Tendering in Kotor

[4cats4me]

For those who have had to tender in Kotor, Montenegro, how efficient was the tender experience? We’ve tendered a lot, but never in Kotor, and we are arriving at 7:00 am and we have to meet our guide at 8:30. Wondering if I should change it to 9:00 instead? We have never taken advantage of the Elite tendering process. How does that work? Do we just go down and join the line when we’re ready, or do we need to get a tendering ticket and wait upstairs first?

Last time we were on Royal Caribbean and I went down at 6 am, as we had no status on Royal, to wait in line to get tender tix to get on tender boat #1 to meet the tour.

Really hoping to not have to do that again. Would like to sleep just a little bit later. [emoji16]

[Astro Flyer]

The procedure you described to join the back of the tender line is the normal procedure. However it’s been my experience when having a large number of elite level passengers then going to the dining is required. Elites had a different entrance & got tender tickets on the other side of the dining room. That process was much faster than for other passengers so not a lengthy delay.

 

Having never been to Kotor don’t know if your times would work for your independent tour.

[4cats4me]

The procedure you described to join the back of the tender line is the normal procedure. However it’s been my experience when having a large number of elite level passengers then going to the dining is required. Elites had a different entrance & got tender tickets on the other side of the dining room. That process was much faster than for other passengers so not a lengthy delay.

 

 

 

Having never been to Kotor don’t know if your times would work for your independent tour.

 

 

 

Good to know. Thanks!

[victoriaj]

Tendered in Kotor last month and it is not a terribly long ride but depends where ship anchors, we were there twice and two different locations same ship. Tenders were very busy with Princess tour groups and on the second stop all tenders were halted and everyone confined to their cabins as the ship had been hit by a gust of wind and dragged the anchor. While the official word was we were not on the shoals I would bet dollars to donuts we were as confirmed by balcony occupants on the Starboard side. Lots of passengers missed their private tours as this happened about 9am

it's cruising and you always have to expect the unexpected so be guided accordingly. Enjoy your cruise, Kotor is beautiful !!!!!

[4cats4me]

Tendered in Kotor last month and it is not a terribly long ride but depends where ship anchors, we were there twice and two different locations same ship. Tenders were very busy with Princess tour groups and on the second stop all tenders were halted and everyone confined to their cabins as the ship had been hit by a gust of wind and dragged the anchor. While the official word was we were not on the shoals I would bet dollars to donuts we were as confirmed by balcony occupants on the Starboard side. Lots of passengers missed their private tours as this happened about 9am

it's cruising and you always have to expect the unexpected so be guided accordingly. Enjoy your cruise, Kotor is beautiful !!!!!

 

 

 

Yikes! I did see the video of that. Well, we will hope for the best.

[1spacecowboy]

The tendering moves faster as they have local boats transferring the passengers to shore.

 

 

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[flamomo]

Tendering in that port CAN be dependent on which Princess ship (size-wise) you're on and whether or not there is any other cruise ship in port.

We were there on the Pacific Princess several months ago and would have been able to dock upon arrival had there not been another small cruise ship already docked. However, once it departed in the early afternoon, the Pacific was permitted to dock for the rest of our day there.

[rockdoctor]

As others have said, there are multiple anchoring points. Your 830 appointment is too early. All the Princess shore excursions will be leaving along with you and guess who gets priority. 930 might be more reasonable unless you want to really push it with 900. Kotor is the only port we have ever left early. There is a narrow 90 degree turn at Perast.

[1AL]

Drove around that beautiful bay back in the very early 80s, when it was not a tourist destination yet, when it was still a united Yugoslavia under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito. Beautiful drive in a Zastava, anyone knows what that is? lol lol :-) :-)

[daddyfixit]

zastava/fiat/yugo....serviced all 3 of them back in the day. we are also in Kotor in August, looking forward to it as we have never been.

[leck57]

The tendering moves faster as they have local boats transferring the passengers to shore.

 

 

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We have anchored there three times on the Royal and tendering was very quick. A wonderful place to sail in to and easy to look around on your own.

