Docked vs. Tendered Cruise Ports: What It Means for Your Day
Docked means you walk off at a pier. Tendered means the ship stays at anchor and you ride a boat ashore, with the last boat as a deadline. Several ports in these guides can be either, depending on the berth.
It’s All Cruises · October 25, 2026
The way you leave the ship changes how much of the day is yours. A tender adds a queue at both ends. A dock can still be miles from the town you wanted, as Cozumel's southern piers are.
Quick facts
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Dock | A gangway to a pier or terminal |
| Tender | A ship-operated boat to a landing, if the ship assigns one |
| A tender time is not free time | The ride and the queue sit inside the hours ashore |
| Hours ashore | Not listed on the itinerary summaries |
| Cozumel | Three piers, not a tender in the port guide |
| Nassau | Downtown cruise piers at Prince George Wharf |
Ports where the arrival method is part of the plan
| Port | Recorded ways ashore | Practical consequence | Guide checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juneau | Downtown berths, Franklin or AJ Dock, or a tender landing if assigned | The dock name decides the walk. A tender uses the ship's landing | October 6, 2026 |
| Sitka | Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, or a tender if the ship is at anchor | The terminal is outside downtown. Tender arrival is downtown. The shuttle needs a reserved queue | October 6, 2026 |
| Ketchikan | Downtown docks or The Mill at Ward Cove | Ward Cove has a complimentary downtown shuttle. This is a dock split, not a tender | October 6, 2026 |
| Skagway | Cruise dock south of the historic district | Walk is possible if dock access is confirmed. SMART shuttle is US$3 each way or US$5 a day | October 6, 2026 |
| Icy Strait Point | Ocean Landing or Wilderness Landing | A free gondola connects the docks | October 6, 2026 |
| Cozumel | Punta Langosta, International Pier, Puerta Maya | Only Punta Langosta is the downtown walk | October 6, 2026 |
| Nassau | Prince George Wharf, downtown | Town is within walking reach | October 1, 2026 |
What a tender changes
- You cannot step ashore the moment the ship stops. You wait for a boat, and you leave time for the last one.
- Accessibility has to be arranged with the ship. A walking town does not make the tender accessible.
- An independent tour still has to match the tender window. The guide's times are not a promise that a ship tour fits.
- A dock is not automatically downtown. Ward Cove, Puerta Maya and the Sitka terminal are the examples.
- If the guide says the ship assigns the landing, do not plan from a map pin until the ship names it.
- All-aboard is the ship's time. Do not assume a phone clock matches it.
These rows are the port guides on the checked dates. Your sailing can be assigned a different berth.
Frequently asked questions
Is a tender unsafe?
The guides do not rate safety. They describe the method. A tender is a boat transfer with a queue.
Does docked mean I can walk to town?
No. Cozumel, Ketchikan and Sitka all have docks that are not the downtown walk.
Can the same port be docked one day and tendered the next?
Juneau and Sitka record both possibilities. The assignment is the ship's.
Should I book a long tour on a tender day?
Only if the timing still works with the boat. Tour duration is not the whole outing, and a fit with the sailing is Not listed.
Filed under ocean, shore days, supporting guide