Ship time vs. Island time

[Kylie]

We are going on the Zuiderdam 7/31 and are trying to plan an excursion. Does HAL change their clocks to match the island time? It will make a difference if we can catch our excursion or not.

[jhannah]

Yes, ship's time is always adjusted to match local. You will have a note on your pillow to set your clock forward/backward to match local time at the next day's port.

[F5Loar]

I've never figured out if certain lines do it all the time or not. Some do and some don't set the ship's clock with local port time. And it gets confusing sometimes. Ask the couple who stayed for one more round at Carlos and Charlies as they looked at the clock on the wall on bar thinking they had an hour to go as they watched their ship and all their belongings pull away.
This happens more than you think. It's also hard to second guess will your ship be on local time or ship's time as you make plans on your own ahead of time to be at some far away excursion as the ship pulls out. It's best not to listen to what someone tells you here as you may have the same ship but not the same Captain that week and he may decide to change those clocks or not. After 22 cruises I can say there is no standard time when cruising on any ship anywhere at anytime. If they do change you will get notice of when to do it both ways on the day it happens not before. And as you leave there usually is a sign as you get off of the correct time to return with a reminder of local or ship time. The problem is after a few drinks in a local bar you forget which it was. It will be the most expensive last round of drinks you have ever had in your life! Play it safe and ask if you don't know and set your watch to the ship's time whichever it may be when you get off it.

[Jemima]

HAL uses the local time or at least they have on my cruises. Notification is always in the daily sheet recieved the previous evening and also on a card on your pillow.

[Stevesan]

HAL ships [b]usually[/b] match port time, but not [b]always[/b]. At Grand Cayman on Zuiderdam last September ship's time was one hour early. I remember that one specifically because I had a local snorkel trip scheduled and made a note of it. I recall there were a few other instances on that or other cruises, but I can't be as specific.

No worries. If you're booking an independent tour, just e-mail the tour operator. They know how ship and local times match up so he/she can advise you as to scheduling.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

There have been a couple of times on HAL and other cruise lines when we did not change times to go along with an island's time.

SO, do read those cards placed under your chocolate on the pillow and always read the daily program.

One of us always wears a watch set to ship's time. You can't go wrong that way.

Also remember that ship will wait for their own tours but not one that you book independently.

:)

[Cruising since '81]

Kylie,

I am on your cruise (remember me from roll call?) I checked ship time vs. island time back in May. You can go to: [url="http://www.worldtimeserver.com"]www.worldtimeserver.com[/url] to check out any time difference in the world. Due to our daylight savings time: Our ship, the Zuiderdam, will have the same time in the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and in the Bahamas, so we don't have to worry about changing our watches and clocks. The islands we will be visiting are on standard time (which is one hour ahead of eastern standard, but without the daylight savings time). The Bahamas is always the same as ours (Florida).
Now in January, when we usually cruise, the time changes because there is no daylight savings time. Then, I have to look up the time and change it accordingly.
Check out the roll call, I posted a choice of meeting times and places!
:) ;) :) ;)

[Kylie]

Thanks for the information! Guess I should have asked on our roll call!
We are still trying to decide what to do at Nassau but now I won't have to worry about the time.
I will get back to the roll call and vote on a meeting time. Thanks for posting some.