Royal Caribbean just made it harder to miss the ship on port day.
Missing the ship is every cruiser’s nightmare. If you’ve ever wondered what happens if you miss a cruise ship, the rules are pretty strict.
A recent update to its app has a new countdown feature that makes it clearer what time you need to be back on the ship while in port.
Royal Caribbean Blog message board user Twangster shared screenshots while using the Android version of the app on Icon of the Seas as the ship was docked in Cozumel, Mexico.
In the final hour before all aboard time, the app sends a new warning notification counting down.
Making it easier to know to get back on the ship
In any port, passengers are told what time they need to be back on the ship before it departs. Of course, time flies when you're having fun and losing track of time can occur.
Passengers that are late to the ship can delay sailaway and even result in being left behind. That's not what the cruise line or passengers want.
The latest update adds a countdown timer and indicator bar how much time is left before the official all aboard time. That's the deadline to be back on the ship.
In every port, the all aboard time is posted on signs as you walk off the ship, as well as published in the Cruise Compass and Royal Caribbean app.
Don't confuse "departure time" with "all aboard" time. If you arrive at the gangway at the departure time, the ship will likely be gone.
The all aboard time is typically 30 to 60 minutes before the scheduled departure. The idea is to get everyone onboard so the ship can depart on schedule.
With the new feature, at one hour before sailaway, a new notification appears. Similar to how an airline app will pop up with a warning when boarding will begin and then continuously update when different boarding groups are ready to go.
It's a small update, but a new way to easily convey (and remind anyone still ashore) to hurry back onboard.
What happens if you miss all aboard time on a cruise?
All aboard time is the deadline for passengers to return to the ship before it departs a port. If you miss that time, the cruise ship will usually leave without you. Guests who miss the ship must arrange their own transportation to the next port of call and are responsible for any travel costs.
In practice, it's up the ship's Captain if they'll wait for you or not. Depending on the circumstances, the Captain may be more willing to wait.
In the case of passengers booked on a Royal Caribbean shore excursion, one advantage they have is the excursion can call the ship and remain in contact to alert them that they're behind schedule.
Royal Caribbean advertises anyone that books a tour through the cruise line is guaranteed to make it back onboard.
"When you book a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean, we guarantee that if your tour is delayed, the ship will wait for you. In the unlikely event that your tour is significantly delayed, and the ship cannot wait, we will make all the arrangements for you to return to the ship at no expense to you."
However, there is no such guarantee if you're running late on your own.
"The ship will not wait for any guest faring on their own, as it is their responsibility to be onboard before the ship's scheduled departure time."
I have one piece of advice for anyone that gets stuck and is running late, based on what a cruise ship Captain once recommended.
On the back of your Seapass card is a phone number to call in the case of an emergency. The Captain of Voyager of the Seas once said it's best to call that number so you can convey how late you are.
There are no promises, but if you're in a taxi running 10 minutes late, letting Royal Caribbean know may convince the Captain to wait the few extra minutes for you to return.
But don't rely on this as a back-up option. I recommend always planning to return to the ship at least 2 hours before the all aboard time.
Other tips for not being late to the ship
While the new app feature is a great addition, here are a few other tips for ensuring you're never on the wrong side of sailaway.
Set an alarm
I recommend planning to be back onboard the ship at least two hours before sailaway so that you have a buffer for traffic, emergency bathroom breaks, and other unforeseen circumstances.
Setting an alarm on your phone is a good idea so you don't overlook the fact you're coming up on when you need to return.
Set your phone or watch to ship time
Before you leave the ship, make sure your phone or watch is aligned with the ship time.
Ship time refers to what time the ship is following. If you're passing through different time zones, or the country you're in doesn't observe daylight savings time, the local time might be different. And many phones will automatically adjust to the local time without notifying you.
You can always find the official ship time in the top left corner of the Royal Caribbean app. It's also the time you'd see on any clock on the ship.
Double check it before stepping off the ship.
Avoid over drinking
Not to be the party pooper, but if you're drinking to excess, it's easier to lose track of time.
If you've seen enough "pier runner videos" over the years, you've seen people that are clearly inebriated trying to make it back on the ship.
Have a good time in port, but stay in control so you don't end up the subject of a TikTok short.
