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Going to puerto vallarta, get ready to tender

Florida_gal_50

By Florida_gal_50,
in Holland America Line

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

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If that puppy is there next week I’ll take a picture.  Now I’m starting to doubt myself 😉. I mentioned it on the roll call for next week but one person thinks I’m making it up that they will be tendering.  They got a notification from their ta that the only tender port is Cabo.  So there you have it, koningsdam will be docked next week so they best be working hard on the dock 😛😂😄.  One other person said we have dibs because we will be there first.  This is awesome 👏.  If only.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

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Have no clue what ship left PV yesterday (when we are living in PV we can watch the ships come and go from our condo).  Over the years we have seen unscheduled visits which are often to off-load medical emergencies.  During COVID we also saw a few ships using PV to rotate crew.  The PV port is actually close to an International Airport and also near several decent hospitals.

 

As to the posts about ships tendering, as others have said, our port can handle three large cruise ships at time.  When there is a 4th (or more ships than that ship will drop anchor just outside the harbor and tender.  Over the years that seems to happen very few times and even less often since RCI pulled out of that market.  If the new Vidanta Elegant ever starts operations than we would expect to see more days when somebody will need to tender.

 

Hank

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Copper10-8 "Live from...." Rare

Copper10-8

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1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

If that puppy is there next week I’ll take a picture.  Now I’m starting to doubt myself 😉. I mentioned it on the roll call for next week but one person thinks I’m making it up that they will be tendering.  They got a notification from their ta that the only tender port is Cabo.  So there you have it, koningsdam will be docked next week so they best be working hard on the dock 😛😂😄.  One other person said we have dibs because we will be there first.  This is awesome 👏.  If only.

 

To dock, or to anchor and tender, that's the question 😉

 

You might wonder what or who decides where a cruise ship goes in any particular port around the globe. This depends on a number of factors. First of all the cruise company makes a booking, normally two years in advance. The earlier you are, the better chance you have to get in. Then it comes to docking or anchoring (when both options are available)

 

If a ship uses the port as a turn over/turnaround port (i.e. disembarking and embarking guests) that ship will dock at the passenger terminal. For a normal day call, so not a/an disembarkation/embarkation day, she could be assigned to another dock besides the one with the cruise terminal. If the ship is on a normal day call, then the assigned location depends on the following factors:
 

1. Length of available dock
2. Number of guests on board
3. Arrival and departure time
4. Frequency of calling. (a 7-day ship takes precedence over a 10-day ship here)
5. Draft of the ship and the ships length.
6. Harbor fees (some ports go on tonnage, some on ships length, some on number of guests on board)
7. What does not fit in, will have to anchor and tender.

 

Based on the above criteria the harbor master, especially in a busy port, will decide 24 hours before the arrival where the ship will go. If there is only one cruise ship calling during the day, then she will get the prime/numero uno spot in the harbor. If there are multiple ships, see above

 

Now in addition, it's not unheard of for a ship that is initially tendering, to move into the harbor and dock, after a berth becomes available, i.e. after a ship previously at that berth, takes off for open sea

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oldbluff

oldbluff

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3 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

To dock, or to anchor and tender, that's the question 😉

 

You might wonder what or who decides where a cruise ship goes in any particular port around the globe. This depends on a number of factors. First of all the cruise company makes a booking, normally two years in advance. The earlier you are, the better chance you have to get in. Then it comes to docking or anchoring (when both options are available)

 

If a ship uses the port as a turn over/turnaround port (i.e. disembarking and embarking guests) that ship will dock at the passenger terminal. For a normal day call, so not a/an disembarkation/embarkation day, she could be assigned to another dock besides the one with the cruise terminal. If the ship is on a normal day call, then the assigned location depends on the following factors:
 

1. Length of available dock
2. Number of guests on board
3. Arrival and departure time
4. Frequency of calling. (a 7-day ship takes precedence over a 10-day ship here)
5. Draft of the ship and the ships length.
6. Harbor fees (some ports go on tonnage, some on ships length, some on number of guests on board)
7. What does not fit in, will have to anchor and tender.

 

Based on the above criteria the harbor master, especially in a busy port, will decide 24 hours before the arrival where the ship will go. If there is only one cruise ship calling during the day, then she will get the prime/numero uno spot in the harbor. If there are multiple ships, see above

 

Now in addition, it's not unheard of for a ship that is initially tendering, to move into the harbor and dock, after a berth becomes available, i.e. after a ship previously at that berth, takes off for open sea


As usual, excellent information. Thanks.

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

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2 hours ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

Florida_gal_50, I assume you are currently on the Konigsdam. Are you still having trouble receiving credit for *status in the Specialty restaurants? I am on the K next month and want to know if their accounting system has improved since March. Thanks.

Actually it was slow at first but I only pre purchased 2 because of all the issues I had on the last cruise.  This cruise has been 1000 percent better from the accounting perspective.  I was talking to a couple in the Canaletto a couple nights ago.  She was on the koningsdam in March when I was on.  She told me she had no end of issues on her account.  It must have been a really rough patch and we got caught in the net.  Yes I’m on the koningsdam.

