What is a tender port? How cruise tendering works and how to make it easy

What is a tender port on a cruise?

A tender port is a port where the cruise ship doesn’t tie up at a pier. Instead it anchors, or holds position, offshore, and passengers ride small boats called tenders between the ship and a landing dock. Your itinerary or cruise line app usually notes which ports are tender ports.

Tendering adds time and a little uncertainty to a port day, but it also opens up places big ships couldn’t otherwise visit. Some of the most memorable stops on popular itineraries are tender ports, including Santorini’s volcanic caldera and the harbor at Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.

Why do cruise ships tender instead of docking?

Ships tender for practical reasons, and often more than one applies at the same port.

• There’s no cruise pier, or the pier is too small for a large ship.
• The water near shore is too shallow for the ship’s draft.
• All available berths are taken by other ships that day.
• Local rules limit large ships at the waterfront to protect a historic town or reef.
• The setting itself, such as a caldera or a narrow bay, makes docking impossible.

How tendering works, step by step

On the morning of a tender port, the ship anchors and the crew lowers tender boats or meets local boats at a platform low on the ship’s side. For the first few hours, the ship controls the flow so the tenders aren’t overwhelmed.

• Tender tickets: many ships hand out numbered tickets or assign times in a lounge or theater, or through the app, then call numbers in order.
• Ship excursion guests: usually meet at a set time and go ashore first, so tours can start on schedule.
• Priority guests: suite guests and top-tier loyalty members often get priority tenders.
• Open tendering: once the morning rush passes, anyone can usually go straight to the tender platform without a ticket.
• Returning: tenders run back to the ship continuously through the day, until the last tender time in the daily schedule.

How long does a tender ride take?

Most tender rides take somewhere between a few minutes and around 20 minutes, depending on how far offshore the ship anchors. Some ports are longer: in Belize City, for example, ships anchor well offshore because of shallow water, and the ride can be considerably longer.

The waiting is usually the bigger factor. In the first hour or two of a busy tender day, expect to wait for your number to be called, and on the way back, lines can build in the hour before the last tender. Planning around those peaks makes tendering painless.

Famous tender ports on popular cruise itineraries

You’ll find tender ports on almost every type of itinerary. These are some of the best known.

• George Town, Grand Cayman: there’s no cruise pier, so ships anchor off the waterfront and tender guests in.
• Belize City, Belize: shallow coastal waters mean ships anchor far out.
• Santorini, Greece: ships anchor inside the caldera and tender to the Old Port below Fira, then guests ride the cable car or climb the steps.
• Villefranche-sur-Mer, France: the gateway to Nice and Monaco, served by tender in a sheltered bay.
• Bar Harbor, Maine: ships anchor in Frenchman Bay and tender guests to the town pier near Acadia National Park.
• Avalon, Catalina Island: a regular stop on Mexican Riviera and California cruises, reached by tender.
• Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and Bora Bora, French Polynesia: both are tender ports on Pacific itineraries.

Can tender ports be canceled?

Yes. Tendering depends on calm enough seas for small boats to come alongside the ship safely. Strong winds or swells can make it too risky, and the captain may decide to skip the port, sometimes after the ship has already arrived and tried. Tender ports are more likely to be skipped for weather than ports with a pier.

If a tender port is canceled, cruise line excursions are refunded, and the day usually becomes a sea day or, occasionally, a stop at a substitute port. If you booked independent tours in a tender port, choose operators that refund you when the ship can’t land passengers.

Tendering with limited mobility or a wheelchair

Tendering can be difficult with limited mobility. You step from the ship’s platform onto a moving boat and later onto a dock, often with crew helping you across a gap. Many tenders have steps, and boats move with the swell even on calm days.

Policies vary by line, ship and sea conditions. Some ships can accommodate folding wheelchairs, while scooters and heavy power chairs often can’t go on tenders. If you use a mobility aid, contact your line’s accessibility team before you book and ask the tender staff on the day, since the final decision is made for safety at the time.

Tips for an easy tender day

A little timing goes a long way on tender days. These habits help you skip most of the waiting.

• If you don’t have a morning tour, have a leisurely breakfast and go ashore mid-morning, when you can often walk straight onto a tender.
• If you need to be ashore early for an independent tour, collect a tender ticket as soon as distribution opens, or book the ship’s tour instead.
• Return well before the last tender. Aim for at least an hour early, because late-afternoon lines can be long.
• Wear shoes with good grip and keep your hands free for the step on and off the boat.
• Bring a small dry bag for your phone, and take motion-sickness remedies if you’re sensitive, since tenders rock more than the ship.
• Carry your key card and ID; you’ll need them to reboard.

Frequently asked questions