Re-Boarding TWO Hours Before Ship Departs???

[eddeb]

I just read That ALL passengers must be back on board TWO

hours before the ship leaves every port, including Castaway

Cay, which NCL owns, due to "security?"

 

We had a taxi driver in Nassau tell us about 20 years ago.

 

"They want to keep you on the ship because they don't

want you spending your money off the ship..."

 

Some of the islands are short to begin with...2 hrs?

 

Tell me it ain't so folks! :(

 

Do they make folks getting back to the ship 45 minutes before

pulling anchor walk the plank?

 

Your input and thoughts please.

 

Beetlejuice is coming for Halloween on the Pearl... :)

 

The Moore Family

Tampa Bay

[bakerintn]

Maybe you can share where you read that.

 

In my experience, 30 minutes not two hours before departure at ports after first boarding in port of departure. The two hours has been the limit for the initial boarding in a U.S. port, but not thereafter.

 

Maybe recheck / re-read your source and let us know.

[Don Haynes]

NCL wants you to board the ship two hours before leaving the home port. For ports of call they want you back a half hour before the ship sails to the next port of call.

[eddeb]

We pulled up our itinerary, and at each port on the NCL

site, including Castaway Cay, to reboard 2 hours early.

 

Perhaps this is is old info...

 

NCL shoul remove it if it is... as it certainly got our attention.

 

Click on you cruise on NCL,

then click each Island you are visiting.

 

The click on each Port, and will find

it in print on every Island.

 

Let us know what cha thing folks! :)

 

The Moore Family

Tampa Bay

[Arwenmark]

We pulled up our itinerary, and at each port on the NCL

site, including Castaway Cay, to reboard 2 hours early.

 

Perhaps this is is old info...

 

NCL shoul remove it if it is... as it certainly got our attention.

 

Click on you cruise on NCL,

then click each Island you are visiting.

 

The click on each Port, and will find

it in print on every Island.

 

Let us know what cha thing folks! :)

 

The Moore Family

Tampa Bay

 

I attempted what you said and on the itenary page it says you must be on board 2 hours before sailing for security reasons [THAT refers to DEPARTURE PORT ONLY]

 

It also says Disembarkation usually begins 2 hours after docking that is for the END of the cruise only.

 

That is the only time those times apply, you must be on board 45 min before sailing at ports of call and you debark the ship as soon as the country involved clears the ship to do so.

[FanofFlorida]

This is what is posted below my itinerary:

 

Disembarkation usually begins 2 hours after docking.

Due to security reasons, all guests must be on board 2 hours before sailing.

Itineraries are subject to change at any time without notice.

 

I read that as I need to be on the ship in Los Angeles by 3pm for our 5pm sailing

[eddeb]

So happy to hear your great responses.

 

 

If you click on each Port it says the same

thing at the bottom. not just under

the main departure port.

 

So Happy we can spend more time,

as it goes toooo fast...

Thanks for your help/ :)

 

Lookin forward to a cheesburger in Paradise very soon.

 

The Moore Family

Tampa Bay

[sparks1093]

The Freestyle Daily will have the day's departure time including the time you are expected to return to the ship listed for each port of call.

[mrstrod]

I just read That ALL passengers must be back on board TWO

hours before the ship leaves every port, including Castaway

Cay, which NCL owns, due to "security?"

 

We had a taxi driver in Nassau tell us about 20 years ago.

 

"They want to keep you on the ship because they don't

want you spending your money off the ship..."

 

Some of the islands are short to begin with...2 hrs?

 

Tell me it ain't so folks! :(

 

Do they make folks getting back to the ship 45 minutes before

pulling anchor walk the plank?

 

Your input and thoughts please.

 

Beetlejuice is coming for Halloween on the Pearl... :)

 

The Moore Family

Tampa Bay

 

I think it's really supposed to be a half hour when we are in port. But when I book an excursion privately (not with the cruise line) or if I'm just touring and shopping on my own, I always make sure I leave enough time to get back to the ship an hour before is sails - just in case. When you book through the cruise line, they'll responsible for getting you back in time. Unless your at the end of your excursion you have the option to shop and return on your own, then again it's your responsibility.

[vreihen]

I don't know if NCL still does it, but they have had signs on the pier as you step off the gangway reminding you what time the ship leaves and what time you need to be back on-board by. The same sign tells the crew when they need to be back, if they are scheduled for shore leave. Since there may be local port changes, mechanical problems, or weather concerns that require changes to the published itinerary, I'd take that sign as gospel over anything else.....

