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If you've ever been on a cruise, then you know how much fun it can be sailing to exotic locations. But for people who have fought traffic, followed bad directions, or just ran out of time, the prospect of missing the ship is terrifying. However, the major cruise lines have addressed this very thing, and it's as complicated as you might expect.
Norwegian Cruise Line states that if you miss the boat, and have to rent a car, or buy a plane ticket to fly to the next port, the money comes out of your pocket and won't be refunded. You must be back onboard no later than one hour before departure time. Royal Caribbean, who has the largest cruise ship on the water, also won't reimburse you for any money spent getting back onboard. In fact, the company states that if you're not onboard at least 90 minutes before the ship is scheduled to leave, it's considered a cancellation. This applies not only to ports of call where you've missed the boat, but to initial travel day as well.
You also won't get any help from Carnival Cruise Line, who's quick to point out that following shipboard time is a must. The other companies communicate this too, as ship time may be different than the time of the city you step into when you deboard the boat. It's up to you to follow the ship's clock, as that's the one the crew is using to determine departure times.
Why cruise ships stick to a schedule
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There are rare occasions when a cruise ship will wait if you can't get back onboard in time. For example, Royal Caribbean, guarantees it will wait for passengers delayed on a shore excursion booked through them. If the ship must go, Royal Caribbean will arrange for you to rejoin the boat, at no cost to you. Other cruise lines may have similar policies, but it's important to read the fine print and understand those policies beforehand.
The reason that cruise lines adhere to such strict schedules is that everything revolves around them. The ship's arrival, departure, onboard activities, dinner service, it's all tied directly to precise scheduling. Leaving a port of call too late, or too early, can impact everything from that point on. Cruise lines pay a significant amount for port fees ahead of time, and some ships can only safely engage with some ports based on the day's tide. So, if the ship misses that timeframe, it costs the company money and could add hours to the trip.
Plus, for every ship that's running late, there's likely one coming right behind it that won't be able to dock as scheduled. In order to make up the time, a cruise ship will need to hit its top speed, and possibly make schedule adjustments, which could affect the overall cruising experience. It's a chain reaction that can result in one disappointing vacation after another.
