Any Improvements to Boarding Tenders @ Port?

[AuntieBarb]

I'll preface my post to say "Thank goodness for Priority Tender Tickets"!!!!

 

However, we know that's not a courtesy extended to folks booking private excursions in "tender" or anchored ports, unless by chance you are a Gold or Platinum Latitudes member, or you are booked in a suite.

 

Has NCL improved the process at all? :confused:

 

We've been cruising with NCL for years. Just thinking about navigating to the gangway exhausts me, knowing many folks who have tender tickets that HAVE NOT been called yet line the stairwells and make the entire experience nearly unbearable. :rolleyes:

[AuntieBarb]

Hearing any & all experiences from this year's NCL cruises would be great! :)

 

We are trying to give our best estimate of when we can meet our excursion guides at unfortunately an anchored/tendered port.

[njhorseman]

Just off the top of my head, I'm having difficulty coming up with any ideas for significantly different alternatives. I've cruised on many different lines and don't recall NCL's procedures being much different than anyone else's. There were always passengers with higher priority for tender service, either because of having booked a ship's excursion, holding a high level frequent cruiser club membership or having a high-end stateroom. What suggestions do you have to "improve" how it's done?

[bakerintn]

Just get your tender tickets early--- show up 15 minutes before the announced time to issue tickets. That will get you off as early as you can, but you will need to get in line before they call your ticket. They will tell you when the first tender is planned to leave and I would add an hour to that time for your planning on leaving the ship.

 

The time to get ashore is another thing....will they be using the ship's life boats (slow) or a commercial higher speed service??

 

Whoever you arrange the private tour with understands all of this and will wait for you as long as you try to leave as early as you can.

[smeyer418]

Just off the top of my head, I'm having difficulty coming up with any ideas for significantly different alternatives. I've cruised on many different lines and don't recall NCL's procedures being much different than anyone else's. There were always passengers with higher priority for tender service, either because of having booked a ship's excursion, holding a high level frequent cruiser club membership or having a high-end stateroom. What suggestions do you have to "improve" how it's done?

I think a water slide would be great....wheeeee!!!!!

NCL sometimes uses locally hired boats instead of its own tenders. They tend to be faster and easier on and off then the tender/lifeboats....

[njhorseman]

NCL sometimes uses locally hired boats instead of its own tenders. They tend to be faster and easier on and off then the tender/lifeboats....

 

I remember one of those in Belize. The excursion we were on was late in returning to the pier. They put us on this lightning-fast boat that was jammed to the rafters with returning cruisers. The ride was actually a bit frightening.

 

The odd part was after hustling us back to the ship and aboard, the ship then sat there anchored for a couple of hours. There was an injured passenger that had to be taken ashore to get medical treatment and it took some time to make all the arrangements.

[AuntieBarb]

Just off the top of my head, I'm having difficulty coming up with any ideas for significantly different alternatives. I've cruised on many different lines and don't recall NCL's procedures being much different than anyone else's. There were always passengers with higher priority for tender service, either because of having booked a ship's excursion, holding a high level frequent cruiser club membership or having a high-end stateroom. What suggestions do you have to "improve" how it's done?

 

Perhaps my complaint wasn't clear. Other than those who can tender first, passengers are not supposed to enter the elevators or stairwells for the gangway until their batch of tender tickets are called. BUT many do anyways, making it terribly difficult for those who are supposed to be boarding to get to the gangway.

 

What do I propose as a better solution? Make sure NCL personnel are monitoring the stairwells for those who aren't supposed to be there yet. Everybody wants to get off the ship as quickly as possible, but you can't cram everyone in the stairwells all at once.

[njhorseman]

Perhaps my complaint wasn't clear. Other than those who can tender first, passengers are not supposed to enter the elevators or stairwells for the gangway until their batch of tender tickets are called. BUT many do anyways, making it terribly difficult for those who are supposed to be boarding to get to the gangway.

