Grand Caymen tender process

[waterbugohio]

Just wondered if someone can tell me how far out ships park for tender at Grand Caymen?

 

Just recently sailed RCI Liberty and did a tender to Belize. Because of reefs and shallow water we had to stay quite a ways away from the island. The tender was over a half hour and was very unorganized. We heard some people waited almost two hours in the morning to get off the ship.

 

Please tell me the is not the case with Grand Caymen.

 

We will be on the Jewel in April if that makes a difference

[JerseyGirlJen]

I've heard Belize is a really far tender, and heard Grand Cayman isn't that bad. Maybe 10 or 15 minutes. ???

 

I'm in Grand Cayman in 2 weeks, if I can remember when I get back I will give you an answer on here.

[Arrow Fan]

You'll be close enough to swim if you want.Seriously

[girlscruise2011]

I was just in Grand Caymans last week on the Carnival Liberty. The tender was no issue at all in Grand Caymans. Quick and easy. Belize was definately not worth the hassle IMO.

[waterbugohio]

thanks for all the info. This is what I had hoped to hear.

 

Agree Belize was a nightmare. While I'm glad we saw the island, not sure if I would do the tender process again. Anyone going may want to plan a very long breakfast and go into town late morning or early afternoon.

 

The best part of our day was on the tender on the way back a fishing boat "stirred" up a dolphin and I got shots of it jumping in and out of the water.

[Whoop98]

In September we were heading back to the boat after our tour and shopping. We had to go around people that were in the water snorkeling! So it is quick and easy, and I agree Belize was really too long and unorganized!

[cb at sea]

The ships don't "park"...they anchor! It's not far...the whole process takes about 15 mins.

[JerseyGirlJen]

I tendered a couple of weeks ago. Once the tender was full it literally took about 45 seconds for us to get to the dock. Can't get much faster than that :)

[SeaPA1]

It does vary a little; some ships are anchored very close, others out a bit - but nowhere near as far as what you have in Belize City.

 

Our ship (HAL Ryndam) was anchored a little further out - probably about a 5 or 10 minute boat ride. Other ships were much closer.

 

Also, HAL used their lifeboats for the tendering; some of the other ships, I think, contract with folks who have tenrder boats on the island. Those hold more passengers than the lifeboats.

 

One thing I noticed - Carnival had multiple ships at GC the day we were there, and it looked like a nightmare boarding to get back to the ship for their passengers. They had only one gate, with one very long line (mostly uncovered, out in the sun) to get to the one pier they used for tendering from all of their ships. Once inside that gate, the lines broke out by ship.

 

Made me glad I was on a smaller ship that didn't have any company-mates in port, it was very easy for us to get back to our ship at the end of the day.

[drew sailbum]

With an internet search I found an aerial photo in this travel article that gives a good perspective of how close the ships anchor. Alas the dock project referenced in that article has not started.

 

A google image search shows that Grand Cayman is a great port to get a picture of your ship. Seems to be a popular motif.

[soapbxking]

I have tendered in Grand Cayman 2x with the last being in May 2012. At least 3 other ships in the harbour and tenders came quickly and returned quickly. It takes about 5-10 minutes.

 

Brian

[Bob7]

Just wondered if someone can tell me how far out ships park for tender at Grand Caymen?

 

Just recently sailed RCI Liberty and did a tender to Belize. Because of reefs and shallow water we had to stay quite a ways away from the island. The tender was over a half hour and was very unorganized. We heard some people waited almost two hours in the morning to get off the ship.

 

Please tell me the is not the case with Grand Caymen.

 

We will be on the Jewel in April if that makes a difference

We've been to GC a few times and the tendering always went ok. This time there was a larger sea swell and our ship could only tender from one side, the other side was unsafe, which doubled the tendering time, and tender numbers were still being called at lunch time, many ppl angry about missing their private tours, the captain had to settle everyone down. Tendering finally open to all about 1pm.

