How to book Early Tender

[Half Pint Mini]

We have a group of 8 people wanting to leave on the same tender boat.

 

Is it possible for one person to reserve a tender time for 8 people or do we each need to make the reservation?

 

Comments and suggestions are much appreciated!

 

Jan

[shof515]

download the iConcierge/Cruise Norwegian app on your phone . you can make tender reservations on the app.

[KarlChilders]

Trying to recall, I think you could only reserve for the number of people in your cabin. But I will say at each of our tender ports, they made a call about 15-20 minutes before tendering was supposed to start for anyone ready to go to come on without reservations. Don't know if this is typical, but it happened at both tender ports on our last cruise. So if you were ready to go early, it was no problem.

[DisheveledAdventurer]

I think it depends on the ship. When I was on the breakaway, you could get tender tickets via the in-cabin TV. On the Pearl (18 months later), they handed them out at the pool deck early on the day of arrival in the tender port (7 am or so). I was able to get 4 tickets (two couples, different staterooms). Nobody was checking key cards or cabin numbers. If they are using that procedure, one person should be able to get tickets for the whole group, but it might be a good idea to ask at guest services.

[smplybcause]

I've only been on an away ship, but on them one person can reserve at most six tender tickets. So for eight people you would need at least two people reserving them.

 

Fwiw they've been pretty useless for me. On my last escape cruise we were at every tender port early so they started calling groups thirty minutes early. And since everyone wasn't expecting them they blew through the numbers not long after the original arrival time. Because of this they weren't checking numbers and you just got in line.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Half Pint Mini]

Thank you everyone for replying. Much appreciated.

[Boschmann]

Hi Jan, If you are still looking for information I can talk to you about my Epic Med cruise, I also just got back from Italy if you still have questions about Rome, etc....

joe boschmann at gmail dot com

[zitsky]

How do you know if a port requires a tender?

[BirdTravels]

We have a group of 8 people wanting to leave on the same tender boat. Is it possible for one person to reserve a tender time for 8 people or do we each need to make the reservation? Comments and suggestions are much appreciated!Jan

A tender ticket ONLY give you the right to join the line at that time. It is NOT an assignment to a specific boat. Once in line, you will [sometimes slowly] make your way to the security checkpoint then onto the tender platform. If you are at the very end of loading a boat, there is a very, very, very small potential that they will try splitting your group,,,, but just tell them that you want to be together.

 

A few years back, from the time we "joined the line" tendering to Grand Cayman to the time we were on a tender was over 45 minutes. Usually it is a lot quicker.

[jdvmd]

How do you know if a port requires a tender?

It will be listed on your itinerary.

[BirdTravels]

How do you know if a port requires a tender?

2016-2018 Tender Ports

 

The following are tender ports:

Alaska, Canada, U.S. Pacific Coast & New England

 

 

• Astoria, Oregon*
  
• Bar Harbor, Maine
  
• Catalina Island, California
  
• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island*
  
• Gaspésie, Quebec
  
• Icy Strait Point, Alaska*
  
• Juneau, Alaska*
  
• Ketchikan, Alaska*
  
• Newport, Rhode Island
  
• Rockland, Maine
  
• Saguenay, Canada*
  
• Sitka, Alaska*
  
• Sydney, Nova Scotia*
  

Caribbean, Mexico & Panama Canal

 

 

• Belize City, Belize
  
• Basseterre, St. Kitts*
  
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
  
• Cozumel, Mexico*
  
• George Town, Grand Cayman
  
• Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas
  
• Gustavia, St. Barts
  
• Harvest Caye, Belize*
  
• Key West, Florida*
  
• Manzanillo, Mexico
  
• Ocho Rios, Jamaica*
  
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico*
  
• Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras*
  
• Roseau, Dominica*
  
• Samana, Dominican Republic
  
• San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
  
• St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands*
  
• Tortola, British Virgin Islands*
  

Hawaii

 

 

• Kona, Hawaii
  
• Lahaina, Hawaii
  

South America

 

 

• Alter Do Chao, Brazil
  
• Buzios, Brazil
  
• Ilha Grande, Brazil
  
• Ilhabella, Brazil
  
• Porto Belo, Brazil
  
• Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
  
• Puerto Montt, Chile
  
• Punta Del Este, Uruguay
  
• Stanley, Falkland Islands
  

Europe

 

 

• Bergen, Norway*
  
• Cannes, France
  
• Cork (Cobh), Ireland*
  
• Dubrovnik, Croatia*
  
• Edinburgh (Newhaven), Scotland
  
• Falmouth, England*
  
• Flam, Norway*
  
• Geiranger, Norway*
  
• Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK
  
• Hellesylt, Norway
  
• Helsingborg, Sweden
  
• Inverness (Invergordon), Scotland
  
• Istanbul, Turkey*
  
• Kotor, Montenegro*
  
• Leknes, Lofoten Islands, Norway
  
• Monte Carlo, Monaco
  
• Mykonos, Greece
  
• Lerwick, Shetland Islands
  
• Monte Carlo, Monaco*
  
• Mykonos, Greece*
  
• Naples, Italy*
  
• Olden, Norway*
  
• Santorini, Greece
  
• Split, Croatia*
  
• St. Malo, France
  
• Stockholm (Nynashamn), Sweden*
  

Asia

 

