Ketchikan tendering Koningsdam

[Skicruiser55]

Just found out we will be tendering in Ketchikan (bummer) and wondered how quickly/smoothly this works.  I booked a HAL tour but my husband has private fishing tour - we have Club Orange so hoping this makes it easier for him.  Any insight would be appreciated.  

[julia]

Obviously, you will be fine on your tour, but I'd touch base with the private fishing tour and give them a "heads up" that he will be tendering. They will be aware that K'dam is tendering, and should be somewhat flexible.  

[Blackduck59]

This is an unfortunate development for you. I wonder why she is tendering. It just feels that Holland America would have priority at the pier with their long history in Alaska. I hope everything works out for you.

[ChinaShrek]

Club Orange gives your priority tendering in tender ports. I don't know if that means you go ahead of HAL tour people, after them, or with them but i think you should be fine.

[Skicruiser55]

I just looked there will be 6 ships in port that day (nightmare scenario to me).  I miss the old days of cruising to Alaska (early 2000’s).  We are last ship to arrive.  

[LeDemonBlond]

I was curious as we have an upcoming cruise on the Koningsdam.  According to the port schedule as per below, the ship should be docked but starting May 30th and then every 2nd week, the ship is anchored in Ketchikan. 

This does not answer your question but is your sailing before May 30th?

 

https://claalaska.com/?page_id=1551

[Torquer]

That is surprising for HAL to be tendering in Ketchikan, but with 6 ships there, some ships will have to do it.  If I remember there is space for only about 3 ships. 

 

However, with CO there should be no problem getting off the ship.  There will be no need to get a tender ticket.  You will just get in line at the stairs down to the tender deck by showing your CO room key card.  You still may have to wait for the next tender, but you will not have to wait until all HAL tours have left.  Now getting back on the ship could take a while since there is no priority for return...on a couple recent cruises we had to wait nearly an hour in line to get back, but this was not at Ketchikan so hopefully it will go quickly.

[Niagarawine]

4 hours ago, Skicruiser55 said:

Just found out we will be tendering in Ketchikan (bummer) and wondered how quickly/smoothly this works.  I booked a HAL tour but my husband has private fishing tour - we have Club Orange so hoping this makes it easier for him.  Any insight would be appreciated.  

What date is your cruise? I hope it is not on my cruise May 10 as I have mobility issues

[Skicruiser55]

1 minute ago, Niagarawine said:

What date is your cruise? I hope it is not on my cruise May 10 as I have mobility issues

It is June 22 Koningsdam 

[Niagarawine]

1 minute ago, Skicruiser55 said:

It is June 22 Koningsdam 

Oh thank you

[Bolt.]

Could you let me know how you find out whether you are docking or tendering at each port? I'm on the Zaandam in May, and I wish I knew which ports would be done which way.

[CruiserBruce]

33 minutes ago, Bolt. said:

Could you let me know how you find out whether you are docking or tendering at each port? I'm on the Zaandam in May, and I wish I knew which ports would be done which way.

Check the link given in Post #6.

[Torquer]

1 hour ago, Bolt. said:

Could you let me know how you find out whether you are docking or tendering at each port? I'm on the Zaandam in May, and I wish I knew which ports would be done which way.

All you have to do is look at your cruise's itinerary on the Holland America website and it will clearly say tender required.  If it does not say anything then it is a normal docking port.  For example, I just pulled up a random cruise:

 

[Cruise4food]

16 minutes ago, Torquer said:

All you have to do is look at your cruise's itinerary on the Holland America website and it will clearly say tender required.  If it does not say anything then it is a normal docking port.  For example, I just pulled up a random cruise:

 

In July 2023, we tendered on the morning arrival at Ketchikan. After the departure of a Princess ship mid-day, the Koningsdam moved in and docked. Read the itinerary details precisely to see if this might be the plan.

[rj59]

Are you sure it's tendering and not busing somewhere? The inlet there is so narrow that a ship not docked would block all the other ships.  Maybe it docks on the other side of the inlet? I know NCL ships dock at a nearby town called Wards Cove and get bused into town. I have had some weird tendering in Skagway--we were docked at the pier with the rockslides on Celebrity, but they made us tender from the water side to drop us off in town, for safety. 

[greensprout]

On 4/27/2024 at 2:35 PM, Bolt. said:

Could you let me know how you find out whether you are docking or tendering at each port? I'm on the Zaandam in May, and I wish I knew which ports would be done which way.

We board the Nieuw Amsterdam on May 5.  Just had an email 2 days ago that Juneau will now be a tender port.  I see there are 5 ships in port that day 🤨

[Wimborne Lad]

We were on the ship yesterday in Ketchikan- docked at Berth 3 right in town.  We didn't hear about the possibility of a tender.  It was all perfect.  As long- time Cunarders (platinum) who have never cruised with any other cruise line,  we LOVED this ship and had a BRILLIANT time.  Well done to Holland & America. We will definitely use your services again.  Thanks for a great cruise on such a light,  bright,  modern ship. 

[rafinmd]

8 hours ago, Wimborne Lad said:

We were on the ship yesterday in Ketchikan- docked at Berth 3 right in town.  We didn't hear about the possibility of a tender.  It was all perfect.  As long- time Cunarders (platinum) who have never cruised with any other cruise line,  we LOVED this ship and had a BRILLIANT time.  Well done to Holland & America. We will definitely use your services again.  Thanks for a great cruise on such a light,  bright,  modern ship. 

If you were on the Koningsdam and loved it you should also check out Queen Anne.  They will be very nearly sisters.

 

Definitely nice to have more than one go to cruise line, and with 11 ships compared to 4 HAL does open up a lot of options.  Zaandam and Volendam are smaller ships while Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam are similar to Koningsdam,  The other six ships should look familiar compared to QE and QV.

 

Roy

Edited Saturday at 11:16 AM by rafinmd

[Haljo1935]

8 hours ago, Wimborne Lad said:

We were on the ship yesterday in Ketchikan- docked at Berth 3 right in town.  We didn't hear about the possibility of a tender.  It was all perfect.  As long- time Cunarders (platinum) who have never cruised with any other cruise line,  we LOVED this ship and had a BRILLIANT time.  Well done to Holland & America. We will definitely use your services again.  Thanks for a great cruise on such a light,  bright,  modern ship. 

So happy to hear you enjoyed HAL and will return!

[richwmn]

On 4/27/2024 at 3:09 PM, Torquer said:

However, with CO there should be no problem getting off the ship.  There will be no need to get a tender ticket.  You will just get in line at the stairs down to the tender deck by showing your CO room key card. 

If too many 4*+, Suite, and Club Orange are aboard you will have to receive a priority tender ticket from a different location than the rest of the guests. 

[Haljo1935]

22 minutes ago, richwmn said:

If too many 4*+, Suite, and Club Orange are aboard you will have to receive a priority tender ticket from a different location than the rest of the guests. 

This happened Jan in HI on K'dam - 4*, 5*, Suites & CO met in PG to board tenders.

Later in the day, no need for tickets, but for the first morning runs, it's important to pay attention to the tender ticket process.

[MrSnuffleupagus]

We are on the May 25th sailing, will also be at anchor in Ketchikan, and have Club Orange. If I remember, I will do my best to report back on how this worked out for us. We arrive at 1100 and have a tour scheduled for 1200, so I am somewhat concerned about making it in time. I did reach out to the tour company to give them notice and ask for their recommendation to keep or move back the tour start time.