Tenders

[Jay23]

I have been on Legend only and the tender boats were just delightful, not Life Boats. What are the tender boats like on the big sisters, are they life boats or launches? Just curious, no big deal.

[markham]

I am ODY now and have not been on the small ships in 5 years.

 

I am not sure about the suggestion that life boats were not used for tendering

operations. They were then and they are now. The "launches" are small motor

boats, not suitable as tenders for 20+ passengers at a time. The current ships' life boats can be seen on the website and they hold up to 150 although on our cruise 40 has been the max we have experienced.

 

Happy sailing!

[Jay23]

Thank you for your reply.

 

On Legend three years ago in the Caribbean, launches were used as tenders. We found this method of tendering much more comfortable and civilised than the life boats. (I have photos to prove it!)

(Obviously launches are not used as life boats)

 

I think you have said that the life boats are used for tendering on ODY. That's fine, just not so nice.

[nolatravelgirl]

The lifeboats are used, but they certainly don't pack people in like sardines. Here is inside the lifeboat on the Sojourn as we tendered into St. Bart.

 

 

 

[Haworth]

In some places, Santorini springs to mind, local tenders are used and not the lifeboats.

[wripro]

Thank you for your reply.

 

On Legend three years ago in the Caribbean, launches were used as tenders. We found this method of tendering much more comfortable and civilised than the life boats. (I have photos to prove it!)

(Obviously launches are not used as life boats)

 

I think you have said that the life boats are used for tendering on ODY. That's fine, just not so nice.

 

A lot of things were more civilized on the triplets. They were what made Seabourn the line it once was. Those tenders reflected the luxury of the yachts when they first appeared. Still, with more passengers it would be impossible to replicate that on the O ships or the new ones. I'm just glad I got to experience the triplets as long as I did.

[Jay23]

We are going on Sojourn in September and we realise it won't be the same as the Little ships. We are going with an open mind, and are looking forward to a different experience. It would be really nice if David E and or Michael were on board to make us feel at home :)

 

The launches were stowed in the aft of the ship and were floated out, this I can see, would not be possible on the bigger ships. Perhaps they will use some local tender boats as Oceania did in Mykonos and Santorini. J

[Emperor Norton]

I am ODY now and have not been on the small ships in 5 years.

 

I am not sure about the suggestion that life boats were not used for tendering

operations. They were then and they are now. The "launches" are small motor

boats, not suitable as tenders for 20+ passengers at a time. The current ships' life boats can be seen on the website and they hold up to 150 although on our cruise 40 has been the max we have experienced.

 

Happy sailing!

 

"Way back when" at least in Europe and the Caribbean the launches (this could be problematic if everyone tried to disembark at once) were used as tenders on the smaller boats. The actual life boats thankfully were only seen used in drills.

[Jay23]

:) :)

[lincslady]

One thing which is easier with the newer ships is the method of getting on and off the tenders - no walking through the lounge, down a heap of steps, standing on them until the tender comes in and then a tiny platform for embarking. Now you go down in the lift or stairs to deck 3, wait in a corridor, and then climb down just a few steps to a large landing platform. Certainly easier for those older or more inform. However, we have been on pretty full tenders - and they are the lifeboats - recently. Not a problem for us, everyone sits and chats together.