G&G Posted January 30, 2013 #1 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We recently visited HMC via the Ryndam on Tuesday, 01/08/13. It was our sixth time at HMC; never missed this stop (very lucky). It was a beautiful day, choppy waters where anchored and island tenders began at 9 AM. We were on the first tender; very easy to board. We had reserved a clamshell and stayed at HMC until 1:30 PM. So what was wrong ? Very few passengers came ashore !!! During our stay you could count on your fingers the number of people in the water. I counted only 5-6 passengers snorkeling including me. I would estimate only 10% of the lounge chairs were occupied ( I have been to HMC with 2 ships and all chairs were occupied) . We went to the barbeque lunch at noon. Usually there is a long line for the buffet. There was not many people getting food. I am really not complaining. It was truly paradise. The island to ourselves. When we got back to the ship I went to the Lido for a drink. To my surprise I found the missing passengers not at HMC, They had occupied all the lounge chairs and tables surrounding the pool. I guess paradise is fading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boytjie Posted January 30, 2013 #2 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Maybe there is nothing wrong with HMC! It could be that your cruise did not have many beach people on it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz chic Posted January 30, 2013 #3 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Hope it's like that for me in Feb. I'm not a fan of crowds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanner Posted January 30, 2013 #4 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I've heard numerous seasoned passengers say they are skipping HMC, it's the "same old thing". Well, we LOVE a quiet day at that beautiful beach. They can keep the BBQ, we'll eat back on the ship. Otherwise we love it when we get the chance to go there. It was even worth breaking my toe there when we were packing up a few years ago (smacked into my lounge chair). Lucky me, it was our last stop for that cruise. The ship's doc had already closed out his books when I hobbled in to get my toe taped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhcw Posted January 30, 2013 #5 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We have been to HMC....several times with both Hal and Carnival....also never missed due to weather!! The worst as far as crowding was on the Liberty in July...it was with close friends and our grandson. We had the Grand Cabana so it was nice...but the rest of the beach was soooo crowded. I would enjoy HMC without the crowds...especially the BBQ...it seems to be a zoo over there sometimes:):):) But I love HMC with or without the people....now Grand Turk is another story...if two ships are in I usually don't bother getting off the ship...way too crowded for the space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 30, 2013 #6 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Having been to HMC dozens of times. The thrill has gone out of it for us. Now that I have to use a walker/rollator -- I find it to hard to get around the island. When we did go over, we used to walk the beach and have a drink before heading back to the ship. The BBQ food doesn't interest us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmaPajama Posted January 30, 2013 #7 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Half Moon Cay was always our favorite beach stop. We absolutely loved that day. We would book a cabana and indulge ourselves with the butler service. The cost of a day like that has nearly tripled since we started doing it, and we now feel it's simply outrageous - for just 4 or 5 hours. We don't drink, so don't sit at the bars. We don't particularly enjoy the BBQ. We don't snorkel. We're not comfortable in a clamshell. So, for us - there's just no reason to go ashore anymore. A nice quiet day enjoying the scenery from the aft pool is more to our liking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted January 30, 2013 #8 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We sometimes stay on ship, wish we did not have to tender to get there, in past when we stayed on ship pool area was not crowded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
respondeat.cruiser Posted January 30, 2013 #9 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I loved HMC when I was there in December. What a beautiful beach! If they could add a pier, I think it would make a huge difference. RCI really did it right by adding a pier to Labadee. It's so much nicer to just walk off the ship and onto the beach, than to tender. Barring that, I think Carnival should either widen the channel to the tender pier, or add a 2nd channel so that there can be continuous tender traffic--rather than the having a "holding pattern." Getting people there quicker would make more people willing to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarpeian Rock Posted January 30, 2013 #10 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We were planning for a cabana last November on Zuiderdam; we cancelled those plans due to the price increase not making it worth it for us for 5 hours. We had done clamshells on 2 prior visits. Then I began thinking: I'm in an age range where sun exposure is a concern; so is my wife. Have had 2 small excisions of basal cell. On our last "clamshell" visit, between slathering on the SPF and wrapping various parts in towels, and long line for food, I had a crummy time. (We don't mind the tendering so much.) I came to realize that going through everything in order to lay there looking like Ramesses II for 5 hours, then spending an hour cleaning-up afterwards, just didn't appeal anymore. Given the demographic on a typical HAL cruise, I'm suspecting I'm not totally alone in some of these feelings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising-along Posted January 30, 2013 #11 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I would have loved that, I hate crowded beaches. When we go in March we're going to do the horseback riding by land and sea. Last time we had a cabana -- but now that they raised the price so much we won't be doing that again, it won't be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 30, 2013 #12 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We love HMC but there have been a few times when we don't go ashore. Sometimes if HMC is our last day, rather than first day of the cruise, I have too much packing and other things we want to do and we don't go to the island. (I don't travel light and we are often on Collectors cruise so have more than we would have if only gone one week.) And, the water can be cold there especially this time of year and I don't 'do' cold ocean water. How many folks were at the bars? Maybe there were lots at I Wish I could Stay Here Forever and the other bars? :) I never thought I'd read here someone wishing there were more fellow cruisers on the island with them. