Daft question? Do the Edge class ships always use the Magic Carpet for Boarding?

[Ergates The Ant]

I’ve booked a cabin on Apex on the opposite side, as didn’t want anything obstructing views. However does that mean we won’t see any views of the dock side of the ship? I know the Magic Carpet is used for Tender ports, but we don’t have any on our cruise.

Thanks, 

 

[mac_tlc]

I have done 9 E class cruises and have never used the Magic Carpet for tendering or boarding. 
 

At a dock , exited through Gateway area, at tender ports, local tenders were used. 
 

mac_tlc
 

 

Edited May 14 by mac_tlc

[whitbob]

Just returned from b2b on EDGE, and the Carpet was not used for boarding at the dock.  Dockside used ramps.  We were on the starboard side, and they did dock frequently with the starboard side to the dock.  I think that is necessary when they are loading provisions and refueling.  If I recall, there may have been a few places where they dock with port facing land. 

[Ergates The Ant]

Thanks for the input. Looks like it will be the usual luck of the draw which side the ship will be facing. It occurred to me that maybe the magic carpet would restrict which way the ship docked, but sounds as if it will be business as usual. I always enjoy watching the preparations for departure and the ropes being loosened off, and of course, any stragglers arriving at the last minute. 

[Jeremiah1212]

The Magic Carpet is never used along side a dock. Gangways or ramps are setup using the Gateway area. 

[behtyas]

So far for Edge, Beyond, and Apex, it's never consistently been the same side. As others mentioned, sometimes we docked port side, sometimes starboard.

 

Easy solution, tip the driver and ask them to dock on the side you'd prefer*! 😁 

 

(*doing this, especially calling the captain the driver, might be a way to see which side of the ship was docked as it sails away from you.. 🤣)

[SbbquilterUT]

We did use the Magic Carpet for tendering in smaller port in Ireland - very smooth and easy access to the lifeboats used for tendering.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

As I understand it, whether they use it for tendering or not depends on if they use their tender boats or are required to use local tender boats. If theirs, then the Magic Carpet is used. If local boats, its the more traditional tendering process.

 

Regarding what side is used for docking, it depends on lots of things: what slot they are assigned, the direction they are going (aft-end first or bow-end first) to need to be leaving port, if there is necessary maintenance on one side of the ship, and/or if there are necessary drills with the lifeboats. It's best to never book a cabin based on the way you think the ship will port because it can change. (Biggest line of people complaining about how the ship docked was one time I was on Disney and they had to go bow-first at Castaway for required lifeboat drills on the Port side. A lot of people think they can only back in and therefore book Starboard to look at the developped side of the island. They were NOT happy - one even said "I only booked this for that view." I can only imagine how irate he would have been had we had to skip the port altogether.)

[JBare]

50 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

As I understand it, whether they use it for tendering or not depends on if they use their tender boats or are required to use local tender boats. If theirs, then the Magic Carpet is used. If local boats, its the more traditional tendering process.

 

Actually makes no difference, they will use the Magic Carpet with their own tenders or with local boats as in this case in Santorini.

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

The Magic Carpet really couldn't be used for embarkation day boarding as the tide change would impact the height level of the ship to the pier.  The gangway can, and is adjusted to keep the walk from the pier to the ship at the correct ADA compliant level. 

[Northern Aurora]

5 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

As I understand it, whether they use it for tendering or not depends on if they use their tender boats or are required to use local tender boats. If theirs, then the Magic Carpet is used. If local boats, its the more traditional tendering process.

 

.....

 

On the Edge last fall large private tenders were used in Phuket, Thailand and also at both Yorky's Knob and Airlie Beach while in Australia.  The Magic Carpet was also used at those ports until one of those really large private tenders (the ones with air conditioning and bathrooms) in Airlie Beach damaged it.