A fee to tender?

[twroths]

A friend is going to Bermuda in July and had heard that HAL charges a fee to tender to the port? I looked on here and didn't see any thing. I have never heard of that. Can anyone verify yes or no?

 

Thanks!

 

Tom

[jtl513]

NO fee to tender!! Believe me, if they started such a thing you would hear about it here, VERY LOUDLY! :D

[sail7seas]

Absolutely Not.

Tendering is required in some ports and it is a necessary service the cruise lines must provide in order for guests to visit those ports.

 

No addiitional fee.

[Tafky]

Absolutely Not.

Tendering is required in some ports and it is a necessary service the cruise lines must provide in order for guests to visit those ports.

 

No addiitional fee.

Not to sound ignorant. I am new to cruising. What is tendering?:confused:

[jtl513]

Not to sound ignorant. I am new to cruising. What is tendering?:confused:

In ports where it is to shallow to be able to dock, small boats are used to bring passengers from an anchored ship to shore. These may be tender boats that the ship carries, or they may be shore-based. The shore-based ones a usually larger. The ship-based ones also double as life boats.

 

Here's four from the Noordam:

[English_in_Spain]

It was bad enough on the Noordam when we docked in Malaga. We were at the dock that is quite a way from town and HAL were charging $17 per person for a shuttle from the port to town.

 

I can tell you passengers were not happy with this. It was felt that if a cuise line have to/choose to dock at a pier away from town (probably cheaper) then they should bear the cost of the shuttle bus.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I can think of 2 places -- probably more -- where once the ship is docked you have to pay to use the water taxis to get around -- St Lucia and St Maarten.

Maybe your friend is thinking about taking a water taxi from Hamilton and going over to King's Wharf -- that is not free.

[Roz]

Don't give the cruise lines any ideas! :eek:

 

Roz

[jtl513]

We were at the dock that is quite a way from town and HAL were charging $17 per person for a shuttle from the port to town.

 

I can tell you passengers were not happy with this. It was felt that if a cuise line have to/choose to dock at a pier away from town (probably cheaper) then they should bear the cost of the shuttle bus.

I just think of that as a cheap excursion. I can think of many places where HAL offers transfer buses for self-guided sightseeing at locations away from the port ... such as Livorno/Florence.

 

I can think of 2 places -- probably more -- where once the ship is docked you have to pay to use the water taxis to get around -- St Lucia and St Maarten.

IMO you don't have to in St Maarten.

[sail7seas]

I can think of 2 places -- probably more -- where once the ship is docked you have to pay to use the water taxis to get around -- St Lucia and St Maarten.

 

Maybe your friend is thinking about taking a water taxi from Hamilton and going over to King's Wharf -- that is not free.

 

 

Many of us enjoy the walk from the ship to down in St. Maarten. It isn't very far. If one has mobility issues, they need the water taxi but that is not HAL's fault. The dock is very much better IMO than when we used the island's tenders in the years before they built the dock.

 

I seriously doubt St. Maarten locals would permit a complimentary shuttle bus be run. The water taxi is revenue producing for the local economy though it is not only cruisers who ride it

 

I do find it annoying they force us to pay for roundtrip if we have walked to down and wish to ride the water taxi back. We must pay for a ride we didn't take. A bit greedy IMO

[sail7seas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krazy Kruizers

I can think of 2 places -- probably more -- where once the ship is docked you have to pay to use the water taxis to get around -- St Lucia and St Maarten.

 

Maybe your friend is thinking about taking a water taxi from Hamilton and going over to King's Wharf -- that is not free.

 

 

Last time we were in St. Lucia, on Maasdam, we docked where we didn't have to ride the tender. Other ships had to take it but was the first time we were able to simply walk off the ship and shop.

[catl331]

In ports where it is to shallow to be able to dock, small boats are used to bring passengers from an anchored ship to shore.

Sometimes you have to tender when there's too many ships for the number of dock spaces.

[English_in_Spain]

I just think of that as a cheap excursion. I can think of many places where HAL offers transfer buses for self-guided sightseeing at locations away from the port ... such as Livorno/Florence.

 

This was nothing like Livorno/Florence where the main attraction is inland.

 

This was a case of HAL docking at a point a long way from town/main port. There is no way this shuttle through the port area was a cheap excursion

[sail7seas]

From Malaga,

Better to go along the coast to Torremolinos and Marbella anyway. ;)

 

[jtl513]

This was nothing like Livorno-Florence where the main attraction is inland.