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&G Posted January 30, 2013 Author #13 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We love HMC but there have been a few times when we don't go ashore. Sometimes if HMC is our last day, rather than first day of the cruise, I have too much packing and other things we want to do and we don't go to the island. (I don't travel light and we are often on Collectors cruise so have more than we would have if only gone one week.) And, the water can be cold there especially this time of year and I don't 'do' cold ocean water. How many folks were at the bars? Maybe there were lots at I Wish I could Stay Here Forever and the other bars? :) I never thought I'd read here someone wishing there were more fellow cruisers on the island with them. :D Bars were empty. Water temperature was perfect. This was our first stop on a 14 day cruise. It was wonderful. Except my private snorkeling area on the east side of the island had been damaged by storms this past Hurricane season. No more sandy beaches, just rocks and little coral. Five of us braved the conditions but were disappointed with what we saw :mad: ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 30, 2013 #14 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Water may have been YOUR perfect :D but I like it WARM. :) This time of year, it's likely a bit chilly for some of us less brave folks but that isn't your point,,,,, I understand. Oh well, you got lucky. Hope you are always so lucky at HMC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuizer2 Posted January 30, 2013 #15 Share Posted January 30, 2013 When we got back to the ship I went to the Lido for a drink. To my surprise I found the missing passengers not at HMC, They had occupied all the lounge chairs and tables surrounding the pool. You answered your own question. The chair hogs did not want to give up their lounge chairs by the pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 30, 2013 #16 Share Posted January 30, 2013 You answered your own question. The chair hogs did not want to give up their lounge chairs by the pool. :D Bingo!!!! I wonder if HMC was first or last day of this cruise. I think that makes a differecne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&G Posted January 30, 2013 Author #17 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Water may have been YOUR perfect :D but I like it WARM. :) This time of year, it's likely a bit chilly for some of us less brave folks but that isn't your point,,,,, I understand. Oh well, you got lucky. Hope you are always so lucky at HMC. We live in the Tampa Bay area where the water temp's in the Summer reach close to 90 degrees; so 78 degrees at HMC is wonderful :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&G Posted January 30, 2013 Author #18 Share Posted January 30, 2013 :D Bingo!!!! I wonder if HMC was first or last day of this cruise. I think that makes a differecne. HMC was third day of 14 day cruise. Chair hogs were not an issue on this cruise. On sea days chairs at Lido pool were available until approx 11 AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esri Posted January 30, 2013 #19 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We live in the Tampa Bay area where the water temp's in the Summer reach close to 90 degrees; so 78 degrees at HMC is wonderful :D Oh, I love the ocean when it is 90 degrees! Everybody has their own preferences and, unfortunately, we cannot adjust the temperature at our whim! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted January 30, 2013 #20 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I have missed so many tenders here that is really ridiculous:rolleyes: the island is pretty - DH and I normally walk it (he is not a beach person), have a drink and head back to the ship. Last cruise on the Westerdam - we didn't get off - we packed and relaxed:) there were a lot of people on the island so the ship was pretty empty:D It just depend on the cruise. when our roll call had the Grand Oasis - we were there for the maximum time - but that's another experience all together:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 30, 2013 #21 Share Posted January 30, 2013 HMC was third day of 14 day cruise. Chair hogs were not an issue on this cruise. On sea days chairs at Lido pool were available until approx 11 AM. Did you sail from Tampa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&G Posted January 30, 2013 Author #22 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Did you sail from Tampa? YES, it was great; only 30 minute taxi ride from our house to the port. I wish HAL sailed more often from Tampa but I know the Skyway Bridge limits the size of ships into the Port of Tampa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuizer2 Posted January 30, 2013 #23 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Chair hogs were not an issue on this cruise. On sea days chairs at Lido pool were available until approx 11 AM. My post was intended to be a joke, not an actual comment on your experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted January 30, 2013 #24 Share Posted January 30, 2013 YES, it was great; only 30 minute taxi ride from our house to the port. I wish HAL sailed more often from Tampa but I know the Skyway Bridge limits the size of ships into the Port of Tampa You don't have to convince me. :) We sailed from Tampa two or maybe three times and would do so again happily. We had wonderful pre-cruise/post cruise stays at Marriott Waterside, walked miles around Tampa feeling very safe. Enjoyed your level topography with no hills.... great for walkers!!! The terminal was fast and easy to pass through and your airport served us just fine. Only difficulty was the morning fog can be rather extreme in Tampa and can hold up ships waiting to enter the harbor under 'said bridge'. We had great meals pre and post cruise and all our cruises from there were wonderful and Yes, we stopped at HMC all our cruises. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathfinderEss Posted January 30, 2013 #25 Share Posted January 30, 2013 When ever we have traveled to Florida for a cruise, we usually do btb. In saying that we have been to HMC so many times, we have gotten tired of it, but when we do get off, we have a drink maybe lunch and then back to the ship. If your not a beach person, there really is not much to do there. Might as well stay on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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