Grand Cayman Tender

[Sarmty]

We are booked on the Freedom in October. My Mom rides a scooter (her own and very small profile) - can someone please describe getting off the boat in Grand Cayman and the tenders? Pictures would be awesome. My sister and I are in a dispute - I say that Carnival's website says that she won't be able to get off the boat. My sister seems to think that she will be just fine.

 

Thanks for your help!

[yst347]

I have no clue what the arrangements are for scooters but here are some pictures.

 

 

 

[Nannersmom]

When we went to the Cayman's in 2009, there was a lady who got on the tender with her scooter... But her husband had to be the one who loaded it. It appears that if it falls in the water, neither Carnival or the tender's crew want responsiblity for it.

[IAMCRZIN]

Are there stairs and are they very steep??

[MargaritaPlease]

Are there stairs and are they very steep??

 

See the pics above. Yes, there are stairs - I don't rememeber them being steeper than standard. It was the same arrangement when we were there on Valor last month. There was no way she could have ridden a scooter onto the tender. Certainly, if she could do the stairs, some else might have been able to load the scooter for her - but she couldn't ride on/off the boat.

[cruiserNC]

No chance of just riding the scooter onto the tender. I am not sure if your mother is mobile at all but we had a wonderful experience with the tenders. We were gonna take our sleeping daughter out of her stroller when the tender arrived but the tender worker said no need and picked the whole stroller and carried up the stairs for us. I said all that to say I am sure your mother will be fine.

[alreadypacked]

Are there stairs and are they very steep??

 

Yes there are stairs, and last week when we were in grand cayman on the freedom, the water was a bit rough and the tender was bobbing up and down such that I had to wait on the stairs for a few seconds before they would let me step onto the tender. It was a bit scary. Be extra careful if the water is rough.

[David-n-Rita]

We have seen the crew go the extra mile in Cayman to help everyone on board. Several times there were people in wheelchairs, casts etc. that were helped aboard the tenders. There are sometimes different boats for tenders, so you might find one that is more "wheelchair" friendly. I've even seen other passengers pitch in to help someone get on and off tenders.

[G'ma]

Unless she is mobile and can stand and walk she won't be able to get on the tender unless someone carries her. There are no "roll on, roll off" tenders at Cayman. The crew will load the chair for you but won't carry her on.

 

Here, from their website:

 

At certain ports of call, small boats known as tenders are used to transport passengers from the ship to shore. Certain of these tenders may not be accessible to individuals using wheelchairs and mobility scooters, or the status of the tendering process at a particular port under certain weather, sea, swell, current and/or tide conditions may prove difficult for a safe transfer to take place. In each case, it will be the decision of the ship officials to determine, based on their evaluation of safety issues for our guests and crew, whether or not a guest using a wheelchair may board a tender. In order to safely board tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible, fold up wheelchair; motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be taken on tenders. *Note-Tendering ports are: Cabo San Lucas, Catalina California, Catalina Island Dominican Republic, Cannes France, Belize, Half Moon Cay Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa (Mexico), Kona (Hawaii), Lahaina (Hawaii), Newport Rhode Island, Sitka (Alaska) Possible Tender: Cozumel , Ketchikan Alaska, Dubrovnik Croatia, Katakolon Greece.

 

Link for more info:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/EMB_guest_specials_requirements.aspx

[KBCruiseLover]

On Inspiration in October, it was so rough getting back on the ship from the tender that it took 45 minutes to get back on. 5 or 6 people were able to get off at the first ship door we went to but then it got to rocking so badly, the tender had to go to another door. One of our friends that went with us was stuck on the tender 10 minutes longer than we were.

 

I am 53 and in good shape and I really struggled getting off and on. I don't know that it would be worth the trouble even getting off at Grand Cayman if we go back again.