Carnival Cruise Ship Dive Times

[mbwilliamn]

The main fact here may be worth a sticky since it will severely impact everyone making their own arrangements.

We have been cruising for 13 years and diving off cruise ships for 12. On our trip Dec 2012 we were surprised to discover Ships time (previously the gold standard) changed to local time when we were at St Thomas, Antiqua and Tortola. Before we got back to Bahamas (same as eastern time) Ships time changed back again. We are planning another cruise in the near future and from every thing we can find, the same thing is being done.

So the issue is, we have gotten used to adjusting ships time to local time for our own excursions (diving mostly). However, now they are on local time but using the same arrival times. The effect of this is arrival too late to make most am dives and departure too early to make the PM dives. Does ANYONE have any information about this change? Mike

 

[00wabbit]

We dove this summer with the Carnival victory ship in St.Thomas, St. Marteen, St Kitts, St. Lucia.

We always stayed on Ships time.

 

[rivers]

It depends on the ship and the captain if they stay on local time or ship's time.

 

[DEEPLOU]

been on numerous Carnival Cruises, different ships but all of Carnival Ships remained on "ship's time". Most recent trip was Jan 12th to 19th. 2013. I did have problem of time with Holland America, they changed with local time.

---------- Post added February 10th, 2013 at 04:43 PM ----------

The main fact here may be worth a sticky since it will severely impact everyone making their own arrangements.

We have been cruising for 13 years and diving off cruise ships for 12. On our trip Dec 2012 we were surprised to discover Ships time (previously the gold standard) changed to local time when we were at St Thomas, Antiqua and Tortola. Before we got back to Bahamas (same as eastern time) Ships time changed back again. We are planning another cruise in the near future and from every thing we can find, the same thing is being done.

So the issue is, we have gotten used to adjusting ships time to local time for our own excursions (diving mostly). However, now they are on local time but using the same arrival times. The effect of this is arrival too late to make most am dives and departure too early to make the PM dives. Does ANYONE have any information about this change? Mike

Which ship??

 

[mbwilliamn]

We were on the Freedom out of Miami. I have continued to ask questions from others and Carnival but can't get a satisfactory answer. One of the people in our party has a friend in corporate and SHE didn't know about it!

 

[Whodat26]

I have contacted Carnival about ship time and they said it was always the same as the port of departure.

 

[mbwilliamn]

Love to know who at Carnival you talked to because they clearly don't know the reality. As I stated at the beginning, SHIPS TIME CHANGED. If they are going to do that, great, but there is NO notice on their website, cruise prep notes and even the corporate office didn't know.

 

[DivingNole]

I'm running into that, will be going out on Carnival in a couple of weeks. I called Carnival and they said they would stay on ship time, aka matching the departure port's time. However, then the rep said something that didn't make much sense, that due to the time change (we're heading out March 9th), the boat would be on the same time as port time. However, in talking to a dive op in St Thomas, I found out that we're scheduled to dock 8-6 local time, not ship time. He got that info from the cruise ship pier operators and said that Carnival reserved their pier spot from 8-6 local, not ship time. So I think it's definitely not tracking with what Carnival reps are telling people that they won't adjust for time zone changes.

 

[DEEPLOU]

I'm running into that, will be going out on Carnival in a couple of weeks. I called Carnival and they said they would stay on ship time, aka matching the departure port's time. However, then the rep said something that didn't make much sense, that due to the time change (we're heading out March 9th), the boat would be on the same time as port time. However, in talking to a dive op in St Thomas, I found out that we're scheduled to dock 8-6 local time, not ship time. He got that info from the cruise ship pier operators and said that Carnival reserved their pier spot from 8-6 local, not ship time. So I think it's definitely not tracking with what Carnival reps are telling people that they won't adjust for time zone changes.

Don't know where you are getting 2 hour difference. But just checked if you are on est (eastern standard time) as Miami currently is, St Thomas is one hour faster (ast) ie. 7:00 est = 8:00 ast. Was on Carnival Liberty in January doing Western Caribbean and the Carnival Glory last week, same Western Caribbean. Both stayed on ship's time for entire cruise. The same held true for the numerous Carnival cruises I have done out of Miami to Western Caribbean.

---------- Post added February 25th, 2013 at 08:05 AM ----------

Next week we fly to Argentina, Buenos Aires and sail from there to NYC. As there is a 2 hour difference and it is a one way trip, I presume (never ass u me) that they will change time somewhere along the way. If not then have to change watch when we land.