I've never seen this before

[Oakman58]

I’ve seen lifeboats on other ships that had a seating area on the top of the lifeboat, but this is the first time I’ve seen it used.  This was on our Diamond Princess Hawaiian cruise and the tendering operation in Maui.  I was also surprised there were only two little cables to keep people from falling overboard. 

 

[iamaqt2]

I believe all the lifeboats have upper seating.  There's a small metal ladder to climb to get up there from the inside. I've sat up there many times when tendering was necessary and have never felt unsafe.  The seating is hard molded fiberglass just like the rest of the craft.  And the views are fantastic. 

[jagoffee]

Used the top seats on the Emerald this week,

[cruisingrob21]

1 hour ago, Oakman58 said:

I’ve seen lifeboats on other ships that had a seating area on the top of the lifeboat, but this is the first time I’ve seen it used.  This was on our Diamond Princess Hawaiian cruise and the tendering operation in Maui.  I was also surprised there were only two little cables to keep people from falling overboard. 

 

Yes, we made the experience in riding on one of the old Star Princess' tenders (grand class sister to the diamond) into Punta Arenas (Argentina) on the top.  It is almost always windy there - and the ship even had to block the wind to hoist the tenders back up.  Needless to say, it was a poor call on our part as it was a very cold ride into port.

 

I guess I hadn't noticed the double cable "railing" but I don't recall sitting against it like the folks in the photo above.  We probably sat in the middle area and wouldn't lean back anyway because while I'm sure its strong enough, just 2 cables seems pretty easy to fall past especially if there is a decent size wave.

[philv]

We have sat up top on tenders going into Princess Cay often. Great fun. 😎

[chengkp75]

57 minutes ago, iamaqt2 said:

I believe all the lifeboats have upper seating.

Only the "tender/lifeboats" have upper seating.  On the other boats, you have to lie on the top and stretch out to hold the grab rails.

[Rick&Jeannie]

This is a screen grab from a video of a lifeboat drill on the Island October 2022.  They lowered several boats, ran them around for a few minutes and then loaded them back up.  I can't see any seats available for passengers on the top...

 

[PTMary]

50 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

This is a screen grab from a video of a lifeboat drill on the Island October 2022.  They lowered several boats, ran them around for a few minutes and then loaded them back up.  I can't see any seats available for passengers on the top...

 

 

That's only a lifeboat. It usually isn't used for tendering. Tender/lifeboat combos are typically used. Many of them have seating on the top. Here is a photo of one on Royal Princess showing the top and another on Regal Princess showing it with passengers on top.

 

Notice the big rubber bumpers on the sides. The regular lifeboats don't have these since they would be lowered down with passengers already onboard rather than passengers boarding with the tender being held against the ship at water level when tendering. 

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2023 by PTMary

[startedwithamouse]

We've been choosing to sit up there for years, and it's very safe. 

[startedwithamouse]

44 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

This is a screen grab from a video of a lifeboat drill on the Island October 2022.  They lowered several boats, ran them around for a few minutes and then loaded them back up.  I can't see any seats available for passengers on the top...

 

That's because it's not one used for tendering.  This is a lifeboat that's forward, and strictly a 'survival craft'.

[cruisequeen4ever]

We’ve sat up top many times on Princess tenders. It’s so refreshing up there.

[Hobbes67]

I was on a cruise once where an elderly lady sat up top and fell overboard when getting up to disembark.  Then her husband jumped in to save her!  Needless to say it created additional work for the crew to save him as well.  FYI - all were ok.

[MissP22]

On 1/30/2023 at 12:14 PM, cruisequeen4ever said:

We’ve sat up top many times on Princess tenders. It’s so refreshing up there.

As long as the sun isn't to hot in mid afternoon. 

[jeromep]

What's the difference between a tender and a lifeboat?  The photos in this thread show this pretty well.

 

Tenders on Princess ships have the "sky deck".  Both the tenders on the older Grand class ships, and the new design of tender (larger overall size, different shape) on the Royal class ships.  You'll also find different pilothouse configuration and location on tenders vs. lifeboats.

 

Tenders also tend to have more windows than a lifeboat, and different side access ports than a lifeboat.

