What is the tender like at Half Moon Cay for an older person?

[voegcal]

Just wondering how much effort is required to board tender. Have cruised before but I think we've only tendered once. Not sure what to expect

[Essiesmom]

It's a very large tender, walk straight onto the upper level. You will have to walk down stairs to get off if you stay on the upper level. But you can walk down the HC ramp at the rear and then walk up a ramp at the front to get off. EM

 

 

 

If there are two ships there, the first to arrive will use the large tenders and the second will use ship's tenders.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Essiesmom

[aliaschief]

It can be difficult if the seas kick up and it gets rough. One time on the double decker it got really rough on our return to the ship. Transfer from tender to ship was quite precarious and you had to duck or be guillotined!

 

Smooth seas shouldn't be to difficult as we have witnessed many elderly with limitations tender successfully.

[jtl513]

Just wondering how much effort is required to board tender. Have cruised before but I think we've only tendered once. Not sure what to expect

Getting on and off the tender is easy ... no harder than the gangway at embarkation ... but you have to change between upper and lower tender decks each way. You board on the upper deck from the ship and debark on the island from the lower deck. Vice versa when returning. There is a ramp at the back of the tender which can be used instead of the stairs.

 

edit: sorry Essiesmom ... your post wasn't showing yet when I started. :)

Edited December 1, 2016 by jtl513

[voegcal]

Appreciate the info.

 

Love this forum :-)

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are actually 3 tenders -- 2 are large and are easy to get off and on. The third one is smaller and requires you to navigate stairs.

Since I use a walker/rollator, I have to wait for the larger tenders.

[navybankerteacher]

Like so much involved in cruising: it depends on the weather. I've it is flat calm, nobody with any sort of mobility has any problem. As it starts getting rough, more and more agility is required. If it is very rough, as happened on our last call at Half Moon, the tender we were on returning to the ship circled for about an hour before they maneuvered the ship to create something of a lee so they could bring the tender alongside and then essentially hand every passenger from the tender to crew on the ship - a process which took a long time and was very difficult for those with even slight mobility issues.

[Frank5]

Check the weather forecast before you board the tender. As previously indicated, it can be easy or difficult depending upon sea conditions which can change from the time you depart the ship until you return. If you enjoy a day at the beach, you will enjoy this stop.