What are Cruise Ports, Tender Ports, Tenders, and Tender Tickets?
What is a cruise port?
Cruise ports are docking areas for cruise ships to facilitate passenger embarking (entering onto the cruise ship) and disembarking (exiting from or off the cruise ship) at the home port (beginning and end of the cruise) or ports of call (cruise stops that follow the cruise itinerary).
What is a tender port?
Tender ports are locations where cruise ships cannot dock close to the shore or near itinerary home ports or piers due to the cruise ship’s size, the water’s depth, maritime (sea) environmental and conservation policies, or other factors, such as nautical (sea) regulations, and thus, require a tender.
What is a tender?
When a cruise ship is restricted from docking at a port of call, it will anchor offshore before the tender port allows passengers to come to shore. Passengers will be transported to and from the anchored cruise ship through tenders, which are the local tender port’s small boats, water shuttles, or through the use of the cruise ship’s lifeboats, which will travel back and forth a short distance to the shore at designated times. Due to the size and configuration of the tenders, passengers should dress accordingly. They may be subjected to the sea’s waves (bumpy rides) and weather elements (sun, wind, and mist), increasing the likelihood of seasickness. When using tenders, it’s important to know the last tender boarding times to go ashore and to return to the ship to adhere to departure times and avoid late arrival and subsequently missing the tender or re-entry on the cruise ship.
What are tender tickets?
The cruise ship may require tender tickets, often issued in groups to those with excursions (shore activities) booked through the cruise ship, before being distributed to other passenger groups on a first-come, first-served basis. Passengers will meet and wait in designated areas to board tenders.
