Corfu----why did we tender?

[ontheweb]

We were on the Holland America Noordam last month. Our ship docked in Corfu on Thursday August 20th.

 

The person doing the travel talks on the ship said it was the first time he had experienced Corfu as a tender port.

 

My question is why was tendering necessary. It seemed that the tender port was further from everything than the old non-tender port. More importantly, there is an inherent danger in tendering. Soon after we were safely on the tender back to the ship, the tender started rocking more and more. First, we saw an elderly woman (who earlier had been one of our dinner companions) almost lose her balance. Later she told us she almost lost her cruise card. Then we saw a younger man fall. His fall resembled a tree being cut down. He landed hard on his right elbow drawing blood.

 

If that had been my wife who fell like that, it would have been a disaster. She had a previous fall on ice breaking that elbow, and now has a metal plate in it. If she just brushes that elbow against anything, it is very painful. A fall like that gentleman did would have probably elicited a scream like a woman in labor.

 

So why was there a first time tender to a port where tendering is not necessary?

[Hlitner]

I would think that only Holland America can answer your question. It is hard to imagine any reason that would force a cruise ship to tender in Corfu as the port has lots of pier space and can handle any size cruise ship. On our most recent HA cruise (Noordam this past April) we docked in Corfu at the port.

 

Hank

[davecttr]

Corfu has only 2 or possibly 3 cruise ship berths and there were 4 ships in port that day.

Splendour of the Seas

Costa Victoria

Noordam

Oosterdam

[ontheweb]

Corfu has only 2 or possibly 3 cruise ship berths and there were 4 ships in port that day.

Splendour of the Seas

Costa Victoria

Noordam

Oosterdam

 

I guess that makes sense. I know there were 2 Celebrity ships with us when we were in Kusadasi. OTOH, we were the only ship in port when we were in Santorini.

 

I guess we should be thankful the seas were not even rougher and the tenders would have been unable to be used.

 

The Mediterranean is a busy place in the summer.