Realistic tendering time in Georgetown?

[lanoitarus]

Hey all,

We just booked our first cruise for this December on the Triumph. Our travel agent (who also happens to be my buddys aunt) strongly recommended a particular non-carnival company to take us to stingray city and the reefs.

 

Our boat is listed as in port from 7:30-4:30. The tour company says the tour is 9:30 - 2, but they reccomend you arrive at their boat by 9 (its only a block) I understand that tendering can sometimes be a very very long process. Do you folks thing this is doable?

 

If so, what do we have to do to make sure we tender off the ship as early has possible? We're willing to do whatever is required, but none of us have done carnival and arent sure what that is. Is there a line we can camp in overnight for the first round ticket? (just kidding... kindof)

[calicruise74]

On the Liberty, When we tendered in GC, they allowed the CCL excursion people off first, and then you could go down to the theater and get a tender ticket with a group number. We had no problem meeting our tour group by 9am. The tender boats are 2-levels and carry lots of people.

[briancindy]

just back from the carnival destiny this week they let every one off in no certain order but on the Glory a few monthes ago they left those with carnival excursion off first. We had like 4 or 5 tenders every one off in a short time I hope the other company is Stingray Sailing they are great Chip is the captain and owner and offers great service and great time very personel service to your needs you can get to his web site by putting the two names together and adding .com On out trip we had been rerouted do to the hurricane and we were the only family on the trip All the other company pack the boat like sardines in A can Chip onlys takes 20-25 on his boat it would hold much more we motored out to the site and he taught us to feed the stingrays and hold them then we went to the reef it was to rough so we ask him to take us to Hell for the rest of the time wich he gladly did we sailed back under sail snacking on fresh fruit Chip was informative about the culture and the island life This trip was the highlight of our cruise

[lanoitarus]

Thanks everyone for your input. Sounds like most thing tendering in under a hour and a half is realistic. Were going to go ahead with the reccomended guy and hope for the best!

[nolaAlive]

The actual tendering only takes a few minutes.

 

I think Carnival advises to allow 45 minutes or so to board a tender, but it could be only 5 minutes or it could be an hour.

 

It also depends on many is "we". If necessary, you could probably piggyback with some other group.

[dizneydawn]

Are the tenders for all the ships or are there seperate tenders for each ship? There are 6 ships in GC the day we go:eek:

 

I am thinking each ship has it's own tenders that only go back and forth to that ship??:confused:

 

Thanks!

[Ren1216]

To the OP - You should be able to make it in plenty of time. I have a 9am tour with the same company you are using and I asked their rep about this, she assured me that it should be no problem. They do this every day and therefore quite understand how much time it takes the passengers to get ashore, they've designed their schedules accordingly.

 

dizneydawn - Im not sure if the island itself has tenders it uses to help shuttle passengers, but every ship does use its own and they will run the entire time you are in port. I've never been into GC on a day with 6 ships, but it should be pretty clear which line is for which ship. Pay attention to which terminal you come into, your ship will use that one all day, just come back to the same spot.