Ship time vs Port time

[BethesdaSC]

Hello! Seasoned cruiser but it will be my first time on X, specifically the Reflection. Will we change our clocks as we go to the different islands or will we have to keep track ourselves of the time difference? Thank you!

[leaveitallbehind]

Ship time, which is the only time you need to be certain of in any port, will be well publicized on board.  Should it differ from port time there will be notifications made as well as posted at the boarding areas along with announcements made.  This is the only time you need to have your watches set for as the ship will arrive, and more importantly, depart from each port based on this.  If there is a difference in any port of call just note it in relation to the ship time.  But be back at the ship typically 30 minutes latest before departure based on ship time.

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[keesar]

When we visited Samana,  ship time was not the same as port time.  You really have to pay attention.  However, on the vast majority of ports, the two times are the same.

[Saturngrl]

I always research the time zones in advance for the ports on our itineraries.  This helps me plan when to show up for excursions (local time),

yet be prepared to return to the ship at least 2 hours before sailing.  I also wear a manual watch that stays on ship time.   

 

This gives us plenty of time to enjoy the port, return to the ship and be out on deck to cheer on the pier runners! 

[leaveitallbehind]

Just to add to the discussion, in particular with closed loop cruises, ship time is typically based on the time at the departure / return port and is frequently maintained as that time during the cruise, regardless of ports of call time.  Ship time is always at the discretion of the Captain and, as explained to me, more often is maintained even in different ports of call time zones as it is easier and less confusing to maintain crew schedules on a fixed time than to adjust this for individual ports of call.  It is less impactful for passengers to be aware of ship time in port and monitor any difference for that short period of time in port.

 

Exceptions to this typically would be with cruises that spend more than one day in a port of call with a different time zone than the departure / return port.  An example would be east coast US to Bermuda cruises where the ship will spend 2-3 days in port.  En route and during the return the Captain will announce the time change to adjust to while in port and then for the return.

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[Irish clare]

also be careful on the setup of your phone as a lot of the smart phones will automatically sync their clock to the local time ... 

[leaveitallbehind]

13 minutes ago, Saturngrl said:

...yet be prepared to return to the ship at least 2 hours before sailing.  I also wear a manual watch that stays on ship time.  

The two hours prior to sailing is typically related to initial departures whereby most cruise lines require all to be boarded 90 minutes prior to departure for manifest purposes.

 

JMO but in ports of call that is a bit early.  Ship based (and 3rd party) excursions will be coordinated with ship time and many ship based excursions return later than 2 hours prior as well.

 

Whatever is your comfort zone is fine, but most ships require your return 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure, and returning 30-60 minutes prior would thus suffice with itinerary ports of call. The separate watch for ship time is a good idea.  Again, JMO.

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[dcbiker97]

16 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Just to add to the discussion, in particular with closed loop cruises, ship time is typically based on the time at the departure / return port and is frequently maintained as that time during the cruise, regardless of ports of call time.  Ship time is always at the discretion of the Captain and, as explained to me, more often is maintained even in different ports of call time zones as it is easier and less confusing to maintain crew schedules on a fixed time than to adjust this for individual ports of call.  It is less impactful for passengers to be aware of ship time in port and monitor any difference for that short period of time in port.

 

Exceptions to this typically would be with cruises that spend more than one day in a port of call with a different time zone than the departure / return port.  An example would be east coast US to Bermuda cruises where the ship will spend 2-3 days in port.  En route and during the return the Captain will announce the time change to adjust to while in port and then for the return.

While this is true for some lines, it isn’t the case with Celebrity.  You’re correct that it’s at the discretion of the Captain. But Celebrity almost always moves the time the night before to reflect the port time.  
 

OP: In all likelihood, yes you’ll need to adjust your times when sailing Celebrity. They announce this in the Celebrity today. I can only think of one time in 30 cruises where the Captain didn’t change to the port time.  

Edited August 21 by dcbiker97

[leaveitallbehind]

14 minutes ago, dcbiker97 said:

While this is true for some lines, it isn’t the case with Celebrity.  You’re correct that it’s at the discretion of the Captain. But Celebrity almost always moves the time the night before to reflect the port time.  
 

OP: In all likelihood, yes you’ll need to adjust your times when sailing Celebrity. They announce this in the Celebrity today. I can only think of one time in 30 cruises where the Captain didn’t change to the port time.  

