Tenders: Love 'em or....?

[ducklite]

Tendering is a pain on large ships.

 

On the small ones it's easy as there are never lines, and it adds the benefits of getting into very small ports that larger ships can't get into.

 

I have long admired a man who is considered a "rock star" in his industry, and was thrilled when he sat next to me on a tender last year. We had a lovely 15 minute conversation that I never would have had the opportunity for had we not been tendering. My husband sat quietly on the other side of me and let me have my "moment" as he knew how much it meant to me to be able to have that one on one conversation. :)

[navybankerteacher]

Generally, tendering is a pain. There is usually a long wait while people on tours and other priority reasons go first - a mild annoyance. Then, sitting in a crowded lifeboat is the closest thing we get to riding on a school bus. Returning to the ship often involves a fair wait, in a less-than-comfortable spot.

 

You sometimes get a good view of your ship - from a different perspective - but that is not enough to offset the annoyance.

[mr green]

Our worst time was in Hawaii, I forget which port, but too many ships were in at one time. It took at least an hour of circling in the heat before we got to shore.

We were lucky, we were at least out of the sun, however some cruisers got a bad sun burn, and others got very sea sick.:eek:

 

john

[dadroy]

I don't mind tendering if it is done right. Some ports we have had wasted time waiting for tenders and others have had tenders loading from both forward and aft. So two tenders at a time usually with two waiting to take their place.

[hansolosmom]

Absolutely hate tendering. We've always had bad experiences with them. I actually try to avoid cruises which have to use them.

 

Our most recent experience, this past summer on Celebrity we stopped in Santorini and some people couldn't get off the ship until 2 hours after we got there because of the tenders.

Then in Mykonos they kept putting people non the tenders even there was nowhere to sit or stand safely. My husband had to stand in an open section with no hand-rails or poles to hold onto on rough seas. He complained to Guest Services and they asked him if he was 'forced' to get on the tender. He said no, but they kept telling people to get on the tender instead of stopping the line - so much for safety :(

[JamesMe]

Always book a ship tour at tender ports. No wait. No fuss.

[geoherb]

We have two tender ports on our upcoming cruise on the Ruby Princess--at Princess Cays and Grand Cayman. Fortunately we've been to both before and won't be in a hurry to get off the ship.

 

On our last cruise (on HAL's Veendam), the tendering process took way too long in Bar Harbor. For such a small ship, they should have been more efficient. One of the problems was that they had some boating excursions that were picking up passengers from the ship. Those boats slowed down the tendering operation.

[tigercat]

I didn't used to have a problem with them but I do now. I have mobility problems and use a walker so getting on and off a tender is really hard now. My next trip I have at least 2 tender ports so I won't be getting off at them. My son gets sick on the tenders so will not get off either.

tigercat

[SuitCaseBears]

I checked other because I enjoy the tender ride, when it's required but I also enjoy the quicker "just walk off the ship onto dry land" situation.

 

If given my choice I'd rather dock - but I sure couldn't say I hate tendering. But I also don't get all excited about them.

[Azure Moon]

Other got my vote because I don't get excited but I don't groan either.

[mikewrit]

Tendering is more fun and less trouble from a ship whose boat crews have lots of experience and skill because the ship hits a lot of tender ports. Not so fun when weather or port load conditions call for an unplanned tender and the boat crews are tentative and appear confused.

[cruzeluver]

Guess we have just been lucky. Have tendered many times and have never encountered long waits, unhelpful crews or rough seas.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Awesome, Lerin!

 

That's what I like most about tendering. What I like least? The long waits (nice to hear from a Princess veteran that you can get passes for certain levels), and choppy conditions.

 

Carolyn

 

Can't get a photo like this without a tender!

Star Clippers, Royal Clipper

[editor@cruisecritic]

Nice, ducklite!

 

Carolyn

 

Tendering is a pain on large ships.

 

On the small ones it's easy as there are never lines, and it adds the benefits of getting into very small ports that larger ships can't get into.

 

I have long admired a man who is considered a "rock star" in his industry, and was thrilled when he sat next to me on a tender last year. We had a lovely 15 minute conversation that I never would have had the opportunity for had we not been tendering. My husband sat quietly on the other side of me and let me have my "moment" as he knew how much it meant to me to be able to have that one on one conversation. :)

[ViolaSwamp]

I don't particularly enjoy them but I don't hate tenders either.

 

My one awful tendering story was back on my second RCCL cruise, I think it was at Grand Cayman, the crew had a heck of a time loading a huge morbidly obese woman in a scooter on the tender and it created a terrible delay (30ish minutes just to get her from the ship to the tender) for everyone in line behind her.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Krazy Kruizers]

There used to be a time when I didn't mind tenders -- accept for the long lines at times.

But now I can't handle them. I use a walker/rollator and can not handle steps to get down to the tenders.

[Bonnie J.]

We have no problem with tenders. Its just a LONG tender ride in Belize! Once our tender had a engine problem. It was an OLD wooden tender. We got our snorkeling vests out as the life jackets were in rags. They unscrewed the floor next to me to look at problem! It took us 55 minutes to get to the port. In those days tenders went to the dock across from the Radison Hotel, not into town.

On Carnival we have earned the right to get on a tender whenever we want ahead of any one waiting. We go to purser's desk and they take us to the tender- once we were on board and they only other people were on a ship's tour!

[dark star]

voted other. sometimes PIA but we would not get to see some places without them.

belize is a long tender ride and can be interesting depending on the sea conditions.:eek:

[busmech]

We were in Santorini, was able to get a ticket for the first tender. Made it to the cable car first and was the first up to the top. It did help we were the only ship there that day. But with some planing it was easy.

[AlanFromFL]

Love the ride...but hate the lines, especially at the end of a busy day ashore.

[vacation luvver]

Always book a ship tour at tender ports. No wait. No fuss.

That is NOT true. When I was on Explorer of the Seas, we were told that everyone who booked a ship tour at Bar Harbor (a tender port) that was scheduled to leave at 8:30 AM or later had to stand on line with everyone else for a tender ticket. Only passengers on tours scheduled to leave before 8:30 AM were sent to the theatre and were escorted in groups to get on tenders.

 

When I was on the Celebrity Summit and took a tender from Bar Harbor back to the ship, the tender crashed into a bunch of rocks. This experience was so unpleasant that everyone on that tender was asked to meet with the captain the following day so that he could apologize to us. A couple of days after I got home, I received a phone call from Celebrity asking me for my feelings about what happened. Two days later, Celebrity called me and gave me enough cruise credit to cover a cruise to Bermuda, the port charges, and gratuities. So they must have agreed with me that the tender smashing into the rocks was a terrible experience.

 

I remember that a poster asked if there were any cruises that did not use tenders. I haven't seen anyone ask if there were any cruises that use tenders at every port. So not everyone enjoys tenders.

 

Really, I can't see what is so great about having to line up to take a small boat to get to land, as opposed to just walking off the ship.

[happybooker1]

Tenders are great! An extra boat ride! View of the ship!

 

No tenders is great! Walk right off the ship into a different country!

 

Lines either way so no difference there.

[ducklite]

Tenders are great! An extra boat ride! View of the ship!

 

 

 

No tenders is great! Walk right off the ship into a different country!

 

 

 

Lines either way so no difference there.

 

 

Not all ships have lines. In fact some never have lines. Ever.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[hubofhockey]

Risk of missing port in rough waters. You rarely have that problem when docking. These tenders aren't fun boat rides either, just one more added part of transportation.

[Robb]

Really do not care one way or the other. :)