Coco Cay Tendering

[starfish216]

Does anyone know if you booked a Cabana for Coco Cay do you get priority tendering? Or if Diamond level gets you priority tendering.

 

In the past on another cruise line we would have priority tendering if we booked a ships excursion. Just wondering if RC does the same thing.

 

Thanks.

[Clarea]

Diamond does not get priority tendering. Ship excursions do get priority tendering.

[cb at sea]

There is no real need to rush. If you have a cabana...it's yours...you can get off when you want, and yes, you can get off early, if you feel the need.

[starfish216]

Thank you everyone for the info.

 

It normally wouldn't be an issue but someone just posted that it chaotic tendering to Coco Cay last week since some guest decided not to obey the tender number they were assigned.

 

I don't mind waiting my turn if it's orderly.

[kwazi07]

What ship are you on? On Enchantment, we took a tender approx an hour after arrival...no line. But we watched the first few tenders depart from our balcony and they were c r o w d e d. Ours was only half full.

 

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[pepster1]

No need to hurry on CocoCay, it's a long day anyway and not too much to do there.

 

 

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[Orsino]

I would agree that rushing isn't necessary, but for us, we wanted to get to our bungalow as soon as possible because they are assigned first come first served. I don't know if Cabanas are done the same way or not. (Personally, I think they should assign numbers ahead of time to avoid this kind of rush, but we were lucky and ended up quite happy with our bungalow. First row was already taken, but we got a good one on the edge that had a good view. Also it looks like they pre-assign front row bungalows to suite guests).

 

We were told that shore excursion have priority tendering, but with a Bungalow we only got one ticket (one ticket = one bungalow). Since there were 4 of us, we got tender tickets instead and thought we would be ok with tender group #3. I don't know what would have happened if we tried to board with the shore excursion people.

 

I'm the one that posted about tendering happening without regard to tender tickets. Here is what I would do:

Group up like you normally would to follow the instructions and wait for your tender number to be called, BUT be vigilant and send someone to survey the tender operation and see if the staff are also following the instructions. If the staff stop checking tender numbers then go tender.

 

My theory, and this is only a theory, is that tendering that morning got bogged down by the weather. The staff couldn't deal with all the crowds flooding the staircases and were left with no choice by to let the mob tender. Hopefully on your cruise tendering will be more smooth and everyone will be able to follow instructions.

[BillOh]

Diamond does not get priority tendering. Ship excursions do get priority tendering.

 

It may vary by ship, all 4 times I've been to Coco Cay it has been on Majesty and this most recent time it was with a cabana, no priority tendering was offered and it wasn't needed. Now when Freedom was going there, I could see where it might be needed.

[cnssu123]

I was in the tendering mess from Anthem last week and rented a bungalow. The excursion ticket said 9:45, which means priority tendor. Since we have a 2 yr old, 8 yrs old and a 72 years old, we were hoping to wait for the crowd to die down before taking the tendor. We left our cabin at 11:30 and did not get to our bungalow until 1, just to be told we need to vacate the bungalow by 2:45 ( when last tendor leaves at 4:30 and it's only a 5 mins golf cart ride to the pier)

 

Out of the 1hour 45 mins we were there, we spent 1 hour waiting in line for food behind a food truck. The service was horrible that day, and the staff manager did not handle the situation well. There's at least 5 parties with bungalows, including us, went back to the ship, complain and received 50% refund on the bungalow.

 

 

So If I can do it again, I would try to take the first tendor. I least I will have more time to enjoy the beach.

[starfish216]

Thanks for the reply's. We will be sailing on the Anthem. Which by the way we love.

 

We were to Coco Cay last year. This time I rented a bungalow so my 87 yr old dad will have some place comfortable to stay. For him trying to get out of a beach lounge chair just doesn't cut it anymore. I also liked the idea that they provide transportation to the area which makes things easier for him.

 

Last year when we were there my DH and I just walked and walked it's such a nice relaxing beach. My dad stayed on the ship, so this time I want him to get off and see how nice Coco Cay is. This is why I rented a bungalow.

 

Usually when we do private islands I like to get off the ship as early as possible, go for a long walk then head back to the ship for lunch. Very rarely do we lounge around.

Edited November 28, 2016 by starfish216

[Orsino]

I was in the tendering mess from Anthem last week and rented a bungalow. The excursion ticket said 9:45, which means priority tendor. Since we have a 2 yr old, 8 yrs old and a 72 years old, we were hoping to wait for the crowd to die down before taking the tendor. We left our cabin at 11:30 and did not get to our bungalow until 1, just to be told we need to vacate the bungalow by 2:45 ( when last tendor leaves at 4:30 and it's only a 5 mins golf cart ride to the pier)

 

Out of the 1hour 45 mins we were there, we spent 1 hour waiting in line for food behind a food truck. The service was horrible that day, and the staff manager did not handle the situation well. There's at least 5 parties with bungalows, including us, went back to the ship, complain and received 50% refund on the bungalow.

 

 

So If I can do it again, I would try to take the first tendor. I least I will have more time to enjoy the beach.

 

It was kind of a mess wasn't it?

