Missing Grand Cayman

[kwbound]

Ships today had to skip Grand Cayman due to high seas and bad weather. I know that happens regularly in GC, but does it happen more often in some months than others? What are the chances we might have to skip it in early Dec? Slim I hope.

 

Thanks.

[Grandpaul]

Hurricane season usually ends in November so I would think your chances improve then. But it's a big ocean and a small island.

[bajathree]

Ships today had to skip Grand Cayman due to high seas and bad weather. I know that happens regularly in GC, but does it happen more often in some months than others? What are the chances we might have to skip it in early Dec? Slim I hope.

 

Thanks.

 

I wouldn't say it happens regularly.

[curacaoqueen]

December can be a windy month

[thecruisers723]

I sure hope we don't have to skip it in early December either. We've been twice and didn't have any problems. But they were both in August. The friends we're traveling with went last Feb. and they didn't have to skip it, but their Captain Marvin's tour to Stingray City was cancelled. Although we've been to Stingray City twice, we're going again with them in December for their first time. So I really hope for their sake that we make it there this time. And for our sake that we get off the ship at all. I wonder if the ships are there today. I looked at the beach webcam at Royal Palms and it's been raining and their beach appears basically empty. So I wondered if cruise ships were in port today or not.

[chitowngoose]

Happened to us on a Feb cruise a few years ago. Has to do with the wind direction as well as the wave height. Tender service is run by the Island, and they are the ones who seem to make the call. There are a few alternate piers, but not enought for all the ships that call there.

[chipmaster]

We missed it on our holiday cruise many years ago :(

 

Ships today had to skip Grand Cayman due to high seas and bad weather. I know that happens regularly in GC, but does it happen more often in some months than others? What are the chances we might have to skip it in early Dec? Slim I hope.

 

Thanks.

[Banditswife]

In Feb 2010 we didn't miss island, but all water tours were canceled due to high waves and wind. Hopefully we'll get to do stingrays in early Dec this year.

[wingsrn123]

:( We missed it on an April cruise. Made it on a May cruise. Hope our next one in January 2012 makes it!

[Keith1010]

It doesn't happen regularly but it does happen. We missed it once on a March cruise but have visited it on over 10 cruises including March and many other times of the year.

 

Keith

[GrandmaHofmann]

You wouldn't miss much. Grand Cayman is one of the more boring islands, I think.

[Keith1010]

Oh, it's a nice island. It's certainly better than many of the Islands.

 

Keith

[Grandpaul]

Better boring than dangerous.

[mrsfuzzmo]

All five ships skipped again today, Nov. 29, 2011 due to rough seas. They have all proceeced to a day at sea.

[kijjy]

We are going to GC in March 2012. If you have to skip it, do you go to a different port somewhere else or do you have a sea day instead? I'd be ok with either but would prefer a different port.

[cb at sea]

It's all up to Mother Nature....season doesn't have anything to do with it....it's strictly the local weather!

[mrsfuzzmo]

We are going to GC in March 2012. If you have to skip it, do you go to a different port somewhere else or do you have a sea day instead? I'd be ok with either but would prefer a different port.

 

Depends on a lot. Today, all 5 ships from 3 or more cruise lines did extra Sea Days.

[Linco711]

December can be a windy month

 

What about January? Windy month? We were there two years ago in Dec. and it was very windy...

[lovevacadays]

We are going to GC in March 2012. If you have to skip it, do you go to a different port somewhere else or do you have a sea day instead? I'd be ok with either but would prefer a different port.

 

If you skip it will most likely be an added sea day.

[mrsfuzzmo]

The last time we sailed in January (2009) we were supposed to go to Grand Cayman and as we approached we were told it was too rough to tender and many of the ships sailed on to a day at sea. We were lucky enough (sort of) that our ship was one of two that sailed around to Spotts and we tendered in from there. The issues, though were that all watersports were cancelled and there wasn't much else we wanted to do. (We've been there before and wanted to show our "virgins" the water!!) Everyone had to pay taxis to get to town (which stunk) and there wasn't much going on at the beach because it was cold and windy. We walked around town, had some drinks, bought some rum, went to Hell and headed back to the ship. Not the best day in Cayman. Probably would have enjoyed a day at sea more. It really turned our friends off to Grand Cayman......which is a HUGE shame.

[ibcnusoon]

We were able to visit Grand Cayman on our cruise early last month (November 2011). Albeit, tendering was delayed about an hour and half because of wind/high waves. Our jet ski private excursion to Stingray City wasn't cancelled, so it was a win-win for us, although it was very windy, the waves had white caps.

[Muskoka Girl]

Just got back from our cruise and it looks like we were very, very fortunate to have stopped at GC on our itinerary last Wednesday (Nov. 30). The captain said that due to high winds we'd be arriving a little late but we didn't care because we were glad we actually got to stop. Apparently we were this close to skipping it. Gorgeous sunny weather but the winds were really strong making the tender boarding interesting, to say the least! All of the water-related excursions were cancelled. When it was time to come back to Spotts Bay to board the tender in the afternoon we saw that two other ships had made the stop as well.

[PA_Traveler]

Just got back from our cruise and it looks like we were very, very fortunate to have stopped at GC on our itinerary last Wednesday (Nov. 30). The captain said that due to high winds we'd be arriving a little late but we didn't care because we were glad we actually got to stop. Apparently we were this close to skipping it. Gorgeous sunny weather but the winds were really strong making the tender boarding interesting, to say the least! All of the water-related excursions were cancelled. When it was time to come back to Spotts Bay to board the tender in the afternoon we saw that two other ships had made the stop as well.

 

You were lucky. I was on the Carnival Inspiration and we skipped GC entirely that day. We got close enough to see the island. Then the CD came on and announced we were turning around and spending a day at sea. So we ended up with 3 days at sea and only 1 day in port on the cruise.

[Redsfan]

Just got back from our cruise and it looks like we were very, very fortunate to have stopped at GC on our itinerary last Wednesday (Nov. 30). The captain said that due to high winds we'd be arriving a little late but we didn't care because we were glad we actually got to stop. Apparently we were this close to skipping it. Gorgeous sunny weather but the winds were really strong making the tender boarding interesting, to say the least! All of the water-related excursions were cancelled. When it was time to come back to Spotts Bay to board the tender in the afternoon we saw that two other ships had made the stop as well.

 

well this is sad....we were due to arrive in GC along with you guys on the Inspiration but they never even tried to tender! Yes it looked windy, but nothing. The Captain claims he could not drop the anchor so we got into Cozumel early. Wonder if the smaller boat made it harder to allow tender?

[PA_Traveler]

well this is sad....we were due to arrive in GC along with you guys on the Inspiration but they never even tried to tender! Yes it looked windy, but nothing. The Captain claims he could not drop the anchor so we got into Cozumel early. Wonder if the smaller boat made it harder to allow tender?

 

I doubt the size of the cruise ship mattered so much as the size of the tender boats.

 

I take the captain at his word. He is the expert, and if he felt it was too dangerous, then it probably was.

 

Someone above mentioned that the water excursions were canceled even though their ship did make port, so I would've been out of luck anyway since I was scheduled to go snorkeling.

 

Overall, I thought this cruise was a little disappointing because of the weather. Not just in GC. That first night was awful with the rocking! And most days were really too chilly to enjoy the pool or the waterpark. In spite of the great price, I will probably not book another November/December cruise.