 

What do I propose as a better solution? Make sure NCL personnel are monitoring the stairwells for those who aren't supposed to be there yet. Everybody wants to get off the ship as quickly as possible, but you can't cram everyone in the stairwells all at once.

 

 

So, you answered your own question. ;)

 

Having NCL staff monitoring the stairwells has a chance of working only if they are armed to the teeth and willing to create a scene comparable to the St. Valentine's Day Massacre...and that's at most a minor stretch of the truth.

[fin]

Sad fact is, some people act like pigs. Cruises are not exempt.

[uneamie]

Oh heavens....I've never had to tender before. Every port we went to in the past the ship was able to dock there. All the Eastern Caribbean ports...San Juan, St Thomas, Antquia, Barbados, Dominica, Tortola all have space to dock.

 

I'd hate to have to go thru what you guys are talking about.

 

Anyone know if the ship can dock at St Martin? This will be a new stop for us this time.

[DMH15]

I hated the long lines for the tender returning to the ship.

[Lubbock2006]

It appears that everyone is trying to be first to the local "Diamonds International". And for that reason, we never try to make the first tender in the morning. Just wait until you see several tenders coming back to the ship for a second load, then head to the lower level. I never did understand why everyone wants to be first. When I was a kid first meant you got to lick the beaters, last kid got the bowl.:)

[njhorseman]

It appears that everyone is trying to be first to the local "Diamonds International". And for that reason, we never try to make the first tender in the morning. Just wait until you see several tenders coming back to the ship for a second load, then head to the lower level. I never did understand why everyone wants to be first. When I was a kid first meant you got to lick the beaters, last kid got the bowl.:)

 

 

Unless you have a low numbered tender ticket that's no good. It will take longer than the second run of tenders to get to the "no ticket required" stage.

[njhorseman]

Oh heavens....I've never had to tender before. Every port we went to in the past the ship was able to dock there. All the Eastern Caribbean ports...San Juan, St Thomas, Antquia, Barbados, Dominica, Tortola all have space to dock.

 

I'd hate to have to go thru what you guys are talking about.

 

Anyone know if the ship can dock at St Martin? This will be a new stop for us this time.

 

 

If my memory is accurate, I recall tendering on some ships and docking on others in St. Maarten. In this port I actually remember it being better to tender, because the tenders dropped you right in the middle of Philipsburg, while the docked ships were at an industrial area on the outskirts of town, which I think required a shuttle to take you downtown...or maybe you could walk, but my memory of that is fuzzy, and since it's been a few years they might now have a better facility.

[AuntieBarb]

So, you answered your own question. ;)

 

Having NCL staff monitoring the stairwells has a chance of working only if they are armed to the teeth and willing to create a scene comparable to the St. Valentine's Day Massacre...and that's at most a minor stretch of the truth.

 

No, it was your question. ;) ;) But thanks for the visual! LOL!

 

I was hoping someone who has tendered this year might report they've improved the process. Why? To get a feel for possible time constraints relative to a booked excursion.

[AuntieBarb]

I remember one of those in Belize. The excursion we were on was late in returning to the pier. They put us on this lightning-fast boat that was jammed to the rafters with returning cruisers. The ride was actually a bit frightening.

 

That's comical. We also went on an excursion in Belize, which was late returning to port. Our bus had mechanical problems on our way back from Xunantunich. As for the tender to the ship, "lightning fast" describes it perfectly!

 

[hat776]

It's funny. We had tendered ports in the Med and there was never any problem.

We just had breakfast and at about 8.45 made our way to the tender gangway. There were no queues (sorry lines) and the procedure was so simple.

There was a line for the return but there were about 6 life boats going to and fro and the wait time was really short.

[lhall85917]

Our only tender port in July was at Cannes and fortunately we had priority tickets. We were meeting other CC members at the dock for a private tour - 2 couples were on tenders 1 & 2 and were onshore quickly. The other couple was on 3 and it took them 2 hours to get onshore - apparently all shore excursions were sent out before them and there were engine problems on one of the tenders.

