Where will we dock ?

[PurpleDog]

I am on the Carnival Paradise that will be visiting Grand Cayman on 11.12.14.

 

Is there a way to know ahead of time where the ship will "park" and where the tenders will drop you off ?

 

I have been told by a tour operator that the decision is made the morning that the ship arrives, but wanted to ask the experts on Cruise Critic !

Edited September 9, 2014 by PurpleDog

[Capt_BJ]

 

these are the tender landing areas of Georgetown. the top one is the primary and where you will probably end up. the middle one is used next and the lowest only on the busiest days . . . occasionally weather means ships can not use these landings in Georgetown (west side) and an alternate site in Spott's Bay on the south side is used ... when this happens busses are usually used to take everyone to GT

[hallasm]

I have never been at Cayman Island with carnival, But I strongly believe that all cruises lines does tender in to Port Grand Cayman in Georgetown.

Don't thing there are other options.

[mrsfuzzmo]

I have never been at Cayman Island with carnival, But I strongly believe that all cruises lines does tender in to Port Grand Cayman in Georgetown.

Don't thing there are other options.

 

Yes, this is true. If you are having a tour operator pick you up, they will ask what ship you are on and they will find the correct tender pier. If you are not on a tour, all three spots are within a block of each other, so they are all very close.

[cb at sea]

And, if you're not doing an excursion, the local buses are right across the street from the tender dock...easy to get to beaches on the bus!!

[drew sailbum]

And, yes, the decision is made the morning of arrival.

 

In George Town harbour, there are four anchorage spots where ships should* drop anchor. If there are more than four ships then others will have to hold position using engines a little further out behind the anchored ships.

 

On a day with many ships in port, generally the ships furtherest north will be assigned to use the Royal Watler Terminal (the one furthest north on Capt_BJ's map above). Those furthest south will be assigned the other terminal positions.

 

 

*Unfortunately serious damage to the reef can occur if an anchor is dropped outside the approved anchorage locations.

[PurpleDog]

 

these are the tender landing areas of Georgetown. the top one is the primary and where you will probably end up. the middle one is used next and the lowest only on the busiest days . . . occasionally weather means ships can not use these landings in Georgetown (west side) and an alternate site in Spott's Bay on the south side is used ... when this happens busses are usually used to take everyone to GT

 

Thanks for the info !

I now - after looking at that satellite view - am reasonably certain that when I visited Grand Cayman on the Carnival Paradise in January 2014, the we tendered into the Spotts Bay location. We ended up taking a taxi into Georgetown.

[mrsfuzzmo]

Thanks for the info !

I now - after looking at that satellite view - am reasonably certain that when I visited Grand Cayman on the Carnival Paradise in January 2014, the we tendered into the Spotts Bay location. We ended up taking a taxi into Georgetown.

 

Yes, if you had to taxi to town, you were at Spotts. That's only used as a back-up if the weather is bad, AND they only let a few ships anchor there.

[Capt_BJ]

here's an older shot of Cayman ... the orange to the left is the normal anchorage off Georgetown. At the lower right you'll notice the ships are at the alternate location on this day . . .

 

[Tommy.Lee_1]

you will have to take a small boat, a tender they call it.

 

the country has no space for a cruise ship to dock.

 

the boats come very often, provided there is not too many ships in port.

some days we have 5 to 6 ships.

 

then the wait is long, and the wait to get back is long… lots of waiting in lines…

 

 

 

if the water is rough, you can feel a bit nauseous on the ride to the port. its like 2 miles and 20 minutes of traveling.

 

 

mobility challenged people should skip cayman, if they have already done stingray city…