Tender Tickets ???

[jgreens2]

Just wondering what's the deal with the tender tickets?

 

We'll be on the jewel may 22 and have a stop at their island. Do you need to get tender tickets a day in advance? What time do they start handing them out?

[Don Haynes]

When a ship arrives at a tender port, at a port it cannot dock, they give out tender tickets at a location for those with independent shore excursions around 7 am. If you booked a ship sponsored shore excursion there is no need to get in line for a tender ticket. And if you choose to go to shore later during the day you won't need a tender ticket either as once the big early rush to get off the ship is over its first come first serve...

 

Simply put, the first passengers off the ship are ship's booked shore excursions, second independent shore excursions, and then third all the rest. Usually those with suite perks are able to get off with the ship's booked shore excursions, or shortly thereafter on the same tender... The tender tickets are just a way the cruise lines attempt to use to get the large number of passengers off the ship without a huge crowd blocking the path to the tenders... Its one tender at a time unlike a nice line marching off at a dock...

 

Does this clear it up?

[tiyana4]

We recently had to endure this process on the Star. Hated it!!!!!

 

Even though they started calling colored tix shortly after docking, they were so slow calling groups (40 mins apart). There were 4 tender boats in operation which only held 100 or so people. We had a private excursion that we booked for 1:00 and we were not able to get off the ship until 12:25, add a 10 minute tender ride and that put us uncomfortably close to excursion departure time. From now on, we will look very closely at itineraries that have limited tender ports on NCL.

[jgreens2]

I've been on many ships that tender into port and this was the first year i heard of needing tender tickets

 

 

the only tendered port we have on our itinerary is to NCL's own island where i don't think there are any shore excursions. its just a beach day.... But im wondering how to get a good tender ticket so we can get a nice spot on the beach with chairs.

[NMLady]

I've been on many ships that tender into port and this was the first year i heard of needing tender tickets ...

 

I've cruised on more than a dozen cruises on different cruise lines and the procedure has always been the same. Tender tickets are available from about 7am or 8am, first are ship tours, second are other tours, then they start calling tender ticket numbers.

 

Then an announcement is usually made and from that point on no tender tickets are required.

 

That is why, if we don't have a tour, we don't bother getting a ticket. We have a leisurely morning and wait for the announcement of no tickets needed.