 

• Bali (Benoa), Indonesia*
  
• Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
  
• Ko Samui, Thailand
  
• Komodo Island, Indonesia
  
• Phuket, Thailand*
  

Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific

 

 

• Airlie Beach, Australia
  
• Akaroa, New Zealand
  
• Alotau, Papua New Guinea
  
• Bora Bora, French Polynesia
  
• Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  
• Fakarava, French Polynesia
  
• Eden, Australia
  
• Geelong, Australia
  
• Gisborne, New Zealand*
  
• Huahine, French Polynesia
  
• Ile des Pins, New Caledonia
  
• Kangaroo Island, Australia
  
• Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
  
• Rangiroa, French Polynesia
  
• Sydney, Australia*
  
• Whitsunday Islands, Australia
  

* Indicates a port where ship can dock or anchor, varies by call.

[zitsky]

Thank you. This post from an earlier thread was also helpful. I did not realize that NCL had posted these on their website.

 

go to ncl.com,

hover over 'learn about our cruises' and select Ports,

Select your cruise port of your choice and scroll down until you see "Port Name & Location" where it will tell you if its tender or dock

 

Hope that makes sense.

[Annede07]

I didn't know Naples was a tender port! Glad I saw this! I think I am on the same cruise at OP!

[BirdTravels]

I didn't know Naples was a tender port! Glad I saw this! I think I am on the same cruise at OP!

All “*” ports MAY tender if a dock is not available. Naples is normally NOT a tender port. You usually walk off onto the pier.

[Nelsj099]

Thank you everyone for replying. Much appreciated.

Hey Jan!

 

Last year we could book tickets as early as the Sunday when we boarded the ship. But, when we got to Cannes it was very easy to get on the tenders. We were waiting for someone in our group that wasn't at our meeting location they hadn't called our number but told us we could go anyway. We were a group of around 6. They want to get everyone off as soon as possible if you are willing to go early they will take you.

[kmc86]

This past May, we docked at Icy Strait, Juneau and Ketchikan- no tendering....

[grest]

If you have an early ship sponsored excursion, do you still need to reserve a tender or will they let you off in time to make the excursion anyway?

[Victress2007]

If you are on an NCL ship excursion you will meet in the theater (usually) and they will bring you to the tender all in one block.

 

Vic

[grest]

If you are on an NCL ship excursion you will meet in the theater (usually) and they will bring you to the tender all in one block.

 

Vic

 

thank you!

[Half Pint Mini]

Hey Jan!

 

Last year we could book tickets as early as the Sunday when we boarded the ship. But, when we got to Cannes it was very easy to get on the tenders. We were waiting for someone in our group that wasn't at our meeting location they hadn't called our number but told us we could go anyway. We were a group of around 6. They want to get everyone off as soon as possible if you are willing to go early they will take you.

 

Thank you! I will pass that information on!!

[Annede07]

All “*” ports MAY tender if a dock is not available. Naples is normally NOT a tender port. You usually walk off onto the pier.

Thanks! :)

[Half Pint Mini]

Hey Jan!

 

Last year we could book tickets as early as the Sunday when we boarded the ship. But, when we got to Cannes it was very easy to get on the tenders. We were waiting for someone in our group that wasn't at our meeting location they hadn't called our number but told us we could go anyway. We were a group of around 6. They want to get everyone off as soon as possible if you are willing to go early they will take you.

 

Thanks Jamie. I'll let the group know!!

[Arkansas Cruise Family]

Hi Jan, If you are still looking for information I can talk to you about my Epic Med cruise, I also just got back from Italy if you still have questions about Rome, etc....

joe boschmann at gmail dot com

 

Hi Joe,

I saw your reply to Jan and thought maybe I could ask a few questions. I'd love to pick your brain if possible.

We are cruising on the NCL Epic in September, beginning and ending in Barcelona, with stops in Naples, Pisa/Florence, Rome, Cannes, and Palma de Morcca.It will be my husband and I, and my parents who will be 70, and have never been to Europe. We have all cruised before, on RCI, but only in the Caribbean. I definitely want to make the most of our trip, and I'm planning to book some tours, on our own, not through the cruise line. When traveling the Caribbean, I've found that very easy to do. But, I'm curious your opinion.

Truly, any information you want to provide would be greatly appreciated.

[Boschmann]

... I'm curious your opinion.

Christy, it has been two years since I was on Epic and I embarked in Civitavechia (Rome). I see that you have already joined your sailings Cruise Critic roll call, join the Sept 12th and Sept 5th when it gets started. I see they are pretty quiet now, hopefully the conversations will pick up in the next few months. You should go lurking through several other Epic Med roll calls, primarily ones from your sail dates last year. Feel free to go back in my history and see what plans we made with others from the ship and on our own. You can also search through the port of call section of Cruise Critic. I am also a fan of TripAdvisor for information gathering. I will say that an Epic Med cruise can be hectic, don't try to book too much non-stop action with stop after stop crammed in. Plan some time for just relaxing.