Ko Samui - realistic pick up time at pier?

[Lilywhite1882]

We arrive at Ko Samui on the 5th March on Celebrity Solstice. The timetable states arrival is 7am and we have been looking at an independent trip that has a pick up at Nathon Pier at 8am. I understand we will be tendered so reaching the pick up point by 8am may be ambitious.

 

Does anyone have any experience of this port, especially with Celebrity and travelling independently? Do Celebrity tours get priority disembarking?

 

Any input would be really appreciated. Thank you.

 

[SallyStrawberry]

We have just disembarked the Celebrity Solstice today.  If you’re not in the Retreat or on a Celebrity tour you will have to get a tender ticket and wait in line to get the tender.  Queues were long and some passengers waited over an hour to get ashore.  A 9am meeting time is more realistic.

[Lilywhite1882]

SallyStrawberry. Thank you very much for your reply, it was exactly the sort of information I was after and does endorse what I thought might be the case.

 

I hope you had a great cruise, we're really looking forward to ours, only a month away now.

[catweazlecat]

Dear Lilywhite
we have been on the cruise beginning of January and booked an independent driver to take us around on Ko Samui.
It is indeed a tender port and you have to get tender tickets to go ashore if you travel independently.
We had planned a pickup at 8 on the Pier and got the tender tickets early morning around 7am.
Since there were big shuttle boats arriving (see attached video) - not only the tenders - to take passengers ashore, we were earlier then expected on land. Just before 8am even if we had Tender No 7 booked.
Nevertheless - no matter what time you plan to go ashore, your pickup person will wait anyway for you. They know what it is like to get hundreds and more people ashore on that morning and wait patiently for you. What else could they do?
Just keep in mind that sometimes, Ko Samui is skipped on this tour due to bad weather and high waves. We were fine going ashore but it was tricky to come back in the afternoon due to higher waves that made boarding quite difficult.
Wishing you fun at your trip! We enjoyed the cruise a lot with the destinations!

 

[Lilywhite1882]

Silke

 

Thank you very much for the information. I had not consider that if we were slightly late the pick up person would wait so that certainly helps. It sounds like we should queue to get our tender tickets as soon as we can. Thank you so much for the detail, it really does help.

 

Ian

[Lilywhite1882]

1 hour ago, catweazlecat said:

Dear Lilywhite
we have been on the cruise beginning of January and booked an independent driver to take us around on Ko Samui.
It is indeed a tender port and you have to get tender tickets to go ashore if you travel independently.
We had planned a pickup at 8 on the Pier and got the tender tickets early morning around 7am.
Since there were big shuttle boats arriving (see attached video) - not only the tenders - to take passengers ashore, we were earlier then expected on land. Just before 8am even if we had Tender No 7 booked.
Nevertheless - no matter what time you plan to go ashore, your pickup person will wait anyway for you. They know what it is like to get hundreds and more people ashore on that morning and wait patiently for you. What else could they do?
Just keep in mind that sometimes, Ko Samui is skipped on this tour due to bad weather and high waves. We were fine going ashore but it was tricky to come back in the afternoon due to higher waves that made boarding quite difficult.
Wishing you fun at your trip! We enjoyed the cruise a lot with the destinations!

 

Silke

 

Sorry, one further question. Who did you use for you tour of Ko Samui? Would you recommend them?

 

Many thanks

 

Ian

[catweazlecat]

On 1/28/2024 at 1:53 PM, Lilywhite1882 said:

Silke

 

Sorry, one further question. Who did you use for you tour of Ko Samui? Would you recommend them?

 

Many thanks

 

Ian

Dear Ian
we booked a driver for the day via Getyourguide.com 
He was really nice and helpful, but did not speak english. We  used translation apps and google maps to instruct him where we wanted to go and stop at the island. That worked very well 🙂
The car was a luxurous van and we paid around 80 Euro for the whole day on car and driver. Can highly  recommend it. You just need to find out before what you want to do and see on Ko Samui to let the driver know your plans.

 

[Lilywhite1882]

Silke

 

Thank you very much for the information.  That does sound a good option and is a very good price for the day. 

 

Ian