Tendering and Meeting Nativeway at the pier

[corky4man]

Anyone have problems getting off the ship early enough to meet Nativeway for the morning snorkel trips?

[DonMar]

I think tendering is different for each cruise line. What cruise line are you on?

 

We just got back from a Costa cruise which stopped at Grand Cayman. We just went down to the "tendering exit" first thing in the AM and we got on the first tender out. Some cruise lines require you to get a tender ticket and ship sponsored excursions get the first tender tickets.

[JandD Mom]

We will be on the Grand Princess and are wondering how the tendering worked there.

[corky4man]

We will be on the Mariner of the Seas.

[allesonwonderland]

I'll add to the question list! :D We'll be on Conquest...I think that might be one where you have to get a ticket...

[DonMar]

I have only tendered on Carnival and Costa so I can not speak about the other cruise lines I have been on. Maybe someone else out there might be able to give some more insight.

 

My tendering experience on Carnival - They like to get their excursions off first and will ask you to wait until that is completed. However, if you bring paperwork of an indi tour that shows that your tour meets early to the "tender ticket" meeting place first thing in the morning, they will get you off on an early tender. You might have to remind the staff, gently, that you are there. Remember - this has been my experience and from other accounts it can be different from ship to ship.

 

My tendering experience on Costa - While they too want to get their excursions off first and did not have a policy (or at least one that they knew of - another story) about people with early indi tours, we just went to the tendering meeting location and got off on the first tenders. We only did this because they were so confused with their policies that we just decided to try to get on and we did.

 

Hope this helps.

[SailingBird]

:cool: We have just returned from the Mariner 10th Feb cruise - booked Rays,Reef and Rum Point with Nativeway - asked to meet on pier at 8.45am. We went down to the tender point about 20 minutes before they were due to open - we managed to get on the first tender no problem. When we got to port we did not leave until 9am. I was quite worried we might miss it but in the end there was no need to worry. By the way the Mariner is fab.

[jetta]

we have booked the rays,reef and rum point thru nativeway in may, we will be on carnival legend. The tour leaves at 9am how do we get an early tender to meet our tour?

[DonMar]

we have booked the rays,reef and rum point thru nativeway in may, we will be on carnival legend. The tour leaves at 9am how do we get an early tender to meet our tour?

 

From my previous post:

My tendering experience on Carnival - They like to get their excursions off first and will ask you to wait until that is completed. However, if you bring paperwork of an indi tour that shows that your tour meets early to the "tender ticket" meeting place first thing in the morning, they will get you off on an early tender. You might have to remind the staff, gently, that you are there. Remember - this has been my experience and from other accounts it can be different from ship to ship.

[smilingrl]

We just took the Enchantment last week, and in GC they started giving out tender tickets at 8am SHARP for tenders starting at 8:30. There was a longish line by 7:50. However, before they started giving out tickets, they asked if anyone was trying to meet an early excursion with an outside tour operator. Those of us who were meeting outside tour operators were told we could show the confirmation from the tour company to get on the first tender. We just went down to deck 2 where they were taking the tender tickets and showed our confirmation and were sent right out to the tender.

 

I was actually a little irritated that I had spent 15 minutes waiting in line when I didn't need a ticket at all, so I would recommend going down to the spot where they give out the tender tickets about 15 mins early and asking the crew member if they will be allowing people with outside tours that are leaving early to show their confirmation rather than a tender ticket. That way you won't have to wait in line unnecessarily, but you are there early enough that you can get a tender ticket if this is not the policy for your ship.

 

Hope that makes sense. Enjoy Grand Cayman, it was fabulous!

[Jungle Jane]

We tendered off Freedom of the Seas a couple weeks ago, they don't issue tickets. I had my paperwork ready to show whoever that I needed to get on an early tender just in case I ran into trouble...I didn't need my paper because the was no line, everyone was literally just walking off the ship. We got off the ship at 8:30, boarded the tender, it took a few mins to load up b'c they just keep the line going, as soon as it was full off we went, and up pulled another. There was no standing or waiting for anyone that I saw. We were not of the first tender and we were on the pier at 8:50, our tour was to meet Eldon at the pier at 9:15. We found him and he checked us off and said we had time to shop a bit before we had to go and that was nice. Eldon is TALL and SKINNY-you won't miss him. Or if Sharon happens to be there, she is very stylish and dresses very nicely. Look for either of them with a paddle type sign, white, round, with red letters I think, they tend to wait with their sign in the air near the info booth. If he's not there, just ask and someone will point him out. For us they said 9:15 sharp but we didn't walk to our van till closer to 9:30.

 

Enjoy your trip!!