[renee1222]

It was announced that it was a 4 minute tender ride from the Jewel. Of course, there was a little bit of waiting time on each end for loading and unloading. The tender boat was rocking quite a bit at the pier, but there was always someone there to help people....just watch your step.

[Lionesss]

The ships don't "park"...they anchor! It's not far...the whole process takes about 15 mins.

 

But, the Freedom of the Seas uses it GPS and other electronic gizmos to keep the ship in place without an anchor ever being dropped.

Found this out on the bridge tour and also, when we tendered -----no anchor!

Later

[CruzieSue]

With an internet search I found an aerial photo in this travel article that gives a good perspective of how close the ships anchor.

 

That's a great photo of what to expect. Actually loading onto the tender will be determined by how large the tender is and how fast the line off the ship is moving, also if they have one or more gangways open to let people off. Once everyone is onboard, the ride to shore might be 5 minutes. It's the waiting for your tender number to be called and then waiting in the line to check out and get on the tender - same thing coming back (except you just get in line - no numbers are called). :)

[Capt_BJ]

But, the Freedom of the Seas uses it GPS and other electronic gizmos to keep the ship in place without an anchor ever being dropped.

Found this out on the bridge tour and also, when we tendered -----no anchor!

 

Later

 

interesting and noteworthy point

 

anchors do damage to the bottom - especially when dropped in the wrong place. And the anchor alone is not what holds (held) a ship - a substantial length of chain did that and also was a potential destroyer of corals.

 

Modern ships have the needed bow and stern thusters and GPS and computers to hold the ship in one place without the anchor . . . it is good to know at least one company is using that technology cuz I'l pretty sure when I last visited Cayman on Freedom they still dropped the hook.

 

Cost to the company is a wee bit more fuel used I suppose but the savings in sea bottom damage is unmeasurable :D

[PeterPan]

Navigator did not drop the hook last week in Grand Cayman either. Pretty cool stuff those computers, GPS and all......

[drew sailbum]

There are four mooring slots for cruise ships in Cayman. Those four can drop an anchor. Any more than that and they are on thrusters all day.

[PeterPan]

Interesting! Thanks for the information.

[so_excited_to_cruise]

I was just in Grand Caymans last week on the Carnival Liberty. The tender was no issue at all in Grand Caymans. Quick and easy. Belize was definately not worth the hassle IMO.

 

We are sailing on the Liberty in June. Sounds like we are doing the same ports. What did you do in Belieze and Grand Cayman? Trying to get ideas.

[ThorHiney]

In Cayman, the distance from ship to shore isn't the issue at all. The issue is time to get onto the tender. Some boats/crews are better about getting people off the ship than others. Was just on Carnival Conquest, and it was the worst I've ever seen, totally disorganized, just a mob of people in the stairwells all trying to get off at the same time in every port.

 

In Cayman, also expect a llooooonnnngggg line to get back on the tenders at the dock if you arrive at peak return to ship time (say 90 minutes prior to sailaway). The line will be a quarter of a mile long, no joke. But it usually does move quickly as the tenders each hold a large number of people, and they are pretty efficient about filling them.

[gambee]

Hello everyone, I am trying to figure out where the tender drops you off. I want to know in reference to the turtle farm?

 

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[drew sailbum]

Hello everyone, I am trying to figure out where the tender drops you off. I want to know in reference to the turtle farm?

 

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

The tenders drop you off right in the heart of George Town. The Cayman Turtle Farm is on the northwest shore of West Bay, about 8 miles from the port.

[gambee]

The tenders drop you off right in the heart of George Town. The Cayman Turtle Farm is on the northwest shore of West Bay, about 8 miles from the port.

 

cool, thanks.

[teddygurl28]

im assuming if you are in line in time to get back to the ship but the lines are insanely long, they will still get you to the ship right? i mean i dont see them cutting people off and saying to bad your late-even though you werent? i normally always book excursions through the boat when its a tender process. but this time we don't want to book anything-we just want to get some lunch and go to the beach. i plan to be trying to get a tender in plenty of time, i just have never really dealt with it. any further insight would be helpful!