Grand Cayman excursion query - how long to disembark?

[cruiser_uk]

Hello,

 

Can any previous cruisers help...

Want to book excursion in Grand Cayman, the ship itinerary says arrival is 8am, booking an excursion thru Viator the excursion pickup time is 9am from the port. 

Will we be definately be able to meet the excursion pickup for 9am as I have read the disembark to Grand Cayman is via tender?

Travelling Fantastica so wont be at the front of the queue to disembark, no YC or status (only 2nd MSC cruise).

 

Thanks

[morpheusofthesea]

9 minutes ago, cruiser_uk said:

Hello,

 

Can any previous cruisers help...

Want to book excursion in Grand Cayman, the ship itinerary says arrival is 8am, booking an excursion thru Viator the excursion pickup time is 9am from the port. 

Will we be definately be able to meet the excursion pickup for 9am as I have read the disembark to Grand Cayman is via tender?

Travelling Fantastica so wont be at the front of the queue to disembark, no YC or status (only 2nd MSC cruise).

 

Thanks

Private tours will not happen until tender tickets are called for. First off are ship sponsored tours. 

  MSC hired 5 tenders to ferry guests to Grand Cayman. (these tenders are complimentary) All the MSC purchased tours would meet in designated lounges, no tender tickets needed. Ship tours and Yacht Club guests have priority getting off. All guests with private tours or on their own have to get tender tickets given out on a first come first serve basis at the Casino Bar or now at Sports Bar. Tenders for tours and YC began around 8-8:30 and tender ticket numbers were not called until 11:30 for everyone else. Getting back was another long wait. We also had another port change from Belize City to Cozumel. Something to look out for. Belize City requires tendering as well, only the ships must anchor farther away and regular tenders take an hour both ways. Our cruise, the ship got word from the tender company in Belize City that their larger capacity hydrofoils were having engine problems and could not reach speeds to keep the trip down to 20 minutes both ways. They could only provide tenders taking 1 hour both ways. We got a notice "Due to operational reasons, your cruise itinerary has been amended" and went to Cozumel instead. One time with over 5500 passengers, even our butler reported he had trouble butting to the front of the tender line with so many guests trying to get off. He said something about not being able to pick up a pencil should one be dropped.

[cruiser_uk]

Thanks Morpheus...

 

1130 disembark wow, I guess the only way really is MSC purchased tours.