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Why Do Cruise Lines Bother with Tender Ports?

need2cruisesoon

By need2cruisesoon,
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Surf&Sand

Surf&Sand

Posted
Posted
I don't get it.

 

Get to a destination that requires tendering and then you'll spend a good hour or two to and fro only to get precious hours at that port.

 

Just skip the tender ports and get me to a island, city that has invested the money and resources to build a adequate dock, pier for cruise passengers.

 

Sounds only reasonable right?

Paradise or at least exotic places tend to be harder to get to. Preserves the beauty.

 

While we love cruising the downside is there is never enough time at the destinations. Bermuda was great because your dockedfot "3" Days so you're not in a rush to get back to the ship if you want to sit on a beach and watch the sun set.

 

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timmm

timmm

Posted
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We wouuld not have been able to enjoy Mykonos ifcruise ships did not tender. that fabulous Greek island only has a dock large enough for tenders. No place for a cruise ship to dock.... Same for St. Barts in the Caribbean ...... It is not snap of a finger for a port to build docks. Yet, there are a great many places world wide that many of us wish to visit on ships and tendering is how that can happen If you are so displeased with tendering,,,,,,,, don't book a cruise that has tender ports. they are indicated on the itinerary. You choice to not book a cruise that requires tendering.. Might be fun to do a little reading ( on line ?) to see the reasons, that a port cannot simply choose to build a large dock even if they wished to. See how many ports you can and how many you cannot visit on an Alaska cruise, if you will not tender.

Mykonos has a cruise ship dock!

 

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Floridiana

Floridiana

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. So, if one wants to visit Geiranger (at the end of Gerianger Fjord) you will have to tender.

Hank

 

Hank,

Geiranger Fjord actually has a cruise pier. Our ship used it and another ship tendered because there is only space for one ship. Ours does this cruise regularly along the Norwegian cost while the other ship does a variety of cruises in the North Sea. I agree, however, tender ports are among the most interesting around the world. I especially like the ones where ships are a rarity.

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SantaFeFan

SantaFeFan

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Yes, but when all dock spaces are taken, the other ships use tenders. That does happen.

 

Using that criteria, then every port in the world would be a tender port if enough ships were in port that day. Even Miami! :p

 

The point that has been made is that there are four cruise ship docks in Juneau, and that it is uncommon that five ships are in port on the same day which would require tendering for only one of those ships. So, technically, it shouldn't be called a "tender port".

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Cruise Junky

Cruise Junky

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Using that criteria, then every port in the world would be a tender port if enough ships were in port that day. Even Miami! :p

 

The point that has been made is that there are four cruise ship docks in Juneau, and that it is uncommon that five ships are in port on the same day which would require tendering for only one of those ships. So, technically, it shouldn't be called a "tender port".

 

I think it's every second Tuesday there are 5 in port and one has to tender.

Norwegian Jewel(arriving at 07:00 - departing at 13:00)Celebrity Millennium(arriving at 07:00 - departing at 20:00)Coral Princess(arriving at 08:00 - departing at 21:00)ms Oosterdam(arriving at 13:00 - departing at 21:00)Norwegian Pearl(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 22:00)

 

And this was last Wednesday

Coral Princess(arriving at 06:00 - departing at 16:00)ms Noordam(arriving at 10:00 - departing at 22:00)Oceania Regatta(arriving at 11:00 - departing at 20:00)Norwegian Sun(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 22:00)Emerald Princess(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 23:00)

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new_cruiser

new_cruiser

Posted
Posted
I think it's every second Tuesday there are 5 in port and one has to tender.

Norwegian Jewel(arriving at 07:00 - departing at 13:00)Celebrity Millennium(arriving at 07:00 - departing at 20:00)Coral Princess(arriving at 08:00 - departing at 21:00)ms Oosterdam(arriving at 13:00 - departing at 21:00)Norwegian Pearl(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 22:00)

 

And this was last Wednesday

Coral Princess(arriving at 06:00 - departing at 16:00)ms Noordam(arriving at 10:00 - departing at 22:00)Oceania Regatta(arriving at 11:00 - departing at 20:00)Norwegian Sun(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 22:00)Emerald Princess(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 23:00)

If you look more carefully at the times on the every 2nd Tuesday example, there are at most 4 ships at a time. Jewel leaves an hour before Pearl arrives so the two Norwegian ships can use the same dock.