Which itineraries?  My comments were relative to our numerous experiences with Celebrity.  This has not typically been the case with our US based closed loop itineraries with the exception as noted with Bermuda. 

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[cruisestitch]

32 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Just to add to the discussion, in particular with closed loop cruises, ship time is typically based on the time at the departure / return port and is frequently maintained as that time during the cruise, regardless of ports of call time.  Ship time is always at the discretion of the Captain and, as explained to me, more often is maintained even in different ports of call time zones as it is easier and less confusing to maintain crew schedules on a fixed time than to adjust this for individual ports of call.  It is less impactful for passengers to be aware of ship time in port and monitor any difference for that short period of time in port.

 

this is true on SOME lines but not generally on Celebrity.  Celebrity ALMOST ALWAYS changes so that ship time and port time match.

 

[leaveitallbehind]

3 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

 

this is true on SOME lines but not generally on Celebrity.  Celebrity ALMOST ALWAYS changes so that ship time and port time match.

 

Not challenging, but again, which itineraries?  This has not been the typical case in our experience, in particular with US based closed loop itineraries. I am only tying to understand.

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[PhillyFan33579]

19 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

 

this is true on SOME lines but not generally on Celebrity.  Celebrity ALMOST ALWAYS changes so that ship time and port time match.

 

I have only sailed on Celebrity in the Caribbean, but the ship time never changed on any of these cruises. The only time I have seen the ship time change when cruising in the Caribbean is on RCI ships sailing from Florida for cruises in the western Caribbean. 

[cruisestitch]

On  Closed loop Caribbean cruises. I have seen the time NOT change in Belize. I have also seen it NOT change in Dominican Republic. But not every Cruise. It’s the captain’s call—- sometimes they do it sometimes they don’t.

[jelayne]

37 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Which itineraries?  My comments were relative to our numerous experiences with Celebrity.  This has not typically been the case with our US based closed loop itineraries with the exception as noted with Bermuda. 

Currently on the Beyond r/t Fort Lauderdale  (Cozumel, Grand Cayman & Bimini) clocks were adjusted back 1 hour prior to Cozumel.

[mahdnc]

11 hours ago, BethesdaSC said:

Hello! Seasoned cruiser but it will be my first time on X, specifically the Reflection. Will we change our clocks as we go to the different islands or will we have to keep track ourselves of the time difference? Thank you!

 

In general you will find that Reflection will change her ship time to match the local time of the port for Caribbean itineraries.

[leaveitallbehind]

57 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

On  Closed loop Caribbean cruises. I have seen the time NOT change in Belize. I have also seen it NOT change in Dominican Republic. But not every Cruise. It’s the captain’s call—- sometimes they do it sometimes they don’t.

Good information.  Two ports of call we have not been to with Celebrity.  But we have not seen changes in other ports of call either.  It varies I guess, as do our experienes.

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

37 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Currently on the Beyond r/t Fort Lauderdale  (Cozumel, Grand Cayman & Bimini) clocks were adjusted back 1 hour prior to Cozumel.

Interesting.  We have not had it change in Cozumel.  Maybe it has to do with time of year and daylight savings?

Edited August 21 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

23 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

In general you will find that Reflection will change her ship time to match the local time of the port for Caribbean itineraries.

We are on Reflection in November for a closed loop US based S. Caribbean.  Will certainly watch the port times and will report back. 

[canderson]

There are Carribean itineraries that don't require a time change, including Belize...

 

[cruisestitch]

Sorry this is out of focus but you get the gist.  On this cruise ship time did not change to port time in Cozumel

[PhillyFan33579]

7 minutes ago, canderson said:

There are Carribean itineraries that don't require a time change, including Belize...

 

I don’t understand your comment or your map. When cruising the Caribbean I always cruise out of ports in Florida. Both Cozumel and Belize are not on eastern time like the five major ports in Florida. Every time I have been on a ship in the Caribbean that changed ship time it always included going to either Cozumel or Belize (or both). 

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, Irish clare said:

also be careful on the setup of your phone as a lot of the smart phones will automatically sync their clock to the local time ... 

that’s when an inexpensive old school watch is handy..

[jelayne]

20 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

that’s when an inexpensive old school watch is handy..

I have my almost 40 year old Mickey Mouse watch that I wear everyday.