Tender question?

[smj]

Does anyone know how Oceania handles the tenders for passengers who are not on an Oceania tour? We have booked several private guides and I was wondering if we can get on one of the first tenders or if the fist tenders are for people who booked a ship tour?
Thanks,
Steve

[Jancruz]

Hi Steve,
First tenders are for those who have reserved tours..but they usually go very quickly..

Jan
*************

[goeurope]

On the REGATTA last September, the tenders ran often and usually had empty seats. With Oceania's ships being relatively small, it doesn't take very long to get people ashore.

--
Durant Imboden
Europeforvisitors.com

[cbb]

We just returned from a Rome/Athens, Athens/Venice trip on Insignia yesterday. Here's what we did. I would find out when the 1st tour was leaving the ship and would be in the lounge 15-30 minutes before (yes, I am crazy) and would routinely score tender tickets for the 1st tender. We always try to be first into every port if we are traveling independently because it makes a huge difference in crowds and photo shooting. (We are avid amateur photographers and prefer not to have other tourists in our pictures. Early light and towns awakening are among our favorite times.)
You must be ready to leave the lounge and board the tender if you want to be off early. You can't get the tender ticket and then return to the room to leisurely prepare to depart.
Oceania always seemed prepared for those of us who wanted to leave ship early and we never had any trouble getting onboard tenders that included tour groups. Hope this helps!

[conan]

Sometimes the tender for excursions (eg in Santorini) may not be where you want to go. In the Santorini situation, you'd want a tender for Fira town rather than the dock across the caldera where passengers meet excursion busses. I agree with a previous poster that Oceania disembarks passengervery quickly. Each tender craft holds 100 people.

[cbb]

conan is absolutely correct. One has to find out where he/she will be tendering in order to know what to do. His example of Santorini is a perfect one. Even docking one has to know where that docking is in order to plan their day. We walked sometimes, other places we took cabs or the mass transit system. My point was to do it early and to do the research! One day on a tender, I asked the lady next to me where she was going that day and she replied, 'I don't really know, just where ever the tour bus is going.' That is certainly a relaxing way to cruise!

[meteng]

We had all independent tours last fall and did the same as cbb. We found out when the first tour group was leaving and then we were in the lounge the same time and picked up "independent tickets" for the tender. Once the group was loaded we were allowed to board. Always made the first tender and got out ahead of the buses. If you have reputable guides they will know where to pick you up.

[tropicalkerry2002]

did the newsletter in your room each night tell you when the first tender was leaving? Thanks.

[meteng]

Yes, it told what time the tender was to leave and what time to meet in the lounge.