How often is GC cancelled due to high seas?

[sandytoes03]

I was just wondering, how often are the tenders cancelled at Grand Cayman?

[drew sailbum]

Asking the question usually provokes replies primarily from people who have missed a stop in GC, perhaps skewing the results.

 

Prevailing winds in GC are from the east-northeast to the east-southeast. The primary tendering site is in George Town on the west shore of the island, and is thus sheltered from the prevailing wind and waves.

 

Occasionally in the winter months a weather front comes down out of the Gulf of Mexico and turns the winds to northwest. During even a mild Norwester' it is too rough to tender into George Town. However there is an alternate tendering site on the south shore at Spotts. Spotts can only accomodate about 3 ships, so any additional ships due to call on such a day may be diverted. Since Norwester's are a winter phenomenen, they fall during peak cruise season (mid-November to mid-April).

 

The other reason for a rough weather cancellation is a tropical storm or hurricane. Cruise lines rightly want to keep their ships far away from such storms. A stop in GC may be cancelled if a storm track is forecast for anywhere west of the Dominican Republic. Such cancellations occur in hurricane season (June 1 to Nov 30) which is low season for cruise ships.

 

So in total, how often do these cancellations occur? Probably less than 5% of scheduled cruise calls are cancelled. Cruise lines want overall reliability from ports.

[sandytoes03]

Thanks for the response. If GC is one of 3 stops on our cruise, I would hate to miss it. But, I know that millions of cruise guests visit it each year, and it's doubtful that a cruise line would keep going to a spot if it tended to be huge a problem.

[misguidedangel]

I've been there three times Dec 25 1991: Jan 18, 2007; and Feb 7, 2008. Each day it was absolutely gorgeous and I spent a day enjoying the island. I do know someone who was on a HAL ship (small one 55000 GRT) last November and they (and all other ships in port) missed Grand Cayman because of high winds and rough seas.

 

Perhaps during hurricane season it is a 50/50 chance, and the December-May it is less likely to miss it because the weather is usually nice and sunny.

[paradiseseekers]

We heard 50% chance You will not be able to tender into port! We've been to GC twice and once we got in, once we didn't. We always sail around Spring break time. GC is on our itinerary again this year!!! We'll see what happens! Love it there

Take care and Happy sailing!!!!!:)

[grandmato4]

Rough seas February 28th but our Capt (Carnival Victory) took us to Spots Bay so we still got to tender onto Grand Cayman although almost all water excursions were canceled. We went to plan B and took a taxi to Seven Mile beach for a bit and then did some shopping instead of our planned swim with the Stingray and trip to Rum Point Beach. Good reason to go back again to do what we didnt get to do this last trip !;)