What time does cruise leave and return?

[Albertan mom]

Just booking our first cruise! Help!

When it says "onboard" at 3:45, what does that mean? What time do we arrive? And what time does the ship leave the shore?

When it says return ashore at 7:30am, what time do we get off the boat by?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just booking our first cruise! Help!

When it says "onboard" at 3:45, what does that mean? What time do we arrive? And what time does the ship leave the shore?

When it says return ashore at 7:30am, what time do we get off the boat by?

When you do your online check in, part of the process is selecting a Port Arrival Time. These are 15 minute windows beginning at 10:30. The actual boarding number you get when you check in at the port is tied to the PAT you've selected.

Everyone must be onboard by 3:45 so that they can attend the muster (emergency) drill before the ship departs. The ships generally depart around 5:00 pm.

If all goes as it's supposed to, the ship will return to port early, early in the morning. After clearing customs, the big doors onboard generally open around 7:30 for debarkation. You will be assigned to a specific breakfast seating debarkation day (early dinner seating has early breakfast, late dinner seating has later breakfast). Everyone must be off the ship by 9:00 am.

 

[Albertan mom]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[tinkmom2]

There is also no room service food on the last day so if you want to eat, you either have to go to the buffet or your assigned restaurant for breakfast. I got to choose 11AM for my port arrival time for this cruise. The ship sometimes doesn't leave the dock until after 5. It all depends what order they are in the port for departure.

 

[Dug720]

There is also no room service food on the last day so if you want to eat, you either have to go to the buffet or your assigned restaurant for breakfast. I got to choose 11AM for my port arrival time for this cruise. The ship sometimes doesn't leave the dock until after 5. It all depends what order they are in the port for departure.

True there is an order, but just like flight departures, it is subject to change. TYPICALLY the Disney ship is the last or next-to-last to depart, but there have been times where the other ships scheduled out in front of them have some kind of an issue and aren't ready to leave so Disney gets sent out first if she's ready.

But she is usually pulling out of PC sometime between 4:30 and 5:00. It's usually closer to the 5:00 mark, but could be earlier - so if you want to watch on the webcam, it's better to be online by 4:30 (or in person be at Jetty Point or Fishlips or wherever by 4:30 - actually Fishlips you might want to be earlier to get a seat and your order put in).

 

[xlxo]

Just booking our first cruise! Help!

When it says "onboard" at 3:45, what does that mean? What time do we arrive? And what time does the ship leave the shore?

When it says return ashore at 7:30am, what time do we get off the boat by?

I'll add...

• port cities after the first day, "onboard" times are closer to departure times as there is no emergency drill needed.
• 7:30am return? Is is a ball park time as the currents can make the ship arrive early or late. Once docked it takes about 30 minutes have the ship secured for "walk-off" guests rushing off to early flights (but skipping breakfast that they paid for).

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

At Port Canaveral all DCL ships arrive like clockwork at 5am, I know as a "geek" I watch many at 10am UK time, they are unaffected by any currents, the latest is 5.15am but you can set your watch to view the Port Canaveral webcam for the DCL ship Dream Fantasy etc to be the first in the port and start up the channel at 5.00am.

I have had a number of cruises end at Port Canaveral, all bar two disembarkation started cira 7.30am, two-both Panama crossings, doors opened at 8.20am.

 

[rantnnravin]

At Port Canaveral all DCL ships arrive like clockwork at 5am, I know as a "geek" I watch many at 10am UK time, they are unaffected by any currents, the latest is 5.15am but you can set your watch to view the Port Canaveral webcam for the DCL ship Dream Fantasy etc to be the first in the port and start up the channel at 5.00am.

I have had a number of cruises end at Port Canaveral, all bar two disembarkation started cira 7.30am, two-both Panama crossings, doors opened at 8.20am.

Unless there's a storm...
In 2011, we were on a B2B Dream cruise and Irene was following us, so we arrived back at PC between midnight-2am. We left CC a few hours early (taking some CM's off the island with us). FWIW we had GORGEOUS weather for the entire cruise. YAY Captain (errr, Commodore) Tom!