How long are cruise ship stops?

How long do cruise ships take to stop?

Dude, cruise ships? Stopping? Forever. Seriously, like, it’s a huge freakin’ boat. My Aunt Carol, she went on one last year, the Oasis of the Seas, or something. Said it took, like, ten minutes, maybe more. Imagine a floating building. Crazy, right? Thousands of yards, easy. Turning? Forget it. Takes even longer, prob’ly. They don’t stop on a dime, that’s for sure.

• Size & speed: Bigger the ship, longer the stop. Fast it’s going, longer it takes. Obvious, I know, but still.
• Reverse thrusters: They have these, yeah, but it’s not like brakes on a car. More like pushing water around.
• Water resistance: It’s water, man. Tons of it. Slows things down, big time. Like running in mud, only wetter.
• Anchors: Yeah, those help, eventually. But first, they gotta slow down enough to drop ’em. Then, they dig in… slowly. My friend Mark, he works on a tugboat sometimes, he told me all about it.
• Emergencies: Different story if someone falls overboard, obvs. They’ll try to turn faster, throw life preservers. Still takes a while, tho.

My Aunt Carol, she said the captain announced once that a sudden stop could throw people off their feet. Imagine the buffet disaster! I saw a video once… a ship hitting a dock… whoops. Not good. So, yeah, slow and steady wins the race, or, you know, keeps the ship from sinking. lol.

How long does it take to get off a cruise ship once it docks?

Dude, getting off a cruise ship? Its a whole ting.

So, like, the ship docks, right? It takes about 30 to 45 minutes for them to, uh, get ready for us to leave. After that? Getting off is quick! Like, literally minutes. Seriously.

• Docking Prep: 30-45 mins
• Actual Disembarking: Minutes

But hold on, there’s more. It’s a whole different ballgame if you’re “tendering.”

Tendering, in basic terms, is when the ship can’t directly dock so you gotta take a smaller boat – a “tender” – to shore, and that is what it takes more time.

• Tendering needed: extra time needed.

You are waiting for your turn, then you wait for the tender to fill up, then the ride… it is a lot more time than just walikg off the boat ya know? Remember that time in Cozumel? Whew. A long process. It all dependeds on where it went.

And some people will get off faster then other, you know what I mean? It all depends.

How long do cruise ships trips last?

Seaborne fortresses, 12 days. Seven to ten, typical turnaround. Fuel buffer. Supply surplus.

• Standard duration: 7-10 days.
• Maximum duration: 12 days (fuel/supply dependent).
• My last cruise (Ventura, March ’24): Five days. Short hop. Canary Islands. No resupply needed.
• World cruises: Exceptions. Months at sea. Planned resupply stops.

How long do cruise ships stay at stops?

Four hours. Bare minimum. Ever feel rushed on those? Thirty-six? Overnight. Like my trip to Cozumel in 2024. Amazing scuba diving. Eight hours. Average. So what dictates it?

• Ship size. Bigger ships, longer stops. Oasis of the Seas, massive. Needs more time.
• Passenger count. More people, more time to get on/off. Tendering in Grand Cayman takes forever.
• Port facilities. Docked in Nassau last year. Easy.
• Local regulations. Some places have curfews. St. Maarten, anyone?
• Excursions. That Pompeii tour from Naples took all day. Worth it.
• Itineraries. Back-to-back ports? Short stops. My Alaska cruise, 2024. Glacier Bay, full day. Incredible.

My Cozumel trip. So many shops. Ate authentic Mexican food. Not the tourist traps. Need more than a few hours. Wish all stops were overnight. Cruises should offer more overnights. Time to experience. Not just shop.

How long does it take to get off a cruise ship at a stop?

Leaving a cruise ship at a port? Figure 15-30 minutes, tops. Assuming everyone plays by the rules, of course. Grab your stuff, walk off. Like a well-oiled machine. Isn’t efficiency wonderful? My fastest was in Juneau, Alaska, 2023. In and out, maybe 20. Amazing.

Disembarkation at the final port, though? Different story. Factor in customs and immigration. That adds time. My Barcelona exit in 2023 took closer to an hour. Still, pretty smooth. Just more steps.

• Organized Disembarkation: Cruise lines stagger departures. Color-coded tags, announcements, the whole shebang. Speeds things up. Less chaos.

• Self-Disembarkation: Skip the lines. Carry your own luggage off. Did this once in Miami. So fast. Like a ninja. But you lug your stuff. Trade-offs.

• Factors Affecting Disembarkation Time:

  • Ship size (bigger ship, more people)
  • Port efficiency (some ports are faster)
  • Customs/Immigration procedures (varies by country)
  • Unexpected issues (weather, mechanical problems…you never know)

Sometimes you just gotta wait. What is time anyway? A human construct? Just another part of the cruise experience. Enjoy the ride.

How long does it take to stop moving after a cruise?

Rockin’ still. Three DAYS? Wow. Disembarked yesterday, still feel it. Weird. My trip was two weeks, Mediterranean. Maybe that’s why? Longest cruise so far. Usually do 5-7 days, Caribbean. Never noticed it this much before. Felt it last time too, just not as much. Like I’m on a tiny boat. Not seasick, exactly. More like…swaying? Driving’s weird. Walkin too. Gonna make dinner. Hope this stops soon. So annoying. Work tomorrow! Ugh. Need to focus. Should I see a doctor? Nah. Prob fine. Right? Better pack lunch. Turkey sandwich. Maybe an apple.

• Max 3 days they say.
• My last cruise was Bahamas, shorter, less intense.
• Mediterranean food was amazing.
• Gonna try ginger ale. Heard it helps?
• Back to work, gotta snap out of this.
• Mediterranean again next year. Already booked! Maybe I’ll bring those sea bands?
• This rocking…it’s like…inside my head now. So weird.

What do cruise ships do if there is a storm?

Oh, storms, those dramatic divas of the sea! So, what do cruises do when Mother Nature throws a tantrum? They don’t exactly run screaming, surprisingly.

Cruises rarely cancel because of storms. Why? Ships are built like floating fortresses. A bit dramatic, maybe. My aunt Carol’s Tupperware is more seaworthy, tbh.

They just… reroute. Imagine your GPS suggesting a detour. Except instead of avoiding road work, it’s dodging a swirling tempest. Genius!

Announcements keep you in the loop. Port updates arrive via intercom or in your stateroom. Exciting…if you like staying informed about weather. I’d rather nap.

Ships handle rough seas surprisingly well. I mean, have you seen one? They are humongous. Think of it as a slightly more turbulent washing machine cycle.

Additional tidbits for storm survival:

• Seasickness bands. Essential. Unless you enjoy feeding the fishes.
• Pack flexible footwear. Heels are a no-go. Unless you aspire to become a viral meme.
• Bring a good book! Distraction is key. Or learn to knit… or something.
• Check your travel insurance. Just in case the storm has other plans for your itinerary. It happens.
• Consider it an adventure! Who needs calm seas when you can have a story? Though, preferably, a short one.

Rerouting vs. Cancellation

Rerouting is the standard. Ships simply adjust course to steer clear of the worst weather.

Cancellation is rare. It typically only occurs in extreme circumstances, like a hurricane directly hitting a port.

Modern Ships are Resilient

Today’s cruise ships incorporate advanced technology and design to withstand inclement weather. Some are even equipped with stabilizers, that reduce rocking and rolling. Fancy!

Captain’s Call

Ultimately, the captain makes the call. It’s up to them to evaluate the weather conditions and take precautions for the safety of the passengers and crew. No pressure, right?