NCL Tender; Martha's Vineyard

[AuntieBarb]

Could someone tell me which port in Martha's Vineyard NCL tenders to? Is it Vineyard Haven? We're trying to meet up with relatives who live nearby.

 

The waters around the Cape can be quite choppy at times. From what I've read, NCL uses their own tenders there and many times they have to abort. Any experiences to share? (Visions of GSC are dancing through my head! LOL!)

[lil buddy]

On our Sept. of 2004, we had to abort MV and I was so very disappointed.

We chose Canada to make sure that we would avoid hurricanes and

wound up in one that was headed North...lol

It was a bit bumpy but a super trip and we did a longer one last

Sept. That one went to Quebec and was really special.

Hopefully, you will make to to MV but, worse case, you will have

a wonderful vacation.

[AuntieBarb]

Thanks Barbara! (BTW: nice name! :D )

 

Anyone know if Vineyard Haven is the port NCL tenders to?

[AuntieBarb]

Just thought I'd post what I found out for anyone else wondering in the future. It took a bit of doing getting it out of an NCL representative (I don't think he understood my question), but he finally said we tender into Oak Bluff.

 

Thanks anyway!

[weary traveler]

a few years back i took the NCL Sea into Marthas Vineyard... they used Captain John boats from Plymouth, Ma. as tenders (quite efficient) and i seem to remember a black dog store right at the foot of the pier with an outdoor restaurant if that helps. long lines getting back to the ship tho...

 

always helpful

Weary Traveler

[bigfoot88]

I was on the Spirit in Oct 2007 Canada trip with a stop on MV. We used tenders, the ships life boats. The was one private boat that did ferry. The water choppy, the life boats seemed to handle the water better than the private boat.

 

We did not port near the city, we were on the other side of the island, took the bus tour. The tour dropped us in town for an hour or so for shopping.

[cappucino]

My unfortunate experience was on the NCL Spirit last year (07). I don't know the name of the dock but I do know the boat had to "park" way out in the ocean. Apparently the waters are too shallow and the boat was out quite a bit more than other tendered ports. The water was incredibly choppy, the wind was whipping and we shouldn't have been on a tender. I have attached two pic's.

 

The tender is very small and not exactly built like a truck. We were in the tender on the water for about 20 minutes to get to Martha's Vineyard. We weren't making any progress because of the wind and waters. On the way back the tender was in the water for 1/2 an hour and finally had to be rescued. They even moved the cruise ship for some technical reason, hoping to give the tender boat a chance to progress.

 

It was very obvious to all of the passengers something was seriously go wrong out there. The port officials in uniforms along with NCL staff were all grouped together as far away from the passengers as possible. Everyone was talking on the phone and their faces told the story. NCL finally got a clue and aborted all other tenders going back to the boat and hired a large fishing vessel. It was horrendous. Never again!!

 

Had I known this I would have either stayed on the boat or I would have rented a hotel room on the island. Thank god for the rescue vessel.

 

Have fun and a safe trip!!