Back-to-ship guarantees, operator by operator
What each independent operator on this site says about getting you back before all-aboard, and what happens if your ship doesn't make it to port. Quoted from their own pages and summarized, checked October 22, 2026.
A guarantee is only as good as its terms, and most operators don't spell them out. The strongest we found promise a refund and transport to the next port if you miss the ship. Many others say only that tours are timed around ship schedules, and some say nothing at all. Whatever the policy, leave a buffer between the end of the tour and all-aboard.
Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Back-on-Time Guarantee; tours scheduled with ship schedules in mind |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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No formal guarantee; they work closely with cruise passengers to ensure timely returns to the ship |
Full refund if a cruise schedule change prevents rescheduling. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Ketchikan, Alaska
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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No guarantee stated; operator says no one has ever missed a cruise departure |
Full refund if ship schedule changes cause a missed tour. |
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Not stated |
Full refund if you miss the cruise or the ship does not reach port. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Skagway, Alaska
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Driver will get you back to town or your dock before your ship leaves |
Full refund if your ship misses the port. |
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Guarantees return to the ship before departure for ships docked in Skagway; not for in-town drop-offs or Haines-docked ships |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Full refund only if the ship does not arrive or arrives too late. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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No guarantee stated; complimentary ride back to your ship's dock offered |
Not stated |
Sitka, Alaska
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Full refund if the ship cancels the port call or captain cancels. |
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Not stated |
Full refund if the ship cancels the port call. |
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On time guaranteed return |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Guaranteed on-time return to the ship; full refund and transport to the next port if the captain misses it |
Not responsible for cruise line changes. |
Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Alaska
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
'Back to Ship on Time Guaranteed'; shuttle back from Hoonah about every 30 minutes |
100% refund if the ship does not arrive or operator cancels. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Seward, Alaska (embarkation port)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Haines, Alaska
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Says it will get guests back in time for their cruise ship departure |
Full refund if the ship cannot dock or the company cancels. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Whittier, Alaska (embarkation port)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Caribbean
Cozumel, Mexico
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Guarantees return to your cruise on time; states return to the pier with at least 45 minutes to spare. |
Full refund if the ship doesn't dock or arrives too late; full refund if the ship skips Cozumel or arrives too late. |
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Not stated |
Full refund if the cruise skips Cozumel or the Playa del Carmen ferry is not running. |
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Not stated |
Full refund if the cruise ship is late or does not port. |
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Tours built around cruise schedules with a 'Back-to-Ship' guarantee. |
Full refund if the Port Authority closes the port; full refund if the Port Authority closes the port or the ship misses port. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Nothing stated on ships skipping the port. |
Nassau, Bahamas
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Grand Cayman (George Town), Cayman Islands
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
No charge if ship can't stop or arrives late, or if captain cancels for weather; no charge if the ship can't stop or arrives too late. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not a formal guarantee; states no one on its Stingray City tours has ever missed their ship and start times are matched to cruise schedules. |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
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Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
St. Maarten (Philipsburg)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Says cruise guests are always back for all-aboard, with the boat at the marina by 3 PM; no formal terms. |
Under 48 hours: none. Full refund if captain cancels or ship doesn't arrive; Full refund if the cruise ship is late or does not arrive. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Roatan, Honduras
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Plans to arrive back at port at least 90 minutes before published departure; ship all-aboard time is final. |
Full refund if cancelled 24+ hours ahead (Roatán time), if the ship cannot dock, or if the company cancels for weather; Full refund if cancelled 24+ hours ahead or if the ship cannot dock. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Says guests get back to port with plenty of time to board |
Not stated |
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Guarantees guests are back at port 1.5 hours before the ship leaves |
Not stated |
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Returns guests to the pier at least one hour before all-aboard |
Under 48 hours: none. Ship cannot dock: refund less the fee; Cancellation and ship-cannot-dock refund terms are on its homepage; product pages show only a money-back guarantee banner. |
Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
States an on-time return guarantee; deposit fully refundable if the ship doesn't make it to port. |
Fully refundable if the ship cannot dock. |
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Says you return to the ship with time to spare |
Not stated |
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Guaranteed return to ship on time |
Full refund if the ship doesn't dock or weather prevents the tour. |
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Not stated |
If ship doesn't dock, voucher or 50% deposit refund; if the ship doesn't dock, a transferable voucher for the deposit amount; ship no-show gets a deposit voucher or 50% deposit refund. |
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Says guests will be back on time for the ship; tours are timed to each ship's schedule |
Full refund if the ship skips port or weather cancels. |
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Says guests are back at the meeting point with plenty of time to return to the cruise terminal |
100% refund if the ship doesn't dock, in extreme weather, or for cancellations 24 hours before the trip. |
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Says its trips are planned around your cruise schedule (no further terms) |
Not stated |
Belize City, Belize
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
We will get you back to your ship on time! |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Falmouth, Jamaica
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Guarantees on-time return to the Falmouth Cruise Port, planning for 30 to 60 minutes before departure |
Full refund if the ship skips the port. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Key West, Florida
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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No guarantee; says returning to the ship on time is the guest's responsibility |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Progreso, Mexico
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Says a guide stays with the group until it is back in time for the ship, and claims "100% of our customers have returned on time" |
Not stated |
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No formal guarantee; its tours get guests back to Progreso 60 to 90 minutes before re-boarding |
Full deposit refund if cancelled by email before sailing, or if the ship cannot reach Progreso. |
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Montego Bay (Montego Freeport), Jamaica
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Puerto Plata (Amber Cove and Taino Bay), Dominican Republic
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Full refund if the ship cannot dock. |
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Badge reads 'On-Time Return Guaranteed'; return to port planned with time to spare (terms not stated) |
Full refund if the ship never docks (tours page). |
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Promises an on-time return transfer to the cruise port (terms not stated) |
Full refund if the ship skips Puerto Plata or a late arrival stops the tour; Its cancellation a skipped port overrides the 24-hour rule with a full refund. |
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Banner reads 'Guaranteed On-Time Return to Your Ship'; no terms given |
Full refund if the ship fails to dock. |
St. Kitts (Basseterre)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Beach-time guests are picked up about 1.5 hours before all-aboard (no formal guarantee stated) |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Antigua (St. John's)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
St. Lucia (Castries)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Guarantees you will be back at the ship with time to spare |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Barbados (Bridgetown)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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No formal guarantee; says it has never caused a guest to miss a ship in over 20 years; lunch sail suits all-aboard of 3 pm or later |
Full refund if cancelled more than 48 hours ahead, if Silver Moon cancels, or if the ship no longer docks in Barbados. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Aruba (Oranjestad)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Exceptions may apply to cruise ship bookings. |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |
Curaçao (Willemstad)
| Operator | Getting back to the ship | If the ship skips the port |
|---|---|---|
No guarantee stated; the tour ends back at your ship or in the city center, as you prefer |
Not stated |
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None; cruise guests may join but do so at their own risk |
Not stated |
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Not stated |
Not stated |