How long to shore by Tender

[ozscot01]

I have another newbie question and I realise it may be like asking "how long is a piece of string" but I'll try.

We are on Voyager of the Seas in December and 3 of our ports are Tender ports. We are looking at independent shore excursions and I was hoping some brave soul may be prepared to hazard a guess at how long I should allow to get off the ship in these ports. I understand loyalty members and those with ship excursions are allowed to disembark first so we could be at the rear end of the queue.

The ports using tenders are Isle of Pines, Mystery Island and Bay of Islands, and I understand in Bay of Islands we tender into Pahaia, if that makes a difference.

On another note, when the ship is actually docked, as in Auckland, is there a roster for disembarking or do we all just exit as we are ready?

Thank you all so much.

[deemak]

Hi have be to Sth Pacific ports, but not on voyager. Tender only takes 10 to 15 mins to those ports, if memory serves me well, not long anyway. If you want to get off early, you need to get your tender tickets from a lounge when you are ready to get off. Then then call numbers to proceed to tender. Have found generally open tender is usually called at around 11am. But have mostly cruised Princess so voyager may be slightly different. Have been on voyager, but had no tender ports. In ports such as Auckland once ship is cleared with authorities, they allow passengers to walk off when ready. Enjoy your cruise, we really enjoyed our cruise on her. When you first see her, the size of her is amazing, so lots to see, do and enjoy. Denise

[The_Big_M]

Bay of Islands will be the main one where you should prepare (if you want to get off early) as that is the one where there are a fair number of large excursions so people will want to get off early.

 

For Isle of Pines and Mystery Island, they're both more relaxed island/beach destinations and I don't think RCL have excursions there? At least they didn't used to, if they do now. And any excursions are mostly short so a lot of people are more relaxed. As a result there isn't the big demand to be off early to do and see everything.

[GUT2407]

How long is a piece of string.

 

Normally about 15 minutes but if it gets a bit rough or they're not ready they might leave you to go around in circles a few times.

[MicCanberra]

With Bay of Islands, it is normally a 10-15 minute tender trip and then a ten minute shuttle into Pahia from the dock (near the Waitangi grounds). You will need to allow ten minutes for unloading of the tender and loading of the shuttles. The walk from the dock to Pahia is around 30 minutes unless you stroll along in which case it is longer. Getting off the ship and onto the tenders is the real time issue, so perhaps a ship's tour may be worth the cost to jump queues and guarantee seeing what you want.

To get to Russell, you need the ferry from Pahia and the queues can be horrendous, so again the ship's tours will beat or even jump these.

cheers:D

[ozscot01]

Thank you all. Bay of Islands was the one I was most concerned about as its the one where we're most likely to book a shore excursion. Seems like the back of the queue to get aboard a tender could be a long wait indeed.

Mystery Island and Isle of Pines I am more relaxed about as we'll pretty much do as the mood take us.

[MicCanberra]

Thank you all. Bay of Islands was the one I was most concerned about as its the one where we're most likely to book a shore excursion. Seems like the back of the queue to get aboard a tender could be a long wait indeed.

Mystery Island and Isle of Pines I am more relaxed about as we'll pretty much do as the mood take us.

 

No worries, enjoy your cruise.:D

[Beanb41]

Thank you all. Bay of Islands was the one I was most concerned about as its the one where we're most likely to book a shore excursion. Seems like the back of the queue to get aboard a tender could be a long wait indeed.

Mystery Island and Isle of Pines I am more relaxed about as we'll pretty much do as the mood take us.

 

There are limited numbers of boats available in the BOI for cruises out to the Hole in the Rock, swimming with the Dolphins etc. Because of the large numbers of passengers on cruise liners these days upwards of 3000 many cruise lines book out the available boats completely ensuring that the only way to guarantee to get on board is to take a ships excursion. Similarly if an excursion is offered by bus up to Cape Reinga then the only way to get up there is to take the ships excursion. To go privately if one can get off in time is frought with too many dangers to risk it.

[MicCanberra]

There are limited numbers of boats available in the BOI for cruises out to the Hole in the Rock, swimming with the Dolphins etc. Because of the large numbers of passengers on cruise liners these days upwards of 3000 many cruise lines book out the available boats completely ensuring that the only way to guarantee to get on board is to take a ships excursion. Similarly if an excursion is offered by bus up to Cape Reinga then the only way to get up there is to take the ships excursion. To go privately if one can get off in time is frought with too many dangers to risk it.

 

Agreed, tours get booked up quick, that was certainly the case when we were there last.

[The_Big_M]

To go privately if one can get off in time is frought with too many dangers to risk it.

 

Those on our cruise excursions didn't have any problem making it - as long as they prepared.

 

But if you don't want to prepare, then taking a ship's excursion is an easier way to go about things.

[Beanb41]

Those on our cruise excursions didn't have any problem making it - as long as they prepared.

 

But if you don't want to prepare, then taking a ship's excursion is an easier way to go about things.

 

Taking parts of a comment out of the context it was made is misleading.

 

I challenge any passenger on a ship tendering into the BOI to risk taking a private excursion to Cape Reinga and get back on time for a sailing. A normal commercial trip leaves around 8.30 and gets back to Paihia around 6 in the evening. Who pays if you miss the ship? The passenger does. Its a long walk from Paihia to Tauranga which is normally the next port of call and even further if the next port of call is Sydney

Edited August 7, 2015 by Beanb41

[Kiwi Kruzer]

The ships tours are timed to fit in the length of the ships stay. The trip to Cape Reinga would be very rushed and you would not get to see as much as the "normal" day trip.

The BOI does have a great tourist infrastructure and they try very hard to accommodate the cruise ships , but they also have to look after the shore trade which is made up from visitors from all around the world.

We have stayed in Paihia on occasions and wanted to book a day tour only to be told that it was not available that day , as a cruise ship would be in and they had booked it out.

 

 

[tomatosauce]

With the Voyager it really depends on the time it gets into port (even in Auckland). If it gets into port at 8 or before then you can get off fairly quickly but if it gets in after everyone wakes up and eats then it can take 45 minutes to line up and exit.

[ozscot01]

Again thank you all. Cape Reinga was on the possible list for Bay of Islands as I think our two teens would enjoy that one but its a long day, so we may just arrange to go paddle a Maori War Canoe instead.

I'm also grateful for the heads up on Auckland as we will almost certainly arrange things privately there. I had naively assumed we could just stroll off as we pleased but I suppose being realistic, 3000 people is a lot to fit through one door ;)

[The_Big_M]

Taking parts of a comment out of the context it was made is misleading.

 

I challenge any passenger on a ship tendering into the BOI to risk taking a private excursion to Cape Reinga and get back on time for a sailing. A normal commercial trip leaves around 8.30 and gets back to Paihia around 6 in the evening. Who pays if you miss the ship? The passenger does. Its a long walk from Paihia to Tauranga which is normally the next port of call and even further if the next port of call is Sydney

 

It wasn't apparent that the comment was only referring to the excursion to Cape Reinga. It was made part of the same paragraph that referred to all passengers on the ship, taking all excursions, and flowed on from the discussion being had about excursions to Bay of Islands.

 

If that is your intended context, then that statement is fine, but the context was not specific to Cape Reinga, but Bay of Islands in general.

Edited August 8, 2015 by The_Big_M