Tender Schedule

We are first time cruisers (nervous and excited) and will be on the Yachtman's itinerary for the March 21 sailing. This cruise includes 2 over nights and 2 long days, and we like to do a lot of exploring on our own in the mornings. So I am curious about the tenders and the schedule with those. How early do they start running? If we wanted to go for an early morning hike on the island (6 or 7 am on the overnight stops) and then come back at 11 for lunch on the ship and to shower and then head back to the island in the afternoon is this a hassle? How often do the tenders run? How late do the run for dinner and drinks on the island?

Oh also I read somewhere else that you can't swim/snorkel off of the sports deck on the back of the ship. Is this correct?

Thanks for any and all help you can provide.

We are first time cruisers (nervous and excited) and will be on the Yachtman's itinerary for the March 21 sailing. This cruise includes 2 over nights and 2 long days, and we like to do a lot of exploring on our own in the mornings. So I am curious about the tenders and the schedule with those. How early do they start running? If we wanted to go for an early morning hike on the island (6 or 7 am on the overnight stops) and then come back at 11 for lunch on the ship and to shower and then head back to the island in the afternoon is this a hassle? How often do the tenders run? How late do the run for dinner and drinks on the island?

 

Oh also I read somewhere else that you can't swim/snorkel off of the sports deck on the back of the ship. Is this correct?

 

Thanks for any and all help you can provide.

Some cruise lines don't run tenders at night due to safety concerns.

During the day they run as required . Quite often the first tenders of the day are allocated tours that have a long day or start early.

We were on the Yachtsman last spring. I just checked my daily sheets and it looks like midnight was the last tender for several stops. Did not see any tenders before 8 a.m.

Sports platform; you can swim off the sports platform at some or most ports on this itinerary depending on the sea conditions of course. I remember being surprised at how far out we anchored though in many of the ports, so the water was slightly rougher than I was anticipating for swimming etc. Did it anyhow, but it wasn't what I was imagining before the cruise. Whether it would be suitable for snorkelling when you go I couldn't say.

Hope this helps.