Mex Riviera Ship-Port Times - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

flacruiser · 01-17-2007, 10:58 AM

Why do the Cruise Lines not adjust ships time to port time in the Mexican Riviera??All other parts of the world (on Cruises I have been on) the ship always was on "Port Time"

Blizzard · 01-17-2007, 12:16 PM

On our cruise last week on the Vision of the Seas, we did change to local time.
I have been on some trips that we did not, I am not sure why.

Krazy Kruizers · 01-17-2007, 01:47 PM

Sometimes HAL changes times and sometimes they don't when we cruise the Mexican Riviera. There just doesn't seem to be a set rule.

laffnvegas · 01-17-2007, 02:32 PM

I copied this explanation from another board that was posted my someone that I am sure is in the know.

San Diego is on Pacific Time.
Cabo and Mazatlan are Mountain Time.
Puerto Vallarta is on Central Time.

Previously HAL matched ship time and shore time. That resulted in 4 clock changes on a 7 day cruise. Many of the more chronologically challenged passengers (and crew) subsequently showed up at the wrong time for meals, work, shore tours, ship departure, spa appointments, bingo games, and shows. Everyone got rather cranky as a result.

So now there are just 2 clock changes on a 7 day cruise. Losing one hour on the first night of the cruise puts you in synch with shore time in Cabo and Mazatlan. In PV it is one hour later than ship time, so if you get confused, you will return to the ship one hour too early instead of missing the ship. After leaving PV, you get the hour back to put you back in synch with San Diego time again.

Oosterdam arrives in PV at 7am ship time which is 8am shore time.
After clearance, the first tender goes ashore around 7:30 ship / 8:30 shore time. They start so early to work around the one hour port closure that occurs every Wednesday when Carnival Pride arrives and docks.
Oosterdam departs PV at 7pm ship time which is 8pm shore time.