 

This was a case of HAL docking at a point a long way from town/main port. There is no way this shuttle through the port area was a cheap excursion

$17 is nothing like the Livorno/Florence price either! :) But we've paid for shuttle buses in Stockholm and Helsinki when docked in the "main" port.

 

I feel that in general anything we do on land is not included in the cruise price, and if they sometimes offer a free bus ride "through the port area" that's a gift that I hadn't counted on. For our upcoming cruise I understand that HAL charges $5/p/direction to go between the Venice dock and Piazzale Roma, which can't be more than a couple of minutes ride. That's OK by me, because I don't intend to use it.

 

If HAL started building the cost of shuttles into the cruise price, then people who just stay on the ship, or who make private arrangements, or who take HAL excursions, would be unfairly subsidizing those who took the shuttles. Do "all inclusive" luxury cruise lines provide free shuttles always? (I've never been on one, and probably never will be! :) )

[Krazy Kruizers]

Many of us enjoy the walk from the ship to down in St. Maarten. It isn't very far. If one has mobility issues, they need the water taxi but that is not HAL's fault. The dock is very much better IMO than when we used the island's tenders in the years before they built the dock.

 

I seriously doubt St. Maarten locals would permit a complimentary shuttle bus be run. The water taxi is revenue producing for the local economy though it is not only cruisers who ride it

 

I do find it annoying they force us to pay for roundtrip if we have walked to down and wish to ride the water taxi back. We must pay for a ride we didn't take. A bit greedy IMO

 

 

Two years ago I was able to walk up to 5 miles -- now I am reduced down to 1 mile.

Som have not choice but to use the water taxis in St Maarten.

We don't mind paying the fees for the water taxis.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Last time we were in St. Lucia, on Maasdam, we docked where we didn't have to ride the tender. Other ships had to take it but was the first time we were able to simply walk off the ship and shop.

 

The last few times all our HAL ships have not docked at the frieght area and we had to use the water taxis to get to the main terminal. Then in 2009 I wasn't even able to use the water taxi because of the steep steps to get in and out of the water taxis. Hated being stuck in one place.

[cruz chic]

Two years ago I was able to walk up to 5 miles -- now I am reduced down to 1 mile.

 

Som have not choice but to use the water taxis in St Maarten.

 

We don't mind paying the fees for the water taxis.

I "could" probably walk 5 miles but why would you want to? I need my energy for shopping:D. I doubt if many of HAL pax would do that walk....but I'm sure someone on this thread will tell me otherwise;).

[sail7seas]

It is no where near five miles to walk from where the ship docks to downtown Philipsburg.

 

It is a nice walk and we enjoy the exercise.

 

 

 

[cruz chic]

It is no where near five miles to walk from where the ship docks to downtown Philipsburg.

 

It is a nice walk and we enjoy the exercise.

 

 

 

I think it depends where you dock. The last time I was there it was easily 5 miles to town. My coworker had a different story. Where he docked was nowhere near where we docked. He was very close to town. I spent 15 days there several years ago so I am familiar with the island.

[sail7seas]

All the times we've visited St. Maarten since they built the new docks, never knew there was more than one place large cruise ships docked. :eek: Five miles from town? From Philipsburg?

 

I recall all our visits when we had to use island tenders/ferry and they tied up in the middle of downtown. I think the new docks far superior for guests.

 

[cruz chic]

Yes, from Philipsburg. When we docked there I was thinking...where the heck are we? I can't recall why we were out so far. I really can't recall if there were a lot of ships in port or not. This was on a Princess cruise....and my coworker had also gone with Princess just a month before so it was very strange.

[sail7seas]

I'm curious where ........

 

Anyone else know where this pier could be?

We've never seen or heard of it.

 

[cruz chic]

I'm curious where ........

 

Anyone else know where this pier could be?

We've never seen or heard of it.

 

Both KK and I have clearly been docked at it. Maybe you could google it since you seem to have a hard time believing either one of us....and my coworker.

[sail7seas]

I absolutely believe you. I am just trying to figure out where it is.

It interests me to hear of a pier at a port we've been to so many times and about which I was unaware.

No problem......

 

I'll inquire from others who may be able to help me. Thanks for trying to help.

 

It's a good day when we learn something new. :)