No Princess in G.C. Feb 22

[SantaCruzer]

I hope there are people that are going to be as pissed off as I am when I board the Grand Princess on Feb. 18. They just took away their Grand Cayman stop and put in Cancun for Feb 22 destination! If I had wanted to go back to Cancun I would have chose a cruise that included it. Somehow a $75pp shipboard credit is not enough to make it right and it is too late to change anything. Would like to hear if anyone else is concerned. So much for being close with the stingrays!

[sdf89]

I hope there are people that are going to be as pissed off as I am when I board the Grand Princess on Feb. 18. They just took away their Grand Cayman stop and put in Cancun for Feb 22 destination!

Santacruzer: what was the reason given for the change??

[SantaCruzer]

Princess states that, "Due to increased passenger satisfaction scores based on our recent itinerary changes, the decision has been made to enhance the itinerary for the remainder of the season." We will get slightly longer times in each port and all day in Belize. It's just that I was really looking forward to the stingrays and I have already been to Belize, Cozumen, and Cancun. I wanted a few new ports. I read an article last night dated in January from someone who stated Princess told them they were not going to Grand Cayman because the port was closed. This guy called the G.C. port and was told that was not the case. The port was indeed open and not turning anyone away. Behaps if Princess could have told people a month or so ago we would have been able to make some changes. Now - I guess I enjoy my $75pp on board credit . Woohoo!

[bruce-r]

The Grand has to sail much farther to get to GCM than she would to get to Cancun. Fuel savings = $$$ for Carnival Corp. Longer times in the other ports would be welcome. I though the original itinerary was a good one, but the times in port were awful.

 

Sorry that they screwed you with the surprise itinerary change. Try to make the best of it. Don't let the accountants ruin what should be a fun vacation.

[twinkletoes4445]

I'd be bummed also. Cancun for GC? That's a heck of a trade. :(

[dizneydawn]

NCL changed GC to Cancun on our Dec 2004 sailing and it became my favorite spot in all of the Carrib stops I have made!

 

We went to Isla Mujeres on a ship tour to Garrafon Park. The tour included drinks but not food and a boat picked us up right at the ship and droped us right back to the ship so no wasted time tendering to Cancun. The park has snorkeling, a WONDERFUL pool with a waterfall an a georgeous view of the reef. There are also some small mayan ruins.

 

If this is a ship tour offered on your new sailing, I highly recommend it as we had a wonderful, relaxing day!

Here is the web site: http://www.garrafon.com/

 

Enjoy!

[DannyMac]

SantaCruzer, my wife and I were on the 12/10/05 Grand Princess cruise and I am going to bet PCL changed the itinerary due to the tendering problems at GC and large number of complaints they received. Our excursion meeting time was 11:00am and we waited three hours before getting on shore, one hour was bobbing around in a tender waiting for our turn to unload at the dock.

 

I wrote a "this was unacceptable letter" and received a full refund on my tour even though we made the tour but did not have enough time to check out the downtown area.

 

The "port area" is a small dock that might handle 3 tenders at a time, the best way to describe it, is a funnel. They have toooo many ships and not enough space to handle them. just my 2cents.

[benjidog]

Sorry to hear that. There are some great tours in Playa Del Carmen though Tours in Playa Del Carmen

 

As they say, when given lemons, make lemonade;)

 

You have a great attitude. I bet you have a wonderful time on your vacations no matter what happens.:D

[Host CJSKIDS]

I tell you what, I'd be thrilled if they would change this port on our 3/19 Star sailing. When we booked the cruise, there was 2 tender ports and 2 docking and now it's all 4 tendering. Not thrilled in the least bit to deal with this and would have changed it if we had known prior. Guess I'll have to deal with it but would love to go to Cancun instead.

[SantaCruzer]

Well, I did have a good time in PLAYA DEL CARMEN. My 13 year old daugther and I hopped in a cab and went to Paradise Beach. I'm sure there were other beaches, but we didn't have too much response before we went and just asked to go to a beach "not too far". Yes, I do have a good time wherever I wind up or whatever I am doing in life, but that doesn't mean I can't be bummed about missing out with the stingrays in GC. I was thankful that I at least had prior knowledge of the change. I met a family whose husband was on board and had only found out about the change at check in. He was scheduled to fly out from Grand Cayman to home on that port day. Now, he really deserved to be upset!

Tendering at the three ports went fairly quick. Cozumel had the toughest time due to high swells. Belize, was well, a breeze! Someday I will have to try again for Grand Cayman, but from what I have heard since- I should not visit it from a cruise ship! Cheers!