Can a cruise ship leave without you?

Let me tell you about the cruise passenger phenomenon of pier runners. These are folks who are in a port, enjoying the beach, off shopping or otherwise engaged — popular watering holes such as Margaritaville and Senor Frogs are often involved — and lose track of time. If they’re lucky and realize they’re late, they frantically run back to their ship before it heads to the next port. If they aren’t lucky, the gangway is already up, and the cruise ship leaves without them.

These sad sacks make for great drama on social media. Search “pier runners,” and you’ll catch my drift.

You don’t want to join their lot. A cruise ship can leave without you — and it will if you're late. If that happens, it will cost you a bundle. Here are ways to avoid being left behind and what to do if you are.

How to ensure your ship doesn’t leave you

Set your watch to ship time

Lesson one: Read your daily newsletter (delivered to your cabin or detailed on your cruise line’s app), and understand any nuances regarding ship time versus what time it is on shore. When you leave your ship at a port of call, make sure your watch or smartphone is set to ship time.

Know when ‘all aboard’ is

Your ship will set an all-aboard time, when everyone is expected to be back on board. This is different from the sail-away time, which is usually about half an hour later. It is, however, when the crew starts to pull in the gangways, preventing stragglers from boarding the ship.

That does not mean you should show up at your ship precisely at the all-aboard time. Smart cruisers aim to be back at least an hour before the set time, just in case they encounter traffic delays or any other issues returning to the pier. (If you wander far, add in extra time.)

Related: 6 cruise mistakes that will ruin your vacation in an instant

The time that you will be expected to be back on board will be posted in the daily schedule, along with a phone number to call in case of an emergency. It’s a good idea to snap a photo of that information. The cruise director also will make announcements about the all-aboard time, and a sign noting it will be posted as you exit the ship.

Since it’s easy to space out on the beach or get caught up in bargaining for a treasured souvenir, you are best off setting an alarm on your phone to alert you that it’s time to head back to the ship. Keep in mind that there is no glory — but, rather, embarrassment if you hold everyone else up — in being the last person back on board.

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Book a ship-sponsored shore excursion

If you are exploring on a ship-sponsored shore excursion and it’s running late, don’t worry. If you purchase a tour through the cruise line, you are guaranteed that the ship will wait if the tour bus is not back by the all-aboard time.

It’s a matter of numbers. The ship does not want to leave dozens of passengers stranded in port, through no fault of their own, and have to pay to get them to the next port of call.

Related: Avoid these 10 mistakes when booking cruise shore excursions

Plan for independent tours to end early

If you book a tour through an independent tour company, you don’t have the same guarantee that the ship will wait. That said, established tour operators know ship times and are generally careful to get you back early. Again, if a bunch of other passengers also booked the same tour, you can worry less about the ship being there when you get back to the pier.

Some operators guarantee that you will arrive at the ship on time or they will pay for you to get to the next port of call. When making reservations with an independent operator, it’s a good idea to look for such guarantees and read customer comments online. Consider any comments about rushing back to the ship as red flags.

If you’re arranging a customized private tour, make sure you communicate to your guide that you need to be back at the pier well before all-aboard time. That buffer time will serve you well if you run into unexpected delays.

The same consideration applies if you snag a last-minute tour deal at the pier. When you disembark your ship at a port of call, you might be barraged with offers from independent guides, taxi drivers, jitney drivers, rickshaw operators and others offering to show you the town and beyond. Before agreeing to a tour, make sure you understand how far you are going from the pier, and make sure your guide understands the all-aboard time and when you want to be back.

Related: I nearly missed my cruise ship – here’s how you can avoid becoming a pier runner

What to do if you miss your ship (or think you might)

If you’re late, alert the ship

Every time you board or leave the ship, you’ll scan your keycard or radio-frequency identification device at the gangway. That’s so the security crew knows who is on board and who isn't. On really small ships, there might be a manual peg board instead, where you move the peg to red to indicate you are off and green to show that you are on board.

As the all-aboard time nears, the ship’s security staff will monitor who has yet to return to the ship.

If you know you’re running late, call the number you recorded from your newsletter or the cruise line’s 24-hour number, and ask to send a message to the ship. That way, someone will know you’re on your way back.

Related: What happens if you miss your cruise?

As the ship’s all-aboard time approaches or passes, guest services will try to locate you on board by calling your cabin. An announcement with your name will be made on the ship’s public-address system asking you to notify guest services if you are on the ship. If there is no response, your name will be called again, this time using the ship’s emergency announcement system, which the whole ship hears (meaning your situation is now disturbing any of your shipmates who are in their cabins napping).

If your mobile number is in your guest record, a crew member might try to call you directly.

At the same time, security personnel could be dispatched to search for wayward passengers in the area near the port. They know where to look. (Hello, Senor Frogs.)

Find a port agent

A cruise ship will leave passengers behind on shore if they arrive back at the ship too late, but the ship staff has procedures in place to help you.

If you are not on the ship and the departure time is drawing near, a security officer may enter your cabin and open your safe to locate your passport, driver’s license, credit cards or any other important stuff you have left there. They’ll also collect your medication and any other necessities you will need because the ship is about to strand you on shore, and you will need to make your own way home.

Related: What documents do you need for a cruise? From passports to printouts, here’s what to take

If you are a pier runner and there is still a gangway open when you get to the ship, everything will be returned, you’ll be chastised, and your saga will end there. Otherwise, your passport and other important items will be handed over to a port official, who will wait for you to finally show up at the pier.

If you arrive back at the pier only to see your ship sailing away, find the port agent. If he or she has your passport, that’s a good thing. You will need your passport to fly to the ship’s next destination or home (your choice). If your passport has not been handed off to the port agent, you will have to contact your home country’s embassy or consulate for assistance.

Make plans to rejoin the ship or to head home

You’ve missed the ship. You’ve found the port agent. Now, the “fun” begins. Hopefully, you’re not too close to the limit on your credit cards because you’re going to need them. While the port agent might help make your arrangements, it’s entirely your responsibility to pay any related travel expenses.

Considering last-minute airfares and possibly the need to stay at a hotel before your flight, it’s going to cost you a bundle to get back to your ship or head home. If you decide to end your vacation, you will have to pay the cruise line to ship the rest of your belongings home as well. Don’t expect any reimbursement for missed days on the ship, either.

Related: Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it

Why do ships leave passengers behind?

The captain makes the decision to leave based on port regulations, schedules and other factors. For instance, the cruise line has paid expensive docking fees and does not want to pay overcharges that kick in when a ship is late leaving the pier. Higher fuel charges can also be involved if your ship has to race to the next port of call due to a late departure. The cruise line is not going to let your mistake cost the company big bucks.

It’s important to remember that you are only one of hundreds or thousands of guests, and cruise ships have rules and schedules to follow.

Pier runners tend to look ridiculous — running, shouting, signaling with their arms as the ship’s horn blares its departure. You don’t want to be the laughingstock of your cruise ship, but it’s still better to run and try to board the ship before it leaves. Missing the vessel will ruin your cruise vacation and cost you lots of money. Follow the strategies listed here so you always get back to the port with plenty of time to spare and avoid being stranded by your cruise ship.

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