Lifeboats as Tenders?

[Lovefuninthesun]

Why would you have this attitude? It is a nice comfortable ride.

 

You could always just stay on the ship.

 

It was just something new to me, something I'd never heard of, that's all.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Cruise Critic App

[larkz]

The eleven year old child in my psyche has always suffered a nearly overwhelming compulsion to sneak into one of those things and explore, maybe even take it for a ride.

[jimboridesmtb]

Done it several times, no worries. Enjoy your time on shore.

[oldrailfan]

I think what a lot of folks don't understand is that the ship puts the lifeboat/tenders in the water, and you board them as you always board a tender, from a near-waterline opening in the ship. You DO NOT ride down on the davit lines...

[Gingee]

We used them at least once or twice in Alaska. Maybe in Cayman Island? Not a biggie. Now if it was storming, I might be scared. By storming I mean big waves.

[RuthlessBoss]

We used them at least once or twice in Alaska. Maybe in Cayman Island? Not a biggie. Now if it was storming, I might be scared. By storming I mean big waves.

If it's storming, there would be no tenders either.

As far as waves in general, they will be the same no matter how one gets to shore.

[kingoftheicedragons]

While I have never used a ship's life boats to tender with, I have heard of it being done before, so I wouldn't think anything of it to hear of it being done again.

[RWolver672]

We have seen them used in St. Thomas by other cruise lines if they have to anchor offshore. There is no tender companies in St. Thomas.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Been on a lot pf cruise that life boats were used. I think it depends on the available shuttles that the ports can supply for that day.

[NCTribeFan]

Really? Interesting -- and new to me!

Doesn't sound very comfortable :o

 

Used one on HAL when we tendered to Maui. Just as comfortable as any other tender. Maybe more so. They're not like the ones in the movie Titanic. They aren't an open rowboat, you know! :p

 

Side door was open and a little humpback whale came up right next to us. :D

 

Neat watching them winch them back into place before we left port, too.

[mking8288]

I supposed if others rather not get on these "lifeboat" tenders, those behind us in lines without priority tendering eager to get on dry land would be very happy. These were launched for going to shore in the Caribbeans last year and we rode inside one in Maui while cruising Hawaii.

 

[CRUZBUDS]

Here is a picture of ship's tenders being lowered in Cabo.

 

 

As someone said -- passengers are loaded from the fold out docks at water level as private tenders.

 

The ships are often stuffy and hot. They don't have much ventilation --basically two open door way - one on each side.