tendering into Cozumel from the DAWN

[rjm11]

Now that's I resolved to the fact that we will have to tender into Cozumel off of the Dawn, I'd like to hear some accounts of how it went for others- I've read some reports of disorganization, long lines both directions, etc.... but wonder if it's been like that every time? What time did you get off the boat? How were the lines coming back? Did they have priority tendering for suites set up? If so, what time (or times) was that? Please share your experiences!

Thanks!

[Mistizoom]

What sailing are you on? I've heard sometimes the Dawn tenders and sometimes she doesn't. I booked an NCL excursion for Cozumel just in case - I figure I will get on the tender I need to be on in that case. Our e-docs say "docked" however.

[Rounder]

We just got off the Dawn, Feb 10/13, last Sunday. We did not tender, we were docked. :cool:

[rjm11]

I'm on the March 24 sailing- there are 8 ships in port, and so far this season anytime there's 7 or more ships, the Dawn tenders (which doesn't seem fair that it's always the Dawn, but that's a different story I guess!). And our eDocs say "anchored" so I'm pretty sure that's the "boat we're in" on this! So anyone with experience in tendering into Cozumel this season, I'd love to hear about it!

[bamagrad92]

Been on the Spirit to Cozumel three times. The last time was the only time we had to tender. No problems getting off the ship. We booked and NCL excursion. Chaos trying to find the group at the "end" of the pier which was actually the end the reaches land. After our excusion and two hours of shopping we had to wait in line for over 2 hours (with two young children) to get back on. There was only one tender going back and forth. And it was HOT! They did have some cold wet towels they handed out but those didn't last long. We were not scheduled to tender. Last minute decision and it threw everyone off. With that said, that was the ONLY hiccup during the entire trip. Doing the same trip out of NOLA next month and looking forward to it. This time its the Star!

[roger001]

Recently, the Dawn has docked more than it has tendered.

[janvino]

Did three B2B2B on Dawn in Jan starting the week of the 6th of Jan and did not have to tender although we were expecting to:o Just lucky I guess.

[bguppies]

I'm on the March 24 sailing- there are 8 ships in port, and so far this season anytime there's 7 or more ships, the Dawn tenders (which doesn't seem fair that it's always the Dawn, but that's a different story I guess!). And our eDocs say "anchored" so I'm pretty sure that's the "boat we're in" on this! So anyone with experience in tendering into Cozumel this season, I'd love to hear about it!

 

I don't know if NCL pays less to port authorities than other cruiselines, or if they just don't grease the "right" palms.

 

But I thought it was weird when we were on the Carnival Dream in December and we were the last ship into St. Thomas that morning and when we arrived, there were 2 RCCL ships, 1 Carnival ship and 1 Disney ship already docked and the NCL ship was achored in the harbor.

We then proceeded to take the last mooring next to the Oasis of the Seas.

 

Hope you get lucky in Cozumel.

Be a shame to have to tender there.

 

Bill

[jdvmd]

Tendered once in Cozumel and it was a nightmare. This wasn't on NCL but on Princess. Hopefully, you will be docked and can avoid the tendering.

[rjm11]

OK people, no one is making me feel any better about this!! :) I've yet to hear about either the Star or the Pearl tendering in Cozumel when there are 7 ships in port, so I'm pretty certain we WILL tender (plus as I mentioned it's stated "anchored" on our edocs)... anyone with any other direct experiences this year off the Dawn? Was it as chaotic and disorganized as I'm hearing? If you don't have an NCL shore excursion will there be any chance you'll get ashore in a reasonable time (before noon?)

[shelly11]

In January it was quick and easy for us. Some coming back late had to wait a while due to a tender boat breaking down but of course we waited until everyone was on board because of this. They had 3 tenders going most of the day.

[shelly11]

OK people, no one is making me feel any better about this!! :) I've yet to hear about either the Star or the Pearl tendering in Cozumel when there are 7 ships in port, so I'm pretty certain we WILL tender (plus as I mentioned it's stated "anchored" on our edocs)... anyone with any other direct experiences this year off the Dawn? Was it as chaotic and disorganized as I'm hearing? If you don't have an NCL shore excursion will there be any chance you'll get ashore in a reasonable time (before noon?)

 

They were using a tender for excursions on one door and a tender for regular passengers at another door when I was on in January. When you hear them calling for tender tickets go get them asap. I think we were off the boat at 9:30am or so without an excursion and without rushing at all.