 

When tendering, the ship will only drop and use the tenders for service.  The survival craft will remain on their davits, unless the ship is also doing scheduled lifeboat drills or lifeboat exercises while in port.  It is pretty rare for a ship to conduct lifeboat functionality drills and tests while also trying to tender thousands of people to and from shore.  However it is not uncommon for a ship to run lifeboat drills and to exercise the survival craft on the side of the ship not tied up at port when a ship is in port.

 

@PTMary's photo is very much a tender, with the sky deck seating and the large windows on the craft.  @Rick&Jeannie's photo is of a lifeboat.  Note the lack of skydeck, lack of windows, the white vinyl flaps on the access ports, and the hump at the rear that is likely the pilothouse.

 

Tenders also are typically nicely powered.  I distinctly recall that the old Grand class ship tenders are twin engine diesels with ducted propellers.  I watched an able seamen use just the throttles and bow thruster to bring the craft into port with just the slightest bump, not even touching the wheel the whole time.  And another time they left the dock and spun around inside their own length, again only using opposing throttles on the engines, one forward and one reverse and the bow thruster.  They are remarkably maneuverable.  The lifeboats on the Grand class ships are all single engine, so not as fast and not as maneuverable as their tender cousins.

 

I have a video I got when I was the lone passenger on a tender on the Star Princess in Santa Barbara.  Oh, and I did lean against those cables on the sky deck.

 

https://youtu.be/RgBACqK2Yiw

[Rick&Jeannie]

I guess I've lead a very sheltered life when it comes to tendering!  I have never tendered in anything that looks remotely like that picture of a tender.  Every time we have tendered it has been in a lifeboat...so I guess that explains my confusion.  I assumed that's what they *all* looked like.  I never fail to learn *something* here on CC!

[GonzoWCS]

Seen these variants before.

 

Cheers

[antsp]

On 1/30/2023 at 5:28 PM, Hobbes67 said:

I was on a cruise once where an elderly lady sat up top and fell overboard when getting up to disembark.  Then her husband jumped in to save her!  Needless to say it created additional work for the crew to save him as well.  FYI - all were ok.

I like the way you additional work for the crew, like they were wiping up after a spilt drink. Very casual 

[jagoffee]

16 hours ago, jeromep said:

What's the difference between a tender and a lifeboat?  The photos in this thread show this pretty well.

 

Tenders on Princess ships have the "sky deck".  Both the tenders on the older Grand class ships, and the new design of tender (larger overall size, different shape) on the Royal class ships.  You'll also find different pilothouse configuration and location on tenders vs. lifeboats.

 

Tenders also tend to have more windows than a lifeboat, and different side access ports than a lifeboat.

 

When tendering, the ship will only drop and use the tenders for service.  The survival craft will remain on their davits, unless the ship is also doing scheduled lifeboat drills or lifeboat exercises while in port.  It is pretty rare for a ship to conduct lifeboat functionality drills and tests while also trying to tender thousands of people to and from shore.  However it is not uncommon for a ship to run lifeboat drills and to exercise the survival craft on the side of the ship not tied up at port when a ship is in port.

 

@PTMary's photo is very much a tender, with the sky deck seating and the large windows on the craft.  @Rick&Jeannie's photo is of a lifeboat.  Note the lack of skydeck, lack of windows, the white vinyl flaps on the access ports, and the hump at the rear that is likely the pilothouse.

 

Tenders also are typically nicely powered.  I distinctly recall that the old Grand class ship tenders are twin engine diesels with ducted propellers.  I watched an able seamen use just the throttles and bow thruster to bring the craft into port with just the slightest bump, not even touching the wheel the whole time.  And another time they left the dock and spun around inside their own length, again only using opposing throttles on the engines, one forward and one reverse and the bow thruster.  They are remarkably maneuverable.  The lifeboats on the Grand class ships are all single engine, so not as fast and not as maneuverable as their tender cousins.

 

I have a video I got when I was the lone passenger on a tender on the Star Princess in Santa Barbara.  Oh, and I did lean against those cables on the sky deck.

 

https://youtu.be/RgBACqK2Yiw

The boats that are used for tendering are also legal lifeboats with an higher capacity inside, but obviously you would not set on top when used as a lifeboat.

[voljeep]

15 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

The boats that are used for tendering are also legal lifeboats with an higher capacity inside, but obviously you would not set on top when used as a lifeboat.

I'd rather be allowed to sit on top than swim with the fishes ...

 

might depend on several factors ... weather, reason for evacuation ...