Tender question Sea Princess Port Douglas

[freanesi]

Hi all. I am looking at booking a Reef Tour from Port Douglas that leaves at 8.15 am. Given that Port Douglas is a tender port and that I don't have priority tender privileges, does anyone know what the odds are of making the departure time. The ship arrives at 7.00 am. I presume we have to wait for priority passengers and the ships tour passengers to disembark before the rest of us. Has anybody had any experience with this - is it do-able or do I risk booking, missing the boat and losing the money? I haven't cruised with Princess before so don't have any previous experience with them. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[CruiserBruce]

Port Douglas is not an easy tender location. The ship is a good distance off, the channel is narrow and heavily tide affected. They use large local tenders, but I would worry about making that 8:15 excursion.

[happysnapper]

Agree with CruiseBruce. Cruised up that way in December and Port Douglas was cancelled a few weeks prior to departure due to ongoing poor conditions for tendering. Best bet, if are calling into Cairns or Airlie Beach is to book a trip from there.

[happysnapper]

Agree with CruiserBruce. Cruised up that way in December and Port Douglas was cancelled a few weeks prior to departure due to ongoing poor conditions for tendering. Best bet, if are calling into Cairns or Airlie Beach is to book a trip from there.

[happysnapper]

Sorry having problem with "edit".

[Aus Traveller]

I think it is doubtful that you would be able to make the 8.15 reef tour, but it could be possible. The ship might 'arrive' at 7am, but by the time they lower the tenders and start the tendering operation it would probably be after 7.30am. If you joined the queue to get tender tickets 20 minutes or more earlier than the announced time to handing out the tickets, you would probably get on the first tender. Just because a lot of people have priority for the tenders doesn't mean they all want to go early. Unless people plan to take a tour, there aren't a lot of reasons to rush ashore.

 

I don't know which company you are planning to go with and whether you ticket is non-refundable if you can't get there in time.

 

On a couple of occasions I have done the trip to the Low Isles with Reef Sprinter. :) They also do jet-boat trips to the Outer Reef.

[MicCanberra]

I would do a Ship's tour and save the worry about doing your dough. If the port or the excursion is cancelled, it is automatically a full refund. At Airlie beach the ship's tour boats go straight from the ship.:D

[freanesi]

Thanks very much to CruiserBruce, happysnapper, AusTaveller and MicCanberra for your replies. After careful deliberation and taking into accounts all your thoughts, I have decided not to go ahead with doing it on my own. I do have a couple of options left - the quick speedboat to Low Isles lagoon or book the ships tour - but I'm not to fond of the number of people. Anyway, i'm very appreciative of your input. Thanks again. :)

[Aus Traveller]

Thanks very much to CruiserBruce, happysnapper, AusTaveller and MicCanberra for your replies. After careful deliberation and taking into accounts all your thoughts, I have decided not to go ahead with doing it on my own. I do have a couple of options left - the quick speedboat to Low Isles lagoon or book the ships tour - but I'm not to fond of the number of people. Anyway, i'm very appreciative of your input. Thanks again. :)

I have gone on the jetboat to Low Isles a couple of times. The boat trip doesn't take too long. I felt the coral was quite good and there were a lot of fish. After we had been there a while, we were invited to feed the fish. Enormous fish came to be fed. I enjoyed the trip. The Jet Sprinter company usually runs a few tours on cruiseship days. Another advantage of this tour is that they only take a small number of people. They supplied wetsuits and snorkel gear. When I went, I was able to borrow an underwater camera and at the end of the trip they burned my photos onto a CD.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've snorkelled the Low Isles and really enjoyed it. Yes, there are a few big fish there, groupers or maori wrasse I think. Quite spectacular. I also saw turtles and reef sharks.

[MicCanberra]

I have gone on the jetboat to Low Isles a couple of times. The boat trip doesn't take too long. I felt the coral was quite good and there were a lot of fish. After we had been there a while, we were invited to feed the fish. Enormous fish came to be fed. I enjoyed the trip. The Jet Sprinter company usually runs a few tours on cruiseship days. Another advantage of this tour is that they only take a small number of people. They supplied wetsuits and snorkel gear. When I went, I was able to borrow an underwater camera and at the end of the trip they burned my photos onto a CD.

 

Fewer people tends to make for a more relaxed excursion, this trip sounds good..:D