Why doesn't NCL build a dock at Great Stirrup Cay?

Our recent Breakaway cruise, like so many others, was forced to miss GSC due to high seas that really did not look very rough. Is there a good reason why NCL does not build a dock, and instead relies on tendering to their private Island? It seems like missing GSC is a large part of many of the negative reviews the Breakaway receives when not sailing the summer Bermuda route.

It would cost too many nickels and dimes with very little return on investment.

Mainly it's the water depth that prevents them from exploring a dock (same reason RCCL tenders to the island next door to GSC)

Too expensive too dredge etc due to the island make up (rocky as opposed to sandy etc)

The Bahamian Government isn't too keen on people blowing up their reefs just so it's easier to get to shore. That's why you'll probably never see a pier in Grand Cayman either.

The current tender dock is a great improvement over the early days of landing on the beach.

The Bahamian Government isn't too keen on people blowing up their reefs just so it's easier to get to shore. That's why you'll probably never see a pier in Grand Cayman either.

How was Disney able to build a dock a few miles away at Castaway Cay?

This is from the Wikipedia entry for Castaway Cay:

"Disney is said to have spent US$25 million to develop and outfit the island. Construction took 18 months and included dredging 50,000 truckloads of sand from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The pier and its approaches were constructed to allow the Disney ships to dock alongside, thus removing the need for tenders to get the passengers ashore. To create the mooring site for the ships, workers dredged sand and used explosives to blast coral, and form a 1,700-foot (520 m) channel about 35 feet (11 m) deep and ranging from 200 to 400 feet (120 m) wide."

How was Disney able to build a dock a few miles away at Castaway Cay?

 

This is from the Wikipedia entry for Castaway Cay:

"Disney is said to have spent US$25 million to develop and outfit the island. Construction took 18 months and included dredging 50,000 truckloads of sand from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The pier and its approaches were constructed to allow the Disney ships to dock alongside, thus removing the need for tenders to get the passengers ashore. To create the mooring site for the ships, workers dredged sand and used explosives to blast coral, and form a 1,700-foot (520 m) channel about 35 feet (11 m) deep and ranging from 200 to 400 feet (120 m) wide."

Their lawyers incorporated Castaway Cay into Reedy Creek Improvement District. :rolleyes: It was an offer the Bahamians couldn't refuse.

the current tender dock is a great improvement over the early days of landing on the beach.

:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d

Their lawyers incorporated Castaway Cay into Reedy Creek Improvement District. :rolleyes: It was an offer the Bahamians couldn't refuse.

WDW humor...made me laugh.

Long and short answer as to why Disney, and not NCL is geography. Castaway Cay had a nice "corner" that Disney could blast a channel to that provided not only a dock, but a breakwater to shelter the ship while docked. You cannot just stick a pier out into the water and hope to be able to tie a ship up to it in any weather condition. GSC does not have that fortunate shape to allow for a dock and breakwater in any economically feasible fashion. Further, while Disney is all about the "theme park" experience, hence Castaway Cay, NCL does not see sufficient "benefit" of a pier to offset the "cost" to build it.

On a related note, seas look pretty calm today so hopefully they will make it today.

Our recent Breakaway cruise, like so many others, was forced to miss GSC due to high seas that really did not look very rough. Is there a good reason why NCL does not build a dock, and instead relies on tendering to their private Island? It seems like missing GSC is a large part of many of the negative reviews the Breakaway receives when not sailing the summer Bermuda route.

How was Disney able to build a dock a few miles away at Castaway Cay?

For what it's worth, we missed Castaway Cay on 2 of our 3 Disney cruises because the conditions were too rough for us to dock at the pier. We were on the ship wishing it was a tender port. :cool:

If NCL has any respect for the environment, they will not build a pier for their ships. Check out what happened over in BIMINI with the new pier for the cruise ship.... now the cruise ship is no longer operating service. They destroyed some of the most pristine reefs in the area. Not to mention there is an eye sore on the island that is going to sit defunct and most likely unused for years to come.

http://www.local10.com/news/bimini-resort-casino-construction-worries-environmentalist_20151127114631824

I should add, just because they build a pier doesn't mean they can always dock there. One of the reasons for the failure of the above project is the exposure these smaller islands have to the winds which makes the feasibility of docking during the winter months next to impossible.

I've been on 3 NCL cruises that had GSC as a port of call.

All 3 of those cruises the port was skipped. I gave up trying!

I was on the Spirit on April 8th and we were able to get onto the island. After the first few tenders there was a wait of about an hour before the next set was able to go. The seas didn't look rough from the ship but the tender ride was a bit interesting. They did get all ashore that wanted to get there. Some of the excursions were delayed but as far as I know they were all completed.

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