Tender Sydney Harbour.

[Aussie One]

Soltisce will tender Sydney Harbour in February 2019 where in the Harbour and where is the tender port drop off in the Harbour. Aussie

[Banjo]

Fantastic! We are booked on Australian/NZ Solstice cruise that departs from Sidney around that time. That should be an adventure.

[Kartgv]

I was curious as we've never had to tender in Sydney. Just looked at the Port Authority: website https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/sydney-harbour/

 

It says the Solstice on Feb. 20, 2019 will be at Athol Bay Anchorage. I have no idea what that means in terms of where the tenders go, but hopefully one of you Aussies will know. The reason for tendering is probably that the Queen Elizabeth will be at the pier - should be an exciting and busy day.

[The_Big_M]

They've tendered from there before.

 

Last time as I recall they ran the tenders from White Bay, but still had check in/luggage operations at OPT.

[Wine-O]

Soltisce will tender Sydney Harbour in February 2019 where in the Harbour and where is the tender port drop off in the Harbour. Aussie

 

We tendered on Solstice last February. The tenders let us off at Dawes Point, right under the bridge by Pier One Hotel. The Hop on-Hop off buses stopped right there also. It's a short stroll around the harbor to Circular Quay. The ship used commercial tenders. There were two tender stations on the ship, one up forward which the tours used, and the other mid-ship for the rest of the pax. If you are Elite and above and/or a suite guest, the Captain's Club Hostess escorted us down in groups to the tender without having to queue. We gathered in Michael's Club. It was about a 10-minute boat ride.

[floridatravelersforlife]

What changed to use a tender service? We did a SYD to SYD on the Solstice three years ago and we docked at the Cruise Terminal

[Wine-O]

What changed to use a tender service? We did a SYD to SYD on the Solstice three years ago and we docked at the Cruise Terminal

 

There was an RCCL ship using the only cruise terminal in Sydney the same day, and they were embarking pax & luggage, etc. We were there just for a port call, ergo, we tendered.

[zowie57]

What changed to use a tender service? We did a SYD to SYD on the Solstice three years ago and we docked at the Cruise Terminal

 

A previous post has already indicated Queen Elizabeth is tied up at the Cruise Terminal. Don't know how they would work out disembarkation for the end of the previous cruise and embarkation for the start of the next cruise using tenders on a ship as large as Solstice. Athol Bay appears appears to be across harbour from the Cruise Terminal.

[zowie57]

What changed to use a tender service? We did a SYD to SYD on the Solstice three years ago and we docked at the Cruise Terminal

 

Just realised February 20 in Sydney is Day 9 of Auckland - Freemantle cruise departing February 12. Perhaps there will be very few or zero departing or incoming passengers to be processed and that may be the another reason for the tender. Sydney is basically only a port stop that day.

[The_Big_M]

There was an RCCL ship using the only cruise terminal in Sydney the same day, and they were embarking pax & luggage, etc. We were there just for a port call, ergo, we tendered.

 

There is more than one cruise terminal in Sydney. However, there is only one that Solstice uses (aside from tendering).

[Banjo]

Just so I understand, Solstice will only be tendering in February? Our plans are for January 31st cruise, I should be okay?

 

I don't mind tendering, just never experienced it on embarkation day. Also noticed, for February, the Solstice does not embark from Sidney in the month of February. It embarks from Auckland and Perth that month.

[rafinmd]

For Celebrity purposes there is only one cruise terminal, that’s Circular Quay. The overhead clearance for the Harbor Bridge is quite limited and most modern ships cannot pass under it.

 

In February I transferred from Crystal Serenity to Crystal Symphony in Sydney. Serenity cannot go under the bridge, but arrived the day before. We docked in Sydney the last full day of the cruise, and stayed until 4AM until disembarkation luggage was set offloaded, then went to anchorage.

 

Tendering is by the city’s large, fast ferries. Day passengers will tender to the spot under the bridge, while turnaround passengers go to White Bay for processing.

 

Sydney does this frequently and has the process pretty well down pat.

 

Roy

[Wine-O]

Just so I understand, Solstice will only be tendering in February? Our plans are for January 31st cruise, I should be okay?

 

I don't mind tendering, just never experienced it on embarkation day. Also noticed, for February, the Solstice does not embark from Sidney in the month of February. It embarks from Auckland and Perth that month.

