Timing ship excursions

[Lorenky]

Hello. We’re just booking our excursions for our Eastern Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Reflection in April. The excursion in Dominican Republic offered 3 times, noon, 12:30 and 1 PM. The ship docks at noon and leaves at 6:30. We booked the 1 PM so we don’t have to stress getting off the ship. It would get us back to the ship at 5:15, the ship leaves at 6:30. Does this give us enough time? Some of the other tours seemed to leave within a half hour of the ship docking, how can we make these tours on time? These are all Celebrity excursions so I assume they have it figured out but not sure how? Thanks.

[shipgeeks]

As they are Celebrity excursions, you should be safe.

[SPacificbound]

You are fine.

 

If your tour somehow didn't make it back in time, since it is a Celebrity tour they will wait. If it is really late, and they have to pull away, Celebrity is obligated to get those guests on the ship's tours back to the ship. This would be an unusual situation, but it can happen.

 

We were on a ship's tour one time, don't remember where anymore, but those of us on the bus kept telling the lady driving the bus that we needed to get back to the ship, she was going to be late. When she finally pulled in by the ship they were preparing to pull up the gangplank, an officer was waiting, and he let her know how badly she messed up making us late.

[mom says]

Relax. The excursion department knows what they are doing.  Your excursion tickets will be in your cabin when you board the ship. They will state the time and meeting place for your excursion. It may be on the ship, and you all disembark  together, or it might be in the cruise terminal, in which case just look for the sign with your excursion number on it. 99.9% of the time, ship excursions will be back on time, or the ship will wait for them.

[Lorenky]

Okay thanks

[broadwaybaby123]

If they're ship excursions, you're fine. One of the perks of booking through the cruise line's Shore Excursions is that if there's a delay, they'll wait for you. If there's a delay getting on the ship, they'll hold the ship for you.

 

Once you get onboard, you'll be given instructions on where to meet the excursion group. Read them and follow the directions, they have everything down to a science.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:00 PM, Lorenky said:

Hello. We’re just booking our excursions for our Eastern Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Reflection in April. The excursion in Dominican Republic offered 3 times, noon, 12:30 and 1 PM. The ship docks at noon and leaves at 6:30. We booked the 1 PM so we don’t have to stress getting off the ship. It would get us back to the ship at 5:15, the ship leaves at 6:30. Does this give us enough time? Some of the other tours seemed to leave within a half hour of the ship docking, how can we make these tours on time? These are all Celebrity excursions so I assume they have it figured out but not sure how? Thanks.

I'd always rather go on the earliest excursion.  I don't see why leaving the ship would be stressful.  

 

Before I'd sign on for this excursion, I'd check into private tours for the same activity.  Obviously I don't know what the activity in question is, but you may find a shorter private tour that'd allow you to get back sooner.  For example, often you'll find very similar excursions that give you options ... maybe Popular Activity alone vs. Popular Activity + beach stop vs. Popular Activity + straw market stop.  Look into it and see what non-ship-excursion options you have.  

 

Also, private excursions tend to move faster (which would get you back sooner) because they tend to be small groups of 10-20 people, whereas with ship excursions you're usually in a big group, and you're at the mercy of the slowest participants.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[cruiserking]

You have nothing to worry about. The cruise line has this down to a science. They will get you back to the ship in plenty of time. 

 

The great thing about excursions booked through the cruise line is if the trip is late returning the ship will wait. 

 

Have a great cruise. 

 

Jonathan