How tender works.

[kaiser369]

Can someone enlighten me on how the tender system works onboard princess cruise ships please..is the process similar to celebrity..The ones going on a cruise trip go to the theatre to await the call of their trip and everyone else has to go to a desk to queue to get a numbered ticket and then await the call of there number..

[easyboy]

Can someone enlighten me on how the tender system works onboard princess cruise ships please..is the process similar to celebrity..The ones going on a cruise trip go to the theatre to await the call of their trip and everyone else has to go to a desk to queue to get a numbered ticket and then await the call of there number..

The same except the passengers are directed to a dining room that is announced prior.

[skynight]

Keep in mind that your entire group, regardless of size, must show up at the tender ticket location, normally a DR, if they wish to go to shore together. It is one person, one tender ticket. One person can not pick up a tender ticket for their spouse, or anyone else.

[kaiser369]

Last year on celebrity I could get tender tickets for all my group so only one person had to go queue.

[IECalCruiser]

Last year on celebrity I could get tender tickets for all my group so only one person had to go queue.

As sknight posted, that is not the case on Princess where it is one person, one tender ticket.

 

 

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[Thrak]

Last year on celebrity I could get tender tickets for all my group so only one person had to go queue.

 

You weren't asking about a Celebrity ship... When asking about Princess you will get an answer pertaining to Princess. Celebrity doesn't enter the picture at all.

[LeeW]

On Celebrity you pick up tickets in advance. With Princess, you go to the dining room when your group is ready to go ashore, get your ticket and wait until your number is called. So everyone has to be there to get their ticket.

[oskidunker]

Elite, of which there are many,go to the end of the tender line and do not need tickets

 

 

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[IECalCruiser]

Elite, of which there are many,go to the end of the tender line and do not need tickets

 

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Usually that is the case but on some cruises with a large number of Elites they still need to get a tender ticket.

 

 

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[jeromep]

If you book a suite you get a priority embarkation ticket in your room for each tender day, I think it is similar to Elite. If there are a bunch of Elites on a cruise, and they have to meter out priority tender embarkations, suite passengers will get those priority embarkation tickets first, because they essentially paid for them with the higher cost of the suite.

 

I'm trying to remember from my last visit to Princess Cays, but we booked a cabana and I believe with the cabana we got priority embarkation tickets as part of the cabana package. I can't recall if you book an excursion from Princess that is in a tender port if you get priority embarkation tickets with the excursion purchase?

Edited February 2, 2017 by jeromep

[tinybiny]

Is there generally a shorter wait if you go to tender an hour after they first open it? Sorry if that doesn't make sense. I am wondering if there is a better time to not have to wait for a tender number to be called. I am assuming most people try to get to the port ASAP.

[skynight]

Is there generally a shorter wait if you go to tender an hour after they first open it? Sorry if that doesn't make sense. I am wondering if there is a better time to not have to wait for a tender number to be called. I am assuming most people try to get to the port ASAP.

After a few hours there is normally an announcement that tender tickets are no longer required. You just go to the pontoon and board. The ticket procedure is suspended. Even when tender tickets are being used the later you go the shorter the wait.

 

Comment on what Jeromep posted

Elites do not receive tender tickets in their cabin. There are two different ways Elites are handled. It all depends on the ship's staff and the number of elite passengers. a) They report to the tender ticket area and are grouped together. Most will be placed on the next tenders. b) Elites just go directly to the pontoon and get on the end of the line.

Which method is being used should be mentioned in the Princess Patter. If unclear just report to the tender ticket location and ask.

[OCruisers]

After a few hours there is normally an announcement that tender tickets are no longer required. You just go to the pontoon and board. The ticket procedure is suspended. Even when tender tickets are being used the later you go the shorter the wait.

 

Comment on what Jeromep posted

Elites do not receive tender tickets in their cabin. There are two different ways Elites are handled. It all depends on the ship's staff and the number of elite passengers. a) They report to the tender ticket area and are grouped together. Most will be placed on the next tenders. b) Elites just go directly to the pontoon and get on the end of the line.

Which method is being used should be mentioned in the Princess Patter. If unclear just report to the tender ticket location and ask.

 

The above is totally accurate information. :)

[Astro Flyer]

Recently on the Star tendering into Lahaina Maui elite level passengers (350) were required to go to the dining room for a tender ticket. Tendering began at 0700 & when we arrived at 0745 we were immediately given a gold card to go to the tender.

 

There are probably several variables for each tendering port when determining whether elite & suite passengers are required to get tender tickets or not.

[nukesubsailor]

If you have booked a Princess shore excursion you will find tickets for the excursion in your cabin on embarkation day. The ticket will tell you where you are to meet----usually in the Princess Theater and at what time. In this case, your status as an Elite level Captains Circle member or if you have booked a full suite makes no difference. You will be given a sticker that is color coded and numbered to indicate which excursion group you are in. From there each specific excursion group will be called and led to the tender. Princess gives priority to those groups that have booked Princess excursions. It is all very organized and the purpose of the procedure is to make tendering as efficient as is practical and get people to their excursions together and on time.

[GRAYTech]

...It is all very organized and the purpose of the procedure is to make tendering as efficient as is practical and get people to their excursions together and on time.

 

It is very organized but I didn't like being in the Theater for 45 minutes prior to our excursion. It was supposed to be no more than 15 but there were delays with other passengers. Our group was there but they kept to the assigned group order. So 2 people held up an entire theater.

 

Gone are the days that said meet on the dock by the bow at 9:00AM (of course that wasn't for tendering) and we will walk to the bus or whatever. There sometimes would be a few slow to arrive but normally everyone was there a few minutes early and we left right on time.

 

So yes, when the theater works it's very organized and probably a better way to do it than the free for all it used to be. Just be sure you use the bathroom before you go there, they did not want anyone leave because you have already been counted and ready to go.

[OCruisers]

Sometimes even when being tendered (depending on your shore excursion departure time), Princess still has you meet where you get off at the tender area.

Ours was an afternoon excursion with Princess,

[candydane]

We'll be in a Royal Princess suite and have a Princess Cays Bungalow booked. Do we still have to go to the theatre for our "excursion" or can we just go ashore with our suite priority? Do suites or Princess excursions get off first?

 

 

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[caribill]

We'll be in a Royal Princess suite and have a Princess Cays Bungalow booked. Do we still have to go to the theatre for our "excursion" or can we just go ashore with our suite priority? Do suites or Princess excursions get off first?

 

 

 

For Princess Cays bungalows, you do not meet on the ship, but tender to land when you want to since all those with bungalows do not have to leave the ship at the same time.

 

In that case, you will follow whatever procedure has been set up, either go to the end of the current tender line or got get a priority tender ticket at the announced location.

[caribill]

If you have booked a Princess shore excursion you will find tickets for the excursion in your cabin on embarkation day. The ticket will tell you where you are to meet----usually in the Princess Theater and at what time. In this case, your status as an Elite level Captains Circle member or if you have booked a full suite makes no difference. You will be given a sticker that is color coded and numbered to indicate which excursion group you are in. From there each specific excursion group will be called and led to the tender. Princess gives priority to those groups that have booked Princess excursions. It is all very organized and the purpose of the procedure is to make tendering as efficient as is practical and get people to their excursions together and on time.

 

However in some tender ports some excursions will meet on shore, not on the ship.

 

You have to allow time to take the tender in order to meet your tour on land. Having such an excursion does not come with any priority for tendering to shore.