Priority Tendering for Suite Guests

[dirtydan]

Maybe a dumb question but can someone please explain how the priority tendering off the ship for suit guests works?

 

Does it only allow you priority for the first tender of the day or Can you choose a time?

Do you still need a ticket or do you simply walk on to the next avaialable tender?

if you need a ticket, where do you get them without standing in line?

 

[jelayne]

When you are ready to leave go to  the Retreat Lounge and the Concierge will escort you to the front of the tender line.  You do not need a ticket.  Once all the tickets are called and it is open tendering then no need to go to the RL. 

[Phxazzcruisers]

Yep, for Suite guests it is easy peasy.....  Just go to Michael's Club or the Retreat Lounge, same place, different manes depending on ship, and the Concierge will escort you down to the next available tender.  You will get some looks from other guests in line, however, it is one of the perks of being in a Suite.  Enjoy

[Lady Arwen]

We are Elite and receive the same perk.  We used this when tendering in Villefranche last month.  We were escorted to the front of the line and taken to the gangway before anyone else was allowed to proceed.  Yes, we did get some glares from other passengers, but that's okay.

[jelayne]

42 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

We are Elite and receive the same perk.  We used this when tendering in Villefranche last month.  We were escorted to the front of the line and taken to the gangway before anyone else was allowed to proceed.  Yes, we did get some glares from other passengers, but that's okay.

We have found on cruises with a lot of Elite & E+ that we have to meet in the MDR and our escorted to the tender in groups of +/- 20.  1or 2 groups per tender. So a bit of a wait.

[dirtydan]

Thanks all.  This is one suite perk I think we will certainly take advantage of (first time in a SS)!

Too bad it doesn't apply on the way back to the ship (or does it)?

[Orator]

12 minutes ago, dirtydan said:

Thanks all.  This is one suite perk I think we will certainly take advantage of (first time in a SS)!

Too bad it doesn't apply on the way back to the ship (or does it)?

In some ports there is a red carpet (usually dirty) for Suite?Zeniths to bypass lines. I really haven't seen many use this line.

[TeeRick]

4 minutes ago, Orator said:

In some ports there is a red carpet (usually dirty) for Suite?Zeniths to bypass lines. I really haven't seen many use this line.

I have never seen this on the way back to the ship.  It seems unnecessary actually.  

[Orator]

13 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I have never seen this on the way back to the ship.  It seems unnecessary actually.  

It is totally unnecessary, especially where used. It would be great in some tender ports like St Barts, but not used there.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, dirtydan said:

Thanks all.  This is one suite perk I think we will certainly take advantage of (first time in a SS)!

Too bad it doesn't apply on the way back to the ship (or does it)?

Depends on the port.  Most times no line.  We have had a few occasions where there was a line and if there was a Officer on the dock that recognized us they would pull us from the line. I wouldn't try and cut the line - get enough dirty looks if a Officer takes you out of the line. 

[alpineapa]

We just got off the Edge. On the Edge, we had to go to Fine Cut and from there we were escorted to the tender. It was actually a pretty pleasant experience to leave on Tender but sometimes on the return there was a bit of a wait.

[pennys mum]

Never had it work on tenders back to ship but have been sent to suite line if large lines to get on ship. 

[cruise kitty]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I have never seen this on the way back to the ship.  It seems unnecessary actually.  

 

I would have thought the same, however, last month in Iceland the regular line was an an hour plus wait at one point...  (all the big bus tours returned at same time, & we had just happened to return in our rental car then) in very, very cold & bitter wind, so you bet we used the suite line. :)   went straight to the Martini Bar to watch some very cold & upset people going through security...  

 

It was by the way, an absolutely fabulous cruise 

[Noreen411]

Hi

 

On Reflection last year in a Royal Suite, our butler escorted us from our cabin onto an empty tender before the other guests loaded on.  This was in Grand Cayman.  

 

Noreen

[Northern Aurora]

7 hours ago, dirtydan said:

Thanks all.  This is one suite perk I think we will certainly take advantage of (first time in a SS)!

Too bad it doesn't apply on the way back to the ship (or does it)?

 

 

In Bali in 2016 it was incredibly hot, and the MC concierge was escorting suite and Zenith passengers to the front of the tender line.  We have also had MC concierge and the Suite Managers working long lines to reboard the ship in other ports.   When they recognize a suite or Zenith passenger they escort you to the front of the line.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

On a B2B cruise with 200 repeat guests the MC Concierge pulled suite and zenith members out of the customs line and took us to the front of the line. There were only 4 or 6 of us so I don't know if this included sky suites.

