priority tendering

[Kay S]

I really should know this, but I haven't taken advantage of priority tendering since becoming Elite (a bunch of years ago.)  I always figured I could just get in the queue with everyone else.  However, there's a tender port coming up on a future cruise and I need to be off the ship ASAP.  So, educate me.  How does it work?  (I know it's only for ship to shore not vice versa.) 

[suekel]

You'll get notice in your cabin as to where to go to get your priority ticket.  On the last one I was on we met in take 5 and they took us down as a group.  It was nice.  

[capriccio]

If I remember correctly, the notice will also be in the Patter.  As @suekel noted, you will wait in a comfortable location like the wheelhouse bar and then proceed as a group to the tender. 

[Ombud]

There wasn't a notice in the patter on my last cruise. So I used CrewChat to find out where it was. 

[skynight]

As mentioned meeting location is almost always mentioned. Most times it is a separate location, but I have run into it being the same DR location as everyone else. Priority tendering may have a short wait. Staff mixes in priorities with Princess tour groups as seats are spots available. You are also mixed with non priority passengers. 

[blizzard44ca]

The location may be listed with the Captain’s Circle events letter in your stateroom when you board.

[suekel]

4 minutes ago, blizzard44ca said:

The location may be listed with the Captain’s Circle events letter in your stateroom when you board.

Yes

[1965]

We're elite cruising with our daughter & sil on the Regal in June. May they go priority with us or should we go regular tendering with them so that we can stay together? Thanks. 

[skynight]

1 hour ago, 1965 said:

We're elite cruising with our daughter & sil on the Regal in June. May they go priority with us or should we go regular tendering with them so that we can stay together? Thanks. 

The answer is maybe. You have to ask the staff member present if they will allow you to board your entire party.

[1965]

31 minutes ago, skynight said:

The answer is maybe. You have to ask the staff member present if they will allow you to board your entire party.

Thank you. 😊 

[seeyouinthesun]

On my last cruise it was a free for all but I think that was an isolated occurrence. 

[Kay S]

3 hours ago, seeyouinthesun said:

On my last cruise it was a free for all but I think that was an isolated occurrence. 

How so?  Did people just show up and demand to get on the tender?

[memoak]

We generally do not look to get on a tender until we have had breakfast. By then it is usually not an issue

[seeyouinthesun]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

How so?  Did people just show up and demand to get on the tender?

Basically, the area in front of the tender loading area was jammed with people. I asked a crew member if there was some kind of line for Elite and he said, no everyone is in the same line.

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, seeyouinthesun said:

Basically, the area in front of the tender loading area was jammed with people. I asked a crew member if there was some kind of line for Elite and he said, no everyone is in the same line.

So passengers weren't told to meet in two different locations (one for elites, one for everyone else) where they would be issued tickets and escorted to the tender loading area?  Or was this after they had announced that tender tickets were no longer necessary?  If that was the case, elites are treated like everyone else then (they were never supposed to be able to go to the head of the line).

[skynight]

16 hours ago, seeyouinthesun said:

On my last cruise it was a free for all but I think that was an isolated occurrence. 

What time of the morning was this and what port? Usually at some point the tender ticket process is discontinued and passengers can just report directly to the pontoon.

[seeyouinthesun]

24 minutes ago, skynight said:

What time of the morning was this and what port? Usually at some point the tender ticket process is discontinued and passengers can just report directly to the pontoon.

Yes, now I realize this must have been the case. My apologies. 

[cruisequeen4ever]

It can vary from ship to ship, and it has changed in recent years. The new way seems to be for elites to meet in a particular lounge to get their tickets, and then they are called before everyone else for the next available tender. I was skeptical because it used to be that we could just join the end of the line of the next tender, which was super convenient and easy, but we did the new way last week, and we were truly given priority tendering. Priority, tindering only works ship to shore, though. Unfortunately, there is no priority tendering on the way back, so be prepared for the typical long line.