Tendering at HMC - what to expect?

I will be having my first trip ever to HMC soon. I am super excited for it! This will be the first time I ever went to a tender port, so I'm not quite sure what to expect. What is the average wait time for the average person to get there? Would I have to wait in line for hours? If I bought any excursion, do I get priority tendering? I'm generally not a fan of FTTF, but for $60, I might do it here.

Half Moon Cay is such an amazing, heavenly beach, hope you have fun! One way to get on tender early is to go just before they start handing out the tender tickets, to make sure you're in an early group. Then once you have your early ticket you can relax and wait for the overhead announcements for your group and tender station. Pride has two, if I recall correctly. You don't need water shoes at HMC, the soft sand underwater is deep and there are no shells, rocks or anything but sand.

Check out the drone footage!

Half Moon Cay is such an amazing, heavenly beach, hope you have fun! One way to get on tender early is to go just before they start handing out the tender tickets, to make sure you're in an early group. Then once you have your early ticket you can relax and wait for the overhead announcements for your group and tender station. Pride has two, if I recall correctly. You don't need water shoes at HMC, the soft sand underwater is deep and there are no shells, rocks or anything but sand.

 

Check out the drone footage!

agreed. Keep your fingers crosses mother nature cooperates have missed it more than once

Gosh, we wouldn't book FTTF for the hope (sometimes cancelled) of having a port stop at HMC and being the first to get off.

HMC is large so being the first off is no big deal. ;)

I will be having my first trip ever to HMC soon. I am super excited for it! This will be the first time I ever went to a tender port, so I'm not quite sure what to expect. What is the average wait time for the average person to get there? Would I have to wait in line for hours? If I bought any excursion, do I get priority tendering? I'm generally not a fan of FTTF, but for $60, I might do it here.

Unless it's important to you to have ALL of the benefits that are included with FTTF, just buying it to have priority tendering to HMC would be a waste of money. Keep in mind that you'd get priority tendering only to HMC, but not for returning to the ship. There will be at least two, and possibly three, tender boats going back and forth between the ship and the island. If you want to be among the first to step foot on HMC, get up early and go have an early breakfast. Then be among the first to get your tickets for the tender boat. Once you're there, you'll see that there are plenty of lounge chairs along the beach. Most people tend to congregate near the Pirate Ship bar, and that section of the beach, up to about cabana #7 or #8, gets pretty crowded. If you go towards cabana #9, or further, you'll see that it gets less crowded as you get farther away from the bar. There is a pathway between cabana #10 and #11 that leads to the restrooms and the buffet area where lunch will be served. If you don't want to walk very far along the beach, there is a tram at the Welcome Center that takes people to specific stopping points, on a paved road, along the way. Go to Youtube and type "Half Moon Cay' in the search bar. There are lots of videos posted that will give you an idea of what to expect.

FIL waited really really early to get off the ship and he was like tender 10. its best to have FTTF.

Unless it's important to you to have ALL of the benefits that are included with FTTF, just buying it to have priority tendering to HMC would be a waste of money.

Agree with the above! (y)

Unless ALL benefits of the FTTF are important to you, it's not worth it just for HMC.

You will NOT wait for hours! Have a leisurely breakfast, and get in the tender line. You will get on the next tender. It's not the big deal you're thinking it is!

Lots of folks never leave the ship. Many folks aren't in a rush to get off....it's really not a huge headache! There is PLENTY of room for everyone on HMC, whether you are there first or last. No worries!

You will NOT wait for hours! Have a leisurely breakfast, and get in the tender line. You will get on the next tender. It's not the big deal you're thinking it is!

Lots of folks never leave the ship. Many folks aren't in a rush to get off....it's really not a huge headache! There is PLENTY of room for everyone on HMC, whether you are there first or last. No worries!

HMC is a tendered port that has a high number of guests going to shore.

All cruisers that bought an excursion on HMC board first.. Plat/Diamond and FTTF sometimes can get on those first tenders but sometimes not.

After those tenders are done normally there is a large backup for those with a number, plus the P/D/FTTF are trying to get on. Nowadays the staff send the V/D/FTTF down a different route as not to make the others mad that someone is going ahead.

Personally with the early time to board, going to your cabin right away and the perk of early tendering is worth the money... and believe me Plats and Diamonds have "paid" for the perk! Soon we will be on our 18th Carnival cruise...

We booked the Villa and were first off the ship. Look into the cabana or a villa. We renewed our vows on a empty beach and took awesome pictures before the crowds

We booked the Villa and were first off the ship. Look into the cabana or a villa. We renewed our vows on a empty beach and took awesome pictures before the crowds

I would probably do it if we had a big group. Since it is just two of us, a cabana or villa is kind of overkill.

HMC is a tendered port that has a high number of guests going to shore.

All cruisers that bought an excursion on HMC board first.. Plat/Diamond and FTTF sometimes can get on those first tenders but sometimes not.

After those tenders are done normally there is a large backup for those with a number, plus the P/D/FTTF are trying to get on. Nowadays the staff send the V/D/FTTF down a different route as not to make the others mad that someone is going ahead.

Personally with the early time to board, going to your cabin right away and the perk of early tendering is worth the money... and believe me Plats and Diamonds have "paid" for the perk! Soon we will be on our 18th Carnival cruise...

