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Questions re tendering on Marina


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We're going to be on Marina in December, sailing from Rio to Buenos Aires.  Perhaps half our ports on the itinerary show anchors which I assume we'll tender there.  We're unlikely to be doing any shore excursions so I'm wondering about the timing.  Is there a schedule or is it as needed or both?  We won't be in any rush to go ashore in the AM and will certainly not be out all day.  Any opinions on how well it works?  TIA

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I believe there is some kind of schedule in the morning, possibly letting those on Oceania shore excursions to go first.  When you leave the tender, they will tell you when the last tender will be leaving to return to the ship.  You generally have a lot of flexibility.  

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My experience is a little different, but I haven't been on an Oceania ship for a little over a year, and not on Marina for a couple years.  However,  my experience has been as follows: 

 

I like to go off the ship early (all ports, not just when tendering).  I do this a lot, sometimes with spouse, sometimes by myself.  In almost all cases Oceania has gotten us on the first or second tender, regardless of whether most people on those tenders are on an excursion or not.  Unless they've changed something, they do NOT have a hard and fast policy of getting excursion people off first before allowing independent cruisers to go. Here's the procedure:  On the day of tendering, if you want to go off in the first hours after ship arrival, you need tender tickets.  The "Currents" paper will tell you where and when to go for those tickets.  They ask that all of you and other people you want to be on the same tender go together to get  tickets.  They also ask that you have everything you need to go off, since in some cases they can get you on a tender right away.    If you don't want to go off the ship for at least an hour or two (or possibly three, depending upon how busy they are), you can just wait until an "open tender" announcement is made.  At that point you just head to the tender area (no tickets needed).  

 

When departing, grab a bottle of water, and note the "back on board" or "last tender time."   Generally it's a half hour pre-sail, but could be a bit earlier in tender ports.  As for how often the tenders run, I don't know if there's an actual schedule, either going to shore or coming back.  However, you'll very rarely have to wait in the long lines I've seen with other ships (especially the huge ships).  You likely won't have to wait more than 15-20 minutes at the very most to come back, and there will be water, lemonaide and a few chairs where you wait.  Of course a lot depends upon when people choose to come back, if the excursion coaches make it back at the same time, whether the port requires use of their own tenders, weather, etc. etc.  But even with the 2 bigger Oceania ships, tendering seems to go quite well - unless you're visiting Easter Island, which is a huge challenge.

 

Often a tourist rep comes on board the ship for an hour or two or three (depends) to answer questions, provide maps, etc.  If one is coming, it will normally be announced in Currents the night before.  Therefore, if you're not in a hurry to get off the ship, you might want to look for that person. 

 

If others have experienced something totally different, please chime in.  

Edited by roothy123
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Was on the Marina in February doing tenders and they are no different policy wise from the other ships.

 

If you have an independent shore tour, have the tour leader go to the CD. Tell the CD how many is in your group and what time you need to meet the guide. I have always found that the CD will attempt to accommodate the Group so to meet their schedule.

 

I don’t believe in the term common sense, but let me add it be hooves the tour leader to have all his members together and ready to go when called by the CD to board the tenders! The team captain does not win points if they have to waste time collecting all the tour members from various locations thus possibly delaying the tenders. That group leaders future requests might not be so graciously received by the CD due to his own faults.

 

Sn example is if the group is supposed to meet at 8:30, then have your group there at 8:30. That’s not show up at 8:45 and proclaim your heading to the bathroom, or “Oh! I forgot my camera! I have to go back to my cabin!” If you’re a tour group leader and someone isn’t there when the CD calls your group leave them. 

Edited by pinotlover
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On 7/11/2019 at 12:30 PM, pinotlover said:

Was on the Marina ...

 

If you have an independent shore tour, have the tour leader go to the CD. Tell the CD how many is in your group and what time you need to meet the guide. I have always found that the CD will attempt to accommodate the Group so to meet their schedule....

Thanks for this very helpful information, pinotlover.  I was not aware of this possibility.  The one time we had a private (independent) shore group tour in a tender port, we were fortunate that another participating couple was in an Owners Suite.  They kindly had their butler accompany all of our group to the deck from which the tender left, and we were permitted to board an early (the first?) tender.

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3 hours ago, CintiPam said:

Thanks for this very helpful information, pinotlover.  I was not aware of this possibility.

This is not a given but worth a try. Sometimes it works and other times it does not - depends on how many tours are going, how full the tender is and can they fit in a few private people, etc, etc.

I have been on cruises where we had to wait for a VERY long time despite trying this "trick"; at other times early tendering is not a problem.

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1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

This is not a given but worth a try. Sometimes it works and other times it does not - depends on how many tours are going, how full the tender is and can they fit in a few private people, etc, etc.

I have been on cruises where we had to wait for a VERY long time despite trying this "trick"; at other times early tendering is not a problem.

Dashing my hopes once again, Paul!  

 

That is why I try to avoid planning private tours for tender ports.  (However, I of course understand that in some parts of the world, that could be difficult to avoid.). Most often, we either are renting a car in such ports or are not on a schedule.

Edited by CintiPam
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Pam;

 

Nothing is for certain but I won’t give up hope! Let me further say we were leading tours of 8-16 cruisers trying to make a tour on time. I’m not sure that Paul’s scenario isn’t true if you ask the CD to get 2-4 passengers to to head of the line.

 

For our several tour groups the various CDs took care of us. 

 

I will say that for a different group that had had asked for a 8:30 tender, but didn’t have his group together when called by the CD, they got off the boat about 9:45. I was with the tour leader later on a different tour. He said,” never again will I wait for stragglers! When the CD calls us, we’re leaving “. Sometimes people don’t know all the circumstances involved.

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In making plans with the CD that pinotlover is referring to, we contacted Oceania prior to boarding and had a letter indicating their confirmation of such.  We went through the person that was helping arrange the Roll Call party.  

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We haven’t had difficulty any getting on the first or second tender.  You can look at the excursion list and figure when the first ship tours assemble.  Just be there early with your group. and definitely tell the CD or shore excursion people in the lounge you would appreciate an early ticket.   

And a couple times an announcement was made for independents to go straight down to the tender area for an express ride.  

 

 

 

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