Tender Access

[sattva]

Am considering cruises on both R and O ships with several tender ports.  I vaguely remember that the tenders were easier to reach on O ships than on R's, but we were younger then.  How easy is it to reach the tenders on either kind?  Is the tender exit deck reached by steps or an elevator?  Are crew giving help getting on/off tenders?  Any advice or photos would be helpful.  Thanks in advance!

[LHT28]

you can do bother stairs or elevators on both size ships as I recall  ..you may have a longer wait for the elevators  though

You still need to go down the outside stairs to the tender platform

 

 Of course the crew help people on.off the tenders  it is  a matter of safety

[njhorseman]

I don't recall a significant difference in the process, ease or difficulty on R vs O ships .

[Hawaiidan]

As  a current care giver, I can tell you, that if a person has to use the elevator to get to the  tender deck  and can not use the stairs.... Then the 15 to 20 steps down a steep incline metal outside stair ( ladder) will be very difficult.  I have seen more than a few turn back when faced with that     Plus since the ocean is moving 24/7   Getting into a bouncing tender is yet another challenge  even with crew help.  It m might be  realistic, if one is compromised, to consider that tender ports may not be possible.   Also  many ports tender docks  my hold even more challenges getting off the tender and into land.    Maybe all things are not possible all the time.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Hawaiidan said:

Maybe all things are not possible all the time.

And for all people. But I can see enjoying a cruise even if you can't leave the ship. Plenty of people go to Antarctica and are not allowed to disembark because of the size of the ship. But they seem to all enjoy the 'sail by.'