If you’re taking a cruise, you may have to ‘tender’ to get to land. I’ve been on many cruises where this has been the case. I actually find it quite fun.

There are many benefits as well as disadvantages of tendering on a cruise. Not all itineraries have tender ports, but some may have multiple.

What Does To “Tender” Mean on a Cruise Ship?

Tendering is when guests use a lifeboat, or smaller boat, to get from the cruise ship to the port.

Tendering usually happens when the ship is too big to dock in a certain port, or the port is already occupied by another ship.

Guests can find out prior to a cruise if a port is tendered as it is detailed on the itinerary.

Tender ports are different in that they don’t have a suitable harbor big enough to accommodate modern cruise ships. A tender port might be a small island; Grand Cayman is an example, as is Santorini, where ships tie up to big concrete buoys in the middle of a volcanic caldera.

Celebrity Cruises

Can You See Before The Cruise If You Need To Tender?

If you are worried about tendering or would prefer not to, you can usually see on the cruise itinerary before you book if the ports are docked or tendered.

It is certainly possible to avoid cruises that require tendering. If you choose a cruise with city ports, you more than likely won’t have to tender.

When you book your cruise, your itinerary will say whether ports are docked or tendered.

At the end of this post is a list of the most popular cruise tender ports in the USA, the Caribbean and Europe. It is possible to find out if almost any port is a tender port.

Cruise Ship Tendering Tips:

Don’t Rush to Get The First Tender

I would recommend not rushing to get off on the first tender. I much prefer to have a leisurely breakfast and explore the ship without all of the guests!

Tendering is much nicer when you don’t have to line up. If you are on an organised excursion with the cruise line, you will, more than likely, meet on the ship and tender off together.

In some circumstances, you may be asked to meet on land, so make sure you’ve allowed extra time for this.

Sometimes you will be asked to get a ticket for the tender boat. This is free, but you can then wait in a bar until your tender group number is called. This saves too much queuing/standing in line.

Priority Tendering

Some people get “Priority Tendering. ” Basically, this means that they can get on the first Tender Boats.

Who gets these priority Tender tickets depends on the cruise line. Often its:

• Those going on cruise line excursions
• Those staying in Suites or more expensive staterooms
• Members of the cruise ship loyalty programs ( Often if guests have reached a certain high loyalty status)

If you are offered priority tendering for any reason, you may as well take advantage of it.

Head to The Front of the Tender or Top Deck if You Get Seasick

Go to the front of the tender by the windows (or the top) if you get seasick.

The breeze will make you feel better. When embarking on the tender, the crew will usually direct you to a seat.

If you ask to be seated at the front or on the top, most crew will happily let you do so.

Don’t Wait Until The Last Tender to Come Back

Don’t return an hour or two before the last tender. This will be the busiest time.

If you could come back a few hours before you will skip the queues.

Alternatively, you could leave it to the last minute and get the last tender, but I wouldn’t be brave enough to do that!

Take Photos of The Ship From The Tender

Use the tender as an opportunity to take photos!

It is rare that you will ever see a cruise ship from the Ocean, so make the most of it. It really is difficult to get an idea of scale until you are right beside the ship.

Which Boats Are Used As Tender Boats?

The tender boats are usually lifeboats from the ship, but sometimes, they can be local ships booked through a third-party company.

When tendering, it is common for multiple tenders to run at the same time. Passengers will usually queue onboard and be loaded onto the tenders as they arrive.

Cruise ship lifeboats can usually hold around 150-200 passengers. They certainly aren’t cramped, and only the bigger lifeboats will be used in the Tender process

Have a look at the inside of a standard tender boat/lifeboat in the post below:

Inside a Cruise Ship Lifeboat (Crew Tour) – Emergency Food, Engine, Seating Plan and More

Seasickness And Cruise Ship Tendering

I am quite a travel-sick person. I get sick when traveling in cars, coaches, boats, etc. However, I have never had any problem with Tenders.

The journey usually only takes around 10-20 minutes, and for some reason, my body doesn’t think that’s long enough to make me seasick!

There is also usually an ocean breeze in the tender, which makes me feel better.

If you think you might still feel unwell, I would recommend taking some seasickness tablets before you get on the tender boat.

Find out some other great tips for preventing seasickness here:

13 Actionable Tips to Prevent and Treat Seasickness on a Cruise

The Drawbacks Of Tendering:

It Takes Time

The actual transit time isn’t usually too long, but when you add waiting for the Tender at both ends, loading people into the boat, etc, the whole experience can take some time.

It is definitely slower than docking in the traditional sense, where you just walk off the ship.

• The boat isn’t particularly comfortable
• You normally have to queue up to get a return tender
• You can find yourself standing in the hot sun – or maybe in the cold wind or rain – in a queue, waiting to get back to the ship. That is no fun!

