Time it takes to tender, bus ride to beach and/or turtle farm

if our day in port is 8am-4pm, how much actual time will we have on the island?

 

My husband just wants to go to 7 mile beach in the morning for a little while (he can't do all day in the sun). I thought me and the kids would go with him and then we'd all go back to the ship for lunch.

 

I was also thinking of going back out with the kids to the turtle farm, but with having to tender ashore and back, and the ride to/from the turtle farm, I'm afraid there might not be enough hours in the day.

 

From what I've gathered, we might need to estimate an hour for tendering in the morning, but maybe only 30 min at less busy times. How long is the ride to/from the beach? How long to/from the turtle farm?

 

Worse comes to worse we will skip the turtle farm. And my husband can't do the beach in the afternoon either bc the sun is too strong.

 

Any advice welcome! Thanks in advance!

I would tender to port...hop on the bus to the turtle farm and then hit the beach on the way back. The Seagrape/public beach area has food, drink, chair/umbrella rentals, restrooms, watersport rentals, so you can spend time there...then walk to the road...hop on the bus back to the tender. Be aware that the traffic heading BACK to the DOCK is awful in the afternoon, so you will want to leave the beach by 2 or so...you will need to be IN LINE for the last tender before 3:30.

 

The sun is strong....45 mins. will do almost anyone.....hubby can shelter under the umbrella, or at the restaurant on the beach!

Thanks. That was actually my original plan, but DH wanted to be at the beach early and didn't care for turtle farm...however with the logistics to consider I think he will not have a choice :) I am too petrified of a bus never showing up or getting caught in traffic and missing sail away!

Getting off the ship, the first half hour of tenders, there is a long long line on every ship.... can take 30+ minutes to get on a tender. If you wait the half hour, it will be shorter.

 

Getting back to the ship ---- Tender lines at GC can be an hour+ long, so keep that in mind. For the 2 hours prior to sailing, there is always a LONG line waiting.

I was there last Feb '16. water was so rough, we could not tender in..

was VERY disappointed.

my question is, we were told then, that there were plans that had just been approved,

for a "new" multi ship port facility.

have not read/seen any mention of this...

what is the status of this construction?

I will be heading back there next Feb. '18

tks all :D

Chris

well we opted to skip the beach and do only the turtle farm. we docked at 8am, and got in the lounge for tender tickets at 8:30. Had a few minutes wait, and a short ride...we were at the dock and walking towards the bus depot/library before 9am...and arrived at the turtle farm by 9:30am. Easy!

 

we'll have to just go back to Grand Cayman again to visit 7 mile beach. with several ships in port, and the early afternoon departure, i started to figure that any time we squeeze in at the beach will not be quiet or relaxing. so we just went back to the ship for lunch and pool time onboard!

Thanks. That was actually my original plan, but DH wanted to be at the beach early and didn't care for turtle farm...however with the logistics to consider I think he will not have a choice :) I am too petrified of a bus never showing up or getting caught in traffic and missing sail away!

we did the turtle farm on our own off of Magic this time we are booking an excursion through the ship to get off faster the bus ride was better that the taxi we too and a lot cheaper. We had a long wait to get off so we just got to do the Turtle Farm the kids really liked it I just wished we had been able to get off the ship faster there is a beach and a bus stop just out side the Turtle Farm

well we opted to skip the beach and do only the turtle farm. we docked at 8am, and got in the lounge for tender tickets at 8:30. Had a few minutes wait, and a short ride...we were at the dock and walking towards the bus depot/library before 9am...and arrived at the turtle farm by 9:30am. Easy!

 

we'll have to just go back to Grand Cayman again to visit 7 mile beach. with several ships in port, and the early afternoon departure, i started to figure that any time we squeeze in at the beach will not be quiet or relaxing. so we just went back to the ship for lunch and pool time onboard!

 

Meab what time did you leave the Turtle Farm to get back to the dock to catch the tender back to the ship? How was the traffic?