How often missed Western Caribbean ports?

[Netta7]

We are traveling at the end of March on the NA Western Caribbean cruise. We very much understand that some ports may be missed due to seas, weather, etc. While I always love an extra sea day and will have no complaints, I am wondering the odds of missing a port for our March trip. Can any of the wonderful, experienced cruisers give us their perspective? Is this an extremely low, middle or high chance? My humble guess is very low, but I don't know.

 

We are going to HMC (tender), Grand Cayman (tender), Roatan and Costa Maya.

 

Thank you for planner patience!!!

 

Netta7

[gilby]

I have bee to Costa Maya twice and have missed it twice. Good luck, it just depends on the seas.

[kazu]

Unlike many - we have missed HMC more times than I can count.

 

We have been unlucky - from what I have read it is at least a 50% chance.

 

Only been to Grand Cayman once and it was a non issue

 

sorry, that is the most I can help:)

[Netta7]

Thank you! This is very helpful. Were you traveling in March?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We have been to Half Moon Cay many times and we have beat the odds and made it each and every time. Although our one and only Princess cruise we did not make our scheduled stop at Princess Cays. We joked that the Holland America Goddess did not want us there :D All of the rest of the ports are unfortunately ports that depending on the winds and seas can be difficult. Oddly again we have never missed any of those ports. We have been to Roatan three times, the first time the Captain had a very hard time docking at Mahogany Bay and announced he would try it a third time and if the winds did not cooperate we would have to miss but we made it. Costa Maya have made it both times, and I have lost count the number of times at Grand Caymans but again have been lucky but I know of plenty that have not made the tender stop.

Best advise is plan for the worst and be thrilled making it to all of them.Just remember if you do not make it, it is because the Captain and the cruise line are looking out for your safety :)

[sail7seas]

Out of about 20+ times scheduled to stop at HMC, we've missed it maybe 20-25% of the time.

 

We have missed Grand Cayman a few times.

 

Odds are strong you'll make all your ports but if you were to miss one, HMC would be the most likely.

 

[PathfinderEss]

We have missed Grand Cayman once, but never HMC. Kind of the luck of the draw. We usually travel to the Caribbean in the fall and winter.

[Jalex63]

By the reports I have heard some of the calls are missed from time to time due to uncontrollable adverse weather conditions. However I guess we have been pretty lucky as in all our cruising we have only missed one port and that was at Cozumel a couple of years ago aboard the Ryndam. Being an older ship with conventional propulsion the captain could just not risk holding it away from the shallows next to the pier as we were faced with 40 kt crosswinds.

[Ineke]

The chances of missing HMC are about 30% I understand, 50% for us. I don't know about the rest.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have missed HMC quite a few times -- over 50% of the time.

Grand Cayman a couple of times -- Costa Maya once.

We seem to make those ports in March but miss them more often when we sail in November and December and January.

[retafcruiser]

From what I have observed, Grand Caymen is about a 33% chance of being missed. The cruise lines always blame weather/sea conditions being too adverse for tendering. In reality (from inside information) it is sometimes skipped due to too many ships trying to visit at once. The Caymeners (word?) put a limit on cruise visitors to avoid extreme overcrowding. Have you ever been to St Thomas when six or more ships arrive on the same day? :eek:

[sail7seas]

GrandCayman is very effective at limiting how many cruisers can be ashore at one time as they refuse to build a better dock. If the enlarge the dock where tenders go or even built a dock ships could tie up at, they would have more visitors. They don't want any more. They are not as dependent upon travel revenue as other islands..... they have all those banks. :)

 

[Randyk47]

GrandCayman is very effective at limiting how many cruisers can be ashore at one time as they refuse to build a better dock. If the enlarge the dock where tenders go or even built a dock ships could tie up at, they would have more visitors. They don't want any more. They are not as dependent upon travel revenue as other islands..... they have all those banks. :)

 

 

I'd always heard/been told that Grand Cayman doesn't have or want a deep port pier because of environmental considerations, specifically potential damage to the reef system. Are you saying if it was strictly an economic consideration, meaning they only had or needed more tourism, that they'd say to heck with the reef and build a major pier?

[peaches from georgia]

The day we were at GC there were 8 cruise ships anchored and tendering. It was a zoo. I stayed on the ship, but DH decided to go ashore. It took so long for tenders to take their turn docking and disembarking pax and then to reload and leave he was gone several hours and all he did was tender and come back.

 

Everybody we knew who tendered in was very unhappy and said never again. It was more crowded than St. Thomas.

[sail7seas]

I'd always heard/been told that Grand Cayman doesn't have or want a deep port pier because of environmental considerations, specifically potential damage to the reef system. Are you saying if it was strictly an economic consideration, meaning they only had or needed more tourism, that they'd say to heck with the reef and build a major pier?

 

 

It likely is both reasons but they fully know how inadequate their tender dock is and they are fine with leaving it that way.

 

The present dock makes for miserable tendering experience if there are several ships in.

In the last several years, there was some question about Grand Cayman permitting larger dock but they turned down the proposal.

 

 

[DeepWaterMariner]

We've missed HMC and have missed Grand Cayman but your chances are pretty good of making Grand Cayman in March. We've never missed Costa Maya (I've lost count of how many times we've been there) or Roatan.

 

I understand why Grand Cayman wouldn't want to build a pier for cruise ships. The harbor area is very close to some terrific snorkeling and dive spots and they certainly would be adversely affected.

[ellieanne]

I've missed Costa Maya once. I never missed Half Moon Cay or Grand Cayman, though one time coming from Grand Cayman there was an issue "bringing the anchor home" and the ship dragged the anchor to the next port. We were about 6 hours late into the next port, so many people missed shore excursions and there was much unhappiness aboard.

 

Also, on a different line, we had engine trouble leaving Key West and were forced to stay over night in port. We missed Cozumel on that cruise due to time constraints.

[Himself]

I have missed HMC about half the time I was scheduled to stop there. I have never missed any of the Ports in the Western Caribbean.

[lovetocruise2020]

I am willing to bet $$$ since we have never missed a port we will miss alot on our upcoming N.A. cruise in Nov. I already bet D.H.

 

Here's praying and hoping for good weather!!!