cruise begins at midnight

[Drivencruise]

HI

does anyone know what time boarding tends to begin when the ship doesn’t leave until midnight ? We want to get on as early as possible 

thanks

[Lupush]

What sailing are you going on that departs at midnight?  

[vpearlkc]

2 minutes ago, Lupush said:

What sailing are you going on that departs at midnight?  

 

I was wondering also. I don't think it would be an NCL cruise.

[KeithJenner]

NCL have cruises which depart late. I’ve certainly seen departures at about that time.

 

Embarkation should still start around the usual time, around midday. Muster Drill will most likely be before dinner is served so people may not be onboard. If that is the case then there will be a make up drill the next day.

[weloveamerica]

Ncl Joy departs from Vancouver on the 6th October at 1159pm. We are on this sailing and also wondered what time we would be able to board.

[zqvol]

Boarding will begin at the usual time, around noon, unless the prior cruise is scheduled to arrive in Vancouver later than  usual. You can count on about 5 hours after the previous cruise arrives to begin boarding. Sailaway time really doesn't have much to do with boarding time.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, weloveamerica said:

Ncl Joy departs from Vancouver on the 6th October at 1159pm. We are on this sailing and also wondered what time we would be able to board.

The Joy and the Bliss both have a significant obstacle in departing Vancouver - the Lion's Gate Bridge.  Due to clearances there's a VERY small window during which those ships can pass under the bridge during low tide.  That is why the sailings for those ships at that port are unusual.  The other part of that timing is that Victoria is a short steam from Vancouver.

 

For example, look at the Bliss Pacific Coastal this Fall.  Boarding is Monday but sail time isn't until 2:30 AM Tuesday.

Edited June 25, 2019 by hallux

[coloradocruiselover88]

2 hours ago, weloveamerica said:

Ncl Joy departs from Vancouver on the 6th October at 1159pm. We are on this sailing and also wondered what time we would be able to board.

I am on this sailing and called NCL they said noon.  But I was allowed to pick 11:30am to Noon for my arrival time during the online check in process.  Hope this helps!

 

Kathi

[AmyJA]

Was on Bliss last year for a cruise out of Vancouver that departed late because of the tides and getting under the Lion's Gate Bridge.

 

She came in empty and we could start boarding at 10AM.

 

coolorado, same thing happened to us last year.  Answers were different then what we found online.

Edited June 25, 2019 by AmyJA

[Drivencruise]

Thanks for the info guys , really helpful . 

While we are talking about Vancouver , there is some talk of restricted bar opening while in port . Is this the case on all ships? How do NCL manage 3500 passengers looking to use their beverage package ? 

Thanks again 

[hallux]

I believe the bar restrictions are one bar per deck can be open while at the pier.

[timf2001]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

I believe the bar restrictions are one bar per deck can be open while at the pier.

At least they don't charge 10.1% tax like they do in Washington waters.

[martincath]

11 hours ago, timf2001 said:

At least they don't charge 10.1% tax like they do in Washington waters.

No, they charge 15% as that is the local BC tax rate on alcohol sales... and there have been reports that even people with a booze package are billed tax for drinks while in port (and ordering a booze package onboard while in port also accrues sales tax and booze tax). It's best not to order drinks until you are outside local waters unless you are ready to see extra charges!

 

You are ALWAYS billed while actually in port, but I've debated this issue with officers up the food chain on Princess as well as NCL and never had a definitive answer that explains exactly when the charges stop - distance from port and time from port have both been stated, but when shown receipts where I was billed tax on a drink ordered at 8pm, despite not being billed tax for one ordered at 7pm the same day on the same sailing, they have never been able to give any rational response!!! The (not legally-rational, but fits the observed data perfectly) explanation I've come up with is that staff who write your order on a pad, rather than inputting directly onto ship's system, are sometimes delayed long enough that by the time they get around to entering the order on the computer system the ship has passed the time or distance threshold so tax doesn't apply.

[timf2001]

4 hours ago, martincath said:

No, they charge 15% as that is the local BC tax rate on alcohol sales... and there have been reports that even people with a booze package are billed tax for drinks while in port (and ordering a booze package onboard while in port also accrues sales tax and booze tax). It's best not to order drinks until you are outside local waters unless you are ready to see extra charges!

 

You are ALWAYS billed while actually in port, but I've debated this issue with officers up the food chain on Princess as well as NCL and never had a definitive answer that explains exactly when the charges stop - distance from port and time from port have both been stated, but when shown receipts where I was billed tax on a drink ordered at 8pm, despite not being billed tax for one ordered at 7pm the same day on the same sailing, they have never been able to give any rational response!!! The (not legally-rational, but fits the observed data perfectly) explanation I've come up with is that staff who write your order on a pad, rather than inputting directly onto ship's system, are sometimes delayed long enough that by the time they get around to entering the order on the computer system the ship has passed the time or distance threshold so tax doesn't apply.

 

Does this only apply to Vancouver?  Victoria did not have any charges that I noticed while in port, but they do carry the Washington state charge on the way in.

Edited June 27, 2019 by timf2001

[martincath]

49 minutes ago, timf2001 said:

Does this only apply to Vancouver?  Victoria did not have any charges that I noticed while in port, but they do carry the Washington state charge on the way in.

Victoria I have no direct experience - we always leave the ship to go drink real beer in Swans! But logically it's in the same province, it's provincial/federal law about sales taxes rather than municipal, so it should apply. It's been 5 years since my last NCL cruise out of Vancouver, so things may have changed - Victoria is however always a bit of a special case since US immigration doesn't apply on RT cruises which include just a Victoria stop, so possibly there's some sort of mutual 'treat the ship like it's still in America' agreement (Victoria and BC still win as tons of ships stop and people all throw money at Butchart and Afternoon Tea in the Empress even if they don't make money off booze tax...)