Tender question

[PCHS82]

I've cruised before but never had to tender to a port. We are going to NE/Canada this fall on the Regal Princess and a couple of stops are listed as having to tender to port. Can someone describe or explain how this works?

 

 

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[Scrapnana]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Usually if you are on a ship sponsored excursion you will be called first to get on the tenders. If you are going on your own, you usually have to meet in a specified location to get a ticket to get on the tender.

 

You will go to one of the lower decks where there will be a platform set up for getting into/out of the tenders. The tenders will take you to the port, tie up, and you get off from there. Coming back to the ship you may have to wait a little while for a tender (they are constantly going back and forth between the ship and dock).

[NantahalaCruiser]

I've cruised before but never had to tender to a port. We are going to NE/Canada this fall on the Regal Princess and a couple of stops are listed as having to tender to port. Can someone describe or explain how this works?

 

 

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The cruise ship anchors in the harbor and uses some of its larger lifeboats to ferry passengers between the ship and the port's dock.

 

There are often priorities assigned to which passengers are allowed to get off the ship first - such as those going of the ship's own shore excursions and those that have higher loyalty points with the cruise line.

[fishywood]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Here is a video a fellow passenger took of one the very tender rides you will have--from Regal Princess in Bar Harbor:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DxdaZ85Bu4

 

Likely this was filmed later in the day, after the first rush of passengers to get off when tender service begins. At that early hour you would have to take a number and wait to be called to enter the tender line.

 

And come over to the Princess board with any other questions you may have:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

[hallasm]

In addition to using life boats for tendering also external providers are used.

I have attached a video showing the tender process using life boats (from lowering the life boat to getting it back again) - also a video using external providers at Gran Cayman

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

If you have purchased the ship's excursion, your tour ticket will tell you when and where to meet to get the tender ashore.

If you are going ashore independently, then you will need to read the daily program to find out where you will meet to get your tender ticket to go ashore.

[paul929207]

If you have an early private tour or want to get off quickly to go on your own, you will need to get to the room where tender tickets are dispensed early. There will usually be a fairly long wait for these tender tickets.

[SusieKay]

Don't be in a big hurry to be first on a tender. You will then have to sit there and wait until it is fully loaded before it leaves. First on is often last off.

 

If life boats are used they can be hot, crowded, poorly ventilated and smell of fuel. They also can bounce around a bit in choppy seas when getting on and off at the ship.

 

Port provided tenders are usually larger and much more comfortable.

[4774Papa]

Tendering can be a royal pain in the rear or it can go very smoothly.

1) If the time from ship to shore is short and fast, that helps quite a bit.

2) In some ports, probably not in NE and Canada, the cruise lines are required to use local ships. We had to use one very large one in Bali, Indonesia that took 45 minutes just to fill up. The tendering in Bali was terrible.

 

Usually ship's excursions people get top priority, as do suite passengers. Sometimes there is a queue were you line up for a number. I have waited an hour just to get my number. For example, in that case, got #3, but still didn't get ashore for another hour.

 

If you plan a private tour, make sure that your tour guide knows you are tendering and may be late.

[John Bull]

As others have posted, the wait for tenders varies enormously depending on the distance between ship and jetty, size and number and type of tender boats, the sea-state etc.

 

And, as also mentioned, for tendering to shore (but not for returning to the ship) there's priority for those on ship-sponsored excursions and often for those in higher-priced cabins or with loyalty benefits.

 

For the rest of us it always used to be (and with many ships it still is) that you are told in the previous day's newspaper etc where (usually a bar or dining room) and when in the morning to collect your tender tickets.

Usually the tickets have a tender number - though sometimes it's a passenger number, so don't panic that you've been allocated to the 376th tender :D - and they're handed out in sequence at the appointed time. So first-come, first-served.

Normally it's OK for one person to collect all tender tickets for a family.

Yes, plenty of folk turn up early - if you're desperate to be on the first tender or two, get there about a half-hour ahead.

Once you've got your tickets you can then do your own thing on the ship - head for a bar or wherever - and tender (or passenger) numbers are called out on the PA for folk to go to the disembarkation point.

 

More & more ships are switching to a different system.

You go to the meeting point - usually a dining room or theatre - when you're ready to go ashore.

You are then given a tender number and stay there until called to go to the disembarkation point.

Sounds very tiresome but on the occasions we've experienced that system it has worked quickly and smoothly.

 

For returning to the ship we've never experienced any priorities.

 

At berthed ports, "back-on-board" time is usually 30 minutes before scheduled sailing time.

For tendered ports it's "last tender time", and it's usually 60 minutes before scheduled sailing time.

But that's the latest time you have to be at the jetty, not the latest time you have to be on the ship. If there's still a line at the jetty when "last tender time" comes around they won't leave you stranded :rolleyes:, the tenders will continue until the line has been mopped-up.

 

Good point made by SusieKay. The stern of the tender is a fun place, but it does catch the engine fumes - especially ticking over at the jetty waiting for passengers.

 

The first time you go ashore by tender it's an interesting experience, after that it can become a bit of a time-consuming chore.

And more tender ports are missed than berthed ports, due to the risk of accidents in high seas or heavy swells.

On the other hand, there are some ports where tendering is actually preferable to tying up at the quay because the port is a mile or three from the destination whereas tenders drop you right in town. Mykonos and Dubrovnik are examples.

 

All part of life's rich tapestry ;)

 

JB :)

[Blondilu]

All of the above is great info and exactly how it all works. Also as noted above those little tender boats can be quite rocky. And they pack you in shoulder to shoulder with the other passengers. Be aware if either situation makes you uncomfortable. I can get seasick and take my meclazine daily, but have still gotten a little queasy on the bouncy ride of a tender.

 

Regarding lines: coming back the line can sometimes be really long. And often out in the sun. Depending on the location you maybe should bring a hat.

[LHT28]

In the daily newsletters there are instructions for the tender port the next day

Follow the instructions & you will be fine

[barkleytaylor]

In the daily newsletters there are instructions for the tender port the next day

Follow the instructions & you will be fine

 

 

 

 

What experiences has anyone had with the Anthem in Bar Harbor?

Is it a madhouse and what's the earliest you're arrived ashore with a private tour?

 

 

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[roxierox]

We are on Grandeur of the Seas in October. Does anyone know if they use lifeboats as tenders or larger outside provider tenders? We are traveling with my 92 year old grandmother and my 72 year old mother who has MS. Just trying to get an idea of the tender situation.

[hallasm]

What experiences has anyone had with the Anthem in Bar Harbor?

Is it a madhouse and what's the earliest you're arrived ashore with a private tour?

 

We did Anthem cruise to Bar Harbour last September - tendering went smoothly despite the big ship - Tenders operated by local boats.

 

08cG-Ddy4Ds

 

 

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[hallasm]

We are on Grandeur of the Seas in October. Does anyone know if they use lifeboats as tenders or larger outside provider tenders? We are traveling with my 92 year old grandmother and my 72 year old mother who has MS. Just trying to get an idea of the tender situation.

We did tender on a cruise with my 95 year old Mother in Law - just stay outside 'tush hours'.- se my video in post #5.

Does not really matter if it's life boat tenders or external boats.

[broadwaybaby123]

Yes the lifeboats are used as tenders and are usually used for a short ride to shore if the shore is too shallow for the ship to dock in.

 

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[Jimnbigd]

After some period of time (3 or 4 hours probably), you won't need a ticket to depart the ship on a tender -- the ship will likely announce this. Also, getting back to the ship can have a long line waiting for the tender, so use the bathroom first. There is no charge to use the tender.