Yea, I can't imagine a bunch of people would want to stay on the boat for this one. I really don't believe in FTTF though. I usually target getting on the ship around 1:30. Not too late to miss lunch, but I also stay at a hotel before, and enjoy the relaxation there. I honestly have no interest getting on the boat 2 hours earlier.

So if I wake up early, let's say 7 am, what kind of position would I have on the tender? Would they let me grab the tickets for two people, or do both need to be there?

Is there a way to check what Carnival poets are tendered? I am book on the Breeze for August 2019. I remember one of my Carnival Cruise we went up early in the morning and got tender passes by the pool deck to get off on an island then they had everyone meet inside of a big room where they do the shows because the weather was “choppy” and they were letting people on by the sections that they were sitting. So at that point it really didn’t matter what number that you had except for the diamond and suite guest they had them wait on one section on the first few rows.

Is there a way to check what Carnival poets are tendered? I am book on the Breeze for August 2019. I remember one of my Carnival Cruise we went up early in the morning and got tender passes by the pool deck to get off on an island then they had everyone meet inside of a big room where they do the shows because the weather was “choppy” and they were letting people on by the sections that they were sitting. So at that point it really didn’t matter what number that you had except for the diamond and suite guest they had them wait on one section on the first few rows.

"Carnival poets"? I am Sam. Sam I am. I do not like green eggs and ham. :rolleyes:

So looking forward to HMC on our cruise as well!!

I will be having my first trip ever to HMC soon. I am super excited for it! This will be the first time I ever went to a tender port, so I'm not quite sure what to expect. What is the average wait time for the average person to get there? Would I have to wait in line for hours? If I bought any excursion, do I get priority tendering? I'm generally not a fan of FTTF, but for $60, I might do it here.

The tender ride from the ship to HMC is less than 10 minutes. There are multiple tenders that sail back and forth all day and hold over 100 passengers. Those that don't make it onto the first set of tenders really won't have to wait terribly long for other tenders.

Also know that a buffet lunch on the island is included.

Once you get to the island, don't stop at the first set of lounge chairs. Walk to your right as it will be less crowded.

PLAY WITH THE SAND!!!! It is as soft as fine flour. I've never felt anything like it. I could not stop sifting the sand through my fingers.

its actually probably the smoothest tender port I have ever experienced. Never too crowded, a quick ride, and very beautiful.

 

Yea, I can't imagine a bunch of people would want to stay on the boat for this one.

It depends on the passengers on board. Some of us see HMC as just a nice beach and the best way to enjoy it is to tender over after the crowds stampede the tenders and tendering is open. We enjoy a nice dip in the water and head back to the ship for a relaxing, air conditioned lunch in the Lido (much better selection than the fare on HMC).

It depends on the passengers on board. Some of us see HMC as just a nice beach and the best way to enjoy it is to tender over after the crowds stampede the tenders and tendering is open. We enjoy a nice dip in the water and head back to the ship for a relaxing, air conditioned lunch in the Lido (much better selection than the fare on HMC).

As folks that dont love big beach crowds either, we often walk way down the beach past the majority of people. Usually not as many or any chairs or whatnot, but sometimes nice to just relax in a little more peaceful setting.

"Carnival poets"? I am Sam. Sam I am. I do not like green eggs and ham. :rolleyes:

????? What’s that suppose to mean?

????? What’s that suppose to mean?

Someone who thinks he is a poet:):):):):'):')

This is why people give this website a bad rap all the time.

I would probably do it if we had a big group. Since it is just two of us, a cabana or villa is kind of overkill.

 

 

 

Yea, I can't imagine a bunch of people would want to stay on the boat for this one. I really don't believe in FTTF though. I usually target getting on the ship around 1:30. Not too late to miss lunch, but I also stay at a hotel before, and enjoy the relaxation there. I honestly have no interest getting on the boat 2 hours earlier.

 

 

So if I wake up early, let's say 7 am, what kind of position would I have on the tender? Would they let me grab the tickets for two people, or do both need to be there?

We had FTTF on our last Pride cruise, but I thought they stated all in the party needed to be present to pick up tender tickets on the announcements.

Is there a way to check what Carnival poets are tendered? I am book on the Breeze for August 2019. I remember one of my Carnival Cruise we went up early in the morning and got tender passes by the pool deck to get off on an island then they had everyone meet inside of a big room where they do the shows because the weather was “choppy” and they were letting people on by the sections that they were sitting. So at that point it really didn’t matter what number that you had except for the diamond and suite guest they had them wait on one section on the first few rows.

Tender Ports

Belize

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Catalina Island, CA

Grand Cayman

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Kona, HI

Princess Cays, Bahamas

Check out the drone footage!

We loved HMC. We had a cabana and FTTF, which was nice getting to it quickly. However, the line back was really long and in the hot sun. No shade for the most part. Our daughter has low sodium, of course it drops worse when she sweats. She was fine when we got in line but by the time we got to the tender she was almost lathargic. A nice man offered us an orange,which I cut & squeezed into her mouth while she laid on one of the benches. We had a terrible time getting her to the room. Once she was cooled off, showered,and ate she was ok again. I was so mad, not one carnival employee offered assistance or asked if she was ok. I guess they just assumed she was drunk. No. I'm hoping they'll build some kind of shelter with a shade over the top . I bet we stood in direct sun for an hour. Next time, we'll just sit in the shade by the tender station until the very last minute when all the other people are gone then we'll get in line.