Everyone has missed a flight, bus, or train once in their life. Arriving late on a flight or train gives you an option to hop onto the next one; however, when you miss your cruise, there’s not another vessel for a few days at least, and you’ve got to bear all the costs.
Missing a cruise ship is far more expensive and stressful, so the experts at our cruise transfer company in Southampton have prepared a detailed guide to help you avoid that.
Learn the Time Differences
Often ship times (nautical times) differ from local times; most people don’t pay attention to and miss their cruise. Check out the announcements and onboard newsletters to forward your watch back or forward according to your cruise’s nautical time. This will confirm the exact time you need to be present at your port. Prebook your cruise transfer services to avoid transport delays and reach a little early for peace of mind.
Prepare in Advance
From the important documents to other essential stuff, ensure you keep everything ready at least a day before to avoid getting late. Here’s a list of things to consider:
- Photocopies of passports
- Tickets or passes
- Driver’s licenses
- Credit cards
- Ship’s phone number
- Port travel agent
- Cruise transfer details
- Travel insurance hotline
- Other relevant numbers and documents
Keep their e-copies in your phone as well, in case you lose anything or something gets stolen. Having all the essential documents with you will help with the onboarding process, and you don’t have to look for things at the last moment.
Fly At Least a Day Before
If you’re taking a ship far from home and need air travel to reach the port, don’t schedule your arrival time a few hours before your cruise departure time. Flight delays and unforeseen circumstances are bound to happen, so flying at least a day before is the safest way to avoid missing the flight.
Most people book their flight 12–24 hours before, book a hotel nearest to the cruise port to get rest and enjoy some activities around the port before boarding. Flights can be exhausting, and hopping from a plane to a cruise can be stressful. The risks of delays are even more if there are connecting flights. Spending a little money on a hotel room will save you your whole cruise vacation.
If you can’t fly in a whole day before, make sure to leave at least 4–5 hours between your arrival and the ship’s departure time. Don’t forget to plan everything according to the cruise’s nautical time.
Avoid Booking Excursions Through Third Parties
While you may find an exciting deal from a third party, risks are involved. When you book your excursions through a cruise line directly, they will wait for you to get on the ship or take complete logistical and financial responsibility if you miss the ship due to excursion delays. Multiple companies work with the cruise line to offer excursions, and they directly communicate with the ship to inform of any delays.
On the other hand, if you’ve booked your excursions from a third party and get delayed, the crew members wouldn’t know and sail without having you on board.
Calculate the Time for Your Activities
Cruise ships stop at various ports for a few hours, and there are multiple excursions on the mainland. If you want to enjoy some activities, calculate how long it will take you to avoid missing your ship. Do those things first that are further away from the ship, book a reliable taxi service that brings you back without delays, and make sure you plan everything carefully.
Expect Time Delays
Even after doing everything right, you can’t control a few things in life, such as weather, sickness, traffic, etc. While planning things, add a few extra hours in case something happens. It’s best if you don’t rush because that’s when people make silly mistakes that put your safety and expenses in jeopardy.
Don’t Plan Too Much
While planning an itinerary, everything may look doable on your to-do list, but things are a lot different. You can’t have everything during your trip, so plan smartly and make the most of everything instead of trying to do too much, rushing, and not having fun. Due to the delays and other unexpected things, some things are missed, so keep this in mind and stay organised.
What to Do If You Miss Your Cruise
As we said, delays are inevitable, so if you miss your cruise or know you’re about to, act fast by following these tips. You may still enjoy your coastal vacation.
Call Your Ship
Once you know that you can’t reach the port in the given time, don’t wait further and immediately call your ship to inform them and ask if they can wait for you. Most ships don’t wait for passengers, but you can always try your luck.
Get in Touch with the Port Agent
If the ship has left, and you’ve reached the port, look for the port agent. Most times, crew members give the traveller’s documents to the port agent if they have missed the ship and have their passports or other documents in possession. Besides that, your port agent will help with many things regarding travel arrangements.
Join From Next Port if Possible
Although you might be able to get to your vessel from another port, local law sometimes prohibits that. You can ask the ship representatives or port agents and see if you can join your vessel.
Re-book Your Trip or Enjoy the Port
If none of the above options work and your schedule and wallet allows you re-book your trip and make travel arrangements. You will have to bear all the new expenses because cruise lines don’t usually offer refunds if you miss your ship. Otherwise, you can always enjoy the port. Southampton cruise port has many attractions and activities for tourists that you can make the most of before heading back home.
At Go Comfort, we offer reliable cruise transfers in Southampton and multiple other ports in the UK. With our premium taxis and chauffeur services, you can reach your port on time without worrying about traffic or finding a taxi at the last minute. We also offer airport transfers for comfortable and hassle-free transportation. Call us now for more details.