[alwalaska]

So happy to hear your great responses.

 

 

If you click on each Port it says the same

thing at the bottom. not just under

the main departure port.

 

So Happy we can spend more time,

as it goes toooo fast...

Thanks for your help/ :)

 

Lookin forward to a cheesburger in Paradise very soon.

 

The Moore Family

Tampa Bay

 

This is really an example of poor computer programming and nothing else. I had the same concern with Royal Caribbean last cruise. I think they put the disclaimer on every page so as to not accidentally miss it for a location that is both a port visited on a cruise as well as an embarkation port.

[jetskier]

It is written on their website in a manner where it implies that. In actuality, if you are docked you have to be back onboard 30 minutes prior to sailaway. If you are in a tendered port, you have to be back onboard 45 minutes prior to sailaway.

 

At the embarkation port, you must be "checked-in" one hour (though NCL wants you there two hours prior) prior to sailaway or you can be denied boarding. This was changed in Feb 2008 when the new homeland security rule was implemented. They have to submit the passenger manifest one-hour prior to sailing. In the past it was within 15 minutes of sailing.

 

Dave

[njhorseman]

It is written on their website in a manner where it implies that. In actuality, if you are docked you have to be back onboard 30 minutes prior to sailaway. If you are in a tendered port, you have to be back onboard 45 minutes prior to sailaway.

 

At the embarkation port, you must be "checked-in" one hour (though NCL wants you there two hours prior) prior to sailaway or you can be denied boarding. This was changed in Feb 2008 when the new homeland security rule was implemented. They have to submit the passenger manifest one-hour prior to sailing. In the past it was within 15 minutes of sailing.

 

Dave

 

Because NCL has to submit the passenger manifest one hour before sailng, they actually require you to be checked in 90 minutes before sailing if you have preregistered on their Web site and 2 hours prior to sailing if you have not preregistered. They need time to process the data prior to submitting it to Uncle Sam.

[EileenN]

Is it me or is the term "Castaway Cay" used by the OP wrong? It is not an NCL property. NCL's private island is Great Stirrup Cay. Per haps she has looked at the wrong itenerary?

[njhorseman]

Is it me or is the term "Castaway Cay" used by the OP wrong? It is not an NCL property. NCL's private island is Great Stirrup Cay. Per haps she has looked at the wrong itenerary?

 

 

Wouldn't be the first time that's happened here.;)

[Arwenmark]

I am curious where it is pulling up the individual ports and seeing that, when I click on my itenerary it only has one page with all the ports and the disclaimer regarding embarkation and disembarkation when back to home port.

[melligene]

Is it me or is the term "Castaway Cay" used by the OP wrong? It is not an NCL property. NCL's private island is Great Stirrup Cay. Per haps she has looked at the wrong itenerary?

 

I think you are correct. Great Stirrup Cay. We were there last year and will be there again this year. I believe Castaway Cay is a Disney Owned Island.

[jswdlw]

I actually called today to confirm departure and return from excursions as the dock time was 10am and my excursion says 10:01. I was told that I will be given priority to get to shore and since the excursion is a lengthy one that the cruise ship cannot leave port until we return. So this is a benefit of booking your excursion through the cruiseline. The one we booked is 7 hours and leaves us with 2 hrs lead time. Which I suspect will decrease by one hour with the organization of the group.

[DAGVBSB]

I actually called today to confirm departure and return from excursions as the dock time was 10am and my excursion says 10:01. I was told that I will be given priority to get to shore and since the excursion is a lengthy one that the cruise ship cannot leave port until we return. So this is a benefit of booking your excursion through the cruiseline. The one we booked is 7 hours and leaves us with 2 hrs lead time. Which I suspect will decrease by one hour with the organization of the group.

 

You are correct. Anyone who books a shore excursion through NCL gets those perks.

 

Priority disembarkation at the ports and if it is a tender port, your tender ticket allows you off the ship first. (some tours actually meet on the ship in tender ports and the group is then led to the front of the line for the next tender...past seething people waiting in line....)

 

If you tour returns late or is delayed, they will hold the ship for you if it is an NCL tour. (Had that happen to me on my RCCL cruise last year...we were a half hour after sailing time getting back due to traffic, luckily it was an cruise line sponsored tour.)

 

If you book your own tours, then you must be back by 30 minutes prior to sailing (45 for tender ports) and you must wait in line like everyone else to get off the ship in ports. Even though cruise line tours are more expensive, this perk sometimes makes it worth it, especially in tender ports.