Celebrity Tendering in Europe ports

[smmountaingal]

I would like to ask those of you who may be cruising in the Med this year about the process for tendering.  We will be on the Edge and have 3 tender ports:  Santorini, Mykonos and Cannes.  Does Celebrity issue tickets?  What is your experience to exit the ship for early private tours?

 

Thanks.

[Miaminice]

Sometimes, when the ship is fully booked, they use tickets.

Elite members get priority tickets and priority even without tickes.

Edge class has fantastic new "launches". Very comfortable and smooth.

On Santorini the tender port for ship tours is a different one then for individual passengers/tours. Usually the ship stops there first, people and then continues to the stop for regular tenders.

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Miaminice

[emmas gran]

Usually shore excursions booked through Celebrity and suites will have priority! Then it goes by loyalty level and tender tickets are issued for this and remaining passengers . You cannot guarantee  being first off!!

[PelicanLvr]

I suggest you ask your private tour operator for scheduling suggestions.  They should know what works at their location.

 

Do not presume you can get an early time.

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, PelicanLvr said:

I suggest you ask your private tour operator for scheduling suggestions.  They should know what works at their location.

 

Do not presume you can get an early time.

One reason we like private tours - we choose a start time to avoid the early rush and come back a little earlier to avoid the last minute panics.

[boblin]

There is a new small dock at Mykonos now and on the July 4th sailing of Reflection we were assigned the dock and didn't have to tender, although there was a short complimentary shuttle ride to the edge of Mykonos Town. Got the feeling the captain never knew until the day of where the ship would be assigned, as it's up to the port authorities.

[smmountaingal]

6 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Sometimes, when the ship is fully booked, they use tickets.

Elite members get priority tickets and priority even without tickets.

Edge class has fantastic new "launches". Very comfortable and smooth.

On Santorini the tender port for ship tours is a different one then for individual passengers/tours. Usually the ship stops there first, people and then continues to the stop for regular tenders.

 

Thanks for the response.  We are elite but there is a total of 10 of us on a 9am tour, ship docks at 7am.  I will ask the Concierge to assist me in getting the group off early and will ask the other passengers if anyone else is Elite or Elite plus.    I know as of now, that we would meet the tour guide at the top of the gondola.  

 

Do you mean there are different exit doors on the ship for Ship tours vs. non-ship tours?  I did not understand what you mean about two different tender ports.  I was not aware the ship transfers passengers at two separate land stops on that island.

[smmountaingal]

1 hour ago, boblin said:

There is a new small dock at Mykonos now and on the July 4th sailing of Reflection we were assigned the dock and didn't have to tender, although there was a short complimentary shuttle ride to the edge of Mykonos Town. Got the feeling the captain never knew until the day of where the ship would be assigned, as it's up to the port authorities.

This is interesting.  Maybe we will know ahead of time if we do not need to tender there.  Thank you.

 

[smmountaingal]

5 hours ago, PelicanLvr said:

I suggest you ask your private tour operator for scheduling suggestions.  They should know what works at their location.

 

Do not presume you can get an early time.

I agree I need to plan ahead and will since we are a group of 10.  There are others on our roll call who are using the same vendor, so I expect everyone will be anxious to get ashore.

 

[Miaminice]

8 hours ago, smmountaingal said:

 

Do you mean there are different exit doors on the ship for Ship tours vs. non-ship tours?  I did not understand what you mean about two different tender ports.  I was not aware the ship transfers passengers at two separate land stops on that island.

this is specific to Santorin. There’s one small port with a road accessible for tour buses. So the ship stops there first. Shore excursions get off. The ship continues to the standard anchor spot and tenders the other passengers. This is how you get to the base station of the cable cars. 
Depending of the number of ships it can be a wait.

[gold1953]

We have cruised when there were too many Elite and up so no priority tendering was allowed. It does not happen often

Those without CC level priority and cabin priority should not book early private tours as they will have to wait  for all of these and Celebrity tour groups

 

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, gold1953 said:

We have cruised when there were too many Elite and up so no priority tendering was allowed. It does not happen often

Those without CC level priority and cabin priority should not book early private tours as they will have to wait  for all of these and Celebrity tour groups

 

We have had that experience and also experience of all E and E+  told to meet in a section of MDR.  We were taken in small groups (20 or so ) and taken to front of the tender line. I think 2 groups per tender then they boarded from the general tender line.  Next tender same thing 1 or 2 groups taken to tender.