Disembarking For Independent Tour

[Carnation]

We will be going on our first Celebrity cruise in August. Is it sometimes difficult

to get off the ship at a desired time for an independent tour because the ship tours have priority?

[Fish Lover]

If the tour is leaving immediately after docking, then yes. Typically people line up to get off the ship. If the tour leaves a couple of hours later, then you will be able to get off more quickly.

 

It also depends upon whether the ship is docked or whether you have to wait for a tender to get port side.

 

Ship excursion ticket holders typically ahve priority getting off the ship.

[jelayne]

We have never had difficulty getting off the ship in a port when we are docked. Any line moves quickly and you can be off in 5 mins or so.

 

If you are tendering it can be more time consuming. Ships tours have priority so they get off first in large groups. Often they have separate tenders for the ships tours which speeds up the process for everyone.

 

Generally Celebrity does a good job of getting passengers off the ship in ports. Obviously with tenders the weather and distance from the ship to shore are factors.

[sanger727]

Docked ports no, tender ports yes. Have never had an issue getting off at a desired time for an independent tour, assuming you aren't meeting at 8:05 for when docking at 8:00. But you certainly don't need hours.

 

 

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[Carnation]

The port I'm concerned about on our Alaska cruise is Skagway, so tendering is not an issue. The schedule says a 7 a.m. arrival and we would like to do an 8:30 tour with an 8:15 meeting time. Thank you for your responses.

[jelayne]

The port I'm concerned about on our Alaska cruise is Skagway, so tendering is not an issue. The schedule says a 7 a.m. arrival and we would like to do an 8:30 tour with an 8:15 meeting time. Thank you for your responses.

 

You have more than enough time. with a 7 docked time you could be off the ship by 7:15

[easyboy]

The port I'm concerned about on our Alaska cruise is Skagway, so tendering is not an issue. The schedule says a 7 a.m. arrival and we would like to do an 8:30 tour with an 8:15 meeting time. Thank you for your responses.

You will have sufficient time to meet your scheduled meeting with the independent tour,

[owensamo]

Skagway was a fun port. We took a ship's tour, but had no troubles getting off and it was one that met on the docks, not on the ship. When we got to the meeting location, other people on the tour were booked both independantly through the tour operator and through the other ship in port (Princess). So depending on the tour, you might find that you end up with the same people as booked through the ship itself.

 

I think the train was similar - there are only a couple of trains a day, and some cars are for the ships tours, and others for independant, but since it's all one train, they all leave at the same time.

 

(as an aside - I highly recommend the tour that canoes to the Davidson Glacier. It was one of the highlights of our trip, and still left time to explore historic Skagway).

[Northern Aurora]

The port I'm concerned about on our Alaska cruise is Skagway, so tendering is not an issue. The schedule says a 7 a.m. arrival and we would like to do an 8:30 tour with an 8:15 meeting time. Thank you for your responses.

 

We have been to Skagway a number of times, both on Alaskan cruises (yes -- folks who live in Alaska also do Alaska cruises) and on our own. I don't think you will have any problem whatsoever with a 7 AM arrival time meeting at 8:15 for the tour.