Cruise Bill Surprises And How to Avoid Them This Year

21. Tender Boat Fees at Certain Ports

Not all cruise ports allow the ship to dock directly at a pier. In some locations, you’ll need to take a smaller tender boat from the ship to shore, and some cruise lines charge a fee for priority access to these boats. If you don’t pay, you may have to wait in long lines to get ashore, which can eat into your valuable port time. How to Avoid It: Check your cruise itinerary to see if any of your stops require tendering, and research whether your cruise line charges extra for faster service. If you want priority access without the fee, book a shore excursion through the cruise line, as many of these tours include priority tendering.