Edited June 6, 2019 by CHEZMARYLOU

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, cruise kitty said:

 

I would have thought the same, however, last month in Iceland the regular line was an an hour plus wait at one point...  (all the big bus tours returned at same time, & we had just happened to return in our rental car then) in very, very cold & bitter wind, so you bet we used the suite line. 🙂   went straight to the Martini Bar to watch some very cold & upset people going through security...  

 

It was by the way, an absolutely fabulous cruise 

We are doing Ireland and Iceland on Reflection next year.  Looking forward to it!

[Orator]

8 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

We are doing Ireland and Iceland on Reflection next year.  Looking forward to it!

You'll really enjoy it!

[cruise kitty]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

We are doing Ireland and Iceland on Reflection next year.  Looking forward to it!

 

One of the best trips we've ever done!  Enjoy 

[Pickels]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 11:47 AM, TeeRick said:

I have never seen this on the way back to the ship.  It seems unnecessary actually.  

On both the Equinox and Silhouette, there was a red carpet for getting back on the ship for suite guests; I only used it for a "photo op", agree with TeeRick-- unnecessary.

[Mynki]

1 hour ago, cruise kitty said:

 

One of the best trips we've ever done!  Enjoy 

Was this on Silhouette on the 07/05? We were on the same cruise if so. 

[cruise kitty]

32 minutes ago, Mynki said:

Was this on Silhouette on the 07/05? We were on the same cruise if so. 

 

Hi, no, we were on the 16th May Reflection :)

[GastroGnome]

We're on the Iceland cruise on Silhouette in a few weeks - Yay!!

 

OP - yes red carpet / priority embarkation does apply at most ports (although often not needed) as long as X is doing the tendering.  In some Med ports local Union rules require that local tenders be used and they often can't then also put out the suite line.  I vividly recall walking back down from Fira (Santorini) one year in the blazing heat to be faced with an hour long tender line.  I have never been more grateful to walk to the head of the line and board immediately.  As others have said you do sometimes get funny looks - but ho hum....

[cruiseerf]

This is a tricky benefit.  Yes, you can go any time to Michaels Club/Retreat lounge and if there is a line,  the concierge will see you to the front of it.   That is well and good, and you still get dirty looks from people.  Of course you have paid 15K and they have paid 2K...So as in business/first class on a plane, you go to the front of the line, pay more? get a suite in the hotel or front row tickets at plays or concerts.....With Money you get Honey. These are our societies today, love it or hate it.  I did have an older Aussie man go "nuts" when he said why are you going first and one said we are the suite group and he went crazy about how us Americans are so entitled blah blah blah....we just ignored him.  

 

As far as the "Red Carpet" boarding suite line.....This is a problem.  It is ONLY for Suites and Zenith, not elites or Elite + or Aqua class.....and this pisses people off to no end.  Ultimately Hotel Directors and senior management onboard are judged by all reviews.....so they don't like the red carpet to be out......There are far fewer suite guests to complain....this was explained to me by more then one HD.   Celebrity is selling the big ship with the small ship experience,  Luminae etc.  IMHO if they are doing this right, that red carpet should be there all the time.  In the case of Rain, bad weather, or all the buses coming back at the same time,  suites should have a special line as they are promised this....lord knows that is what they have paid 4-10 times normal fares for.   Yacht Club guests at MSC get this as do Haven guest on NCL (depending on ship).   Yes, we have been scooped out of the line when the red carpet was not there....quietly and efficiently....but mostly we just wait.....And wish we had booked Seabourn 😉      

 

My experience is that Red carpets in the Caribbean are indeed rarely used or needed.  When you go to other places in the world which the ship only has ONE Gangway for 3000 passengers......Then the benefit of the red carpet is real and true.  Celebrity needs to clarify this benefit.   We were just on a B2B2B in suites and the red carpet to embark from ports never appeared once.  Longest wait time 40 minutes......Not Caribbean.  

 

Safe Sails to all! 

 

 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Under normal circumstances I would not use the suites line for embarkation at a port.  However, if the line to board is long I probably would because I cannot stand for long periods of time and cannot walk slowly.