[herdingdogmom]

On Feb. 1st, there were 7 ships in Cozumel. The Star and Pearl docked, the Dawn tendered - all at the same pier. The other 4 ships were docked closer to downtown.

 

We were on the Star, but had some Dawn cruisers on our morning excursion. No one seemed frantic or upset on the pier coming from the tenders. It was about 9:00am. It looked like a short tender ride.

 

They did use a tender boat operator instead of the Dawn's lifeboats so hopefully it is a more efficient process. The life boats took forever on the Dawn in October at our tendered ports in Canada. All ships tender in Belize and are far out away from the reef. A tour boat operator was used there too and really worked well.

[debnjoe1438]

On Feb. 1st, there were 7 ships in Cozumel. The Star and Pearl docked, the Dawn tendered - all at the same pier. The other 4 ships were docked closer to downtown.

 

We were on the Star, but had some Dawn cruisers on our morning excursion. No one seemed frantic or upset on the pier coming from the tenders. It was about 9:00am. It looked like a short tender ride.

 

They did use a tender boat operator instead of the Dawn's lifeboats so hopefully it is a more efficient process. The life boats took forever on the Dawn in October at our tendered ports in Canada. All ships tender in Belize and are far out away from the reef. A tour boat operator was used there too and really worked well.

 

Feb 1 was a challenging tender as it was a little wendy and the water a little choppy. The tender operaters had a hard time getting the ladder attached to the tender and the peir. While on one tender, I saw the line/rope snap on the other.

 

The tender ride was short and everyone made it on and off, as far as I know, without incident.

 

Believe it or not, (not related to tender) DH's cousins were on the Star. We had no idea and ran into them on the streets of Cozumel. With 7 ships in port, what are the odds. (We are in FL and they are in Wis. didn't didn't know of each others travel plans.)

[roger001]

This week's schedule for Cozumel shows the Star and Dawn both docking in Punta Langosta and the Pearl docking at the International pier.

[rjm11]

This week's schedule for Cozumel shows the Star and Dawn both docking in Punta Langosta and the Pearl docking at the International pier.

 

Yes, because there are only 5 ships in port. But approximately every third Friday (sometimes every second) there are 7+ ships in port, and if that is the case, the DAWN always tenders. That part isn't in question.

[rvsullivan]

Usually two NCL ships dock at Punta Langosta which is right downtown. The rest go to International Pier which is a few miles away. Sometimes the "extra" NCL ship goes to International and sometimes it anchors at Punta Langosta. Suites get priority and it is the first tender in. After that the suite guest catch any tender they can along with everyone else. The tender ride is less than 5 minutes.

[Anthony&David]

We were on the same sailing as debnjoe and agree that it was relatively windy and choppy (as was the case in Belize too). But, it was a short ride, because the ship anchors close to the tender dock, and the process to and from land was relatively quick. We were in a suite and the priority tender time was 8:00-9:00 (which was the same in Belize). We went to the designated meeting point at about 8:50 and the concierge brought us almost immediately to the tender (as an FYI, in Belize we had to wait for about 15-20 minutes, I think because of some difficulty with the tenders due to the choppy water).

[marym933]

We returned from the Dawn today. Tendering in Cozumel was a nightmare! Tickets were given out in the Spinnaker lounge. I got mine at 8:30 a.m, number 725. They said it would be at least an hour. I then found that since I had a shore excursion ticket for a tour that met on the pier at noon, I could get off without a ticket.

 

The priority folks from the suites went in the lifeboat tenders first. They then decided that the water was too choppy for the tenders. NCL got 2 ferries that are used to go to mainland Mexico as tenders. At about 10 a.m. we were allowed to board the ferries along with those holding ticket numbers 75 and under.

 

We had friends that were going to Nachi Cocom. They had tickets in the 400's. They got off about noon.

 

The last tender back was to be at 4:30 p.m. We got in line at 3:30 p.m. after our excursion. The line laced all round the shopping village, all the way to Los Cincos Soles. We didn't move. About about 4 p.m. passengers began talking that NCL was moving the ship. Since the line was so long they would stop tendering and take the spot the Mariner of the Seas was vacating shortly. We stood in line until about 5 p.m. We were then directed to the RCCL boarding area where we went through metal detectors and screenings. We were then allowed to walk on the pier. We finally got on the ship at 5:15 p.m. after going through metal detectors and screening again on the ship. The last passengers boarded at 5:45 p.m.

 

NCL provided us with cool wash clothes, half glasses of water and frozen OJ and apple juice in small triangular pouches.

 

Security took pictures of the length of the line. Some officers also took out their cell phones and took pictures.

