When to be back at ports?

[krazikatt]

Hey all,

 

I'm fairly new to cruising (I've been, but it was a LONG time ago, and it was a short cruise to Mexico). I'm trying to book things like trains to/from cities (i.e. Civitavecchia to Rome and back) and I'm not sure how to work the timing. I read that you need to be back 2 hours before the ship leaves, but do they mean be back at port, or be back standing in front of the ship 2 hours early?

 

So, if my train is scheduled to arrive back in Civitavecchia at 4:45, and it's a 20 minute walk to the shuttle from the train station, and the shuttle comes every 15 minutes... let's just say I'd be back standing in front of the ship at like 5:50 assuming my train is 15 minutes late and I just missed the shuttle and had to wait for another one. The ship is scheduled to leave at 7pm. Does that give me enough time to get on the ship, or should I book an earlier return trip on the train? And if I book an earlier train, how much earlier?

 

Also - Civitavecchia is really the only port I've looked into yet. Do all ports have shuttles and such and take forever to get to the ship, or are some ports much smaller? Like in Nice or Naples, do I need to plan as much time?

 

THANKS!!

[islesdave]

Hey all,

 

I'm fairly new to cruising (I've been, but it was a LONG time ago, and it was a short cruise to Mexico). I'm trying to book things like trains to/from cities (i.e. Civitavecchia to Rome and back) and I'm not sure how to work the timing. I read that you need to be back 2 hours before the ship leaves, but do they mean be back at port, or be back standing in front of the ship 2 hours early?

 

So, if my train is scheduled to arrive back in Civitavecchia at 4:45, and it's a 20 minute walk to the shuttle from the train station, and the shuttle comes every 15 minutes... let's just say I'd be back standing in front of the ship at like 5:50 assuming my train is 15 minutes late and I just missed the shuttle and had to wait for another one. The ship is scheduled to leave at 7pm. Does that give me enough time to get on the ship, or should I book an earlier return trip on the train? And if I book an earlier train, how much earlier?

 

Also - Civitavecchia is really the only port I've looked into yet. Do all ports have shuttles and such and take forever to get to the ship, or are some ports much smaller? Like in Nice or Naples, do I need to plan as much time?

 

THANKS!!

 

I was on the Epic last year doing those cities. Are you embarking from Civitavecchia? If you're already on the ship, all aboard time is 30 minutes before departure. Naples is much smaller, we hired a van from Aldo Limos, he met us where the buses and taxis are. I'm not He took us to Positano (Amalfi Coast), Sorrento and Pompeii. I'm not sure where the train station is in Naples. The trains are modern and everything ran on time. Granted, any train system works better than the LIRR!

Nice is also a smaller port. Depends upon where you want to go.

[Kryssa]

I am all about seeing ports independently, but for Rome I would take the ship shuttle to the city or schedule a private transfer.

 

Most of the other Med ports are easier but Rome is really far from the ship.

 

 

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[krazikatt]

I was on the Epic last year doing those cities. Are you embarking from Civitavecchia? If you're already on the ship, all aboard time is 30 minutes before departure. Naples is much smaller, we hired a van from Aldo Limos, he met us where the buses and taxis are. I'm not He took us to Positano (Amalfi Coast), Sorrento and Pompeii. I'm not sure where the train station is in Naples. The trains are modern and everything ran on time. Granted, any train system works better than the LIRR!

Nice is also a smaller port. Depends upon where you want to go.

 

Thank you! No, we are embarking in Barcelona. So then you think our timing would work in Civitavecchia? Sounds like it will. Good to know about the other ports. Thanks!

Edited July 6, 2017 by krazikatt
added quote

[krazikatt]

I am all about seeing ports independently, but for Rome I would take the ship shuttle to the city or schedule a private transfer. Most of the other Med ports are easier but Rome is really far from the ship.

 

Yeah, the problem is cost. I can take a 48 minute train to Rome for 42 Euros round-trip for a family of four... while I'd spend hundreds to do an excursion. And they say driving can take like 80 minutes. So I was trying to save time and money. I researched the port and there is a shuttle that takes you from the ship to Largo della Pace, and then it's a 20 minute walk to the train station from there (looking at Google, the walk looks nice).

