Elite Question

[vmarq]

This will be our first sailing as Elite. One of the benefits listed are Priority Tender Tickets. What actually does this mean? Do we still have to wait for all the shore excursions to tender before we can go, or can we go at the same time? I am mostly concerned about this for the Santorini port since unfortunately, there will be 4 ships in port at the same time. Would appreciate any info. Thank you.

[Northern Aurora]

The priority tender tickets should be delivered to your stateroom during the evening turndown service the night prior to the tender port. On the reverse of the ticket you will find where to assemble. Just go to that location (generally one of the lounges). There you will find Celebrity staff, and when a number of folks have assembled (ie, ten or twenty) they will escort the group to the tender dock.

 

We did one cruise in which all ports, except one, were tender ports. It was my impression (at least on that sailing) that those with priority tender tickets were not waiting until all of the ship sponsored excursions had departed.

 

We've found that priority tender tickets is a lovely perk.

[phoenix_dream]

The tickets are not always delivered. On our last cruise we had to go down to Michaels Club and pick them up; first come first served.

[miched]

It guarantees that you will be next in line.

 

With all of the Elites it is meaningless.

 

🌊🚢🇺🇸

[neverbeenhere]

Miched hit it on the head.

[Northern Aurora]

The tickets are not always delivered. On our last cruise we had to go down to Michaels Club and pick them up; first come first served.

 

We have been elite (and now elite +) since late in 2009, and only one time were priority tender tickets not delivered during the evening turndown service. My husband simply called our butler and the tickets were delivered promptly. I suppose we could dwell on "what might happen."

[gold1953]

On our Jan. 2014 cruise we did receive the priority tender tickets in our cabin . We went to the waiting point and then we did need to wait until the ship sponsored excursions were tendered . You do get to bypass all the cruisers with regular tender tickets though. It is a great perk!!

[4774Papa]

We have been elite on two cruises. On the Black Sea with the Connie, we simply showed up in the line to get off the ship and departed ASAP. However, on Infinity around the Horn of South America we had to wait until all the X excursions departed.

 

Tendering is a major issue, since you can miss a port or be hours late getting to shore. We pick our cruises largely by Itinerary, but if I never have to tender again, it would make me happy. We miss Yalta due to bad weather and in Bali, we were very late going ashore.

 

Both occasions our priority tender tickets were in our cabin the night before.

[phoenix_dream]

It guarantees that you will be next in line.

 

With all of the Elites it is meaningless.

 

 

I respectfully disagree. On our last cruise there were a lot of Elite's and we had several tender ports. I don't know the exact number, but we had vouchers and the bars were always standing room only at happy hour. It was definitely an advantage over those who were not Elite. Truthfully, other than a couple of free drinks it was the primary reason we were happy to be Elite. That is the cruise where you had to go pick up your tender tickets rather than them being delivered. I suspect is was because there were so many Elites onboard. Each cruise is a bit different of course, so I can only speak from my own experiences.

[cheriooo]

We have been elite and now elite+ for several cruises. We never got priority tender passes delivered to our room. We had to go to customer services to get them. On our last cruise we got onto the tender's. There was one port on the South American cruise where we had to wait for the Celebrity excursions to get off before we were boarded on the tender.

[Redtravel]

I have used the priority passes. It helps getting off the ship. The wait times can depend upon the port and what type of tenders are being used. The larger ships with more passengers are a tender nightmare. The getting off is okay. Many people wait or get off late. When you have to take the return tender, do not stay late. The return lines are terrible. No priority passes at this end. I do not like using tenders.

[PORT ROYAL]

This will be our first sailing as Elite. One of the benefits listed are Priority Tender Tickets. What actually does this mean? Do we still have to wait for all the shore excursions to tender before we can go, or can we go at the same time? I am mostly concerned about this for the Santorini port since unfortunately, there will be 4 ships in port at the same time. Would appreciate any info. Thank you.

 

The information given by previous posters is correct. But, sadly there is no priority when returning to the ship.

Question or RCL: Please consider the granting of priority boarding when returning to the ship for the status of Elite Plus and above.

[PORT ROYAL]

This will be our first sailing as Elite. One of the benefits listed are Priority Tender Tickets. What actually does this mean? Do we still have to wait for all the shore excursions to tender before we can go, or can we go at the same time? I am mostly concerned about this for the Santorini port since unfortunately, there will be 4 ships in port at the same time. Would appreciate any info. Thank you.

 

The information given by previous posters is correct. But, sadly there is no priority when returning to the ship.

Question or RCL: Please consider the granting of priority boarding when returning to the ship for the status of Elite Plus and above.