P&O question about tenders

[kevand]

This is our first time cruising. We are going to the Pacific Islands on a 12 night cruise in 6 days.

We are very active people and want to do some shore tours. We have found some independent tours we are interested in.

We are just wondering about the tenders though. On our 'Cruise Control' it shows what time we arrive and depart the island. If we are booked on a tour, how can we make sure that we get on a tender early enough to get to shore for our tour. Also, do the tenders start going from/to the times shown on 'Cruise Control?'.

We would appreciate any advice given.

Thank you

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

Tendering is a very unpredictable area, after 12 P & O cruises we have learnt some lessons firstly what ship and what ports?

[kevand]

We are on Pacific Pearl and are going to Noumea, Mystery Island, Port Vila, Champagne Bay, Santo and Isle of Pines.

Not worried so much about Noumea and Isle of Pines as we have book shore excursions through P&O for these.

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

We have just had 6 nights at Santo it is a amazing place to visit the weather is beautiful this time of the year.

So Noumea , Vila and Santo you dock at the port and Mystery Island, Champagne Bay and Isle of Pines are the tender ports.

 

If you book an early P & O tour you do get off first.

Cruise Control is really just a guide.

[markannab]

Hi

 

If you have a shore tour booked with P&O, they will ensure you get on early tenders to make your tour. If a P&O tour is later in the day and is delayed, the ship won't leave without you. As you've no doubt seen, arranging tours via the ship is more expensive than arranging your own tours. However, the up side is that it's safe.

 

If you book shore tours before you go on your cruise (for example, through Red Vanuatu on FB), you are wise to not book a tour too early as you have no guarantee of getting on an early tender. Even if you're in a port where you dock, there are occasionally delays before you can get on land.

 

Of course, in many instances, you can arrange tours and activities once you're on land. As such, it does't matter too much if there's a delay on hitting land. As the day progresses, taxi's and the like often get cheaper.

 

However, in any land activity that you arrange yourself, be aware that the ship will not wait for you. There are two key things you can do to help avoid a disaster: 1. If a driver takes you out to a site and is meant to wait for you while you engage in activities (for example, a swim at a Blue Hole on Santo), arrange total cost and how long you want to be at certain locations before you drive away from the ship, but don't pay them until you get back to the ship. Most are very honest people, but some, having the payment in their hands, have zipped back to the ship leaving the customers stranded. 2. Plan to get back to the ship a good hour before it's due to leave.