Great Stirrup Cay and weather

[jtdlmc]

I've read a few posts where the ship has missed GSC due to high winds. Does anyone know if that port is frequently missed? We'd be going in mid April.

 

I am debating between 2 cruises right now - NCL Jewel and Carnival Liberty. I've been leaning towards the Jewel due to price difference ($700 less for 4 of us). Both go to their private island (which is my main reason for choosing these two). The Carnival Liberty goes to 3 other ports we have never been to - San Juan, Grand Turk and Nassau. The Jewel goes to two ports we have already been to Cozumel and Grand Caymen, Ochos Rios would be new for us.

[david_sobe]

Missing GSC does frequently happen because it is dangerous for the tender boats handle the rough seas with a large amount of passengers on board.

 

I think this happens more often in the winter months. I was on the Sky in Jan 2010 and we made it to GSC. But the cruise director told us it was rare to make it there that month because it had been rather rough. I live in south Florida and it is similiar. We have much more wind in the winter with the fronts coming fromt the north. It makes for choppy water.

[bdaddyiii]

Isn't the improvements with the new tender lagoon suppose to help correct the issue with missing the port due to weather? It is my understanding that the new tender lagoon is open now which helped to enlarge the beach as well.:cool:

[CruisinCrow]

Isn't the improvements with the new tender lagoon suppose to help correct the issue with missing the port due to weather?

 

The tender lagoon might help but the tender still has to pick people up from the ship and transport them to the island. I think the most dangerous part is moving people from ship to tender.

 

jtd, unless the Carnival Liberty docks at their private island, you'll have the same chance of missing that port. There's always an issue when tenders are involved.

 

In April, the weather is usually good. I guess we've been lucky - we made it to the private island 3 out of our last 3 cruises (April, June and January).

[joteacher]

We usually cruise in February and have always made it to GSC. We love the beach there:)

-Joanne

[camz]

We missed GSC during our October 1997 cruise, however, we made it during our December 2009 cruise. I know a friend of mine missed his GSC visit and he sailed in May. Therefore, the weather and sea being so unpredictable, there is no way to know beforehand one way or another. However, more cruises are able to make it to the island than to cancel. :)

[nycmode]

I made it to GSC last November, no problems on my end. However, I can totally see how getting folks off the ship to tender in rough seas can be a problem there.

[Partyatsea]

We've made it GSC 5 out of 6 times. The time we didn't was in May 2009. It was a really cloudy, rainy day and the Captain Ramsoey found a little hole of sunshine, got us in the middle of it, and we had a beautiful day at sea. We left the Captain a STYLE card for it :D!

[Dayenu]

We were in mid-January, the sea was good, but the water was too cold for swimming, only for wading :p

 

The 7-day cruise before us didn't make it.

[trish1c]

I doubt there are any publically available statistics. I'm sure NCL tracks it but they probably won't share. Can't have RCL & CCL finding out. :D

If it's too rough to go to one company's private island on any given day, it will be too rough to go to the other company's island that same day. You can see Coco Cay from Great Stirrup Cay & while I don't know exactly where they are Carnival & Disney's islands are in the same general area, I think.

[STARFISH*4]

we missed our GSC stop in Jan 2010 due to tender issues and then last December it was an unscheduled stop due to missing another port and the weather was beautiful and no prob tendering in.

 

its on our B2B itinerary this Dec and i HOPE we make it both times...it is a WONDERFUL Beach Day and i am anxious to see the new renovations:)