Carnival's Time Zone Policy Please?

Hi, I am hoping you fine folks can clear something up for me.

I have a Western Caribbean cruise booked a month away, and am looking
to use an external vendor (likely Shoretrips) to book excursions. I am
trying to determine the time differences for my two ports and getting
mixed signals and a lot of confusion. Due to some short port stops and
a busy schedule every minute counts.

The cruise is on the Carnival Inspiration out of Tampa. The first stop
is in Grand Cayman from 7:00a - 2:00p. Is this EST or island time? I
called Carnival and, believe it or not, had two different agents give
me 2 different answers. One said it is "local island time" and another
said "EST". Shoretrips claims that it is EST, meaning that local
island time would be 6:00a - 1:00p, preventing our group from taking
even the shortest excursion they offer there, an 8:00a - 12:30p (island
time) island tour and snorkel (why they start at 8 instead of 7 I have
no idea). If we were there 7-2 island time it would be perfect.

I am in the same boat for Cozumel. I have more time there, but again,
would like to know if the Carnival quoted port time of 9:30a-10:00p is
going to be local island time or EST, so I can adjust accordingly when
scheduling my excursions with the local vendors, who I do believe use
island time everywhere, correct?

Just to clarify, if this helps anyone in giving me an answer, we will
be there the last week in October, but return just before we turn the
clocks back an hour here in the States.

Sometimes I wonder if Carnival does this on purpose to make it easier
for you to book their own crowded, overpriced excursions.

Thanks for any help in clearing up this confusion. If anyone has any
suggestions on a good stop at Stingray City and island stuff in Cayman
that would meet our time needs, let me know too.

-B.

wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if Carnival does this on purpose to make it easier
for you to book their own crowded, overpriced excursions.

I abslutely believe this to be true. I've only been on one Carnival
cruise, but it was the only one I've ever taken where the ship time is
not the same as local time. Incredibly frustrating, not knowing about
time changes, when you're trying to book your own excursions. Wish I
could offer some advice for how to handle this, but all I can really
suggest is that you contact, via telephone or email, the company you're
looking to book your tours through. They probably have a pretty good
idea of when the ships come and go, and how to schedule you to coincide
with the ship's schedule.

Best of luck. I have my second Carnival cruise booked for March. I
think the only excursion I'm booking (through Shoretrips.com) is
reserved for Miracle passengers only, so I don't think the scheduling
will be an issue. I'm going the unplanned route for the other ports, so
I guess this time, the time change idiosyncrasy of Carnival won't get
in my way...

Lee

wrote in news:1127910080.242043.27960
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Forget EST right off of the bat since you will be cruising while the
Florida based ships will be on EDT!. Carnival does not turn back the clocks
and everyone who deals with them on the islands will know that. the Islands
in question are in the Central time zone but the operators should be
awayre, It is a hassle, ship time versus island time, but then you don't
have the short nights that turning back the clock gives you.



--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

"jcoulter" wrote in message
.. .
wrote in news:1127910080.242043.27960
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Forget EST right off of the bat since you will be cruising while the
Florida based ships will be on EDT!. Carnival does not turn back the
clocks
and everyone who deals with them on the islands will know that. the
Islands
in question are in the Central time zone but the operators should be
awayre, It is a hassle, ship time versus island time, but then you don't
have the short nights that turning back the clock gives you.



--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Carnival calls it 'ship time' and for good reason. It keeps people from
having to fuss with their watches and calculate time based on time zones.
When they say be back on board by 3 p.m. they always say "ship's time". If
you sail from Miami, you don't have to change your watch if it's already on
Eastern Time. I'm not sure about the EDT EST switch, but as long as people
remember 'ship's time', there shouldn't be any problems missing the ship.

In article . com,
wrote:

The cruise is on the Carnival Inspiration out of Tampa. The first stop
is in Grand Cayman from 7:00a - 2:00p.

I am a firm believer in independent shore excusrsions, however I advise
you to book a cruise line excursion at Grand Cayman if you are going to
Stingray sandbar due to the short time in port the ship will be there.

--
Charles

I sailed on Carnival about a year ago, and when visiting the islands
they alway use E.S.T.

Poncho Liner wrote:

It keeps people from
having to fuss with their watches and calculate time based on time zones.

Yeah. It's really tough changing my watch an hour one direction, and
then a few days later changing it back.

Give me a break. We're all grown up. I think we can handle a time
change. Carnival's policy is strictly a way to control passengers, and
instill fear in their psyches that they'll miss the ship, all in hopes
of discouraging people from booking independent tours and encouraging
passengers to book their overpriced ones. Honestly, that's what I
believe.

Passengers on other cruiselines seem to be able to manage the grand
procedures involved in a time change. Is there something about Carnival
passengers that makes them incapable? I don't think so. That's why I
think it's a Carnival tactic to make more money. No other reasonable
explanation comes to mind.

Lee

Thus spake "Poncho Liner" :

"jcoulter" wrote in message
. ..
wrote in news:1127910080.242043.27960
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Forget EST right off of the bat since you will be cruising while the
Florida based ships will be on EDT!. Carnival does not turn back the
clocks
and everyone who deals with them on the islands will know that. the
Islands
in question are in the Central time zone but the operators should be
awayre, It is a hassle, ship time versus island time, but then you don't
have the short nights that turning back the clock gives you.



--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Carnival calls it 'ship time' and for good reason. It keeps people from
having to fuss with their watches and calculate time based on time zones.
When they say be back on board by 3 p.m. they always say "ship's time". If
you sail from Miami, you don't have to change your watch if it's already on
Eastern Time. I'm not sure about the EDT EST switch, but as long as people
remember 'ship's time', there shouldn't be any problems missing the ship.


That's odd, my Carnival Capers for the day we were in Belize (Elation)
clearly says to reset your watches. And we were on shore time.
--
dillon

Anyone who says grown men don't cry has never
taken a differential equations final.

LeeNY wrote:
Poncho Liner wrote:


It keeps people from
having to fuss with their watches and calculate time based on time zones.


Yeah. It's really tough changing my watch an hour one direction, and
then a few days later changing it back.

Give me a break. We're all grown up. I think we can handle a time
change. Carnival's policy is strictly a way to control passengers, and
instill fear in their psyches that they'll miss the ship, all in hopes
of discouraging people from booking independent tours and encouraging
passengers to book their overpriced ones. Honestly, that's what I
believe.

Passengers on other cruiselines seem to be able to manage the grand
procedures involved in a time change. Is there something about Carnival
passengers that makes them incapable? I don't think so. That's why I
think it's a Carnival tactic to make more money. No other reasonable
explanation comes to mind.

Lee


I've cruised on the Carnival Conquest twice, and we changed time zones.
I don't remember where, but it was even in the Carnival Capers each
time. I do know that the ship was on the same time as Grand Cayman.

"Edward" wrote in message
...
I've cruised on the Carnival Conquest twice, and we changed time zones. I
don't remember where, but it was even in the Carnival Capers each time. I
do know that the ship was on the same time as Grand Cayman.

Every cruise line, including Carnival, that we have taken in the Caribbean,
has posted in their news letter the night before, a time change when it was
being made.. plus some have put little cards on our bed stand reminding us
to set out clocks forward or backward the night before...Some have made
shipboard announcements and when exiting the ship, the security personnel
reminded many of returning by the ship's time which was posted at the
disembarkation point..so I can truthfully say that we never had any problems
with that.

--Jean