Help with tendering in Alaska

[StLucia]

We have a private tour booked in ISP and would like some advice on getting on an early tender. On our past celebrity cruises we have just walked onto a tender when ready. Do we have to go somewhere to collect a ticket, we are not quite elite or in a suite. The tour meet is an hour after arrival, is this doable? We are on Inifinity.

Thanks for your help.

Edited October 27, 2014 by StLucia

[CHEZMARYLOU]

If you arrive in ISP in the morning and your tour is at 7:30 AM you will have no problem just getting on the tender as there is nothing to do in port at that hour. If you arrive later in the day then you would need to get a tender ticket. Information on the process will be in the daily.

 

Mary Lou

[StLucia]

If you arrive in ISP in the morning and your tour is at 7:30 AM you will have no problem just getting on the tender as there is nothing to do in port at that hour. If you arrive later in the day then you would need to get a tender ticket. Information on the process will be in the daily.

 

Mary Lou

 

Thanks but we arrive at 3pm, that's why I am concerned. Is there anything we can do to get an early tender? I would interested to hear advice from anyone who has recently been in this position.

[WestLakeGirl]

This is a "everybody has to line up to get a tender ticket" kind of thing and if you aren't in a suite or are Elite or above, just try to have one in your party be early to collect a tender ticket so ask at Giysst Relations what time the process will be started and have one of you go there way early

[gretnagirl]

Having done the tender process in ISP this summer and not rushing to get a ticket, I can tell you that you'll want to have someone stand in line. I think we were assigned tender #25 or so and a crew member was carefully checking tickets before letting anyone down the stairs to the tendering deck. We were stopped on the stairs as our ticket had not yet been called, so be sure to follow procedure as you will (likely) be stopped. The tender ride is only minutes long, but everyone from the ship will be doing it at the same time so there's potential for it to be rather chaotic.

 

 

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[StLucia]

Having done the tender process in ISP this summer and not rushing to get a ticket, I can tell you that you'll want to have someone stand in line. I think we were assigned tender #25 or so and a crew member was carefully checking tickets before letting anyone down the stairs to the tendering deck. We were stopped on the stairs as our ticket had not yet been called, so be sure to follow procedure as you will (likely) be stopped. The tender ride is only minutes long, but everyone from the ship will be doing it at the same time so there's potential for it to be rather chaotic.

 

 

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Thank you for this. Did you arrive early to get a ticket, how long did it take you to get off with #25?

[cruisecriticmember]

Not sure what ISP is but this is one reason that I booked my excursions thru Celebrity: go to the head of the line for the tenders. You might consider this for your next cruise OR if you can get a refund for what you have already booked and reschedule thru the cruise line.

[Nancyquilts]

Not sure what ISP is but this is one reason that I booked my excursions thru Celebrity: go to the head of the line for the tenders. You might consider this for your next cruise OR if you can get a refund for what you have already booked and reschedule thru the cruise line.

 

Icy Straight Point, aka Hoonah, Alaska.

[cruisead]

It's too bad that when one books independently in a tender port, they have to wait sometimes quite long to get a tender. I would worry about only having an hour to get to your tour because tendering can take quite long. Those with Celebrity tours go first, priority tender tickets go next and then everyone else with a tender ticket. Our experience is that they generally call three to four numbers at a time for tenders, about every 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes shorter depending on how many tenders they're running and how long the tender ride is. You really need to be first in line to get your tender ticket as you don't want to get a high number.

[Hatteras51]

We tendered in ISP last Aug. We had absolutely no problems at all. I believe that they only allow one ship in ISP at a time. There were at least four tender boats running at all times. ( I can see these in my photos). Our tender process ran so smoothly that they didn't need to hand out tender tickets. However, I was on Century, which is somewhat smaller than your ship.

[lovetotraveltx]

We only have 1/2 hour before our private whale watching tour at Icy Strait. But, our tour is at 7:30 am which several people have said is not a problem. The tour company knows what time we arrive and that it's a tender.

 

OP, I would make sure your private tour company is aware.

[cruisecriticmember]

It's too bad that when one books independently in a tender port, they have to wait sometimes quite long to get a tender. I would worry about only having an hour to get to your tour because tendering can take quite long. Those with Celebrity tours go first, priority tender tickets go next and then everyone else with a tender ticket. Our experience is that they generally call three to four numbers at a time for tenders, about every 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes shorter depending on how many tenders they're running and how long the tender ride is. You really need to be first in line to get your tender ticket as you don't want to get a high number.

