Cozumel Debarkation Time - Navigator

[YadaYadaJodi]

We are traveling on the Navigator in October. I believe ship time and local time may be the same for Cozumel (unless Cozumel ends DST earlier than the US). I know when I look at the ports website to see what other ships are in port the same day as us the times listed are the same as our itinerary.

 

Our itinerary says that we arrive in Cozumel at 8:00am but I've read that we can't get off until 8:30am. Does that seem to be the case? We are trying to figure out if we can make a 8:30am non-RCI excursion.

 

TIA

[Clarea]

There is some delay after arrival before guests are cleared to leave the ship. Also, depending on the ship's policy, they may give departure priority to those with cruise line excursions.

[cruisnseas]

I wouldn't plan on it. With the way crowding can be on these ships (everyone seems to need to be THE FIRST ones off) even if the ship is fully docked exactly on time and Customs moves quickly it could easily take 30+ minutes to get off the ship. When I was on NV in February we left at 9 on an excursion (different exit) and people were just starting to walk off for the non-RCI excursion lines.

[TravelerThom]

We are traveling on the Navigator in October. I believe ship time and local time may be the same for Cozumel (unless Cozumel ends DST earlier than the US). I know when I look at the ports website to see what other ships are in port the same day as us the times listed are the same as our itinerary.

 

Our itinerary says that we arrive in Cozumel at 8:00am but I've read that we can't get off until 8:30am. Does that seem to be the case? We are trying to figure out if we can make a 8:30am non-RCI excursion.

Cozumel times does change differently than the US.

Most of the US is on DST from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November;

most of Mexico is on DST from the first Sunday of April to last Sunday of October (exceptions for towns on the US border)

(and Europe is on DST from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

I really don't care which dates are used, but sure would be more convenient if everyone in the Northern Hemisphere got on the same page.

 

Note that any tour guide who is worth using knows when the ship docks and will wait a reasonable length of time for their customers. If you get off as soon as you are allowed to you should be fine. If you have not pre-paid, the guide will wait an unreasonable amount of time for people who don't show up; for this reason I actually prefer guides who collect a deposit. In the Caymans it is common for booked tours to require a credit card number; nothing is charged until the ship passengers have landed (ie if the ship doesn't tender you are not charged) and you may still pay in cash for discount, but no-shows are charged.

 

Thom

[BillB48]

Cozumel changes from CDT to CST on Sunday Oct. 26, 2014.

[matj2000]

Any excursion company will wait for you to arrive.

I am pretty sure they are in the $$ making business.

Edited July 2, 2014 by matj2000

[cjdixon4]

Many private tour companies will not guarantee that they will wait beyond a certain time if the ship is late. Check the individual tour to determine what their policy is. Excursions that are booked through RCI will begin when you arrive or fully refund your money AND the ship will wait if the tour operator is delayed in returning you to the ship. :)

[golfpccc]

FYI - We have cruised on the Navigator 6 times since Dec and every cruise we changed time to coincide with the port time - we did not stay on ship's time.

[YadaYadaJodi]

Thanks for all the replies! The first vendor I contacted said I would need to book the 10:30 time vs. the 8:30 tour. That didn't make sense to me since the pickup was right there near the pier. Plus 10:30 wouldn't have gotten us back in time since it was a 5.5 hour excursion.

 

I have since figured out it was a 3rd party vendor. I am now been in contact with a direct provider. They are certainly willing to wait for us to get off the ship as others have suggested. Also he figured out for me that Cozumel's DST will have just ended so if our itinerary is ship time then we will be arriving at 7am. Worse case will be 8am so hopefully we can get off by 8:30 and enjoy our day.

 

Now I just have to figure out Grand Cayman with the added fun of tendering! :p

Again thanks for all the replies and reassurances.