tendering in St. Thomas

[Jerseyboy1]

I was just looking at the Paradise Point webcam and noticed that the Norwegian Pearl was tendering people ashore. Also in port are Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom, Royal Princess, Costa Atlantica and the Oasis Of The Seas. They are all docked and the Pearl is stuck out in the harbor.

 

I've seen this before, but was just wondering how the choice is made as to which ships get dock space and which do not. I know Oasis gets to dock, but for the others, is it whoever gets there first or what?:confused:

 

Anyone here ever tender into St. Thomas and if you did, was it a smooth operation? I think if I was there and had to tender, I would feel kind of angry that we were the odd man out stuck tendering into this port.

[newmexicoNita]

I was just looking at the Paradise Point webcam and noticed that the Norwegian Pearl was tendering people ashore. Also in port are Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom, Royal Princess, Costa Atlantica and the Oasis Of The Seas. They are all docked and the Pearl is stuck out in the harbor.

 

I've seen this before, but was just wondering how the choice is made as to which ships get dock space and which do not. I know Oasis gets to dock, but for the others, is it whoever gets there first or what?:confused:

 

Anyone here ever tender into St. Thomas and if you did, was it a smooth operation? I think if I was there and had to tender, I would feel kind of angry that we were the odd man out stuck tendering into this port.

 

We have never tendered in St Thomas, it must have to do with too many ships at one time and the first come, first served policy. Hopefully someone will be able to clear this up for us.

 

Nita

[Richie2pies]

When I was on the Dawn about a year ago we tendered. Drops you off right downtown and a very short ride. I, for one, don't see tendering as a great inconvenience.

[fin]

Like your first responder, I don't know either. The website which shows the ships in a harbor at any given time sometimes shows as many as seven at once in St Thomas. These schedules are made up months ahead of time, and the cruise itinerary often shows potential guests whether a particular port is tender or dock, making it seem unlikely it is first come first served, except maybe in making the request ahead of time.

 

The fun will come when a couple of mega ships hit the port at the same time.

[cliffd64]

It's based on a rotating schedule... and obviously the number of ships in port...

[bar_20]

The Norway always tendered at St. Thomas because of it's size. I am not sure if it's first come first served or maybe they don't want to pay the docking fees. From what I remember it was smooth tendering from the ship to shore and they left you off right in front of downtown.

[caribsun]

Tender to shore from S/S Norway because of her deep draft. Went smoothly because Norway carried her own tenders. I believed they held around 300 passengers.:)

[mypleasure]

On the 2/27 cruise the Tortola and St Thomas stops were swapped over due to congestion in the port with Oasis and Carnival Dream plus others there. Decided not to continue with this schedule change from the look of things.

 

I thought time was short enough without the hassle of the tender process cutting it back even more. I feel for those folks on that island today and every Tuesday