PerkJolt destination guide
Cruise Ports 101: Tendering, All-Aboard, and Not Getting Left Behind
How tendering, all-aboard times and ship time really work, what happens if you miss the ship, and a printable port-day checklist for any cruise line.

Why this guide
12 chapters, day by day
A 12-chapter plan with a day-by-day route, where to stay, what to skip and a half-day cut for each day.
Costs traced to official pages
2 prices, fees and rules carry the date we checked them and the official page to re-check.
Rain plans and backup days
Every day has a rain plan and a shorter version for when you run out of time or energy.
A sample day from the guide
- Inside Docked vs tendered: how tendering works, priority tender tickets, who gets delayed
- Inside Ship time vs local time and the all-aboard rule
- Inside Ship excursions vs DIY: the real trade-off
- Inside If you miss the ship: what actually happens
- Inside Port-day logistics: pier-to-town distances, shuttles, taxis, haggling, cash
- Inside Private islands: what's included vs paid
- Inside Safety and scams in ports
Free lite guide
Free lite guide: the at-a-glance plan, when to go and where to stay.
- Lite guide
Full guide adds
- Start here
- 1. Docked vs tendered: how tendering works, priority tender tickets, who gets delayed
- 2. Ship time vs local time and the all-aboard rule
- 3. Ship excursions vs DIY: the real trade-off
- 4. If you miss the ship: what actually happens
- 5. Port-day logistics: pier-to-town distances, shuttles, taxis, haggling, cash
- 6. Private islands: what's included vs paid
- 7. Safety and scams in ports
- 8. Port-day packing and documents
- 9. Printable: port-day checklist and "if you miss the ship" card
- 10. Update notes
- SOURCES
What’s inside
Read the full guide online in your PerkJolt account.
12 chapters · About 21 pages (estimated) · Maps: count pending · Photos: count pending
Table of contents
- Start here
- Docked vs tendered: how tendering works, priority tender tickets, who gets delayed
- Ship time vs local time and the all-aboard rule
- Ship excursions vs DIY: the real trade-off
- If you miss the ship: what actually happens
- Port-day logistics: pier-to-town distances, shuttles, taxis, haggling, cash
- Private islands: what's included vs paid
- Safety and scams in ports
- Port-day packing and documents
- Printable: port-day checklist and "if you miss the ship" card
- Update notes
- Sources
Sample
Try the complete first chapter before you buy. No email or account required.
Sample spread images are not yet available for this guide.
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Questions
What is included?
The full 12-chapter guide: the day-by-day plan, where to stay, costs with the dates we checked them, what is not worth it, backup plans. You read it online in your PerkJolt library.
Who is it for?
Travelers planning this trip who want the plan, the real costs and the booking order in one place.
Does it cover points and miles?
It focuses on the plan and the costs; our points guides cover programs and transfers in depth.
How current is it?
Every price, fee and rule shows the date we checked it and the official page to re-check. Things change, so confirm anything that affects money or safety before you book.
Can I get every guide instead?
Yes. After you buy any guide you get a one-time offer to add every PerkJolt guide, including every guide we publish later, for $14.99.
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