The boat will leave without you!

[PrincessShmoo]

That is why we like to take the cruise excursions - if you are late and on an excursion through the cruiseline - they wait for you.

We were on a RCCL cruise a few years ago in Mexico and went on a rather long excursion and our bus got back later then we were supposed to. As we were on an excursion through the cruiseline - they had to wait for us.

Linda

Not exactly. For the most part, if you are on a ship's excursion, and are running late, they will TRY to wait for you. But, if port charges, or time to next port are important to them leaving before you get there, the cruiseline will assist you in getting to the next port to catch the ship.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

My wife and I always choose a Disney excursion. If we get done with plenty of time to spare before boarding time we'll walk into town and we always give ourselves at least one hour lead time to get back to the ship.

 

[over50visits]

That is why we like to take the cruise excursions - if you are late and on an excursion through the cruiseline - they wait for you.
Linda

Or, Disney will get you to the next port of call. They won't "assist" you, they take the lead and make sure you get there.

Lots of speculation here as to why they might choose to leave on time, knowing there are late excursions. I think they are all (educated) guesses. If it happens, it happens.

We returned to the port once 30 minutes after the advertised "All Aboard Time" on an excursion we booked through DCL. The ship was there waiting for us.

A number of people were really nervous about making it on time, and definitely not having a good time. Since that's one of those things you don't have any control over, we chose to enjoy the experience and look on it as an adventure if the ship had left (luckily it hadn't). We'd be seeing the local area more, flying on a new airline, and have a great story to tell later. Life is what you make it!

 

[jimsubry]

On our trip this last August, after our stop in Castaway Cay there were a few calls by the captain over the intercom for a couple to report immediately to guest services. We assumed they were looking for a couple who had missed getting back to the ship. We were wondering, how could you get lost on CC, anyway, it's not like a big populated island with traffic. So then my son started worrying that they'd had drowned (he worries a lot about everything, ha ha) Of course, we never found out what had happened, but I wonder what they DO do if someone meets with disaster while out on a stop?

 

[wendyoconnor]

In April 2012 we were late leaving St. Thomas because there were extra passengers on board. A queen bee and her swarm decided that a deck chair near the Mickey and Goofy pools was a great place to hang out. We had to stay in port while a bee keeper was called to capture the bees. It was interesting watching the process.

 

[TheHippie524]

My family and I went on a 7 day double dip back in 2006, and I was getting my hair braided. Not realizing what time it was, it took a LOT longer than expected, and my poor mom got the phonecall"uhm, whereis your daughter?!"


Luckily, it was on Castaway Cay and clearly could NOT leave me there, they golf carted me all the back to the ship, with my hairbraider sitting next to me, finishing up. What a fun little experience that was.

 

[jrabbit]

We leave in a few weeks for our first cruise, so I basically know nothing. If the itinerary says "1:00-5:30." does that mean that you have to be on the boat no later than 5:30 p.m., or does it mean the boat leaves at 5:30 p.m. so you better be on the boat no later than 5:00? Or....(and I do not want to push it) it means you could probably stroll up at 5:50 p.m. and be fine since they really aren't planning to leave until 6:30 p.m., but you do so at your own risk.

Don't let the prior person that quoted you freak you out!!! - They are talking about something else - like the first day of your cruise!! (3pm and safety drill @ 4 ...)

In your Navigator that you receive each day, and in the Port Shopping Guide that you also receive in your room, they will mention the ALL ABOARD TIME. This is the time you must be back on the ship by!!!

If you are on a DCL shore excursion, they are scheduled back before then - depending upon when you return, they might drop you off near the ship - and close to shopping. Pay attention to the time - because if you are shopping and its time for the ship to leave, it will. Also, pay attention to the Navigator - it will tell you the ships time and if it is the same as shore time (Disney usually sets there clocks to local time, but I have read that sometimes they do not).

 

[lbgraves]

In April 2012 we were late leaving St. Thomas because there were extra passengers on board. A queen bee and her swarm decided that a deck chair near the Mickey and Goofy pools was a great place to hang out. We had to stay in port while a bee keeper was called to capture the bees. It was interesting watching the process.

OMG! I guess I was skimming quickly and had to stop to reread because I couldn't imagine how someone got on the ship who wasn't suppose to be, and had her "swarm" around her.

