Med cruise: Tendering in Villefranche

[ppfqp]

I am also posting this on the France ports board, but I wanted some RCCL-specific input. I'm hoping someone can give me some tips.

 

We are on the July 4 Western Med cruise on the Navigator. We are doing a private tour of Monaco/Nice/Eze during our port call in Villefranche (with a family we met on Cruise Critic!!). Can anyone give me a rundown on how the tendering works in this port? What are your tips for getting to shore on an early tender?

 

Thanks for any help!

[marci22]

My very general tip for getting on an early tender is to get the earliest tender ticket number possible and then regardless of ticket number, be ready and waiting before the first tender leaves. (if first tender is at 10am, be ready at 9:30am) There is almost always room for extra people on that first tender.

[Gator0178]

We leave June 20 on Navigator Med cruise! I will let you know when I get back. I'm interested myself.

[PCWalton1]

My very general tip for getting on an early tender is to get the earliest tender ticket number possible and then regardless of ticket number, be ready and waiting before the first tender leaves. (if first tender is at 10am, be ready at 9:30am) There is almost always room for extra people on that first tender.

 

We were on the May 2 Voyager cruise and we didn't have any tickets. We left Voyager on the first tender boat for our private tour and it was not even 3/4 full.

[Bobal]

I've just answered your question in more detail on the France Ports of call board :)

[ppfqp]

Thanks! I appreciate the information!

[newlifeca]

We were on the Voyager of the Seas, and took one of the early tenders when docked at Villefrance, they had a couple tenders going at any one time and waiting was not an issue. You'll have fun at that stop

[mjsshipboy]

What time does your ship arrive into Villefranche? That makes a difference... Voyager arrives at 7 or 8 am, Brilliance arrives in at 10am and tendering is a lot different when you arrive later....

[Pete B]

Hi.

Was on Voyager last week. We were tied up to the pontoon at 7am. There were 3 tenders running at the same time and we never experienced any queue. Even on the early tenders there seemed to be no waiting (cos I was snooping over the balcony ;-)

On the way back we had a 5 minute wait at the dock.

Villefranche is loveley by the way if you want to stop for some lunch.

 

Pete

[Bobal]

Thanks Pete B, that's good to know. I sometimes think the creation of a queue for tender tickets on the day before creates more of a problem than just letting people get off when they're ready, particularly when so early into port.

[charliegirlac]

We were on Voyager a couple of years ago and we had an RC tour but it was a late tour. However, there were high winds and it caused the tendering to be put on hold until later in the day - we were meant to be tendering by 11ish and didnt start till after lunch. Every one was up and ready and just hanging around waiting. We had tender 2 tickets and waited for ages for them to call our number. Eventually they did and when we headed down it was choas. There were people getting on the tenders with tender 10 tickets, no tickets etc. RC employees did nothing to stop it and it really bugged me because we did the right thing and waited. It did take a while to tender with the weather so we made sure we did a RC tour - we found they always get their tours off the ship first...

 

Carly

[Norwegianlatvian]

Here you can see Voyager of the Seas, her tenders and Villefranche: