tender at HMC

[calico79]

I have been reading about how long it takes to get off the ship because of the tenders and then how long it takes to get back on the ship. I am going on the Carnival Valor in October and we will be docked at HMC from 9-5. If we don't book an excursion, what is about the time we would be able to get off the ship and about when would we need to get back to take a tender back and not have to wait in line forever? I am just curious if we will even end up having much time on the island from what I have read of others' experiences.

[CruiserBruce]

If there is not another ship there, you will have two large tenders that take about 200 people each. It is a short ride. If you arrive and start tendering at 9 am, I think the last person rushing to get ashore would be there not too long after 10, maybe 10:30. 11 at the latest. Remember not everyone goes ashore at HMC.

[Typhoon1]

If your arrival is on schedule, you should be able to set foot on the island between 8-8:30. Get their early and leave early, lines will be minimal.

 

As for your departure, last tender is usually scheduled 1/2 hour before departure. Be advised, if you choose to wait for that last tender, the lines to board will be extremely long. To avoid the long wait, we usually depart the island about an hour prior to the last tender. The earlier you depart, the shorter the lines.

[calico79]

ok, that makes me feel better because I was reading where it was more like 11 when someone finally got to tender and another where someone said the wait for a tender back was 2 hours. that doesn't sound like fun to me.

 

We will be the only ship there that day, so that is nice. I am looking forward to a nice relaxing beach day and maybe taking a hike. And I mean that literally.

[calico79]

sorry, double post.

[eh2zed]

The only way someone got to HMC itself at 11 was because either the ship arrived late, tenders were delayed due to seas or the individual was lollygagging. Generally no problem getting ashore by 830 or 9. And yes if you wait until the last hour before departure you may have to wait a bit to get back.

[WillieD13]

The only way someone got to HMC itself at 11 was because either the ship arrived late, tenders were delayed due to seas or the individual was lollygagging. Generally no problem getting ashore by 830 or 9. And yes if you wait until the last hour before departure you may have to wait a bit to get back.

 

I have to agree here. Last year we had an afternoon excursion, so we waited until they opened up the tenders to general/1st come-1st served, and took our time. We set foot on the island about 11:30. They were a little slow, because when we arrived, it was quite windy, and there was a pretty good chop, so the tenders were slow docking with the ship. This year, we had a 10:00 excursion, so were on the 1st tender, and were ashore by 8:45. That 1st tender had most all the early excursion people, so after that, it was however fast you got your number.

As for getting back to the ship, last year we waited late, and had to wait in a line that extended from the docks, all the way back through the plaza, and down toward the beach. This year we headed back around 2:00, and had to wait only 10-15 minutes.

[sapereaude]

The line to get back was insane probably starting from an hour from the last tender, it wrapped around to the beach and down the beach. I honestly couldn't understand why anyone waited in it. We got a drink and sat at the bar in the shade and when the line got to a reasonable point we got in it, sure we were probably on one of the last tenders, but we didn't have to stand in the beating sun for an hour!