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mcrcruiser

mcrcruiser

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33 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Actually it was slow at first but I only pre purchased 2 because of all the issues I had on the last cruise.  This cruise has been 1000 percent better from the accounting perspective.  I was talking to a couple in the Canaletto a couple nights ago.  She was on the koningsdam in March when I was on.  She told me she had no end of issues on her account.  It must have been a really rough patch and we got caught in the net.  Yes I’m on the koningsdam.

How are the speciality restaurants handling the Mariner discounts    & is their accounting  dept accurate with the net price on a persons bill ?  Seems to me why do people have to always be concerned with accuracy   ,just a added annoyance   to a nice relaxing cruise vacation 

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

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58 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

How are the speciality restaurants handling the Mariner discounts    & is their accounting  dept accurate with the net price on a persons bill ?  Seems to me why do people have to always be concerned with accuracy   ,just a added annoyance   to a nice relaxing cruise vacation 

Do you mean pre pays or discounts once on the ship?  On the ship seems OK. I've only has one paid for meal.  I had prepays, hia promos and 5 star freebies ( how dare I mention it) so its hard to say.  

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mcrcruiser

mcrcruiser

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27 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Do you mean pre pays or discounts once on the ship?  On the ship seems OK. I've only has one paid for meal.  I had prepays, hia promos and 5 star freebies ( how dare I mention it) so its hard to say.  

We have reservations for all 3 restaurants & we plan to pay  at the time of service  with our 3 star 25% discount . Just wondering if  HAL 's acctg  dept will acknowledge  the discount at the time we dine in these restaurants .We also already know that the 18% gratuities are already included  

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Sea42

Sea42

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5 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

We have reservations for all 3 restaurants & we plan to pay  at the time of service  with our 3 star 25% discount . Just wondering if  HAL 's acctg  dept will acknowledge  the discount at the time we dine in these restaurants .We also already know that the 18% gratuities are already included  

How did you make reservations without paying? Are you currently onboard?

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

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40 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

We have reservations for all 3 restaurants & we plan to pay  at the time of service  with our 3 star 25% discount . Just wondering if  HAL 's acctg  dept will acknowledge  the discount at the time we dine in these restaurants .We also already know that the 18% gratuities are already included  

Actually I forgot I went to the pinnacle for lunch yesterday. That one went into the books with the discount properly 

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

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38 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

But then Mariner status isn't applied to specialty restaurant bookings...they are comped. There would be no reason to "we plan to pay  at the time of service  with our 3 star 25% discount ."

People get confused. Someone posted you could book your 5 star freebies ahead without paying.  Nope,  I called.

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lstrong

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It’s a big deal to me though. My husband uses a walker for any distance walking which is fine when we are docked. So I’m not sure he can get off in puerto Vallarta. He could walk down the steps to the tender, but will he be allowed to bring walker on tender?

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RuthC

RuthC

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2 minutes ago, lstrong said:

He could walk down the steps to the tender, but will he be allowed to bring walker on tender?

Yes. I have brought a rollator on a tender many times. The crew will take the walker as he boards the tender, then bring it aboard after all the passengers are boarded. It will be taken off before the passengers, and he can pick it up on the dock. 

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

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3 minutes ago, lstrong said:

It’s a big deal to me though. My husband uses a walker for any distance walking which is fine when we are docked. So I’m not sure he can get off in puerto Vallarta. He could walk down the steps to the tender, but will he be allowed to bring walker on tender?

I hope someone will let you know.  It's a big deal to me as well.  I haven't been able to use my shorex credit.  I had the same shorex booked in mazatlan both weeks.  Both have been canceled as far as I can see.  Trying to get information on some things is like pulling teeth.  I've been given incorrect info more than once. The water

On  the entire ship was off part of last night.  No advance notice or no explanation.  Some crew couldn't even have a shower first thing today.  I tried to find out info on taking another shorex and the guy couldn't have cared less. I'd be surprised if you are able to get info on the tender.  I'm still waiting for info on reporting to authorities tomorrow.  Called said I would get it.  When?

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oldbluff

oldbluff

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1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I hope someone will let you know.  It's a big deal to me as well.  I haven't been able to use my shorex credit.  I had the same shorex booked in mazatlan both weeks.  Both have been canceled as far as I can see.  Trying to get information on some things is like pulling teeth.  I've been given incorrect info more than once. The water

On  the entire ship was off part of last night.  No advance notice or no explanation.  Some crew couldn't even have a shower first thing today.  I tried to find out info on taking another shorex and the guy couldn't have cared less. I'd be surprised if you are able to get info on the tender.  I'm still waiting for info on reporting to authorities tomorrow.  Called said I would get it.  When?


What Mazatlan shore excursion was cancelled, if you don’t mind me asking. We have several booked there beginning with the 26-Nov sailing. Thanks!

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