The Benefits Of Tendering:

• You can take some brilliant photos of your ship!
• Can visit small islands
• I quite enjoy the tender. It’s like a free boat trip (sort of).

When I visited Portofino in Italy, to my surprise, the Captain of the Celebrity Edge cruise ship took the helm of the tender boat. Find out about that cruise and see that happen in the video below:

How Does Tendering Work?

Most cruise lines offer a ticket system if you want to get off soon after anchoring. The ticket system will give you a tender time to get off the ship or a Tender group number will be called over the public address system.

Usually, if you wait for an hour or two, you don’t have to get a ticket. You can tender off when you like, because there is no longer a queue.

On some cruise lines, having a loyalty status will give you priority tendering. I have this with Norwegian Cruise Line, but I have yet never used it.

There is no such ticket system for getting back on the ship. All you have to do is return to where you got off the tender, show your cruise card and wait for the next boat.

Mobility

There are steps involved, and there is a gap to cross between the ship and the boat. This can make it difficult for people with limited mobility.

Having said that, I have been on cruises with my Gran, who has never had any problem with tendering.

On some cruise lines guests may be asked to prove that they can step a certain distance before being allowed to tender. I believe this is the same if you have small children/babies, you must prove that you can carry/pass them over the gap.

Each cruise line will have different guidelines when it comes to tendering.

There will be crew members to guide and steady you as you get on or off the tender, but they cannot support, carry or lift guests on board the tender for safety reasons. Please wear appropriate, flat and securely attached footwear.
If you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, please note that you (or your travelling companion) are responsible for assembling and disassembling your wheelchair or mobility scooter. The crew will endeavour to assist where practical and safe to do so, providing that no individual part weighs more than 20kg/40lb.

P&O Cruises

Can Cruise Ship Tenders Operate In Bad Weather?

Tendering means there is a higher chance of the port being skipped if the weather is bad.

The tender boats are small, and it wouldn’t be a pleasant ride in strong winds. The cruise line cannot risk having guests off the ship when it is too unsafe to get them back onboard again.

Which Deck Will The Tenders Leave From?

Tenders leave from a low deck, down by the waterline. You may find yourself going down to deck levels you wouldn’t normally visit.

Celebrity Edge Class ships have a very clever “Magic Carpet.” This is a moving platform that can be lowered down to the water level to help with embarking the tender boats.

The Magic Carpet doubles up as a restaurant and bar when the ship is at sea.

Find out more about this clever innovation here:

Tender ports in the Caribbean:

Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Cienfuegos, Cuba
Devil’s Island, French Guiana
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Gustavia, St Barthelemy
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
Saint Kitts, St Kitts and Nevis
Saint John, US Virgin Islands
Terre-de-Haut, Guadeloupe

Tender ports in the US:

Avalon, California
Bar Harbor, Maine
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Icy Strait Point, Alaska
Kona, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
Monterey, California
Newport, Rhode Island
Nome, Alaska
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Santa Barbara, California
Sitka, Alaska

Tender ports in Europe, Africa and the Middle East:

Agadir, Morocco
Alghero, Sardinia, Italy
Alter Do Chao, Portugal
Argostóli, Nissos Kefalonia, Greece
Bantry, Ireland
Djúpivogur, Iceland
Fishguard, Wales
Heimaey, Iceland
Horta, Azores, Portugal
Ilfracombe, England
Isafjördur, Iceland
Korcula, Otok Korcula, Croatia
Korsakov, Russia
Kotor, Montenegro
Le Palais, France
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland
Lüderitz, Namibia
Mamoudzou, Mayotte
Mgarr (Victoria), Malta
Mykonos, Nisos Mykonos, Greece
Náfplion, Greece
Nanortalik, Greenland
Nosy Be, Madagascar
Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen, Norway
Nynäshamn, Sweden
Paamiut (formerly Frederikshåb), Greenland
Petropavlovsk, Russia
Plymouth, England
Ponza, Isola di Ponza, Italy
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Portoferraio, Elba, Italy
Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Qaqortoq, Greenland
Santorini, Greece
Sarandë, Albania
South Queensferry (Edinburgh), Scotland
Split, Croatia
St Helier, Jersey
St Peter Port, Guernsey
Stornoway, Scotland
Taormina, Italy
Tobermory, Scotland
Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
Ullapool, Scotland
Visby, Sweden
Zanzibar

Before You Go

Find out about the nine reasons you should try and get an early check-in time here:

9 Reasons Why You Should Get an Early Check In Time – (And 4 Reasons to Not To)

Find out why cruises are perfect for nervous first time travels here:

Why Cruises Are Perfect for Nervous First-Time Travellers