caviargal Posted May 23, 2013 #1 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Most of our trips to Europe are independent land trips and the cruises we have taken in the Med were on much smaller ships than the Riviera. Can anyone advise how cumbersome the tender process is? I assume that suite guests debark first? How are the rest of the guests tendered? For port arrivals noted as 8AM, is this the time the ship pulls in and lays anchor or the time the tenders begin running? I am trying to plan my private tours and need a better understanding of how things work on O in the tender ports. I am aware that everything is subject to change in these ports based on water conditions. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobndee Posted May 23, 2013 #2 Share Posted May 23, 2013 We were on the Marina in April for a French Polynesia cruise. All ports but one were tendered. The stated time was usually when the tendering started - they made an announcement on the PA when it began. During the first rush you needed a tender ticket which you got when you arrived in the lounge to wait for a tender. You could not get then ahead of time (perhaps people in the suites could get them earlier, I don't know, we were in the cheap seats). After the initial rush of people getting to tenders was over they announced open tendering - no tickets needed. The one time we needed to use tender tickets we had no trouble getting them for the time we wanted to disembark. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypercafe Posted May 23, 2013 #3 Share Posted May 23, 2013 The way it worked for us was if you were on a ships tour you went to the show lounge at the time stated on the tour ticket and exchanged it for a numbered tender ticket. If you were on your owne you went to the lounge after the announcement was made and got a colored tender ticket. They first called the ship tours and then the colors as room became available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 23, 2013 #4 Share Posted May 23, 2013 If you have an early private tour, it is possible to request an early tender from Destination Services. Just ask nicely. The private tour guides are very experienced in knowing what time to expect you to get on shore in a tender port. It is never a problem. They wait for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviargal Posted May 23, 2013 Author #5 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Thank you, everyone.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted May 23, 2013 #6 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Be sure to let your private guide know that if you are late it may be because of a tender problem and for him to wait. They always will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wr2next Posted May 24, 2013 #7 Share Posted May 24, 2013 One thing to keep in mind on the private tours in tender ports is if the port of call is canceled or moved. We were on a western Mediterranean cruise last year and we had a private tour in Positano and due to high waves we were diverted to Naples. (we were suppose to be tendered in Positano). We had to scramble to get a hold of the driver to let him know of the change and it did cost us an extra $200 for him to come to Naples to pick us up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 24, 2013 #8 Share Posted May 24, 2013 On Oceania, if the port is changed, the concierge will help you contact your tour guide to alert him. No scrambling needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviargal Posted May 24, 2013 Author #9 Share Posted May 24, 2013 On Oceania, if the port is changed, the concierge will help you contact your tour guide to alert him. No scrambling needed. I will have my cell phone and ipad so contacting the guides is something I can easily do on my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 24, 2013 #10 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I will have my cell phone and ipad so contacting the guides is something I can easily do on my own. That is the best solution But to let everyone know, on my recent Nautica cruise our port was changed from Taormina to Messina the evening before. The CD made an announcement for anyone with private tours to contact the concierge so that he could contact the private tour guides and inform them of the change. Nice move, I thought, since Oceania has no responsibility for making sure your private tour goes without a hitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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