Tender boats, or the ship’s lifeboats, have a surprisingly large capacity—but for normal tendering operations, they’re only ever filled to a level that’s comfortable for everybody.
The boats are enclosed to protect you from the sun, wind, and rain. They have comfortable seats and windows. They’re also stable and extremely safe.
Experienced crewmembers will help you on and off the tender once it’s safely secured to the embarkation area or the jetty. Safety rules are strictly observed; you can’t get up and walk around during a tender transfer, for example.
Panga in the Galapagos
In the Galapagos, where all forays ashore are by tender, the situation is different. You’ll board the ship’s pangas, or rigid inflatable boats, in small groups and zoom ashore to pull up on remote beaches or rocky landing areas.
Celebrity’s Edge series ships have the most state-of-the-art tenders in the business, with bucket seats, plenty of space, air conditioning (a rarity on a tender boat), and big picture windows so you can enjoy the views on your tender ride.
From time to time, tender operations will be in local boats where it’s a requirement of the port authority but the procedure and safety rules are exactly the same.