New to Azamara: Tendered Port and Private Excursion Schedule

[scrapcreator]

We are new to Azamara and organizing a private/small group tour in Saint-Tropez. We are tendered from 8 am - 8 pm. Is 9 am too early to meet our tour guide at the pier? I've read that tendering with Azamara is much easier than with Celebrity. 

 

Thanks for your help.

[excitedofharpenden]

2 hours ago, scrapcreator said:

We are new to Azamara and organizing a private/small group tour in Saint-Tropez. We are tendered from 8 am - 8 pm. Is 9 am too early to meet our tour guide at the pier? I've read that tendering with Azamara is much easier than with Celebrity. 

 

Thanks for your help.

That should be fine. 

 

Phil 

[tgg]

If you've tendered with Celebrity, I'm sure you know that after the ship is cleared, the tendering operation has to be set up. This means that the tenders have to be launched and a crew has to make things ready at the landside location.  The distance from shore will also effect the timetable. 

 

Passengers are asked to come to the Cabaret Lounge to get tender tickets. Those with Azamara excursions usually go first.

 

That being said, tendering on an Azamara ship is nothing like the mob scene on Celebrity. 

 

Your timetable will also be affected by how many Azamara shore excursions leave early. 9:00 might work, but why not make it 9:30, sleep in a bit, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

[Baynanno1]

I agree with both Phil and @tgg

 

I have only ever had one delayed start to an excursion from a tender port. It was a ship's excursion and unlike the usual practice we were not given priority and were about half an hour late meeting our guide.

 

Another cruiser posted recently that when the ship was delayed docking, her private tour company had not waited!

 

To be safe, I would ensure that waiting for you in the case of delayed ship arrival is part of the deal, as it is clearly in the advertising of most good tour companies.

 

Enjoy!

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

I agree with both Phil and @tgg

 

I have only ever had one delayed start to an excursion from a tender port. It was a ship's excursion and unlike the usual practice we were not given priority and were about half an hour late meeting our guide.

 

Another cruiser posted recently that when the ship was delayed docking, her private tour company had not waited!

 

To be safe, I would ensure that waiting for you in the case of delayed ship arrival is part of the deal, as it is clearly in the advertising of most good tour companies.

 

Enjoy!

It's also a good idea to phone or text your private guide to let them know you're running late.  We had one who told us he was just about to give up when we saw him.  [I was too chintzy to activate my Verizon $10 international plan.  Next month we're switching to T-Mobile so this won't ever be an issue again...]

[alcpa1]

Most tour operators, particularly in tender ports, should be aware of the vagaries of arrivals.

It might be wise when arranging the tour to make sure that you will be at the will of the tender and will contact them if you are facing a delay. 

That being said make sure everyone in your group stays together when getting tender tickets and actually boarding the tender.

Have a great cruise.

[Mrs Miggins]

Perhaps its old age but I don't remember ever getting tender tickets.  Surely we just went to the tender station ?  

Enjoy your first Azamara cruise.

[crzrr]

We have never had to get tender tickets in 15 cruises with AZ.

 

[tgg]

1 hour ago, crzrr said:

We have never had to get tender tickets in 15 cruises with AZ.

 

Just home from a Quest cruise. We needed tender tickets. They're not using physical tickets; they're stickers with numbers on them, and then you're called by group number. After groups have left, they announce open tender.

[Mrs Miggins]

Thanks,  we are on Quest in 3 weeks.  New rules obviously in the current climate.

 

[scrapcreator]

Thank you all for your input/advice. I think meeting onboard, waiting for the open tender together, and meeting our guide at the dock at 9:30 will work, remembering to be flexible and in contact. 

 

@MrsMigginsI hope you will share your Quest experiences. We board the Quest in late May.

[Baynanno1]

In the past, those stick on coloured numbers were related to the particular tour one was on.

The number was called and all those on that tour left the Cabaret Lounge together.

[NC&KY]

4 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

In the past, those stick on coloured numbers were related to the particular tour one was on.

The number was called and all those on that tour left the Cabaret Lounge together.

Yes, not a true ticket. If you are not on a ship tour (and I guess even if you are but you're in a hurry), you can simply go to the tender deck and hop on the next boat.

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, NC&KY said:

Yes, not a true ticket. If you are not on a ship tour (and I guess even if you are but you're in a hurry), you can simply go to the tender deck and hop on the next boat.

Usually that has been the case for us too, but on one cruise (can’t remember which one) we did have to go to the Discovery bar to get tender tickets.

[Mackdogmolly]

On 3/20/2022 at 5:40 PM, Baynanno1 said:

I agree with both Phil and @tgg

 

I have only ever had one delayed start to an excursion from a tender port. It was a ship's excursion and unlike the usual practice we were not given priority and were about half an hour late meeting our guide.

 

Another cruiser posted recently that when the ship was delayed docking, her private tour company had not waited!

 

To be safe, I would ensure that waiting for you in the case of delayed ship arrival is part of the deal, as it is clearly in the advertising of most good tour companies.

 

Enjoy!

Yes, that happened to me! We got in late to port, the excursion didn’t wait, and I couldn’t get a refund 😟

[tgg]

18 hours ago, NC&KY said:

Yes, not a true ticket. If you are not on a ship tour (and I guess even if you are but you're in a hurry), you can simply go to the tender deck and hop on the next boat.

Things have changed.  Although the ship was half full, ALL guests were required to get a sticker in the Cabaret Lounge until "open tender" was announced.  Covid has changed everything.