 

Why is it "too bad that when one books independantly...."? Is it too bad that passengers that book Aqua class get to eat in Blue or those with certain Elite status get to use certain venues exclusively or for that matter those who pay extra for Specialty restaurants don't have to sit in the MDR for those meals? Why shouldn't the cruise line reward those who gave it extra money by booking the excursion thru Celebrity a perk for doing so?

[cruisead]

Why is it "too bad that when one books independantly...."? Is it too bad that passengers that book Aqua class get to eat in Blue or those with certain Elite status get to use certain venues exclusively or for that matter those who pay extra for Specialty restaurants don't have to sit in the MDR for those meals? Why shouldn't the cruise line reward those who gave it extra money by booking the excursion thru Celebrity a perk for doing so?

 

Oh please!!! I was trying to be polite to the OP by not appearing to be lecturing that it's the chance you take when booking an early independent tour at a tender port. You're comparisons are not even closely germane to the situation at hand. Yes, it's the chance one takes at a tender port, and it's unfortunate they could be late for their tour. I was never implying anything with regards to those who are Elite or dine in Blu and that they get perks, so don't read into something that wasn't intended.

[PROCRUISE]

Oh please!!! I was trying to be polite to the OP by not appearing to be lecturing that it's the chance you take when booking an early independent tour at a tender port. You're comparisons are not even closely germane to the situation at hand. Yes, it's the chance one takes at a tender port, and it's unfortunate they could be late for their tour. I was never implying anything with regards to those who are Elite or dine in Blu and that they get perks, so don't read into something that wasn't intended.

 

Nice response cruisead!

 

We usually take private tours and have done so all over the world. It is our choice, is normally always less expensive, and we don't have to "herd around" with 40 other people. Do we expect to be treated as second class passengers, no but we also don't expect any special treatment either if we occasionally take a ship sponsored tour.

[nw gardener]

We cruised in June this year on the Century and had decided to do our own thing in Hoonah, no private tour. We had one person in our party willing to line up for tender tickets [he got in line about 2:00] and got tender ticket #7 which should have gotten us off in the second batch of open tenders. Basically 2 lines, those with Celebrity tours and priority tickets for suites etc, and the open tenders. The water was a little choppy so they could only run tenders off one side of the ship and the only line that was moving was the priority ticket line. We got over to ISP a little after 4:30 -after lining up in the stairway at 3:00; all the priority tickets and Celebrity tours got off 1st. There was a long and not very patient line for the open tenders, a lot of the higher numbers gave up. Check the dailies, they should have the time and place to line up and get someone in your group there early! Coming back was no problem as the weather got better and they could run all the tenders, it is a short 5 minute ride over/back.

[blindrid]

We only have 1/2 hour before our private whale watching tour at Icy Strait. But, our tour is at 7:30 am which several people have said is not a problem. The tour company knows what time we arrive and that it's a tender.

 

OP, I would make sure your private tour company is aware.

 

In my experience, tour companies know more about our schedule than we do. Do the best you can but don't worry.

[Kingofcool1947]

Not sure what ISP is but this is one reason that I booked my excursions thru Celebrity: go to the head of the line for the tenders. You might consider this for your next cruise OR if you can get a refund for what you have already booked and reschedule thru the cruise line.

 

Icy Strait Point. Whale watching excursions. Otherwise not much to see on shore.

 

Beware of line cheaters who try to jump the queue to get on an earlier tender. You'll hear loads of complaints from some Elite status snobs who'll let everyone in line know that they think they should have had priority in line for tenders because of that.

 

Warning: You will hear lots of grumpy impatient folks lined up for the tender service. Just chill until your tender number is called.

 

My advice is to have someone in your party get your tender tickets early and queue up in line.

 

Relax and enjoy your Alaska cruise experience.

Edited October 28, 2014 by Kingofcool1947

[StLucia]

Thanks everyone for your various Points of view. We always do private tours, as others have said a much better experience. We do not have any other option than the 4pm tour as that is the last of the day and we don't arrive intil 3pm. We are on this tour with 3 others from our roll call so we will get together with them for our tender tickets. I agree with the comment that the tour people will have more knowledge of the tender problems than us and as the boat only carries 6 I doibt they will go without us. We will queue early and go with the flow.