Cruise Ship Shore Excursion Tender Operations SOP

Standard procedure for managing cruise ship shore excursion tender operations, including ticket issuance, boarding sequence, passenger count verification, weather-based go/no-go decisions, and last tender return communication.

Steps

• The deck officer verifies tender operating conditions and readiness
  Confirm that weather, sea state, visibility, port instructions, and vessel maneuvering conditions are within the approved operating tolerance before any passengers are called to the embarkation area.
• The tender coordinator reconciles the passenger manifest and excursion roster
  Compare the active passenger list against the approved excursion roster and identify any missing, duplicate, or unauthorized names before ticketing begins.
• The guest services team issues tender tickets only to authorized passengers
  Issue a tender ticket or digital boarding authorization only after the passenger has been verified against the approved roster.
• The tender coordinator communicates the boarding sequence and last tender return time
  Announce the boarding order, any priority groups, and the exact last tender return time using the approved communications channel.
• The deck officer controls the boarding area and confirms it is safe
  Keep passengers behind the marked line, maintain clear access to the gangway, and verify that the embarkation area is free of slip, trip, and crush hazards before boarding is opened.
• The tender coordinator boards passengers in the approved sequence
  Board passengers in the assigned order and stop immediately if the sequence is disrupted, capacity is approached, or an unauthorized passenger attempts to board.
• The tender marshal verifies the passenger count before departure
  Count all boarded passengers and reconcile the total against the approved manifest before the tender is released from the embarkation point.
• The bridge or designated authority evaluates weather changes and decides whether to continue
  Review current wind, swell, lightning, visibility, and docking conditions and issue a clear go, delay, suspend, or recall decision before the next rotation begins.
• The tender coordinator authorizes the next tender run
  Release the next tender only after the prior verification steps are complete and the go decision has been confirmed by the designated authority.
• The responsible officer escalates the non-conformance and suspends tender movement
  Log the deviation, notify the master or designated authority, and keep the tender paused until the unsafe condition is resolved or the operation is formally suspended.
• The tender coordinator verifies the return passenger count at last tender
  Perform a final headcount, reconcile all returning passengers against the manifest, and confirm no one remains unaccounted for before the gangway is secured.