Tendered versus docked - any hints?

[bluzcruzer]

Just curious how the tendered ports work - what are the hints & hitches to getting onshore early. We're on Brill Med June 19, and have a few tendered ports (Villefranche, Taormina, and I think Mykonos or Santorini - or both).

How does the transport to shore work? Slow & tedious? As needed or at scheduled departure times? Best time to prepare? is there a fee?Etc.
Any info would be appreciated.

thanks, BC

[superjerryw]

There is no fee for tender service. The passengers that have booked shore excursions from the cruise line will be put in the tenders first. In order to avoid long lines and possible chaos they may opt to use tender tickets. If so, they will announce when and where the tender tickets will be available. The ticket just gives you the number of a tender and you wait until your number is called. The tenders will usually run continually when yoou first arrive in port so that everyone can get of the ship. They will then run intermittently during the day and then continuous service will resume at the end of the day when everyone is trying to get back to the ship.

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[aqusis]

The quickest way off is to be booked on a ship purchased excursion. Those folks are usually the first off. Some ships offer priority tendering to suite passengers via the concierge service. As far as the process, it will vary by port. Some ports provide their own tender service and the boats can be large (carrying several hundred passengers) to smaller ones. Sometimes, the ship will use it's own life boats. Might want to check out the Ports of Call board for specifics on your particular ports. There is no fee for the tender. There will be a posted schedule as far as times. Normally, tenders run on a regular schedule once they get everyone onshore. There are normally tenders running to/from the ship during the time in port every 20-30 minutes. Just make sure not to miss the last tender of the day back to the ship! Have a great cruise!

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Mariner of the Seas

[Family of 14]

Does every member of a party need to be present to get the tender ticket times or just one member? When are these given out? Night before or early morning?

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[iluvcruzin]

Only one member of your group needs to pick up the tender tickets. They are given out that morning usually a few hours before arriving in port.

Maureen

Princess Sun 2/27/2005
Mariner of the Seas 10/15/2005

8 cruises to date.

[jstducky]

in my experience on past cruises, only one member of the party needed to be present to get tender tickets. when you get to the front of the line, the person handing out hte tickets should ask you how many are in your party. if you say 5, for example, they should hand you 5 tender tickets that are the same number so that you all get on the same tender.

generally the tender tickets are handed out ahead of time, like the day before or on a sea day, that way everyone is on the ship and has equal access to the tender tickets. then its just a matter of standing in line early to be near the front!

jstducky!
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[Alexis]

Hi superjerryw,
What does this mean under your avatar?
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[reggierail]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Alexis:
Hi superjerryw,
What does this mean under your avatar?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Post 947 more times and you can have one for yourself. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

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