 

[kdeans1010]

And yes, if you get left, it is your responsibility to get to the next port. Port agents can be of some assistance (hint: you might think about carrying with you the Navigator page that lists the name and address of the port agent) but the travel will be at your expense.

I put the numbers in my phone when I got off the boat. I got really nervous about the boat leaving without us.

I just messaged this thread to my friends along with the "if we miss the boat- you're paying to fix it."

 

[n8nally]

Will they leave you on Castaway Cay even? How would you get to the next port from there?

 

[neg58]

We leave in a few weeks for our first cruise, so I basically know nothing. If the itinerary says "1:00-5:30." does that mean that you have to be on the boat no later than 5:30 p.m., or does it mean the boat leaves at 5:30 p.m. so you better be on the boat no later than 5:00? Or....(and I do not want to push it) it means you could probably stroll up at 5:50 p.m. and be fine since they really aren't planning to leave until 6:30 p.m., but you do so at your own risk.

There is usually a 15 minute difference (like all aboard at 4:45 and sail away at 5), but you will get yelled at if you get there after the all aboard.

On CC the all aboard is usually 4:45 and man, they are moving out at 5 pm.

Nancy

 

[clten]

Will they leave you on Castaway Cay even? How would you get to the next port from there?

They scour CC for guests that haven't made it back to the ship. So it would be difficult to miss the ship accidentally on CC (now if you are hiding, that's a whole different thing). But if for some reason you do miss it, the crew that lives on the island would have to have a boat take you to Great Abaco and you can get a commercial flight from there.

 

[Donna3271]

There was a post along ago about that the vessel assigned a CM to watch and care for a child.

AKK[/QUOTE]

OMG!!! My kids would be devastated if they were left on a ship without my husband and I!!

We ALWAYS get back on the ship with at least an hour to spare. That makes me so nervous!!!

 

[DCSWO]

They scour CC for guests that haven't made it back to the ship. So it would be difficult to miss the ship accidentally on CC (now if you are hiding, that's a whole different thing). But if for some reason you do miss it, the crew that lives on the island would have to have a boat take you to Great Abaco and you can get a commercial flight from there.

There is a small runway on CC. The shuttles drive on it to get to Serenity Beach. Not everything comes in there by ship / boat.

 

[over50visits]

There is a small runway on CC. The shuttles drive on it to get to Serenity Beach. Not everything comes in there by ship / boat.

Everything does come in there by ship / boat.

 

[kiford]

We leave in a few weeks for our first cruise, so I basically know nothing. If the itinerary says "1:00-5:30." does that mean that you have to be on the boat no later than 5:30 p.m., or does it mean the boat leaves at 5:30 p.m. so you better be on the boat no later than 5:00? Or....(and I do not want to push it) it means you could probably stroll up at 5:50 p.m. and be fine since they really aren't planning to leave until 6:30 p.m., but you do so at your own risk.

Not only is the all aboard time listed on the Navigator but it will be on a monitor as you exit the ship indicating the all aboard time.

 

[PizzieDuster]

Gotta love youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-yrsXsJmbw

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

That is why we like to take the cruise excursions - if you are late and on an excursion through the cruiseline - they wait for you.

We were on a RCCL cruise a few years ago in Mexico and went on a rather long excursion and our bus got back later then we were supposed to. As we were on an excursion through the cruiseline - they had to wait for us.

Linda

Unless one is stupid enough to become separated from the group while on the excursion. On our Med cruise stop in Villefranche we did the Nice & Monaco tour through DCL. Our 4th and final "stop" along the tour , which always began with our guide saying, "We will meet ______(location) at ___. (time)" Well, the last stop was Monte Carlo casino and 2 passengers never returned back to the bus. We waited a good 20-30 mins for them which doesn't sound like much but actually pretty generous considering the tour was 8am-5pm and we had 6pm dinner and at 6:10 we were just getting off the tender & back on the Magic. All aboard was later and who knows if they got back to the ship on time; we had to rush to dinner looking all wind-blown. Dh thought it was kind of silly to make a casino the last stop since some people really have no self control in them.

It seemed every night during dinner they paged people overhead frantically. I often wondered if we ended up leaving people behind.

 

[lbgraves]

There is a small runway on CC. The shuttles drive on it to get to Serenity Beach. Not everything comes in there by ship / boat.

That runway was used by drug runners before Disney bought the island. It definitely is not kept up to par now for a safe landing or takeoff.

 

[castmbr]

It is marked as a closed runway