Tendering onto Half Moon Cay from Eurodam?

[kirtens]

Hi all, I'm booked on my first EVER cruise on Eurodam out of Fort Lauderdale in Feb and so excited, can't believe it took me this long. We stop at Half Moon Cay first day, and we will be the only ship there.

 

Looking at the tenders to the port. Seems to me they would hold 100-200 people max and the ship holds 2,100 so..potentially it could take hours to get to the beach! How is this organised? Do people come down on the day MEGA early just to line up? Is there a ticketing system that you claim in advance?

 

I don't want to line up super early like 7am on the first morning, but also don't want to miss hours of beach time waiting at the back of a long line for a tender.

 

Thanks!

Edited October 3, 2016 by kirtens

[mollyanne]

HAL uses 2 - 3 large passenger tenders at HMC. Upper and lower decks. They can accommodate many more people than the ship's tenders/life boats.

[Adoptionmsw]

Priority re: tendering. Four and five star Mariners and passengers booked on HAL excursions. Then everyone else. You go to a designated public space where you pick up tender tickets for your party. We've found it to be a relatively quick and efficient process.

 

 

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[jabcruiser]

Has always been quick and little or no wait to get on the large tenders and transfer to island. We always go pretty early - 1st or 2nd tender. As stated above they are quite large. Even when we had to use the smaller boat tenders when another ship was there that got the larger island tenders, not a long wait.

Jane

[richwmn]

Also remember that a significant number of passengers will not go ashore at all and others will go ashore later just for a quick visit

[kirtens]

That's good to know. Now I won't worry. Thank you!

[alwaysfrantic]

Last time there was a very long line up the stairs waiting for the first tender, but once they began loading the line disappeared.

 

With priority tendering for suites and higher level manners, do you show your key card and avoid the line?

[RuthC]

With priority tendering for suites and higher level manners, do you show your key card and avoid the line?

Priority tendering just means you don't have to get a tender ticket, you can skip that step and go directly to the end of the line.

No waiting for a number that way. You do not cut the line.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are 2 large tenders that come from shore -- handle quite a few people. Then there is another smaller one from shore. If anyone has a handicap -- avoid this smaller tender as they require you to walk up and down stairs on the boat -- which I can not do.

You should report to the show lounge by 7:30 if you want to get ashore early -- to get your tender ticket if you are not in a Neptune or Pinnacle suite.

A lot of people to not go ashore -- like us -- as we have been there many times.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

That's good to know. Now I won't worry. Thank you!

 

Worry is the last thing you should be doing on a cruise!

[3rdGenCunarder]

Priority tendering just means you don't have to get a tender ticket, you can skip that step and go directly to the end of the line.

No waiting for a number that way. You do not cut the line.

 

On our recent Canada cruise, we had several tender ports. We wanted to get off quickly in Charlottetown because we were picking up a rental car. We were in a suite, but rather than go down to the gangway early, we went to the ticket lounge and waited to go with the next group that was called. (We told the ticket ladies what we were doing so they'd understand why we weren't asking for a ticket.) We didn't have to try to find the end of a line, we just went with the group. They handed in their tickets, we showed our keycards.

 

On other days, we weren't in a rush, so we went directly to the gangway later, and there was no line/rush.

[Sungold]

Here's another suggestion...don't wait till the last minute to leave the island. Last time I was ready to leave at about 3:00 and the wait to leave was pretty long.

 

 

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[3rdGenCunarder]

Here's another suggestion...don't wait till the last minute to leave the island. Last time I was ready to leave at about 3:00 and the wait to leave was pretty long.

 

 

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That's good advice for any tender port, especially when there are a lot of tours coming back at the last minute.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

They have large tender boats

 

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[ski ww]

Last cruise we had to skip HMC because of high waves. We're on the Eurodam in Jan which has a stop there, hope second time is a charm.

Allan

[kirtens]

[emoji33] I hope you make it this time! We were on Key West last Feb and had our water sports day cancelled due to high winds. Seems like it could happen a lot. Crossing fingers for all of us this time!

 

 

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[vicd1969]

Unfortunately, Hurricane Matthew may render HMC unusable for the next few months. Hoping it doesn't happen, but some of the projections have it going straight over HMC.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2408019&page=3

 

On the plus side, just did a cruise on the Eurodam and it's a very nice ship - wouldn't mind skipping out on HMC to spend more time aboard her.

Edited October 4, 2016 by vicd1969

[avian777]

Does either of the HMC tenders accommodate scooters, wheelchairs or walkers? If so, which one - large or small? And which - scooters, wheelchairs, walkers - does it accommodate?

Thank you.

[Stpatsirish]

I was there last week. The large tenders could accommodate all three. I was not on the small one so I can't answer that.

[jtl513]

For the large island-based tenders, you board on the upper level and would have to go down a ramp at the back to disembark on the island via a front ramp. Between the ship and the tender there is a plank that is no more difficult to negotiate than any gangway - but I can't remember if there is a step down at the end of it. There are stewards there to assist, and I would say that walkers and wheelchairs would not be a big problem, but maybe a heavy scooter would be if there is a step.

.

Edited November 18, 2016 by jtl513

[Crew News]

The problem with mobility devices is not getting to HMC but the lack of maneuverable paths/roads down to the beach area.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The 2 large tenders can handle wheel chairs, scooters, walkers. There is ramp at the rear of them. They place a plank going from the ship onto the top level of the tender. You use the ramp to get down to the lower level of the tender where you get off once at HMC. And the reverse happens when you are ready to go back to the ship.

The smaller boat/tender -- you have to be able to get up and down stairs. Doesn't work for me.

I tried getting around a couple of places on HMC with my walker/rollator -- the paths are just too narrow. and to get to the one bar -- you still have steps to contend with.

I just stay on the ship now.

[RuthC]

Between the ship and the tender there is a plank that is no more difficult to negotiate than any gangway - but I can't remember if there is a step down at the end of it. There are stewards there to assist, and I would say that walkers and wheelchairs would not be a big problem, but maybe a heavy scooter would be if there is a step.

I don't remember a step at either end of the tender. The last time I was there I wasn't using a scooter yet, but was having a lot of trouble with steps, so I think I would remember if there had been a step there.

 

There is one accessible cabana with an entrance from the path area. Someone using a wheelchair, rollator, or scooter could rent that and have a place to enjoy the island with the rest of their party, but they would not easily be able to get down to the beach.

[avian777]

Thank you all for your helpful replies/comments! We have a member of our group who will be using a scooter for the first time on our Caribbean cruise in January, so your comments will be very assuring to her as we get closer & closer to our departure date.

Thanks again & smooth sailing ...

Edited November 18, 2016 by avian777