docking time to port excursion

[dalmatian13]

I am gonna cruise NCL for the first time.  Anyone tell me the earliest you can get off the ship at port?  This one arrives at 8am and I want to take a tour that starts at 8:30am on land.  Will I have time to make my tour?

[hallux]

Usually folks can start getting off within minutes of the planned docking time, provided the ship isn't late or there isn't an issue with clearance of some passengers.  However - priority is given to the folks that purchased excursions through the cruise line.

[Sauer-kraut]

It all depends on the port, is it a TENDER PORT??  Meaning you'll have to take a boat to the dock as the ship will anchor off shore.  In that case I would say no way.  Otherwise if you do actually dock at 8 I think 8:30 would be doable.

[BirdTravels]

16 minutes ago, dalmatian13 said:

I am gonna cruise NCL for the first time.  Anyone tell me the earliest you can get off the ship at port?  This one arrives at 8am and I want to take a tour that starts at 8:30am on land.  Will I have time to make my tour?

Should be no problem. And tour operators are very aware if the ship is running late. 

[dalmatian13]

1 minute ago, BirdTravels said:

Should be no problem. And tour operators are very aware if the ship is running late. 

Thanks for the info!

[zqvol]

17 hours ago, dalmatian13 said:

I am gonna cruise NCL for the first time.  Anyone tell me the earliest you can get off the ship at port?  This one arrives at 8am and I want to take a tour that starts at 8:30am on land.  Will I have time to make my tour?

 Depending on  how far you have to go to meet your tour, if the ship is on time you can normally make a tour 30 minutes after docking time without too much effort.

[zqvol]

17 hours ago, hallux said:

Usually folks can start getting off within minutes of the planned docking time, provided the ship isn't late or there isn't an issue with clearance of some passengers.  However - priority is given to the folks that purchased excursions through the cruise line.

 

This is not correct at docked  ports, only at tender ports. People with cruise line excursions have to make there own way off, and normally they do not get any priority. If they need special treatment they are taken off another gangway that is not open to the general passengers.

[dalmatian13]

3 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

This is not correct at docked  ports, only at tender ports. People with cruise line excursions have to make there own way off, and normally they do not get any priority. If they need special treatment they are taken off another gangway that is not open to the general passengers.

thanx for the info. We will be docking in Nassau at 8am and the tour bus picks up at 8:30am.  Just didn't know how long they make you wait till you can get off the ship.  Appreciate your reply.

 

[hallux]

24 minutes ago, zqvol said:

People with cruise line excursions have to make there own way off,

 

This might be ship-dependent.  When I was on the Bliss in April/May they had designated places ON SHIP to gather for excursions, then they called each excursion and directed them off the ship.  This was at a non-tender port.

[brookie848]

24 minutes ago, dalmatian13 said:

thanx for the info. We will be docking in Nassau at 8am and the tour bus picks up at 8:30am.  Just didn't know how long they make you wait till you can get off the ship.  Appreciate your reply.

 

You will make it barring any late docking issues, but keep in mind that NCL seems to dock far, far away from the port building in Nassau (at least every time I've been there), so you will need to allow yourself enough time to make the walk.