Carnival Reminds Guests That Time Is Their Responsibility
Key Aspects:
Carnival Cruise Line is not responsible if guests miss private tours due to time differences.
John Heald has reminded guests that not all ports are on the ship’s time or Daylight Savings Time.
Cruise lines take several steps to remind guests about important times, but guests are ultimately responsible for being on time.
One great thing about a cruise vacation is the ability to not worry about timing, schedules, or (in this writer’s case) deadlines while at sea. But what about in ports of call? One Carnival cruise guest learned the hard way that when visiting a port, it’s critical to stay on top of timing and doing so is not the cruise line’s responsibility.
With much of the US beginning Daylight Saving Time just a few days ago, there is naturally a period of confusion about exactly what time it is, especially for guests traveling between different time zones.
On cruises, guests are urged to stay on “ship’s time,” but even cruise ships change for Daylight Saving Time if it aligns with their homeport.
One guest has found out the hard way, however, that time changes are not universal and it is important to make sure everyone involved in travel plans at ports of call synchronizes their watches.
This guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, with her displeasure. While Heald did not directly share her comments, he did share her story and his warnings with it.
“If you are booking a private excursion outside of Carnival Cruise Line please remember that it is your personal responsibility to check the timings of everything that comes with doing this,” he said.
“The Caribbean ports may not follow the same time as the ship and in this lady’s case may not follow the United States daylight savings time. So if, like this lady, you miss the private excursion because of the time difference it is not Carnival’s fault.”
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The guest missed the departure for her privately organized tour. The tour company did not refund her money, which is understandable as it was her error that caused the missed departure.
Cruise Hive has previously reported on similar instances when Carnival Cruise Line is not responsible for unfortunate circumstances, such as guests missing their ship’s departure due to traffic as they drive to the port.
What Time Is It in Port?
Heald did not reveal which ship the woman was sailing on or in which port she missed her tour. A number of popular destinations on Caribbean itineraries do not follow Daylight Saving Time, including:
Belize – Belize City, Half Moon Caye
Costa Rica – Puntarenas
Dominican Republic – Amber Cove, Puerto Plata
Honduras – Roatan
Jamaica – Ocho Rios, Falmouth, Montego Bay
Mexico – Costa Maya, Cozumel
Puerto Rico – San Juan
Carnival Cruise Line does take several steps to alert guests to the proper time when arriving at a new port of call. The ship’s cruise director will likely make multiple announcements the day before and the morning of arrival at the port about the new time. It will be printed in the Fun Times newsletter as well as in the Carnival Hub app, and there will be signage at the gangway.
All of these alerts are not only to urge guests to stay on the ship’s time but also to be aware of the all-aboard time before the ship’s departure as it leaves the port.
One unique difficulty guests may face is if they rely on cell phones or smart watches to keep track of the time. Depending on the device settings, it may automatically adjust to local times in ports of call. This can be helpful for private shore tours or retailer operating hours, but it may not align with the ship’s time.
Ultimately, Carnival Cruise Line is not responsible if guests do not make it back to the ship on time after private tours or exploring on their own.
Likewise, the cruise line is not responsible if guests miss out on tours or other opportunities on shore because they are mistaken about the time. On a tour booked through the cruise line, however, the ship will wait for a late or delayed tour to return before departure.