Tender Boat's In Bad Seas?

[JAMESCC]

I'm dying to go on the Canada/New England cruise in the fall. I'm wondering what happens at ports with no dock that you use the tender boats and its bad wheather? Is it ever too bad that they can't let you go? Is it ever bad where it makes you nervous? Thanks for the help.

[spongerob]

If the weather makes it unsafe to tender, it is likely the port call will be cancelled. Sometimes I think the decision to cancel entirely or not is based on the forecast. We tendered into Holyhead, Wales, last year in conditions that were rough, but not scary, in the morning, and by afternoon things had calmed down for the return to the ship. I have heard, but never actually witnessed, that the captain might restrict tendering to able-bodied passengers only, i.e., no very young children or people who need a great deal of assistance walking.

 

The worst experience tendering I've had was once at Princess Cays, where the winds made it very difficult to dock on shore. That was the inaugural cruise for Caribbean Princess and I think some of the execs on board put pressure on the captain to tender ashore. I'm positive he would have cancelled. I'm weird, so I thought it a fun ride, but others on board our tender were not at all pleased. We went through some pretty big waves.

[Toto2Kansas]

We have been 'stuck' onshore before for most of the day when the sea conditions changed rapidly and they stopped the tendering process. Even though we were told this could possibly happen (in Tahiti) and only those in good physical condition should venture on the tenders to shore, we sill saw some take small children. This was a very frightening experience for them as getting back to the ship was the worst we had ever seen. I won't go into complete detail, but everyone on the tender was told to 'move away from the windows'. OMG!

Normally though, they will not tender passengers in unless they are pretty sure they can also get them back. Just keep in mind that things do happen and the sea condtions can change at the drop of a hat.

[Boo's Mom]

I'm dying to go on the Canada/New England cruise in the fall. I'm wondering what happens at ports with no dock that you use the tender boats and its bad wheather? Is it ever too bad that they can't let you go? Is it ever bad where it makes you nervous? Thanks for the help.

 

Hey Jamescc....

 

We were transported in a very choppy tender ride...while docked in Grand Cayman.

Turns out...we were one of the only tenders to leave the ship that day.

They haulted the process after they saw what the water was doing to the tenders.

It's the Captain's call.

He is the responsible party for the passengers safety while tendering.

[Druke I]

A couple of seasons ago, a large group of passengers from an HAL ship were stranded overnight at Port Stanley, Falklands Islands, when rough water prevented tenders from the ship getting to shore to pick up passengers who had been on excursion.

 

It does happen, but it is the rare case, not the rule.

[Guest BeckyThane]

My understanding is that rough seas in the port is why calls at Grand Cayman are frequently cancelled.

 

Last year on the Costa Atlantica, we approached Grand Cayman at the same time as two other ships. (One was Carnival, the other ???) The captain announced that the port authorities had decided to close the port early that day because of expected bad weather. The CD's staff went to considerable trouble and time re-arranging our port excursions so we could be back and the ship underway before the port closed. The other ships? They took off. Guess they declared another sea day. Kudos to Costa for going the extra mile!

 

BTW, the water was a little rough, but the ship's officers helming the tenders/lifeboats were obviously having a blast zipping across the whitecaps! Bouncing up and down on those hard seats was mitigated by the looks of delight on these young mens' faces!!!

[Pam in CA]

Any captain who knows that conditions might deteriorate takes a gamble and most play it safe.

 

My most recent experience with weather changing in a tender port was last April in Maui. It was a gorgeous, clear, sunny day when we tendered ashore. By 3PM, there was a National Weather Service Severe Storm Warning and the storm hit at about 3:30PM. I was already on the tender and we spent almost an hour and a half going up and down big waves with water pouring in from every crack, people sick all over the place (including a crew member), and a young woman in a wheelchair hanging on for dear life as her wheelchair (even with the brakes on) needed two people to hold onto it. It was not "delightful."

 

While you give kudos to Costa, there could have been a very different outcome and put people's well-being at risk. I give kudos to the captain(s) who don't take such risks and put the passengers' safety first. That's not wimping out.

[Princess Patches]

I took the Canada/New England cruise on the Golden last year and we missed Bar Harbor due to zero visibility in heavy fog. The captain sent out his top officer in a tender to check out the visibility and the tender got lost for hours and could not find its way back to the ship. They did not substitute any other port and they did not give us any compensation for the missed port.

[CruiserSmurf]

I would say the worst tender ride I have been on was going into the Princess Cays. The waves were huge some people were actually feeling ill. I thought it was a blast though and wanted the waves even bigger! :D

[JAMESCC]

I took the Canada/New England cruise on the Golden last year and we missed Bar Harbor due to zero visibility in heavy fog. The captain sent out his top officer in a tender to check out the visibility and the tender got lost for hours and could not find its way back to the ship. They did not substitute any other port and they did not give us any compensation for the missed port.

Quick question. Is Bar Harbor where LL Bean is? I thought i saw one place they stop theres a excursion to LL Bean?

[achriste26]

Quick question. Is Bar Harbor where LL Bean is? I thought i saw one place they stop theres a excursion to LL Bean?

 

 

 

LL Bean is in Freeport, Maine. Down near Portland. A good 2-3 hours south of Bar Harbor.

[JAMESCC]

LL Bean is in Freeport, Maine. Down near Portland. A good 2-3 hours south of Bar Harbor.

Yeah Princess doesn't go there its Royal Caribbean that goes there. I was actually looking Royal Caribbean next so maybe thats thats the cruise next. Its on the Explorer of the seas which is a giant ship. I like the giant ships just a personal choice.

[elmtree]

The ONLY time I have ever felt any sea sickness was tendering into Princess Cays..I was sooo sure I was going to upchuck and was very glad when we were able to get out...I felt like a was inside a rubber ball being bounced up and down and around..well you get the idea..