[4cats4me]

As others have said, there are multiple anchoring points. Your 830 appointment is too early. All the Princess shore excursions will be leaving along with you and guess who gets priority. 930 might be more reasonable unless you want to really push it with 900. Kotor is the only port we have ever left early. There is a narrow 90 degree turn at Perast.

 

 

 

So even with Elite status I would still need to wait 2.0-2.5 hours to meet a private tour? We pull in at 7:00 am. We would be one of the first groups to disembark after the Princess tours,

I figured 1.5 hours would be sufficient, two at the most.

Even on Royal Caribbean, where we had no priority status whatsoever, we had tender tix for the first group and we were on the first tender along with those who had Royal Caribbean tours as well, and on our way quite quickly.

Well, I guess I I’ll adjust the meeting time to 9:00 then.

[4cats4me]

We have anchored there three times on the Royal and tendering was very quick. A wonderful place to sail in to and easy to look around on your own.

 

 

 

Good to know. I will hope for the best.

[Tedferg]

We were on the cruise that dragged anchor. We have no Elite status and were able to meet our private tour for 8:00 - no problem. Not sure of actual time when we met driver but close enough to 8:00 that we did not notice.

 

Fortunately we were off the ship before the anchor drag.

[4cats4me]

We were on the cruise that dragged anchor. We have no Elite status and were able to meet our private tour for 8:00 - no problem. Not sure of actual time when we met driver but close enough to 8:00 that we did not notice.

 

 

 

Fortunately we were off the ship before the anchor drag.

 

 

 

So happy to hear this. I will just keep the 8:30 time and hope for the best. [emoji2]

[CruiseVA]

I have a feeling that on this cruise there may be a lot of Elite members, but, I'm hopeful that tendering will go smoothly

[leck57]

So happy to hear this. I will just keep the 8:30 time and hope for the best. [emoji2]

 

I agree. We didn't have Elite status and just joined the herd but I certainly can't recall any delays in tendering. Just about all private tours I have had in Europe, we haven't paid until the end of the tour so the guide isn't going anywhere. I have also found that where there have been delays getting off the ship the tour guides will wait and are ethical. They have all been around long enough to know that delays can happen.

If the worst happens and the guide is not there, you'll find a heap of guides just off where you tender with posters all offering tours.

[4cats4me]

I have a feeling that on this cruise there may be a lot of Elite members, but, I'm hopeful that tendering will go smoothly

 

 

 

I think you’re right, based on my reading of the roll calls before and after ours, several people seem to be doing back to back to back cruises.

[Tedferg]

So happy to hear this. I will just keep the 8:30 time and hope for the best. [emoji2]

 

You'll be fine !

[Bigbadal]

I agree. We didn't have Elite status and just joined the herd but I certainly can't recall any delays in tendering. Just about all private tours I have had in Europe, we haven't paid until the end of the tour so the guide isn't going anywhere. I have also found that where there have been delays getting off the ship the tour guides will wait and are ethical. They have all been around long enough to know that delays can happen.

 

If the worst happens and the guide is not there, you'll find a heap of guides just off where you tender with posters all offering tours.

 

 

We will be in Kotor in October, am contemplating just getting a tour guide once we are off the ship, do you know what their prices are like rather than pre-booking a private tour?

 

 

 

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[leck57]

We will be in Kotor in October, am contemplating just getting a tour guide once we are off the ship, do you know what their prices are like rather than pre-booking a private tour?

 

 

 

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I found them much the same cost as pre booked private. However the risk I found was when we hired one bloke on one occasion he barely spoke English which was a challenge, whereas any pre booked tours have always had guides who spoke good English. If it was me I would try and see if there was someone on your Roll Call who wants to do a tour and go with them which will split the costs. Tours by Milo are very good.

Depending on how long you are there I reckon you can easily fill in about 6 hours doing the old town and the steps up for the view and these are right as you walk off the tender. Any spare time take a short taxi trip to Perast. Places like Budva and up into the mountains are great if you have plenty of time or have more than one stop at Kotor.