Sun Question????

[ucane]

Noticed that on some ports we are docked on others we are anchored, whats the difference. First time cruiser so please bear with me! Thanks!:)

[Don Haynes]

Some ports have piers for cruise ships, some don't. Those that do don't necessarily have enough. There are too many cruise ships for the piers available. When a ship tenders there is no pier to dock.

 

It take a hour longer to disembark passengers at tender ports. Lots of time is wasted waiting for another tender to approach and leave the ship. That time is not wasted at a pier.

 

Grand Caymen Islands don't have a pier for cruise ships. I have seen seven cruise ships anchored there. On the other hand Cozumel had six piers before Hurricane Zelma, and then zero afterwards. Fortunately Cozumel has rebuilt piers for 4 ships, and will by this fall will have piers for 6 again. In another location of Juneau, there are piers for 3 cruise ships, but I have seen 4 ships there. One ship has to tender.

 

Many of these exotic ports of call are in small towns, in small countries, most of them undeveloped without the resources of America. Politically, its more important for them to fund schools, hospitals, and roads than for piers for cruise ships.

[ucane]

so in a nutshell its better to be docked then anchored. And would you also suggest booking through the NCL site for excursions if your anchored since it takes longer? Thanks!

[ucane]

How long does it take to get off the boat for docked compared to anchored? Only reason I ask is that I am trying to book my excursions and need to know a time slot...thanks.

[Don Haynes]

At a tender port the tenders are assigned in this order: NCL booked excursions off first, suite vip passengers off second, the rest with tender tickets, then non tender tickets last. I figure at least two hours once disembarkation begins which is an hour or so after the ship drops anchor.

 

Much faster at docks: at least 90 minutes to disembark passengers, suite vip passengers off first, then everyone else. No tender tickets involved. Again disembarkation starts around one hour after the ship docks.

 

That first hour is for customs to clear the ship before disembarkation begins.

 

So if you dock don't book an independent excursion before say 90 minutes to two hours after the ship is expected to anchor. If you tender don't book an independent excursion before two and a half hours ater the ship is expected to anchor.

 

Everyone cannot get off the ship at the same time.

 

Keep in mind these independent shore excursions will wait for their expected customers. They also have tours ready and attempt to sell them for a much cheaper price at either the tender pier or dock than excursions sold through the cruise lines.

 

I prefer to book through the ship at tender ports, because you get off first. This doesn't happen when the ship docks. I save some money at docks by just walking off the ship and buying an excursioh on the dock.

[ucane]

Thanks alot, very helpful...but whats a tender ticket and how do I get one? Thanks

[ucane]

Thanks alot, very helpful...but whats a tender ticket and how do I get one? Thanks

[Don Haynes]

Read the Freestyle daily paper aboard to see where the tender tickets are being distributed, its usually in the atrium area. The free tender tickets have numbers so that passengers don't crowd the stairways down to the gangplank. The ship will call off the tender numbers as their tenders arrive to ease the traffic jam over the sound system.

 

Keep in mind there are over 2000 passengers aboard, they all can't leave at once, and there are always the line cutters. The line cutters in my opinion are as bad as the chair hogs by the pool. They are on every cruise, and they show the worst of ugly human nature... You know, ME FIRST.