 

My question is just really about timing. When do I need to be back standing in front of the ship? People were talking about lines and such and I don't remember there being huge lines on the other cruise I did. Just trying to figure out what time I need to be standing in front of the ship to get back on it.

[garycarla]

The two hour thing is when you FIRST board the ship and a bigger deal in the states.

 

They will post each day an all aboard time that is 30 minutes before departure.

In reality, they will let you board one minute before if the walkway is still attached.

 

So, you have some leeway.

[krazikatt]

The two hour thing is when you FIRST board the ship and a bigger deal in the states.

 

They will post each day an all aboard time that is 30 minutes before departure.

In reality, they will let you board one minute before if the walkway is still attached.

 

So, you have some leeway.

 

Ah, thank you! This is helpful :)

[Kryssa]

Yeah, the problem is cost. I can take a 48 minute train to Rome for 42 Euros round-trip for a family of four... while I'd spend hundreds to do an excursion. And they say driving can take like 80 minutes. So I was trying to save time and money. I researched the port and there is a shuttle that takes you from the ship to Largo della Pace, and then it's a 20 minute walk to the train station from there (looking at Google, the walk looks nice).

 

My question is just really about timing. When do I need to be back standing in front of the ship? People were talking about lines and such and I don't remember there being huge lines on the other cruise I did. Just trying to figure out what time I need to be standing in front of the ship to get back on it.

 

Officially 30 minutes. If you are waiting to board the ship they will not toss the lines and sail away.

 

We always plan for 60 minutes just in case something should happen and 90 minutes when the logistics are complicated or the distance is far.

[krazikatt]

Officially 30 minutes. If you are waiting to board the ship they will not toss the lines and sail away.

 

We always plan for 60 minutes just in case something should happen and 90 minutes when the logistics are complicated or the distance is far.

 

Awesome, that's super helpful, thanks!

[Nurse 3D]

Traffic can be heavy at times in Rome. Plan on leaving Rome at least two hours before the ship leaves. Nothing is worse than worrying about missing the ship. Almost missed the ship in Florence while on Holland America, thank God they waited for extra fifteen minutes. Was on a non ship tour with a group of people who thought everything revolved around them.

 

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[zqvol]

Generally you need to be back on board 30 minutes prior to sailing. Occasionally they will change that and make it an hour but it is always announced. Make sure to keep a watch, instead of a phone, on ship time.

[cb at sea]

If they determine EVERYONE is on the ship, they may sail earlier. But...they do try to leave at the stated time they've posted

[Laszlo]

I've seen plenty of times people boarding 15 minutes 15-20 minutes prior to the ship leaving. I've heard names being called over the intercom 10 minutes before sailing

[Regguy]

We've actually had a couple of times where they held the ship. They called people over the intercom, and I kind of like to go to the side of the ship facing port and watching events unfold when someone hasn't made it back on time. There are usually uniformed officers pacing around the gangway with great consternation, and every car or bus that pulls up draws excited glances from the crowds that accumulate on deck to watch the goings-on. Watching people running toward the ship to cheers is actually kind of fun.

 

I don't remember where it was -- Warnamunde maybe -- where someone on the ship told us that waiting for 2 passengers had cost NCL thousands of dollars, because they lost their port departure slot, had to wait a couple of hours, and then ended up burning more fuel than they would have liked to get to the next stop on time. Or something like that.

 

In St. Petersburg a couple of years ago, we actually waited quite a long time. My guess is that has something to do with the visa problems that a passenger would have if left behind. They would be stuck without a way to exit the country, and unable even to secure a room until a visa could be arranged, which could be a real problem.

 

Another time, the ship held in port for about an hour, announcing the same several names over and over. It turned out that the card reader had malfunctioned at one of the stations and had not properly marked these people as back on board, and so I guess they actually went room to room to make sure they knew they were there.

 

Supposedly, if they leave without you in some places, they also need to go into your room and clear your stuff out and leave it with the port agent, which takes some time, and so they'd probably rather wait 10 minutes to see if you show up than start that process, but eventually, they will leave. You can't count on any of this, of course, but if you plan to be back to port an hour before departure, there really shouldn't be any problem and you have some leeway.

