Ship time vs island time

[olesiabr]

Trying to book a stingray excursion and all the times are Eastern Daylight Saving. Navigator is leaving from NOLA which will be Central. Does anyone know if RCL makes us all turn our clocks forward an hour or do we stay on ship's time?

Thanks!

[bookbabe]

When are you traveling? Cayman doesn't actually use Daylight Savings, they stay on Eastern Standard Time all year...

[olesiabr]

hmmm....

one of the websites specifically said Eastern Daylight Saving,

but I guess I can just call them and ask!

[olesiabr]

Just checked Cayman Time and you're right...they are on Eastern Standard!

Kind of makes me worry about using that outfit!:D

[runner15km]

Another reason we book with the cruise line.

[rosemail]

The cruise lines deliberately use fear (such as time confusion) to manipulate their passengers into booking over priced, over crowded ship excursions versus local operators. They mark up excursions an absolute minimum of 100%, versus 10 - 20% commisions of a normal travel agency. They hook their customers with cheap cruise costs, then stick it to them with outrageous drink prices (duty free to them, perhaps USD$5 per liter of spirit), and milk the local excursion providers by demanding bargain basement wholesale prices. I understand that they have a duty to their shareholders to maximize profits, but so did Nike when it got caught up in child labor issues. The whole cruise industry would greatly benefit from a "fair practices" legislation or code.

 

Please enjoy your cruise, and I do understand why you might want to avoid the stress of booking independantly, but also be aware that you are being manipulated, and thousands do book independantly and manage to get back in time. Ask yourself this; how often do you read a thread from someone who missed their departure because they booked a non-ship organised tour? I am sure it has happened, but of the tens of thousands of passengers who visit Cayman each week, how many have posted that they missed their ship because their independant excursion operator messed up the times?

 

Signed,

 

A former, disgusted (not disgruntled) , travel industry worker.

[Shekim]

The cruise lines deliberately use fear (such as time confusion) to manipulate their passengers into booking over priced, over crowded ship excursions versus local operators. They mark up excursions an absolute minimum of 100%, versus 10 - 20% commisions of a normal travel agency. They hook their customers with cheap cruise costs, then stick it to them with outrageous drink prices (duty free to them, perhaps USD$5 per liter of spirit), and milk the local excursion providers by demanding bargain basement wholesale prices. I understand that they have a duty to their shareholders to maximize profits, but so did Nike when it got caught up in child labor issues. The whole cruise industry would greatly benefit from a "fair practices" legislation or code.

 

Please enjoy your cruise, and I do understand why you might want to avoid the stress of booking independantly, but also be aware that you are being manipulated, and thousands do book independantly and manage to get back in time. Ask yourself this; how often do you read a thread from someone who missed their departure because they booked a non-ship organised tour? I am sure it has happened, but of the tens of thousands of passengers who visit Cayman each week, how many have posted that they missed their ship because their independant excursion operator messed up the times?

 

Signed,

 

A former, disgusted (not disgruntled) , travel industry worker.

maybe a little disgruntled? Wow...an educated traveler does well booking independently.

[cb at sea]

Check the ship's clock before you leave for the day....set your WATCH (do not use a cell phone!!) to the same time a the ship's clock says....that way, you will NOT be late because of a misunderstanding.

 

If you are booking a private tour, then go by ship's time...that is the ONLY time that matters to you. Your tour guide knows how this works....if your tour is at 10am, show up at 10 am SHIP'S TIME.

[bookbabe]

If you are booking a private tour, then go by ship's time...that is the ONLY time that matters to you. Your tour guide knows how this works....if your tour is at 10am, show up at 10 am SHIP'S TIME.

 

Not all private tour operators use ship's time, especially if there's people on the tour from a number of ships. It's *your* job, not someone else's, to know what the difference between local time and ship's time is, and get to your tour and back to the ship at the right times. (That info is available on the ship before you disembark at each port...usually in the daily information sheets delivered to your cabin.)

 

Yes, knowing the ship's time and setting a watch to reflect that time is important, but if you show up for your tour at 10am ship time and your tour departed an hour earlier at 10am local time, you will likely have missed it... :rolleyes:

[Floridiana]

All the cruise ships I have been on adjusted their time to the destination time the night before each change. I am amazed to read that some lines (which ones?) maintain the time of their passengers' embarkation port.