 

How quick tendering goes also depends on what they use - in some ports they use lifeboats, others they hire local ferries (these hold many more people). One suggestion, if you are meeting others for a private tour, meet onboard and take the tender together - it is much easier to keep everyone together.

[numberguy]

I think a water slide would be great....wheeeee!!!!!

NCL sometimes uses locally hired boats instead of its own tenders. They tend to be faster and easier on and off then the tender/lifeboats....

 

 

I'll take a water slide ANYWHERE!

 

I've only had to tender twice in three cruises: once in Hilo, Hawai'i, and once in Villefranche, France. I overheard (for whatever THAT's worth) that Villefrance requires that ships use their local tender boats. Didn't hear why. Economically, I guess it could make sense for Villefranche.

 

--Michael

[saleandsail]

I'll take a water slide ANYWHERE!

 

I've only had to tender twice in three cruises: once in Hilo, Hawai'i, and once in Villefranche, France. I overheard (for whatever THAT's worth) that Villefrance requires that ships use their local tender boats. Didn't hear why. Economically, I guess it could make sense for Villefranche.

 

--Michael

 

Boy do I remember the tenders in Villefranche. I was on the USS Des Moines CA134 from 1960-1961, which was the Flagship for the 6th fleet, and our home port was Villefranche. Of course I had to pay for the tenders, but the cruise was free. :D

[hat776]

When we were in Villefranche the Gem used its lifeboats.

However, we didn't have a long wait . We didn't have a long wait at Cannes either.

The ship leaves at 3, so a two hour wait would sure mess up the day.

[LindaKE]

If you are on a ship's excursion, and therefore get priority tendering, how do you get to the front of the line if it is so backed up? I have to use an elevator because of mobiity issues. Do I just have to get to the proper place before the madness starts?

[lambs2]

If you are on a ship's excursion, and therefore get priority tendering, how do you get to the front of the line if it is so backed up? I have to use an elevator because of mobiity issues. Do I just have to get to the proper place before the madness starts?

 

 

 

In cases where you have an early excursion off the ship by tender, your excursion group will meet in advance in a designated meeting spot - like the theater or a lounge (the exact meeting time will be given with your shore excursion tickets), and will be called AS A GROUP to go to the tenders. They will know exactly how many people have tickets for that excursion so there will be no issue for you because the ship excursions ALWAYS have priority use of the tenders. In my experience as an observer , they will assist any mobility impaired participants to use the elevators, if needed. Rules may be a bit different for later, afternoon, excursions, but by then there will not be long lines for the tenders and if you are at all uncomfortable about making it to the meeting place on time (if off the ship) make arrangements for assistance at the Shore Excursion desk. Just be sure to do this the day before as, typically, all the personell will be busy that day and the desk is not open.

[LindaKE]

Thanks. Our excursion starts 30 mintes after arrival time. We've only had to tender twice, and on both of these, we didn't prebook a excursion so we were able to wait until there was no line.

[AuntieBarb]

If you are on a ship's excursion, and therefore get priority tendering, how do you get to the front of the line if it is so backed up? I have to use an elevator because of mobiity issues. Do I just have to get to the proper place before the madness starts?

 

In cases where you have an early excursion off the ship by tender, your excursion group will meet in advance in a designated meeting spot - like the theater or a lounge (the exact meeting time will be given with your shore excursion tickets), and will be called AS A GROUP to go to the tenders. They will know exactly how many people have tickets for that excursion so there will be no issue for you because the ship excursions ALWAYS have priority use of the tenders. In my experience as an observer , they will assist any mobility impaired participants to use the elevators, if needed. Rules may be a bit different for later, afternoon, excursions, but by then there will not be long lines for the tenders and if you are at all uncomfortable about making it to the meeting place on time (if off the ship) make arrangements for assistance at the Shore Excursion desk. Just be sure to do this the day before as, typically, all the personell will be busy that day and the desk is not open.

 

Great response! I'll vouch for this too! The flow is handled well for NCL sponsored excursions. Unfortunately not the case where private excursions are involved @ a tender port.