[garycarla]

...My question is just really about timing. When do I need to be back standing in front of the ship? People were talking about lines and such and I don't remember there being huge lines on the other cruise I did. Just trying to figure out what time I need to be standing in front of the ship to get back on it.

 

You need to be standing there before they pull up the gangway and leave.

 

If you are in a line, there is no way in the world they will leave you. In reality, lines are rare to get back on board. I do remember in Cit when the shuttles buses from Rome were a little late returning. They all arrived at once and lots of people had to board. No big issue. We had taken the train in that morning, met a private tour guide, toured on foot and city bus, and he got us back to the train.

 

If you are in line, you will board.

[cruise pastor]

Civitavecchia is a piece of cake to take the train to Rome and back. The ship shuttle will take you to a convenient drop off point, walk to the train station, don.t bother booking your ticket ahead just join the other Italians and go! The train station in Rome is handy to walk to attractions, or grab the Hop on Hop off bus right there at the station. Save your $$$ for out of the way places and excursions!

 

 

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[sanger727]

Officially 30 minutes. If you are waiting to board the ship they will not toss the lines and sail away.

 

 

 

We always plan for 60 minutes just in case something should happen and 90 minutes when the logistics are complicated or the distance is far.

 

 

 

This is our rule of thumb. We also never take the last ferry/train/bus back to the ship in case of a cancellation or its full.

 

 

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[tidygirl]

We did Rome like 3 yrs ago. We chose to do it on our own as we had 5 of us. It is doable but this was the closet we ever came to really pushing our limit. All aboard was 6:30 we got on the ship at 6:29!

Also seriously do not have anything of value in purses or pockets ( front ones aren't safe either) while on the trains! Hubby thought I was exaggerating when telling him of warnings I read till he experienced a lady feeling his back and front pocket on a crowded train

[ollienbertsmum]

Hey all,

 

I'm fairly new to cruising (I've been, but it was a LONG time ago, and it was a short cruise to Mexico). I'm trying to book things like trains to/from cities (i.e. Civitavecchia to Rome and back) and I'm not sure how to work the timing. I read that you need to be back 2 hours before the ship leaves, but do they mean be back at port, or be back standing in front of the ship 2 hours early?

 

So, if my train is scheduled to arrive back in Civitavecchia at 4:45, and it's a 20 minute walk to the shuttle from the train station, and the shuttle comes every 15 minutes... let's just say I'd be back standing in front of the ship at like 5:50 assuming my train is 15 minutes late and I just missed the shuttle and had to wait for another one. The ship is scheduled to leave at 7pm. Does that give me enough time to get on the ship, or should I book an earlier return trip on the train? And if I book an earlier train, how much earlier?

 

Also - Civitavecchia is really the only port I've looked into yet. Do all ports have shuttles and such and take forever to get to the ship, or are some ports much smaller? Like in Nice or Naples, do I need to plan as much time?

 

THANKS!!

 

I have visited Rome from Civitavecchia five times in the past few years. Going by train is not a problem as long as you leave the ship early.

 

If you go in the middle of summer, the trains are a bit of a crush, but you don't actually have to book ahead. A daily pass for around 12 euro covers all of the regular trains - just make sure that you dont catch one of the fast trains.

 

The last few times we have got off at St Peters because the last part of the journey all around the outskirts of Rome seems to be a waste of time. We get back on at the Main Station Termini - because you are more likely to get a seat - or in some cases actually get on the train.

 

Bear in mind that the platform to Civitavecchia is a bit of a trek from the main entrance so allow plenty of time to find your train.

 

We usually try to get on the train at around 4 pm. I think 4.30 would be fine, but my husband wont risk it. We have always had time to get off the train and walk back to the ship. They have made getting the shuttle back to the ship a bit of a palavar and if we have time, we are happy to walk. We have even had time for a quick swim before getting back on the ship - but that bit of the coast is a bit rocky.

 

Expect a long walking day if it is your first time in Rome. Remember you will not see "everything" - just make sure that you stop to enjoy what you do see.