Question about Grand Cayman

[wwcruisers]

It's been several years since we've been there, and I simply cannot remember: Is Grand Cayman a docked or tender port? Thanks, everyone!

[omeinv]

Tender port. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[ipeeinthepool]

5 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

It's been several years since we've been there, and I simply cannot remember: Is Grand Cayman a docked or tender port? Thanks, everyone!

 

Tender port probably for my lifetime.   There is a group of cruise lines that have joined together to develop a plan to build some piers at Grand Cayman and a bidder was selected last month.  They are now in the process of finalizing the plan for the pier as well as a plan to continue to have the ships tender as they build the pier.

[twincheryl]

Tender port that has had very long lines to get back to the ship each time we’ve been there.  Make sure to allow at least an hour if you’re planning private excursions!

[Fouremco]

10 minutes ago, twincheryl said:

Tender port that has had very long lines to get back to the ship each time we’ve been there.  Make sure to allow at least an hour if you’re planning private excursions!

In my experience, there's no need to return more than a few minutes before the posted last tender time. If you are the only one there, you get the final tender. If there are hundreds in line ahead of you, they'll just keep sending tenders until the last passenger is aboard.

[gerelmx]

14 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

It's been several years since we've been there, and I simply cannot remember: Is Grand Cayman a docked or tender port? Thanks, everyone!

 

Hi Suzanne always has been a tender port, see you onboard the Eclipse in 39 days. Gerardo

[miched]

Tender port and often missed that port due to rough water conditions 

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[DENIE]

We did observe on our November 2019 Silhouette cruise that they used a local tender boat company rather than the ships lifeboats.  These were much bigger, so could carry more people, and were more "open" so did not feel stuffy.  We did not experience any long lines, and it seemed to work well.

[JFontaine]

7 hours ago, Fouremco said:

In my experience, there's no need to return more than a few minutes before the posted last tender time. If you are the only one there, you get the final tender. If there are hundreds in line ahead of you, they'll just keep sending tenders until the last passenger is aboard.

I’ve read that advice a few times recently.  What if nearly everyone took it?  Ship departs a few hours late, and it’s late for the next port of call, or worse, disembarkation. Wouldn’t it be better to recognize that tendering creates special challenges, and for the sake of everyone you should try not to cause a delay, and therefore appear at the tender dock at a reasonable time, if at all possible?

[George C]

Agree tender that may be missed because of weather. Normally just stay on the ship have done stingray city a few times, dislike tenders .

[Fouremco]

11 hours ago, JFontaine said:

I’ve read that advice a few times recently.  What if nearly everyone took it?  Ship departs a few hours late, and it’s late for the next port of call, or worse, disembarkation. Wouldn’t it be better to recognize that tendering creates special challenges, and for the sake of everyone you should try not to cause a delay, and therefore appear at the tender dock at a reasonable time, if at all possible?

If all ± 3,000 passengers arrived at the last minute to take a tender, there would definitely be a problem. Of course, there's also be a problem if all of the passengers arrived at the last minute to reboard a docked ship. But the reality is that passengers return to the ship in dribs and drabs over the course of the day, whether docked or using tenders. My example of hundreds of passengers waiting in line for the last scheduled tender was purely hypothetical and intended to advise inexperienced passengers that they didn't need to be ready to depart the island an hour or more in advance of the last tender as someone had suggested. Cruise lines are well aware of the reboarding habits of their passengers, and would simply adjust their last tender time if they found that there was a problem of the nature you describe.