"Guaranteed First Off Ship"

[Canuker]

Celebrity states, "Guests on our tours enjoy priority departure in port", re shore excursionsbooked with Celebrity.
I know this doesn't apply to self-check-out guests at the end of each cruise, but..

.. where does it leave passengers, like us, who want to do their own thing at a visited port?
Must we sit, hurry up and wait?
Does anyone have experience of this, please?
 

[wrk2cruise]

Usually only an issue at tender ports where it puts you after everyone who has priority.

[dkjretired]

30 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

Usually only an issue at tender ports where it puts you after everyone who has priority.

 

Correct and excursions are not necessarily first off the ship, very often they meet in a room and then are escorted off the ship, many times while doing this other passengers were exiting also.  

[njmelis24]

And also not every excursion starts when the ship enters port. Some are offered multiple times throughout the day and others up to several hours later.

[upwarduk]

5 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

Usually only an issue at tender ports where it puts you after everyone who has priority.

I would certainly consider a ships excursion in a tender port after waiting 3 hours to get on a tender in Split. We were  advised not to collect our tender tickets until ready to get off the ship, our tender # was 32. I found out later that guests in the know had collected their tickets before breakfast.

Of course there is priority if you have status eg Elite, but no priority on your return to the ship.

Edited December 20, 2018 by upwarduk

[chemmo]

Rarely an issue in most non tender ports getting off the ship. Only time we have seen queuing was when we arrived in a port an hour late and Celebrity was getting its tours off at the same time those who had booked independent activities were also all trying to all get off together...

 

If you are in a suite and need to be off quickly the concierge will escort you to the front of the queue. Not a perk we have ever needed to use...

[mahdnc]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

I would certainly consider a ships excursion in a tender port after waiting 3 hours to get on a tender in Split. We were  advised not to collect our tender tickets until ready to get off the ship, our tender # was 32. I found out later that guests in the know had collected their tickets before breakfast.

Of course there is priority if you have status eg Elite, but no priority on your return to the ship.

 

During our 2016 South America trip aboard Infinity we tendered at 4 ports including Puerto Montt which had a priority line for getting onto a tender to return to the ship.

 

Puerto Montt, Dec 26 2016

Edited December 20, 2018 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

11 hours ago, Canuker said:

Celebrity states, "Guests on our tours enjoy priority departure in port", re shore excursionsbooked with Celebrity.
I know this doesn't apply to self-check-out guests at the end of each cruise, but..

.. where does it leave passengers, like us, who want to do their own thing at a visited port?
Must we sit, hurry up and wait?
Does anyone have experience of this, please?
 

 

This is probably an exception: during our Great Barrier Reef cruise aboard Solstice, there was a special early tender that was arranged for guests who wanted to get ashore to Cairns before everyone else in order to get to their independent tour on time.  It was not widely advertised, but it was mentioned at the end of this bulletin that all guests received in their cabin. 

[2theship]

At non-tender ports, we've had no problem leaving when we wanted. Since the ship excursions exit in groups, there are generally opportunities to exit between groups. We've also been in ports where we planned private tours that left super-early in the morning and we always left the ship before the ship excursions started.

[Canuker]

Thank you to everyone who has responded to this OP's question.
We have precious little time ashore, especially at tendered destinations, so you can imagine my concern about this.
From what I am reading on this thread, Celebrity's expression, ""Guests on our tours enjoy priority departure in port" would appear to be more of a marketing ploy than a practical reality.
I am very relieved to know this.
If I was restricted in when we can leave/return to the ship while in port, I would seriously consider avoiding a cruise line that enforced such a policy. 

Thanks again.

[Barwick Cruiser]

14 minutes ago, Canuker said:

Thank you to everyone who has responded to this OP's question.
We have precious little time ashore, especially at tendered destinations, so you can imagine my concern about this.
From what I am reading on this thread, Celebrity's expression, ""Guests on our tours enjoy priority departure in port" would appear to be more of a marketing ploy than a practical reality.
I am very relieved to know this.
If I was restricted in when we can leave/return to the ship while in port, I would seriously consider avoiding a cruise line that enforced such a policy. 

Thanks again.

Not really a marketing ploy since they don't actually claim that passengers on tours are guaranteed first off the ship, only that they receive priority disembarkation.  Basically, once a tour group is all assembled and arrives at the tender boarding station they would be given priority over the next tender.  I imagine most cruise lines operate in this type fashion but we've only done Celebrity so could quite possibly be wrong!  Enjoy your cruise!

[hcat]

Best bet is to book an excursion in tender ports.. On Reflection  in Gr Cayman once, we  opted to stay on the ship..Had a lovely lunch in Bistro on 5. While we were there, they called the last tender to shore before open tender  began ( no tickets required ) It was 1 pm...

 

Suite guests, Elite and abive get priority tickets. Not sure acout Cincierge Ckass..but that's alot of people.

 

Many do not take ship's excursions in Europe  or elsewhere so they will be getting off later.

 

Was disappointed to read reports that the new EDGE tenders are smaller than the Gr Cayman port tenders and that the  process on the first cruise was not good.  Long wait, disorganization,  Hopefully,  it will improve! They new luxury tenders do look lovely!

