Will They Really Wait?

[stevendom57]

My DW and I are cruising to Cozumel in May. We are scheduled to stay in port from 7am to 4:30pm, 9.5 hours. We have booked an 8 hour shore excursion through the cruise planner to Tulum. 

I guess I am just a worrier, but that seems to be cutting the time a little close, knowing that we won't disembark at 7 and we will leave some time after that. I like to get back to the ship well before last call. I don't want to be one of those people running down the dock as the ship sails into the sunset.

Will the ship really wait a reasonable amount of time if the excursion gets delayed by traffic, etc? It IS booked directly though RC, after all.

Does anyone have some real life examples of them waiting and not just a "everyone says that they will wait"?

Thanks

 

Steven (the worry wart)

[karl_nj]

 

Well, it's something that they advertise in their brochure:

 

Promptness:
It is essential that ALL guests be back onboard no later than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.  This information is posted daily at the gangway. Although shore excursions meet these schedule requirements, even if you are not on a tour, you are also responsible for being back onboard the ship on time. If for any reason a tour is delayed, the shipboard management team will await the tour’s return. However, guests on tours with vendors not advertised through Royal Caribbean International are responsible for ensuring their return to the ship on time as it will not wait for them, despite any delays.

  

However, you are correct to be wary, as they also say this:

 

+ In the unlikely event that your tour is significantly delayed, we’ll make all the arrangements for you
to return to the ship at the earliest opportunity at no expense to you.

 

So yes, theoretically if they are unable to get you back to the ship that day, then the ship may leave without you.  But they will eventually get you back to the ship on a later date. 

However, I think it's likely in most cases that the ship will just wait.  It's probably cheaper for the ship to wait, then to arrange hotels, meals, and air transportation for you.

 

[KJ1231]

We are also doing the 8-hour Tulum  excursions. We get to Cozumel at 10:00 AM and leave at 7:30 PM.  The excursion is 10:30-6:30 and I assume that regardless of what time we leave the ship, we will be back by 6:30PM.

Reminds me of a time in Ireland when they were having horse races in Sheephaven Bay in Donegal. The bay is dry at low tide and they drive down into the sand and set up a race course. The races were late getting started and when we talked to one of the bookies he let us know that they may not start on time, but they will end on time. Otherwise the horses will be swimming instead of running.....

[rjac]

Take your passports, some cash and a good credit card with you......just in case.

[WAAAYTOOO]

If the excursion is booked through Royal, the ship will not leave without you.  I would never advise booking an independent excursion that far away from the ship.

[Mljstr]

I was on a RCCL tour in Hawaii that was late returning and it did wait for us.

[stevendom57]

Thanks @Mljstr. I was just looking for some actual proof that RC would actually wait. I am going to keep the excursion, but bring my passport with me just in case.

 

[MikeK]

  We waited at least an hour for a RC tour to return in Jamaica on our last cruise!  There were several tour buses about 15m apart, so I dont know if it was the same tour or two different tours that were late.  I believe that was the longest I ve seen on any of my cruises