Tendering to GC

[madiandcindy]

I am a first time cruiser and am wondering how long it will be to actually get off the ship, it looks like we arrive at 7am and tender out, how long is this process usually? I imagine a massive crowd trying to get off the cruise in these small boats! Yikes. Can someone explain to me how this works and what time we should try to get off and how long it will all take? Any advice is GREATLY appreciated.

[mrsfuzzmo]

This is how is has worked in my past 14 cruises. If the itinerary says you'll be there around 7 am, it's likely you will. They will generally have all people who have booked island excursions through the cruise line first. That may be 3 or 4 tenders depending on the island and the size of the ship and the tenders. Then they will hand out tickets, usually first come first served, and you will go to the deck where you get on the tender and load up. Tenders usually take about 20 minutes to load. The ride to shore will take only about 10-15 minutes in Cayman depending on where you are anchored.

 

Normally by 9 am the tendering is open and you can come and go as you please. We usually try and get onto the earliest tender because we generally book private excursions, or just want to spend as much time on shore as possible. Sometimes you can plead your case with the tender "host" and they will let you get on the earliest tenders, even though you didn't book an excrusion with them.

 

Many people just stay onboard for a liesurely breakfast and go down to the tenders at 9 or 10 am and go to shore.