I complained at Guest Services too, but the guy there was very unimpressed. He told me there would be a survey after the cruise that I could fill out, but he would email the manager my concerns. Never heard back.

 

But our experience wasn't as terrible as yours, so I don't mind. I was only complaining about the lack of food. But they should have followed up on my complaint. That bothers me more. And the survey had nothing on it about Cococay or our bungalow rental so that was pretty useless.

 

Also, when we arrived (about 11:30-ish), we were told we had to leave at 3:45 (not 2:45). If they said 2:45 I would have been mad too!

 

As it was we packed it in around 3:30 and had to wait for the drive back since many families were leaving at the same time. No tender line back, so that was good.

 

All in all a good day for us. But the theme for this cruise was 'controlled chaos.' From embarkation which was crazy, yet oddly efficient (on the ship by 11AM! that never happened to us before); to the tender ticket distribution; to the odd tendering... it was all so disorganized, yet sort of worked out.

[cnssu123]

Orsino,

I thought I hear it wrong when she said 2:45, so I repeated back to her and confirm.

I am glad you have a better day than us. Besides the tendering chaos, we were just very unimpressed with the service. Nothing went right for us from waiting for the golf cart to take us to the bungalow up till the golf cart ride back.

 

We told the excursion desk guy it's okay if things are not working out due to weather, but they need to have a plan B. The manager on site keep insisting the waiter will take our order and bring food to us when the line behind the truck start building up and no waiter was really taking any orders. Even simple things like the bottle water include in the price, we have to ask them before they would bring them to us.

 

Honestly it was so miserable for us that day, I didn't mind leaving at 2:45.

We have rename our excursion to Island Survival Experience

[Orsino]

We told the excursion desk guy it's okay if things are not working out due to weather, but they need to have a plan B.

 

Thanks for that. That type of feedback was exactly what I wanted to express to the managers too. I'm glad you got to tell them because I wasn't able to.

For the food situation, I thought it was so odd that they were servicing families one by one fully. It would have been much better to send out the waiters with all the pre-prepared foods (fruit cups, salads, tacos, cookies, water) and give everyone at least something to eat.

Instead some groups got all their food at 1PM and others were waiting much longer for anything.

 

Honestly, I would have been fine if they told me we needed to go to the regular buffet to get food at a reasonable time. But they kept telling us someone would bring us food, and that wound up not happening. We also queued up for food. When we saw a line forming we realized we had to get in line too or else we'd never get food.

[sandy toes]

Goodness, what a mess. We had a lovely time. Staff was a bit bogged down with crowds but they did their best to maintain order. It always amazes me when people are rude, push, shove and disregard any rules of order. The island is beautiful and the cabanas are great for both older and younger family members. Arrive by an hour before meal is served. Make sure your freebies are there...don't complain afterwards, just ask for them if they are missing. Someone will bring them to you as soon as they can. I have actually seen guests taking things from one that was still empty...sad people act like they do at times. As for the meal...I don't know what happened there. Staff should have brought items to you but really what is the big deal about going to the food truck and asking for help for your Cabana. You are on a lovely island and on holiday. Getting back has always been our issue...everyone waited until the end and then we had to wait for a cart (elderly family member couldn't walk that far, so we had to wait).

[Orsino]

As for the meal...I don't know what happened there. Staff should have brought items to you but really what is the big deal about going to the food truck and asking for help for your Cabana.

 

Well, nothing is a big deal if one insists on putting everything into perspective, but the food service that day was terrible and unfair. It simply was not possible for them to serve meals to everyone in the area in a proper amount of time (they received delivery of food too late for that to happen). "going to the food truck" is easy. Actually getting something requires waiting patiently in a long line. And listening to the staff who said someone would bring you food would be a mistake. We listened at first, and got food later as a result. No one was bringing food once people started queueing up. And honestly, queuing up was the right decision from an efficiency standpoint. If everyone had waited like we were supposed to, I don't think they would have had time to service everyone until after 3.

My mom was watching the waiters. Her comment... why don't they drop off the extras they carried out to another bungalow instead of hauling it back to the truck only to have to carry it back out later?

 

Carol mentioned the need for a Plan B, and I absolutely agree. When things were late, they needed to adapt and they didn't. If they started serving food at 11 or 11:30 then they could be relaxed about waitering, but once 1PM rolled around and only then they were even starting to provide food, then efficiency needs to happen.

[cnssu123]

As for the meal...I don't know what happened there. Staff should have brought items to you but really what is the big deal about going to the food truck and asking for help for your Cabana.

 

Sandy,

 

Glad you enjoy your day. Getting food from the food truck was not the issue, it's the logistic itself. We understand things are delayed due to uncontrollable circumstances. It would have been better if they just tell everyone to line up at the food truck early on when they realize the originally system wasn't going to work.

 

We know they try to do what they can, but unfortunately do not equate to good service/ management. Rccl need to train their staff better to handle this type of situation.

 

When I paid for the bungalow, I was imagining a nice beach day with ample of time to stay and enjoy the bungalow itself. Not arrive to be told I only have less than 2 hours with one hour waiting on food.