You've probably heard of tendering or tender boats if you're new to cruising, but you might not know what they are.
What does a cruise ship tender do?
I'm here to explain so that you don't assume I'm referring to futuristic vessels that are mild and sensitive to the touch.
Some cruise ports don't allow ships to dock, including those in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Grand Cayman; Santorini, Greece; and Sorrento, Italy, either because of a lack of infrastructure or because the waters are too shallow to prevent larger ships from running aground if they approached the shore too closely.
In other cases, if ports are crowded and there isn't enough dock space, cruise ships will occasionally anchor offshore.
This frequently occurs in Juneau, Alaska, which only has four berths but can have up to six ships in dock at once.
In those circumstances, ships anchor offshore, and guests must board a cruise ship tender to reach the beach.
Tendering on a cruise is the act of transporting people from their anchored ship to land using smaller boats.
What exactly is a tender boat?
Tenders can be cruise ships' own lifeboats that are dropped into the water and used to carry passengers, depending on the port, the cruise line, and any local agreements that may be in place. They can also be boats managed by locals in the ports that the ship visits.
Although Carnival Cruise Line likes the term "water shuttles," most cruise companies refer to the vessels as tenders.
Tender rides are free, however on some larger ships, you might need to report in advance to acquire a tender number that will let you know the order in which you can exit the ship in order to keep things fair and orderly.
The time the final tender boat departs to return from land for all-aboard will also be communicated to you by your ship.
Suite guests, cruise line loyalty club elite members, travellers who have reservations for early ship-sponsored tour departures, and other VIPs are frequently permitted on the first tender boat departures before regular passengers.
Tendering has drawbacks even as it gives ships access to ports without cruise ship docks.
As the boats bob in the water, passengers with mobility impairments, particularly those who use walkers, scooters, or wheelchairs, may find it challenging to embark.
Shuttling takes time, thus the amount of time you have to explore in port will be reduced just by stepping ashore.
If there is bad weather, calls on tender ports may be altogether cancelled for safety reasons.
The boats themselves can also be packed and stuffy, which is not the best way to cap off a memorable day of travel.
Tendering, however, is a relatively straightforward solution that enables cruise companies to transport guests to a wider range of port locations.
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