Tendering in Martha's Vineyard and Bar Harbor?

[divawife]

Hi!

Can anyone tell me about the tendering situation in Martha's Vineyard and Bar Harbor? Small boats? Steep stairs? Bad wake? Mom is mobile but move slow.

Thanks so much

[DisneyGirl92]

I will be on the 8/14 cruise - so I will let you know after that cruise. I know we have opted for mom not to go to the ports that tender.

[redspize]

Hi,

I was just on cruise on NCL. Every cruise line runs it differently but NCL chartered tenders for us rather than using the life boats. The life boats are a lot smaller and bumpier. This makes it difficult getting on and off. We had many children and strollers (650+ children), the crew was great with the w/c and strollers. I think you need to find out what way they are tendering to make up your mind.

The chartered boats were very large and held 500+. Our cruise was a private charter so I am not sure NCL always uses chartered tenders but last years cruise we had some difficulty using life boats thus when chartering they may have put private chartered tenders also.

Hope this helps.

Hope this has helped.

[Orion1325]

My experiences have been different on different cruise lines. My family and I travel with my mother who uses a walker. On Royal Caribbean, there was no difficulty with tendering in Hawaii. In Bar Harbor, on HAL, she had a very difficult time. The Maasdam used their life boats as tenders, and she had to walk down a very steep set of steps to get to the boat. That was not as difficult for her as when we returned to the ship. Getting out of the life boat/tender required her to step up a VERY BIG step onto the platform. Unfortunately, her knee gave out as she stepped up, and she went down on the platform. Fortunately, there was a crewman there helping her, so she just kind of sat down on the platform and didn't fall. But it was very difficult for her to get up.

 

Now, I am not an expert on tendering by any means, but I would think that there would have been a way to lower the platform in some way so that the step up to the platform wouldn't have been so steep. It certainly was not that steep getting INTO the life boat.

 

Anyway... My point in this long, drawn out story is to say that you should talk to the cruiseline ahead of time and ask specifically about tendering into the ports you will be visiting. Ask them how they handle tendering for passengers who are using wheelchairs or walkers and base your decision on the answers you get. Hopefully your outcome will be different than my mom's.

 

Hope you have a fabulous cruise! Bar Harbor was one of our favorite ports -- Acadia National Park is beautiful!

[DisneyGirl92]

Well we got back from the cruise. Like I stated before, Mom opted not to use the tender. Due to her age, I think that was a good idea. For Martha's Vineyard, the water was a little choppy due to Irene being near - but not near enough to cause bad weather. As for Bar Harbor, water was smooth, but I did hear of some problems with people with scooters (did not see any individuals in wheelchairs attempt it.)

 

The person had a problem when they returned to the ship. After you left the tender you had to go up stairs. These stairs were turned into a ramp for the disabled. Problem was they helped her get all the way to the top of the ramp, but she got locked up and did not get to turn her handle to go into the ship. That quick, they turned the ramp into stairs and people were clammering to get by her. She received no help. Please realize, I was not there to see it, just relaying what I was told.