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What time do you have to be back on cruise ship?

In all ports of call, it is also the guest's responsibility to be back onboard the ship no later than one (1) hour prior to the ship's scheduled departure time. Please be aware that shipboard time may differ from the port of call and it is the guest's responsibility to follow the shipboard time.



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Please note: All guests must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail. If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise.

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In cases when cruisers are late returning to the vessel, the ship's crew will often remove the passengers' essential items -- passports, cell phones and medication -- from the ship to leave with the port agents. These officials can help you with contacting your ship and making travel arrangements.

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You won't be able to leave the ship without your cruise card, nor will you be able to return to the ship without it, so keep it close to you at all times. In most ports, you won't need your passport, so leave it locked up in your room's safe.

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If you do miss boarding: If you missed your boarding due to a flight scheduled through the Cruise line, they will help you make the arrangements to meet them at the next available port and this is usually with no extra cost. Make sure you understand your particular cruise line's policies as they do vary.

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  • No smoking indoors or on balconies. ...
  • No underage drinking. ...
  • No sneaking drugs or alcohol on board. ...
  • You must attend the safety drill. ...
  • Report your symptoms on the health form. ...
  • Return by all-aboard time. ...
  • No guests in crew areas. ...
  • No diapered kids in the pools.


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Go for a walk at night A quintessential cruise ship experience is spending a little time in a quiet, dark area on the open deck on a cloudless night. Once most of the passengers are busy inside, you may feel like you are the only one on the ship as you admire the water and the star-filled sky.

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Many first-time cruisers don't realize that they won't be able to go directly to their staterooms upon boarding. Pass the time while you wait for your room to be ready and for the ship to set sail by enjoying lunch on the Lido Deck of the ship. This is a great way to make sure you aren't starving by dinner time!

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You'll have to go through a security screening, and then it's time to present your travel documents, passport, and credit card (to cover onboard charges) for check-in. Your best bet is to streamline your check-in process with the Celebrity Cruises app, which is available on most Celebrity ships.

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In short, last-minute cruise bookings could offer significant savings. While booking a cruise last-minute isn't the best option for everyone, it can be a win for your wallet if you're flexible and spontaneous.

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Thankfully, serious crimes are infrequent on ships at sea, but as the number of passengers increase with an expanding cruise industry, the number of crimes might also rise.

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Both cruise lines have generally followed American law which includes only allowing people ages 21-and-over to drink and not allowing marijuana smoking onboard.

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The drinking age on all U.S.-based cruise lines is 21 -- even when sailing international waters. (Under special circumstances, some cruise lines allow 18- to 20-year-olds to purchase and consume alcohol with a parent's consent.) Regardless of the policy, you should never buy a drink for someone under 21.

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What will happen is the cruise line will fly you home, but will deduct from your wages what you owe, Jim Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer who represents cruise workers and passengers, told Insider. So it's a very punitive type of step if you try to quit and go home.

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The entire timeline can take 30 to 45 minutes after arrival. Just because your cruise ship is at the dock doesn't mean that people get off immediately. Once you are cleared to go ashore, you may experience a rush of people, but lines tend to decrease quickly.

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Always bring your passport in case of an emergency, such as an unexpected medical air evacuation or the ship docking at an alternate port in an emergency, even if your cruise says you won't need it.

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In the United States, anyone on a cruise ship whose last port of call was outside the US is required to pass through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), unless if the last port of call was equipped with US preclearance facilities (in which case the ship will be treated as a domestic arrival).

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The best time to board a cruise ship is obviously when there are few lines and short waits. The trick is knowing when that will be. Unfortunately, it can vary from port to port and ship to ship, but I prefer arriving in the early afternoon, usually around 1 or 2 p.m.

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From start to finish, the process usually takes about two to three hours, depending on the size of the ship.

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