 

A lot of line jumpers, drunk people and otherwise ANGRY FOLKS!

[BlueLadyBlue]

Just off the Star today. When we reached Cozumel the Dawn was already anchored. We docked and the Pearl joined us at the dock later. After one ship (Carnival?)left in the late afternoon the Pearl moved to their place on the dock.

 

I guessing if you are in a suite, you should be OK if you talk to your concierge. We tendered in Belize and NCL said not to pick up your tender ticket until were ready to go ashore so we did as told and went at 8:10/8:15 instead of 8:00 and got #5 which translated to a two hour wait! As we had a private tour booked earlier we were not happy so she said just tell the folks n charge of the (massive!) line which we did and when a group of 20+ wanted to board the second tender because they had missed the first he let us on too as it was totally screwed up by then.

 

So suite passengers have your concierge sort it out and for us regular folks get your tender tickets early or book a NCL excursion.:eek:

[marym933]

Just off the Star today. When we reached Cozumel the Dawn was already anchored. We docked and the Pearl joined us at the dock later. After one ship (Carnival?)left in the late afternoon the Pearl moved to their place on the dock.

 

I guessing if you are in a suite, you should be OK if you talk to your concierge. We tendered in Belize and NCL said not to pick up your tender ticket until were ready to go ashore so we did as told and went at 8:10/8:15 instead of 8:00 and got #5 which translated to a two hour wait! As we had a private tour booked earlier we were not happy so she said just tell the folks n charge of the (massive!) line which we did and when a group of 20+ wanted to board the second tender because they had missed the first he let us on too as it was totally screwed up by then.

 

So suite passengers have your concierge sort it out and for us regular folks get your tender tickets early or book a NCL excursion.:eek:

 

I think you mean the Dawn moved to the dock in place of the RCCL Mariner of the Seas. That is what happened after the tendering was such a fiasco. The Dawn eventually docked at the International Pier.

[bluesea777]

We returned from the Dawn today. Tendering in Cozumel was a nightmare! Tickets were given out in the Spinnaker lounge. I got mine at 8:30 a.m, number 725. They said it would be at least an hour. I then found that since I had a shore excursion ticket for a tour that met on the pier at noon, I could get off without a ticket.

 

The priority folks from the suites went in the lifeboat tenders first. They then decided that the water was too choppy for the tenders. NCL got 2 ferries that are used to go to mainland Mexico as tenders. At about 10 a.m. we were allowed to board the ferries along with those holding ticket numbers 75 and under.

 

We had friends that were going to Nachi Cocom. They had tickets in the 400's. They got off about noon.

 

The last tender back was to be at 4:30 p.m. We got in line at 3:30 p.m. after our excursion. The line laced all round the shopping village, all the way to Los Cincos Soles. We didn't move. About about 4 p.m. passengers began talking that NCL was moving the ship. Since the line was so long they would stop tendering and take the spot the Mariner of the Seas was vacating shortly. We stood in line until about 5 p.m. We were then directed to the RCCL boarding area where we went through metal detectors and screenings. We were then allowed to walk on the pier. We finally got on the ship at 5:15 p.m. after going through metal detectors and screening again on the ship. The last passengers boarded at 5:45 p.m.

 

NCL provided us with cool wash clothes, half glasses of water and frozen OJ and apple juice in small triangular pouches.

 

Security took pictures of the length of the line. Some officers also took out their cell phones and took pictures.

 

A lot of line jumpers, drunk people and otherwise ANGRY FOLKS!

 

I think you mean the Dawn moved to the dock in place of the RCCL Mariner of the Seas. That is what happened after the tendering was such a fiasco. The Dawn eventually docked at the International Pier.

 

Hi there - we were on same cruise and met you at the M&G.

 

What actually happened was, it was getting too rough in the afternoon to continue with the tendering so the captain called it off - for the passengers' safety - and decided to dock when Mariner OTS departed.

[rjm11]

well this is making me feel even worse about us tendering in Cozumel next week... I have yet to hear of it going well on the Dawn! How frustrating! It's even more irritating that even though people have been told that it's a rotating system, it's only ever been the Dawn who has had to tender.

[marym933]

well this is making me feel even worse about us tendering in Cozumel next week... I have yet to hear of it going well on the Dawn! How frustrating! It's even more irritating that even though people have been told that it's a rotating system, it's only ever been the Dawn who has had to tender.

 

Good luck!

[linwood77]

We were just in Cozumel 3/8/2013 on the Star. The Dawn was docked right along side of us!