 

You definitely won't be tendering in Sydney on the day of embarkation. When we tendered on Solstice it was due to Voyager at the Passenger cruise terminal embarking for their cruise. I can't imagine any ship embarking from a tendering anchorage. It would be a logistics nightmare getting luggage and supplies on/off the ship.

[Banjo]

You definitely won't be tendering in Sydney on the day of embarkation. When we tendered on Solstice it was due to Voyager at the Passenger cruise terminal embarking for their cruise. I can't imagine any ship embarking from a tendering anchorage. It would be a logistics nightmare getting luggage and supplies on/off the ship.

 

Thanks.

[The_Big_M]

You definitely won't be tendering in Sydney on the day of embarkation. When we tendered on Solstice it was due to Voyager at the Passenger cruise terminal embarking for their cruise. I can't imagine any ship embarking from a tendering anchorage. It would be a logistics nightmare getting luggage and supplies on/off the ship.

 

It wasn't that bad. Celebrity have done it before, so it can be done if needed. Though obviously isn't preferable.

[Wine-O]

It wasn't that bad. Celebrity have done it before, so it can be done if needed. Though obviously isn't preferable.

 

I've watched them load forklifts of pallet after pallet of stores and luggage during a transatlantic embarkation. I just can't imagine them doing that at anchor. It certainly would be an amazing feat.

[Boltonbabe]

Hi

can someone explain the tendering process. We are on the celebrity Solstice from NZ which is sailing into Sydney on 26th Feb 2020 to Athlon Bay.

We have only been on Mediterranean cruises which did not tender previously, also we are tendering in NZ and have trips plan, so would like advice how this process works.

thanks

[Wine-O]

2 hours ago, Boltonbabe said:

Hi

can someone explain the tendering process. We are on the celebrity Solstice from NZ which is sailing into Sydney on 26th Feb 2020 to Athlon Bay.

We have only been on Mediterranean cruises which did not tender previously, also we are tendering in NZ and have trips plan, so would like advice how this process works.

thanks

We tendered in Sydney in Feb 2018.  The ship uses commercial tenders which hold a lot of passengers.  They offloaded all the ship's tour people first up forward around the theater, then everyone else at the mid-ship accommodation ladder.  It went pretty fast.  https://*****.com/tdmd4ja    🍷

[mahdnc]

On 5/25/2018 at 6:25 AM, Banjo said:

Just so I understand, Solstice will only be tendering in February? Our plans are for January 31st cruise, I should be okay?

 

I don't mind tendering, just never experienced it on embarkation day. Also noticed, for February, the Solstice does not embark from Sidney in the month of February. It embarks from Auckland and Perth that month.

 

When embarking or disembarking at Sydney, Solstice will dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay (photo).  If it is visiting Sydney like a normal port of call, it will dock if the pier is not being used.  Otherwise it will be a tender port.

 

[The_Big_M]

As it's an exit port for you, it's more straightforward than normal tendering. As above, they use commercial high capacity craft and as everyone is getting off it's just a matter of following instructions. You should all be off at a regular time, but it does take a little longer than being directly at the terminal.

 

With regular tendering there are extra overheads, such as queuing for tickets, and it may often take a fair bit longer, but in this case it will be straightforward.

[youwash]

We are also on this cruise and just to make it clear passengers are NOT disembarking and embarking here. It is a port call and confusing as all heck. We arrive on Feb 26 aand have an overnight there and leave on the Feb 27 at 10 PM. I've also read that we will tender to shore the first day and the second day we will be docked.  So I'm assuming the ship will dock at some time after whichever ship is using it has sailed. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, youwash said:

We are also on this cruise and just to make it clear passengers are NOT disembarking and embarking here. It is a port call and confusing as all heck. We arrive on Feb 26 aand have an overnight there and leave on the Feb 27 at 10 PM. I've also read that we will tender to shore the first day and the second day we will be docked.  So I'm assuming the ship will dock at some time after whichever ship is using it has sailed. 

Most ships are gone from the OPT by 7pm so your ship will probably move then. Even if the first ship leaves early it is unlikely your ship will move straightaway as there are restrictions on cruise ship movements in the ferry rush hour.

[nchpmn]

From the Port Authority's schedule, the Solstice is to move from Athol Bay to the OPT from 21:00 onwards:

 

[youwash]

6 hours ago, nchpmn said:

From the Port Authority's schedule, the Solstice is to move from Athol Bay to the OPT from 21:00 onwards:

 

 

[youwash]

Thank you very much for sharing the schedule.