Tendering on NCL

[ts548]

Hello All…Not a first time cruiser by any means, but, first time NCL with a tender port (Ålesund,Norway). So my question is, How does NCL handle tendering? Is 2 hours leeway enough time to book an excursion on my own? We dock at 8…excursion starts at 10. Your experience will go a looong way to help me decide what to do. Thank you!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

If I remember correctly ( 🤣). Ali sums is a pretty sh Eat tender ride and it went smoothly.

[ontheweb]

We were on the Prima and visited Alesund, Norway without tendering. And the Prima will not tender as they say their lifeboats are not certified for tender which is why the ship bypassed Isafjordur, Iceland on every cruise this summer as their dock was not yet completed. (The NCL star did tender in Isafjordur this past summer.)

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@ts548

 

How does NCL handle tendering?

 

If you are able to use the Concierge you will get taken to the front of the queue at any time.

 

Otherwise it will depend on your Latitudes level.   Gold and above; you get priority tender "tickets" (actually use your room card); turn up when you are ready and join the back of the queue.   Below get a tender ticket; the time and place is in the Freestyle Daily; tickets are called by numbers..

[hen302]

I have cruised with many cruise lines and our experience on Norwegian was by far the worst. First of all it is a gamble if you arrive on time. Then the next delay will be blamed on the port authorities.  When they do get the tenders going they only run 2 or 3 boats. The queues are long and the ticketing system doesn't work as many angry people jump the queues and the staff just throw their hands in the air and say they can't do anything.  

On my last (and final) cruise with Norwegian jewel we had 5 tender ports (1 of which was listed as docked) and couldn't get off the ship until after lunch. It is a disorganized schmozle. 

Good luck. 

[Pitzel]

Are you sure that Alesund is a tender port? We were there in 2017 on the Jade and I am positive that we docked.

[Asawi]

On my September Star cruise Ålesund is listed as dock. Not tender. I hope that's right!

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, Pitzel said:

Are you sure that Alesund is a tender port? We were there in 2017 on the Jade and I am positive that we docked.

As I wrote in a previous post, we docked there this past summer. However, it is possible a ship may have to tender if there are too many ships. We once had to tender in Corfu as there were 3 ships and 2 spaces to dock.