Mercury Tender procedures

[cruisieparker]

Hi,

We are going on the Mercury Mexican Riviera in April and I have a question about the tender procedures. I know everyone wants to get off the ship early and when tendering to a port it is always a mess. Can anyone tell me if the Mercury takes people with ship excursions off first or if you line up early and get a number and are tendered off that way. I don't mind getting up early and standing in line for a ticket, but I really want to do Cabo on our own without ship excursions. Can anyone help?

Sherry

[Ine]

People who are booked on SHIPtours go first. (Not on private organised tours)

Also people in suites (CC) have priority boarding.

 

Last year we had tickets for tender nr.1, but still had to wait 1 hour (!!!!) before we got off the ship, as we had no shiptour booked and were not in a suite.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

Having been to Cabo several times and as recently as November of 2004 (Mercury cruise) you will have plenty of time to see Cabo. Cabo isn't very big and you can walk around the town in about an hour, that is, if you do not go into many shops. A glass bottom boat or other type of boat ride to the Arches takes less than an hour or so.

 

On Mercury cruises, the shore excursion folks and others (suites, etc.) who have priority tickets for tenders do go first but in Cabo and the other Mexican ports this is really not very important in terms of time. You will have lots of time to see the ports of call.

 

An excellent guide for where you are going, is the Lonely Planet's Mexico's Pacific Coast.

 

Hope that you have a great time,

 

Fred

[CaliforniaDreamin]

On Summit in December 2005 Celebrity hired local tenders and also used some ships tenders. Seemed to go rather quickly for all.

[bonbon663]

I have a question about the tendering procedure in general. I am travelling with my mother, and I want to know if senior citizens will have any difficulting getting on and/or off these little boats?

 

Thanks

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

Re tenders, there will be Mercury personnel to assist the older persons on and off the tenders. Your mother should wear comfortable shoes that have a non skid heel and sole. And if the weather is not right, that is, the seas are rough the tender operations will be cancelled.

 

The use of tenders is a necessity, because there are ports that do not have the docks or water depth to handle a large cruise ship. As for me tendering is one of the fun aspects of cruising because it is always a thrill to see your cruise ship from water level while you are in the tender.

 

You and your mother will have a great time on the cruise.

 

Fred

[bonbon663]

Thank you very much Fred. The advice is appreciated.

[Devin]

Ok...I understand that suite and cc accomodations receive priority tendering in ports, and i would assume that is indicated on your seapass either by virtue of a code or coloring of the card, or just recognition of the suite number. What I cant picture is at the debarkation point aboard ship; are their two lines (one for the above mentioned cc and suite pax) and one for the general ship population? I certainly cant imagine (or handle the glares!) if they just let you go to the front of the line. That I would think could get rather catty...:mad:

[michy]

[

Yes, people that have the ship excursions get off first. We were there

in January and we had number 4 and it probably took 1/2 hour to get

off. No need to be 1st getting off as Cabo is small and you will have

enough time to see everything in a few hours anyways.

quote=cruisieparker]Hi,

We are going on the Mercury Mexican Riviera in April and I have a question about the tender procedures. I know everyone wants to get off the ship early and when tendering to a port it is always a mess. Can anyone tell me if the Mercury takes people with ship excursions off first or if you line up early and get a number and are tendered off that way. I don't mind getting up early and standing in line for a ticket, but I really want to do Cabo on our own without ship excursions. Can anyone help?

Sherry

[Lois R]

Ok...I understand that suite and cc accomodations receive priority tendering in ports, and i would assume that is indicated on your seapass either by virtue of a code or coloring of the card, or just recognition of the suite number. What I cant picture is at the debarkation point aboard ship; are their two lines (one for the above mentioned cc and suite pax) and one for the general ship population? I certainly cant imagine (or handle the glares!) if they just let you go to the front of the line. That I would think could get rather catty...:mad:

 

Hi, I was on Summit in October and had a CC cabin. We went to

Michael's Club where we handed in our tickets (they were in our cabin).

We were then taken by groups down to the proper deck (2?) I think.

We went into one line...and there were other folks in another line.

There were no glares, not that I can remember anyway:)

 

And I agree with the other folks, Cabo is not very big and it is very

easy to get around on your own.

[teedee]

Cruisieparker - I also live in McDonough, don't see many folks from here on the boards! Which sailing are you on in April? I'm on the April 28 cruise. Come join our rollcall if that's your sailing too.

Terri

[Lois R]

Hi Terri, hope you are doing well:) and enjoy your cruise. I did your

itinerary and it was wonderful:D

Are you using Mazatlan Frank when in Mazatlan? We had a group of 10 from

our roll call who use him and it was absolutely fantastic:)

Personable, knowlegable, overall, I rated that excursion an 11..on

a 1 to 10 scale;)

[teedee]

Hi Lois! I'm still hanging in there. Nothing like planning a cruise while you're ill. It gives me something to look forward to! I got a gft certificate for a 4 1/2 hour treatment at the Royal Spa in Mazatland on Ebay, so we'll be doing that and then probably just wander around a bit afterwards. I've heard very good things about Mazatland Frank, but the times didn't work for us.

Terri

[Lois R]

Hi Terri:) glad you are doing ok! And I am sure your spa experience

will be wonderful!

Mercury is a really nice ship too. I sailed her in March 2004

with Phil and Marti:D. Wow it has been almost 2 years since that

cruise! Where has the time gone?