then last call aboard is usually 30 mins prior to departure. If day of embarkation, I would plan to be there far earlier. Try for earlier tea!

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Usually, all aboard is 30 minutes before departure, so for a 5:00 departure, 4:30. At 5:01, you will be waving to the back of the ship.

Usually, all aboard is 30 minutes before departure, so for a 5:00 departure, 4:30. At 5:01, you will be waving to the back of the ship.

Exactly!

Regular port stop pier 21 or 22

If you dock across from the Old Town then just walk to the funicular from the Fairmont then at the bottom walk to the port

in front of Fairmont

View of Quai 22 from near top by funicular

you do need to walk up the road a bit to the port entrance

I would allow at least 30 mins in case there is a line for the funicular

as long as you are on the ship by 4:30 you will be fine

They do leave people behind, so I wouldn't cut it too close. If they can, they'll wait a few minutes for late-comers, but even then you have to face the walk of shame. :)

I like to aim to be near the ship 60mins before...

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Not sure if you can take luggage on the funicular, as it is gets crowded. You should check with them ahead of time.

From their website:

"Strollers are permitted in the Funicular, but must absolutely be folded (No exceptions allowed)."

Just looked at the itinerary

OP this is your EMBARKATION port

Oct 6th you would need to be onboard 90 mins before sailing time so in that case you will not have time for High tea

You are overnighting in Quebec city so I would do the Tea on Oct 5th then there is no worries about missing the ship

Drop your bags on day 1 check in then head off to sightsee & do the High tea

Day 2 in QC you can do the lower town & other areas but be back on the ship before 3:30pm ...3Pm would be better

OP: for each of your port calls, the daily written program (usually left in your stateroom the night before) will tell you the deadline for when you MUST be back on board. Every ship I've ever been on has also posted this information on the gangway where you can double check it before you get off the ship. This "back on board" time is NOT a suggestion. (And, to be on the safe side, we never try to cut it that close.)

For your embarkation port (the port where you get on the ship for the first time), you will have received information from the cruise line about the time by which you MUST be on board.

Enjoy your first cruise!

Best to be on board at least a half hour before departing when tied up to a pier when touring.

Also tendering back to the ship from a tendering port, you would really take the second to the last tender back to the ship (about 3/4 - 1 hour) before departing.

We have witnessed from the upper decks with many other passengers, watching passengers running to the ship when we hear the gangway being pulled on board from below. We are all yelling to them to "Run, Run, Run.. and they make it in time with Cheers... But that's too close.

You don't want to be one of those people that is video taped running or standing on the pier while the ship is well backed away from the pier.

You Tube is filled with many, many, many videos of dozens of people missing the ship and they have to make their way to the next port on their own.

"Best To Be Safe Then Sorry! :(:(:(:o

My kids love to stand on the upper deck cheering on late comers. Once, in Nassau, folks were real lucky and a police boat delivered them after the ship left.

My kids love to stand on the upper deck cheering on late comers. Once, in Nassau, folks were real lucky and a police boat delivered them after the ship left.

Seen that too even by tug at Barbados.....Best be on the side of Cheering.....

We have seen our cruise ships leave people at 4 different ports in our 20 years of sailing. I am sure they left others but we witnessed the pull out and crying whaling people on the pier on 4 occasions. I would never ever chance it. I dont even like getting back to ships in the last hour before deadline unless we are on an excursion planned by the ship and cruise line that we know will cause the ship to wait

We have seen our cruise ships leave people at 4 different ports in our 20 years of sailing. I am sure they left others but we witnessed the pull out and crying whaling people on the pier on 4 occasions. I would never ever chance it. I dont even like getting back to ships in the last hour before deadline unless we are on an excursion planned by the ship and cruise line that we know will cause the ship to wait

We too use the ship's excursions as a safe way to travel a distance from the ship and know they are waiting for us.

Don't even want to know the feeling of having to make your way to the next port on your own with everything and everyone on board.

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