Typical time in port

[MrsWaldo]

OK,

 

Trying to work out self guided shore trips...one of my friends was saying that their cruise in Asia ( not on SS) had arrival port times which reflected earliest time to leave the ship for ports.

 

So if SS says port time is 8am till 4pm what is it in reality?

I know I may need to take tendering into account but is it typically more like 9am-3pm allowing for custom etc or does SS actually arrive a little earlier and first off occur at 8? (of course that's assuming I'm functioning that early!)

[LOGHL]

when SS says time af arrrival & departure that is what it is.....the only time that there will be a delay in departure is when a passenger is delayed returning..and the cap[tain will usually wait a bit of time.

[Seas the Day]

I have noticed that often you will arrive earlier than the scheduled time, and depart earlier also.

 

They arrive earlier because they want to ensure the guests get "all the time promised" and allow some room for error.

 

They depart earlier because if everyone is aboard, they will have more time to make it to the next port (Captain's don't want to use higher, less cost-effective, speeds if they don't have to.)

[MrsWaldo]

Thanks folks...we are usally back a little early so that's fine anyway..

[Iamseasick]

Interesting. Thanks, Seas the day. Makes sense to me. I have often wondered why we left port earlier than expected.

[DebbieH103]

Leaving port early is good for those that are waiting for the casino and shops to open.

[its_my_dime]

Generally, they ask you to be on board 30 minutes before the actual scheduled departure time. If you are tendering from shore, the last tender will leave shore 15 - 30 minutes BEFORE the scheduled departure.

 

A ship will wait if a scheduled ship's tour is late. Some of the smaller ships may wait until everyone has signed back on board. The bigger ships probably won't wait for individual passengers.

 

Make sure that your watch is set to the ship's time before you go ashore.

[Seas the Day]

It is the Captain's discretion as to whether the ship will wait or not.

 

* crew is due on board earlier than the passengers. If crew is late, the ship will seldom wait, and the crew member will likely incur whatever cost there is to reboard unless circumstances are "justifiable."

 

* the ship will often wait for passengers - and when you hear pages for someone to report to the Front Desk a little before departure... you can bet they're unaccounted for at that moment.

 

* if a tour is late, the tour rep. and ship contact will know where the bus is, and traffic conditions, and when it will arrive in port. The ship will nearly always wait for the delayed tour unless weather or another dire circumstance is present.

 

* weather is the biggest concern, really more important in the long run than individual passengers. Wind is the primary enemy, and MANEUVERS IN AND OUT OF PORT ARE NOT NEARLY AS EASY AS THEY APPEAR... Ships have no brakes, and GPS computer systems cannot predict sudden gusts or rogue waves or shifting currents. It is the man (Captain) who is responsible for the ship and safety of all aboard. If weather reports suggest that winds will gust at 5:00pm and the ship is scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm, he might change the departure time and inconvenience passengers, never a decision that cruise companies like to make.

[neviboy]

Sometimes a ship docks at 7 a.m.when 8 a.m. is the scheduled time. The customs and immigration people have THEIR schedules, and so will board at eight unless the captain requests earlier boarding and if their timing allows it.

[MrsWaldo]

We're never late back...I'm one of those anal people who get to the airport too early just cant stand the thought of missing a flight and people who habitually late really get up my nose....if it's a tour and it's be abck at the bus by 10.00 we're there at 9.50...

 

I also like to have a rough plan of what we are going to do and see and generally this is in a priority order..

 

...but realise that it needs to be flexible...i'm not expecting to disemaberk early but I think can basically plan for taking at least an hour out of the scheduled in port time...

 

Looking at it most of the ports are exactly that..no tenders so that makes it easier...

 

 

I tend to live by be planned but be flexible...