 

The excursion guests  were sent  off in port tenders..so I guess that's what we'll be going out on when we visit GC on EDGE,

Edited December 20, 2018 by hcat

[NLH Arizona]

41 minutes ago, Canuker said:

Thank you to everyone who has responded to this OP's question.
We have precious little time ashore, especially at tendered destinations, so you can imagine my concern about this.
From what I am reading on this thread, Celebrity's expression, ""Guests on our tours enjoy priority departure in port" would appear to be more of a marketing ploy than a practical reality.
I am very relieved to know this.
If I was restricted in when we can leave/return to the ship while in port, I would seriously consider avoiding a cruise line that enforced such a policy. 

Thanks again.

Every cruise line I've been on has the same policy; passengers on their excursions have priority.

[Canuker]

"Best bet is to book an excursion in tender ports.."
hcat: I'm thinking this is exactly what they want us to do, rather than make our own arrangements.
Or even, as you did, stay on board. They'd love that.

Grrrr.
Depending on my experience - in this case Cayman Islands - which we have never been to before, so not going ashore is not an option - I may well review my ranking of Celebrity, when booking future cruises. 
This issue is very important to me.

In essence, they want to limit my choices, to their advantage.
I don't think so. 
Why not take it to its logical conclusion and just float around all week and not call at any ports. 
This is why cruise companies have a hard time filling repositioning cruises because they do just that.
No, if I book a cruise with ports of call, I want proper access to those ports of call, not to be told, 'You're not one of ours - back of the line for you, steerage'.
I don't have any issue with the suites getting priority tendering - they've paid for the privilege. 
But splitting everyone else into 1st and 2nd class, based on their choice of excursion vendor is shabby and short-sighted.

Edited December 20, 2018 by Canuker

[gold1953]

1 hour ago, Canuker said:

"Best bet is to book an excursion in tender ports.."
hcat: I'm thinking this is exactly what they want us to do, rather than make our own arrangements.
Or even, as you did, stay on board. They'd love that.

Grrrr.
Depending on my experience - in this case Cayman Islands - which we have never been to before, so not going ashore is not an option - I may well review my ranking of Celebrity, when booking future cruises. 
This issue is very important to me.

In essence, they want to limit my choices, to their advantage.
I don't think so. 
Why not take it to its logical conclusion and just float around all week and not call at any ports. 
This is why cruise companies have a hard time filling repositioning cruises because they do just that.
No, if I book a cruise with ports of call, I want proper access to those ports of call, not to be told, 'You're not one of ours - back of the line for you, steerage'.
I don't have any issue with the suites getting priority tendering - they've paid for the privilege. 
But splitting everyone else into 1st and 2nd class, based on their choice of excursion vendor is shabby and short-sighted.

 people who paid them for an excursion with the cruiseline get to their bus for the time they paid for. You pay extra for the ship tours and part of that fee is being escorted to the tour bus.. so if there is a line these people paid to bypass it . Usually when the ship docks there are several hundred on these tours. I have booked these as well as gone on my own and I accept what it is . It can slow you down at a regular port and be a huge issue in a tender port

[bigbenboys]

I dont know if this happen all the time or not. On tendering ports many times Celebrity tenders ship sponsored tour through the forward part of the ship. As everyone is to go to the theater 1st. While other passengers tender from the aft part of the ship. That way sponsored tour are leaving the ship the same times as non sponsored tours. But from different parts of the ship.

[Turtles06]

5 hours ago, Canuker said:

I may well review my ranking of Celebrity, when booking future cruises. 
This issue is very important to me.

 

Based on my own experience with other cruise lines, I think you may have a difficult time finding a cruise line that doesn't give priority disembarkation to its own tour groups.  (See also NLH Arizona's comment number 13 above.) But as others have said, this is mostly an issue -- if it is one at all -- in tender ports.

[thon]

I have only been on 3 cruises, all of them on Celebrity in Caribbean.  Never bought a ship excursion.  Only tender port we’ve been to is Grand Cayman a couple of years ago.  When we were ready to get off the ship after our breakfast we went down and got the next tender.  No line.  No waiting.  Maybe we were just lucky?  This was before 9 a.m.  Of all our other walk-off ports we’ve never had to wait more than a few minutes and we get off relatively early.  Now, waiting for our number to be called for disembarkation is another story altogether!

[Canuker]

3 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

I dont know if this happen all the time or not. On tendering ports many times Celebrity tenders ship sponsored tour through the forward part of the ship. As everyone is to go to the theater 1st. While other passengers tender from the aft part of the ship. That way sponsored tour are leaving the ship the same times as non sponsored tours. But from different parts of the ship.

Excellent idea. Will keep this possibility in mind.
I've often looked over the side to check on gangways but never thought to do it for tenders.
Thanks for this.

[dkjretired]

9 hours ago, Canuker said:

"Best bet is to book an excursion in tender ports.."
hcat: I'm thinking this is exactly what they want us to do, rather than make our own arrangements.
Or even, as you did, stay on board. They'd love that.

Grrrr.
Depending on my experience - in this case Cayman Islands - which we have never been to before, so not going ashore is not an option - I may well review my ranking of Celebrity, when booking future cruises. 
This issue is very important to me.

In essence, they want to limit my choices, to their advantage.
I don't think so. 
Why not take it to its logical conclusion and just float around all week and not call at any ports. 
This is why cruise companies have a hard time filling repositioning cruises because they do just that.
No, if I book a cruise with ports of call, I want proper access to those ports of call, not to be told, 'You're not one of ours - back of the line for you, steerage'.
I don't have any issue with the suites getting priority tendering - they've paid for the privilege. 
But splitting everyone else into 1st and 2nd class, based on their choice of excursion vendor is shabby and short-sighted.

 

And probably done by every cruise line....