missed port due to weather question

[stowawaykc]

Although I have never been to Grand Caymen, I understand that bad weather can cause the ship to cancel this port because it is a "tender only" port.

 

Does anyone know what happens when Grand Caymen gets cancelled on a 5 day cruise? Does the ship (Century) have a regular alternate port? or is it another sea day?

 

I am not overly concerned about it, just curious.

 

Thanks,

Kurt

[chessbriar]

Sea day

[stowawaykc]

Thanks Rick!

[stratixman]

It's not bad weather per se but 'high' winds. Ships don't dock in Cayman but tender. Major wave activity poses safety problems getting people to and from the docks. Out of three trips we missed one stop completely and on another got called back to the ship early when the winds picked up. Third time was charm and we finally got to spend the whole day. Hope you don't miss it.

[Jade13]

and on another got called back to the ship early when the winds picked up. quote]

 

How does that work when you are off on your own??? Was that on Celebrity and/or Century when you got called back early?

 

Also, on your 3 trips was the cancelled one during the fall hurricane season etc.?

[Jade13]

Sea day

 

Are you sure since on the 5 night the only other stop is Key West. I thought by law they had to stop somewhere out of the US if at all possible? I would think they would have an alternative.

[Lois R]

Are you sure since on the 5 night the only other stop is Key West. I thought by law they had to stop somewhere out of the US if at all possible? I would think they would have an alternative.

 

Hi,:) I think they are outside of the United States....the ship

is in the waters of Mexico. If they cannot tender, as Rick stated

you will be having an extra sea day.

[Addict]

Hi

 

You may be interested in this? I remember reading "Captain Albert's Weblog" a while ago about anchoring in Grand Cayman and it is a bit of an eye opener. I have extracted this from his website log...

 

"That gentle breeze is also of extreme importance to me as it is needed to keep the ship in position. Georgetown is the strange place where if there is too much wind and or from the wrong the direction then you have to cancel. If there is not enough wind then you can not anchor as the ship will drift unto the reefs.

Georgetown has four anchorages each one about 2000 feet away from the other. The ship anchors on a ledge with the bow in 30 feet of water and the stern in about a1000 feet of water. The steady trade wind keeps pushing the ship away from the coast and the anchor then holds it connected to the ledge. If there is too much wind, the anchor can not take the strain, it starts dragging and will fall of the ledge. If there is no wind, the current that runs along the ledge will slowly push the ship onto the ledge and into too shallow water. The only thing you can do to avoid this is to keep one propeller working and going a little bit astern so the ship stay off the reef in that way. Having a gentle breeze doing it for you if of course much better.

To find the right spot on the reef is done with the help of the local Pilot Captain Banks.

He comes out in a tour boat and parks himself on the exact spot that he thinks is best for the ship. It is then up to the captain to bring the anchor above the pilot boat and the ship to a standstill when it gets there. If you overshoot, you end up in too shallow water. As soon as the anchor is above the pilot boat, the pilot boat moves away and the anchor is let go. That letting go of the anchor is always a bit scary with that pilot boat floating under it. There have not been any accidents but there have been a few close calls, when a too eager young officer forward was too quick with giving the “let go” order after permission came from the bridge.

When the anchor has landed on a sandy spot on the ledge, the ships bow (and thus the rest of the ship) is moved sideways and the chain is paid out over the ledge. In that way we create maximum holding power. The anchor will dug into the sand with the flukes and then the ship moves little bit astern so that most of the ship is over deep water again. For a person that has never seen this sort of “ledge anchoring” being done it is a bit of an eye opener. The bow is moving closer and closer to the beach followed by almost dropping the anchor on top of a boat and then for the remainder of the day relying on the wind to keep you in position. But it is safe and never has ship has come to harm over it."

 

So the wind is of the utmost importance as to whether they can anchor there or not.

[c-legs]

Thanks, Addict, for posting this. It is very informative, and I bet the majority among us didn't have much of a clue about the complexities of anchoring, prior to your post.

Thanks a mil

 

Cheers

:)