Going ashore
Tender operations
Wherever possible, your ship will dock at a quayside allowing you to come and go as you please via the ship’s gangway. Sometimes the ship will anchor at sea and tenders will offer a free and frequent service ashore, such ports are represented by⚓︎ symbol in our brochure. Depending on the number of people wishing to go ashore, you can normally expect to be ashore about an hour after the time of arrival. The◉ symbol in our brochure indicates ports that we usually berth alongside but at which, in exceptional circ*mstances, we may need to anchor the ship at sea. While the ship is in port, naturally the restaurants, bars and other facilities (except the shops) are available.
A tender is a small vessel that carries around 100 passengers. In order to board the tender, please note that you will be required to use steps (up to 20cm/8 inches high) and navigate the gap between the platform and the tender (of up to 45cm/18 inches).
In the interests of safety, we require all guests wishing to use the tenders to have sufficient independent mobility to negotiate steps and traverse a gap of up to 45 cm/18 inches. Anyone wishing to board the tender will need to demonstrate this ability via a mobility test prior to tender embarkation by stepping unaided over a distance of 45 cm/18 inches. Children who are unable to step across a gap of this size will be permitted to use the tender service provided their parent/guardian is able to demonstrate that they can carry or pass them safely across the mobility test gap.
There will be crew members there to guide and steady you as you embark, but they cannot support, carry or lift guests on board the tender for safety reasons. Please wear appropriate, flat, and securely attached footwear, when embarking and disembarking the tender.
If you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, please note that you or your travelling companion are responsible for assembling and disassembling your wheelchair/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.
If you have notified us that you have reduced mobility you will be invited to a tender briefing on board and given the opportunity to take part in the mobility assessment (described above) in advance. This must be completed independently, without any assistance.
If an officer decides it is not safe for you to board a tender, please respect their decision as this decision is taken to ensure your safety, in accordance with health and safety law.
Shuttle buses
With our Select Prices, shuttle buses will be offered free of charge in ports where they are provided by P&O Cruises. If you have opted for an Early Saver or Saver price, you will need to pay a supplement for any shuttle buses in port. The prices for the shuttle bus vary by port and will be advised once on board. As a guide, they are usually £4 to £5 per person each way.
Please be aware that in consideration of health and safety, tour providers/coach operators reserve the right to refuse carriage to any guest who is unable to negotiate the steps of the coach independently.
Please note that water taxis in Venice will be available at a supplement and are not included in the shuttle bus provision for Select Price.
Port information
In some countries we’ve listed the main destination in the itinerary and shown the port in brackets e.g. Rome (from Civitavecchia). In these circ*mstances we take you to the port advertised and then offer shore experiences to reach the main destination. Where the ship berths some distance from the port centre, guests who wish to go ashore independently will usually find local public transport connections and private taxis close to the ship. We also offer shuttle buses in some ports. These are free of charge if you book a Select Price holiday (See ‘Shuttle bus’ section above.)
There are certain ports (where alternative local transport options are limited or where there are health & safety reasons), where we will offer free shuttle buses to all guests regardless of whether you have booked under Select Price or other promotional prices. For full details on our fare types please see our ‘Pricing’ section on page 2.
Time in port
For Grand Tours and World Cruise the time the ship will be in port is displayed as Half day, Full day, Evening and Two full days – see below for a description of each:
Half day – A half day call will usually be a minimum of 5 hours and a maximum of 7 hours.
Full day – Normally a full day call will be a minimum of 7. hours and a maximum of 11 hours.
Evening – Will usually follow a full day in port and the ship will depart at or after 9pm.
Two full days – Normally will be a minimum call of 32 hours and a maximum call of 40 hours.
Please note that the timings given above are based on the ship’s arrival and departure times, not the length of time you will have ashore.
These are intended as guidelines only as the actual times may vary. We will keep you regularly updated of arrival and departure times while you are on board.
On all fly-cruises, the amount of time you can spend in your embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited and depends on your flight times. Shore experiences will be available for purchase where time and other factors permit.
For all other cruises featured in the brochure, we have used a☾ symbol to denote evenings in port and a★ to denote an overnight in port within the itinerary. Any consecutive (or multiple) days in port are summarised beneath each itinerary.
All ships entering the United States are required to go through the US Immigration Services immigration procedures. This process can take up to half a day, and whilst we endeavour to minimise the impact this may have on your holiday, it may impact your first day in a US port. Guests booked on a P&O Cruises shore experience are not affected by this process.
The impact on immigration requirements resulting from the UK exit from the EU is currently unknown.
