How long do you really get in ports?

[Hanzo]

Was just looking for my next cruise after passing the test during a 2 day CTN. I survived being at sea.

 

So the next cuise will of course be longer and include ports.

 

I was looking at NCL and it says at each stop they will be at whatever port from 8am to 5pm but that debarkation starts two hours after docking and you have to be back on the ship two hours prior to leaving port. So is that 8-5 really 10-3?

 

Thanks!

[leaveitallbehind]

All of our experience has been with RCI but we are always able to get off the ship within 15 or 20 minutes of it docking and never had to be back on board prior to 30 minutes before departure. (Which would be 8:20 to 4:30)

 

I would check on the NCL boards with this for more information or contact NCL directly - but the 2 hour after and 2 hour before time frame does not sound right at all.

[Keith1010]

You need to be back to the ship 30 minutes before the time showed and you usually can't get off until around 30 to 45 minutes after arrival.

 

 

Keith

[Terpnut]

On most cruises, you can usually expect to be able to get off within 0-30 minutes of arrival/docking time. As for returning to the ship, you should generally plan to be back ON the ship between 30-60 minutes prior to sailing at the latest.

[mizLORInj]

No, port time is not that much shorter than posted. Not to mention the ship is usually docked earlier than posted as well. Where did you see 2 hours prior to departing a port?!? heavens, no! not that long before departure--30 minutes usually.

Glad you passed the CTN. It's really cool to see what a ship can actually offer!

Which NCL ship are you considering now?

[dorisis]

In some ports, no matter when you arrive and leave, it is never enough time.There can be way too much to see and do in only 1 day.

[Hlitner]

We think the OP may be confusing embarkation/debarkation ports with the intervening port stops. As has been posted, the general rule (it does vary somewhat) is that at intervening ports you must be back on board 30 min prior to the scheduled departure. If its a tender port the last tender (from shore) normally leaves 30 min before departure. As to how long it takes to get off a ship at intervening ports this depends on a few factors such as the local authorities (who must give clearance to the ship) and any delays in other things like getting the gangplank securely in place. But we find that the norm is about 20-30 min after docking. Tendering ashore is an entirely different animal and no experienced cruiser likes to predict how long it will take a person to get ashore in a tender port.

 

Hank

[paul929207]

Was just looking for my next cruise after passing the test during a 2 day CTN. I survived being at sea.

 

So the next cuise will of course be longer and include ports.

 

I was looking at NCL and it says at each stop they will be at whatever port from 8am to 5pm but that debarkation starts two hours after docking and you have to be back on the ship two hours prior to leaving port. So is that 8-5 really 10-3?

 

Thanks!

You are confusing when you get on the ship the begining of the cruise and get off at the end with the times in ports.

 

At the ports along the way, the ship is usually on time arriving at the port. The ship must then be cleared by local authorities. It usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. Once the ship is cleared passengers can get off. It usually take 10 or 15 minutes for the initial rush to get off. At the end of the day, most lines ask passengers to be back on at least 30 minutes before sailing. So if you are in port from 8am to 5pm. You should be off the ship 8:30 or 8:45 and you would need to be back on by 4:30.

[Scrapnana]

Keep in mind that almost any port visit will only give you a brief glimpse of that particular place. It is a great way to tell if it is someplace you want to visit again or not.

[Hanzo]

Ok, you're right, I read it wrong. The two hour deal is not for ports but for getting on and off the ship to start/end the cruise. It was on the itinerary page so I figured they meant for each port.

 

Thanks.

[paul929207]

Ok, you're right, I read it wrong. The two hour deal is not for ports but for getting on and off the ship to start/end the cruise. It was on the itinerary page so I figured they meant for each port.

 

Thanks.

No problem. They are not always clear with the info.

 

Be sure you are back on board by the cutoff. The ship will sail without you if you are late.

[Gunner22aa]

As a minimum you will loose an hour off the scheduled visit time. Roughly 30 minutes on each end. It can be a lot more in a tender port. It can easily take 2 hours to tender everyone that wants to go to shore and the same on the way back. Some guests will get priority tendering ashore (suites for example) but comming back to the ship you are in the line with everyone else.