Glory skipped Grand Cayman this week

[jimw]

I saw in another thread that Magic passed it up too. We were up top watching the approach to Georgetown and the wind was across the island and the seas did not look bad, so why did we not stop? got a letter from Carnival while onboard that did not explain beyond saying weather caused us to pass it by. No other ships were there as we arrived, so I assume all skipped it that day, December 2nd this week.

 

Just curious what the Captain is looking for in terms of seas and wind velocity? And why was there no alternative port? I am surprised there are no complaints here yet, as many complained while onboard!!

[Cjlovestocruise]

We were also on the Glory this week. We were sitting on the lido as we aproached Georgetown. The tenders were on their way out to the ship. The seas did not "look" real rough but watching the tenders rock from side to side with water coming up over the side of the boats. No way I would have gotten on board if they had let us.

Carnival has no control over the weather and has to error on the side of safety.

[matj2000]

Carnival is not interested in alternative ports.

They would skip all of them if they could get away with it.

It keeps people on the ship spending cash on gambling, bingo, spa, $8.65 drinks, overpriced gift shop junk, ect...

[GlendaleCruiser]

It makes me so sad when I hear that they skip Grand Cayman. It's one of my very favorite ports and I would really be disappointed.

 

They could skip Jamaica, though:cool:

[zqvol]

Seas look deceptively calm when you are on a 150,000 ton cruise ship, even 6 to 8 foot waves can look non existent and have little effect on the ship. Those same waves bounce a tender around like a cork in a bottle.

 

Four carnival ships missed Grand cayman last week, and this time of year that is not at all uncommon. As far as an alternate port, what do you suggest? Check a map, there is really not anything close enough to get to for a meaningful stop, the only place that is possible is in the Bahamas, and in the eastern Caribbean, and maybe along the Mexican coast.

[*Mach*]

Zqvol is right. It's the Port Authority at Grand Cayman that closes the port to tender operations, not the Captain of the ship.

We've missed Grand Cayman once due to wave heights and they were under 4 feet but consider that the boats that provide tender service are only about thirty five feet long so 4 foot seas are impressive!

Here's a picture of the tender we took to Grand Cayman about a month ago... for perspecitve...

 

 

:)

[golfadj]

They make changes as necessary for safety considerations only.

[beachbum53]

Carnival is not interested in alternative ports.

They would skip all of them if they could get away with it.

 

It keeps people on the ship spending cash on gambling, bingo, spa, $8.65 drinks, overpriced gift shop junk, ect...

 

Yes, it's all a grand conspiracy to get your money. Passenger safety is not the issue.:rolleyes::D C'mon matj2000, is that really what you believe?

[Rainberry]

The Carnival Legend missed it on Dec 1st too. It was a bit of a disappointment, but we still had 3 more ports so at least that was good.

 

And yes, the port was closed, so the captain couldn't have docked even if he had wanted to.

[jtwitch]

Are there seasonal variations in the likelihood of missing GC?

 

Going in February, and hoping the chances of missing it are minimal.

[elcuchio24]

I saw in another thread that Magic passed it up too. We were up top watching the approach to Georgetown and the wind was across the island and the seas did not look bad, so why did we not stop? got a letter from Carnival while onboard that did not explain beyond saying weather caused us to pass it by. No other ships were there as we arrived, so I assume all skipped it that day, December 2nd this week.

 

Just curious what the Captain is looking for in terms of seas and wind velocity? And why was there no alternative port? I am surprised there are no complaints here yet, as many complained while onboard!!

 

Captains discression, don't expect more of an explaination than that. As far as alternate ports, they often do that in the Bahamas, etc, but GC is pretty much a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. So there would be no other ports in the area.

[crusinpsychRN]

Inspiration missed GC last week too. Within a short time a new Fun Times was published with a bunch of new activities including free bingo.

 

No great loss. I stay on the ship in GC.

[vacruizer]

Carnival is not interested in alternative ports.

They would skip all of them if they could get away with it.

 

It keeps people on the ship spending cash on gambling, bingo, spa, $8.65 drinks, overpriced gift shop junk, ect...

 

Yes, but they then have added fuel and food costs with everyone onboard and lose the shore excursion revenue with is huge. Plus the angry passenger factor to deal with. It's not like they can just drive around the corner and pull into a dock somehwere. Port space is often reserved years in advance. What alternate port would you suggest if they were already at Grand Cayman and the port was closed?

 

I personally can't buy into the conspiracy theories on missing ports since I've never missed a port in 10 cruises.

[crewsweeper]

I saw in another thread that Magic passed it up too. We were up top watching the approach to Georgetown and the wind was across the island and the seas did not look bad, so why did we not stop? got a letter from Carnival while onboard that did not explain beyond saying weather caused us to pass it by. No other ships were there as we arrived, so I assume all skipped it that day, December 2nd this week.

 

Just curious what the Captain is looking for in terms of seas and wind velocity? And why was there no alternative port? I am surprised there are no complaints here yet, as many complained while onboard!!

 

AH HA! Now the threads for missing Grand Cayman and need of an alternative ports, just like the threads for missing Roatan and needing an alternative port.

 

Cruise ships miss ports, everywhere in the world, every day for one reason or another. Do you NOT cruise at all if you can't get your port?:confused:

 

And re alternative ports: It takes months of advanced negotiation to schedule ports of call. On rare occassion, primarily storms, where some shorten advance notice can reroute or reschedule a port nearby, it is possible. But what por tis near enough G.C. or Mahoganey Bay Roatan, or Costa Maya that can serve as a last minute alternative? None, really. Even in Roatan, with 2 ports, Coxen Hole is more likely to have another ship in port. And build a private island? What happens if the weather and sea conditions prevent anchoring or docking then? Do you scream it's a poor choice of itinerary?

 

Sea days are great relaxers. Sleep late, lounge about, do NOTHING! Even with the "high price" of drinks on board, you can still save money versus the price of any shore excursion or a yard or two at Margaritaville/Sr. Frogs. Stop fretting over what you have no control and start enjoyiing your cruise. You're on vacay!:)

[Aplmac]

Isn't it time that Cayman built itself a dock/Port/pier :confused:

so we might do away with this silly tendering thing?

 

 

Think of the revenue lost by businesses and tours ashore in Cayman!!

.

[mondello]

Isn't it time that Cayman built itself a dock/Port/pier :confused:

so we might do away with this silly tendering thing?

 

 

Think of the revenue lost by businesses and tours ashore in Cayman!!

.

GC already has the highest average income in the Caribbean, along with the highest prices. They have had talks /plans of building dock(s). Its possible they don't want to be overrun with cruise PAX. More is not always better. We missed GC on our Halloween Inspiration cruise this year. We'll try again to make our first visit on Valor next year.

[hobbyhrs97]

We are doing Glory in Jan and I would be ok with missing GC- 4 ports in 4 days:eek:. One less port will be fine with me. Gives me more time to relax:D

[Redsfan]

Mach how is it that the Port Authority of GC closed the Tender process but on the same day as we were due to arrive Destiny, as well as two other boats later in the day made their tenders? Yes the conditions can change but surely the time frame from the Inspiration and Destiny couldn't be so far out that 1 boat made it, and the other didn't? The Destiny is bigger so maybe.....dunno.

[freagan]

What goes out must come back. Even if everything was fine when you arrive there could be a front moving in that would make return tendering too dangerous.

[golfadj]

Wish the cruise lines would get together and force GC to build some piers or lose the business.

[Grits53]

Good grief. Once again, let's blame the weather on Carnival. :rolleyes: It was the port authorities at Grand Cayman who closed the port, not the ships' captains. Although my DH and I were very disappointed that we were unable to take our much anticipated excursion there, we know that this is a part of cruising that is unavoidable. This was my 16th Carnival cruise, and my first time to miss a port. I think missing one port out of 35+ ports in 6 yrs. is not bad!

Also, as my DH noted, even if we had been able to go ashore, most of the water related excursions would have been canceled due to rough seas. Snorkeling would have been difficult if not impossible in those waves. Stingrays are nervous about being handled when the water is very rough, too. So if we want to blame someone for this, we need to point fingers at "Mother Nature". :p

[satbeachbill]

Maybe it's Grand Caymans' thinking like Mondello said: Too many tourists. Look at St Thomas.....look at St Martin with its two piers....what a mess when 4- 5 - ships are there. We've been to Cozumel with 6 ships in port :eek: and it's wall to wall tourists. Maybe "no piers" keeps a lid on things.

 

 

...and yet I prefer not to miss a port too...:( .......oh well, just bring me another DOD!

[beachbum53]

Wish the cruise lines would get together and force GC to build some piers or lose the business.

 

I suspect that after a certain point, the approach to Grand Cayman is too shallow to allow large cruise ships to dock there (hence the need for tenders), so it wouldn't be a matter of just building a pier. And I would guess the cost of digging out the ocean floor to allow access is far more than anyone at Grand Cayman can afford or is willing to spend. So, until the cruise lines start building flat bottom boats, we'll have to rely on tendering to and from the island.

[Grits53]

Just a note.....Those of you who were not on a ship that missed Grand Cayman last week do not know how high those seas were. I was there on the Magic. Trust me, it was a good decision NOT to tender into that port. Waves were very high!

[bobnsons]

After seeing how really bad it was trying to get off the ship in Jamica I kinda figured Cayman would be a lot worse. Even read in the Capers the day prior about those like us without tours having to wait till 11 AM ( 4 hours) to get a tender ride ashore.

 

Does not take an advance degree in math to figure out if the Capers were anwhere close to true then if 3k+ people leaveing in 4 hours it will be close to 4 hours to return the same 3k+ people back. For an 8 hour stop it can't be good.

 

 

My only regret was having to listen to James say about going to Spots Bay where they had ONE tender.

 

I thought it couldn't get any more crazier until we got to Cozumel. I was wrong. I may know nothing about desiginng a ship but I know a thing or two about dooors (or hatches) and one door for 3k+ people to pass though it no where close to enough.