Tender in St Thomas question

[tink5697]

We have a little dispute going on here regarding tendering in St Thomas.

My MIL thinks that she will have time to:

get off the ship
go up on the Paradise Point Tramway
go into some shops up there
come back down
get back on the ship
eat lunch on the ship
get back off the ship to meet the Doubloon Sail tour at noon.

I say (Without any real solid knowledge) that time wise with tenders, this is just sounds NOT logically possible. Am I wrong?

How much time does it actually take to tender on and off the ship? CAN you get on and off at your leisure? I imagine that to be nearly impossible unless you have no time restraints.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[KAMLEM]

I don't know what you will have time to fit in but when we went to St. Thomas in August of 2002 we didn't have to tender, we docked. Is this new?

 

[tink5697]

Hmmmm....I just recently saw a webcam of St Thomas and The Magic was anchored away from the dock.
Is it perhaps certain times of the year??

 

[Grumbo]

Hmmm I don't know where or how far you have to go for the Doubloon Sail tour but we were off the ship with the tender last month by 0850 hours and that was with a screw up with immigration. That gives you a little over 3 hours at the dock. The tramway is only about a 10 minute cab drive. You then have to enjoy that, get back to docks and shopping.
Don't honestly think you would be able to do all of that and not be constantly looking at your watch, worrying and getting stressed.

Think you may have to just prioritize what is really important. Think I'd just eat in town (unless you have to be back on the ship because it is a DCL excursion.).

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[tink5697]

See, there is even more to the story. I think MIL thought that the tramway was at the end of the pier ofr something, LOL

 

[christinou]

If you dock, then she will be able to do it, as the tramway is close to the dock, if you tender in, it might be tight, as she will have to tender in then get a cab to the tramway.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by tink5697
We have a little dispute going on here regarding tendering in St Thomas.

How much time does it actually take to tender on and off the ship? CAN you get on and off at your leisure? I imagine that to be nearly impossible unless you have no time restraints.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Jen...you'll be able to tell if we're tendering or docking soon, I'll post the link on yahoo that I have to the site that lists which ships are docking, etc. at St. Thomas on which days.

 

[TheWog]

If you tender in it may be tight. We were supposed to dock, but ended up tendering. Not a problem, but may impact your timeframes. Depends on how long immigration takes and from the sounds of it there is always a delay. Also I think excursion tenders get first priority to get people off the ship. There also was a lot of traffic on the road from the tender area to the Tramway and the ship pier - both ways.

 

[jrabbit]

THe Magic usually docks in St. Thomas. However in the past 6 months or so she has been at anchor way more frequently than in the past. I really don't know why.