How can I get an early tender???

[anastasia3939]

My DS, DD and I are going on the Carnival Legend next month for a western caribbean cruise. I have never been on a cruise that has involved tendering. I'm most worried about Belize, where we have booked a private excursion to Lamanai since Carnival does not offer this as an excursion. Since it is an all day kind of excursion, I am looking for a little info and tips on how to get on an early tender. I've heard they give priority to passangers who have booked shore excursions through the cruise line. My questions are: How does the tendering process work? and how can I get my family on an early tender?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!!

[golfadj]

First make sure the tour guide knows what time the ship gets into port.

 

Go to lounge early speak to one of the entertianment staff and ask to be worked into an early tender. Generally they will be very nice about putting you on an early one.

[Coralsugar]

Hi

 

I went on the Legend last month. The tendering was very smooth and fast.

You will need to get into Folies lounge( main theater) about 30 min before the time ship docks just to be in front of the line. We ordered breakfast from room service and took it with us and ate in the lounge while waiting, so no time wasted. In Belize we were in 2nd tender. They mix and match people from Carnival excursions with others so no worries. 10 min after the ship was cleared we were called to board the tender.

Enjoy. We loved Legend.

[serene56]

and make sure you stay on ship time.

this excursion is just too far away- that is when the cruiselines do not go there you spend more time getting there then you do at the ruins themselves.

 

go to the port of calls boards to see the pros and cons of doing this excursion

[Banditswife]

We were on the Legend last Dec to Belize. Go to the meeting place early to get a sticker. They do board the Carnival excursions 1st. They also board the platinum pax 1st. But don't worry, the tendering boats in Belize were of a larger variety (150 pax), we ended up on the 1st tender over along with the CCL excursions. It will also depend on how many ships in port with you. Good luck.

[nitenurs2]

When we did this excursion, we went to the lounge and explained it to the staff. They got all of us (and there were 16 of us) on the 2nd & 3rd tenders.

 

We loved Lamanai. Even my teen-aged grandsons say it was their favorite excursion.

 

We got back a little later than usual and still had time to shop a little. There were at least 3 tenders back to the ship after ours.

 

Have fun!

[golfadj]

and make sure you stay on ship time.

this excursion is just too far away- that is when the cruiselines do not go there you spend more time getting there then you do at the ruins themselves.

 

go to the port of calls boards to see the pros and cons of doing this excursion

 

Good advise

[anastasia3939]

Thanks for all of the tips!!!! I feel better now about catching an early tender. I did research the pros and cons of this excursion......and it basically hinges on us catching an early tender. If we do, it should be a fun adventure!!!!

[Coralsugar]

You need to keep in mind that you might not be the only one booked on this excursion.

We arrived on second tender but ended up onshore waiting for people coming out of the 6th or 7th tender, after we met our operator we waited about 45 min to collect rest of the group.

[CruiseinNJ]

Thanks for all of the tips!!!! I feel better now about catching an early tender. I did research the pros and cons of this excursion......and it basically hinges on us catching an early tender. If we do, it should be a fun adventure!!!!

 

If this one doesn't work out for you, we did Xunatunich thru Carnival and absolutely LOVED it. The ruins are a 2 hour bus ride away - we were the first tender off, and the last tender to return (almost an hour late!).

[pinkdiamonddolly]

My DS, DD and I are going on the Carnival Legend next month for a western caribbean cruise. I have never been on a cruise that has involved tendering. I'm most worried about Belize, where we have booked a private excursion to Lamanai since Carnival does not offer this as an excursion. Since it is an all day kind of excursion, I am looking for a little info and tips on how to get on an early tender. I've heard they give priority to passangers who have booked shore excursions through the cruise line. My questions are: How does the tendering process work? and how can I get my family on an early tender?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!!

 

I am not trying to scare you, but we were on the Legend 5/27 sailing and the tendering in Belize was a hot mess. The tendering info on TV said to be at the Follies lounge at 7:30 when we got there (and about 60 other people), the person working the door, told everyone to come back at 9am, I went to guest services (just to clarify) they said they had no idea, so we just decided to go back and wait outside the Follie's, by this point there were about 150 people in line. I again went and asked the person at the door (different person than the first time) she said everyone should have been there by 7:30, but for some reason they were just starting to show up. I asked her what line we needed to be in and she said it didn't matter, got in line-got to the front, 3rd door person told me we should have been in the other line REALLY??? You would have thought maybe someone could move away from the door and offer real direction at the ends of the lines, anyhoo, she said "just go to that table over there" went and got a tender ticket and told to go sit down front. The Carnival excursion people were put on the upper tier seating. When they started loading tenders, they loaded all of the Carnival excursion people first, they filled up the first 5 tenders (I know that's there priority system, so I was ok with that) my problem was the fact that no one on the staff seemed to know the protocal, time or correct information, I mean these people were sitting 5 feet away from each other and they all gave me different answers to the same questions. Maybe they were just having a bad week, but it was ridiculous. We ended up in Belize about 10:30, we were the first non Carnival excursion people off of the ship.

[pinkdiamonddolly]

Oh and when one man asked Kirk the CD when they would be loading non Carnival excursions (he was very polite btw) Kirk started kind of heckling him and told him "he should have booked thru Carnival then he wouldn't have to be asking dumb questions" it was very rude.