Tender Services

Tender services for passengers

On occasion, when your ship is too large to be accommodated in the port, the weather is bad or the port is busy, a tender may be used to transfer passengers between the ship and the shore. Tenders are usually operated by the ship’s crew, though they may also be chartered through external providers too. Tender access depends on the tide, however it is most often found on the lower deck of your ship; look out for signs in public areas directing you towards tenders and listen out for your ship’s speaker service for information on tender locations too.

The tender service will run on a continuous loop throughout the day, with first and last tender times made clear to passengers both on the ship and ashore. Passengers will usually be required to collect a card from the designated area and make their way to the tender service when their card is called. Priority tenders are offered to all guests who are booked on a shore excursion.

When it comes to booking your cruise holiday, we advise that passengers with mobility issues pay close attention to the number of tenders required on the itinerary they are considering. Whilst crew will be on hand to assist passengers utilising tenders, you will be required to have the physical capability to walk down step and into the tender without difficulty. If a question of mobility does arise, an officer will assess the situation and offer a final decision based on his concerns. If limited mobility means an itinerary with several tenders is out of the question, don’t hesitate to speak to your Cruise Consultant for advice on alternatives.