 

Tendering does happen sometimes in Juneau and Ketchican - short cruising season and a lot of ships.

 

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sloopsailor

sloopsailor

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Posted
I think it's every second Tuesday there are 5 in port and one has to tender.

Norwegian Jewel(arriving at 07:00 - departing at 13:00)Celebrity Millennium(arriving at 07:00 - departing at 20:00)Coral Princess(arriving at 08:00 - departing at 21:00)ms Oosterdam(arriving at 13:00 - departing at 21:00)Norwegian Pearl(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 22:00)

 

With Norwegian Jewel departing at 13:00 and Norwegian Pearl arriving at 14:00, there would be only 4 ships in port at any time and no tendering necessary as there was always a dock available. But I see your point about more than four ships per day.

 

And this was last Wednesday

Coral Princess(arriving at 06:00 - departing at 16:00)ms Noordam(arriving at 10:00 - departing at 22:00)Oceania Regatta(arriving at 11:00 - departing at 20:00)Norwegian Sun(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 22:00)Emerald Princess(arriving at 14:00 - departing at 23:00)

 

And this day there actually were five ships in port at the same time for a couple of hours. One ended up with the short straw and had to tender in, but would likely move to an empty dock as soon as a space freed up so tendering back to the ship would be unnecessary. :)

 

EDIT: I just noticed that new-cruiser has already posted some of this information. Sorry for the duplication.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
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Mykonos has a cruise ship dock!

 

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I read a wonderful report on the HAL foruum today about the dsmage to St. Marten. The huge dock there isgone, parts collapsed. Before the ships were able to doke on tht long, long dock, we always tendered on island tenders to the denter off downtown.. It will take a vvery longg time for that dock to be revbgilt swo ge used to anyother tender port. The shops are all gone form hurricane Irma and the airport has huge damage. most houses are not habitale.... they are not the only island that used to havve a crsuis e ship dock that is now gon..e

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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Mykonos has a cruise ship dock! Sent from my Pixel using Forums mobile app
I read a wonderful report on the HAL foruum today about the dsmage to St. Marten. The huge dock there is gone, parts collapsed. Before the ships were able to doke on tht long, long dock, we always tendered on island tenders to the denter off downtown.. It will take a vvery longg time for that dock to be rebuilt so get used to another tender port. The shops are all gone form hurricane Irma and the airport has huge damage. most houses are not habitale.... they are not the only island that used to havve a cruis e ship dock that is now gon..e
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Cruise Junky

Cruise Junky

Posted
Posted
I read a wonderful report on the HAL foruum today about the dsmage to St. Marten. The huge dock there is gone, parts collapsed. Before the ships were able to doke on tht long, long dock, we always tendered on island tenders to the denter off downtown.. It will take a vvery longg time for that dock to be rebuilt so get used to another tender port. The shops are all gone form hurricane Irma and the airport has huge damage. most houses are not habitale.... they are not the only island that used to havve a cruis e ship dock that is now gon..e

 

What does a Hurricane & St. Maarten have to do with Mykonos having a dock?

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Cruise Junky

Cruise Junky

Posted
Posted

 

And this day there actually were five ships in port at the same time for a couple of hours. One ended up with the short straw and had to tender in, but would likely move to an empty dock as soon as a space freed up so tendering back to the ship would be unnecessary. :)

.

 

I think it was last year that there was complaining on this board that every second week a ship had to tender. Can't remember if it was a Princess or Celebrity ship. Certainly getting crowded up there.

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sloopsailor

sloopsailor

Posted
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I think it was last year that there was complaining on this board that every second week a ship had to tender. Can't remember if it was a Princess or Celebrity ship. Certainly getting crowded up there.

 

And from what I have read, it will be even more crowded in upcoming years since several cruise lines are sending more of their ships there starting in 2019, and some cruise lines will return to Alaska after being absent for several years or begin cruising Alaska for the first time ever.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7694

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7624

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Nebr.cruiser

Nebr.cruiser

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I hope some of these unique ports never put in docks for big ships; it would spoil so much of the beauty and ambiance not to mention probably be enviromentally terrible. I just can't picture Santorini, for example, with huge ship docks sticking out into the bay.

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