Help...first cruise with a tender port...advice on tendering in the Caymans please!?

[nitro2448]

Cayman tender is short tender so it really doesn't take long to get to shore. Belize however takes awhile, that one you want to be one of the first ones off if you have an excursion.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Gemynii]

FANTASTIC!!! Thanks and I will be checking out your review right now. :D

 

Ugh... looks like I exceeded my bandwidth on Photobucket, so the pics on my review aren't showing. However, the full album can be viewed here if you'd still like to see it: http://s456.photobucket.com/user/gemynii_album/library/Paradise

[Doug910]

What I am worried about is the getting off and getting back to the ship. I have never been a pier runner...my biggest fear is to be waiting on a tender back and find out that it is the last one and it is full...lol :eek:

 

...The situation you mentioned is never going to happen. They do not leave anyone at the pier. If you are there waiting, they will get you back to the ship. Also, passengers aren't the last ones back to the vessel. The last tender has the crew and security officers.

 

...Now, if you arrive to the port area after the crew has left the dock, that's another story...

[mikel24m]

Sent from my VS840 4G using Forums mobile app

 

Lots of great advice already but I will give you my two cents :)

 

If I was not platinum I would buy the faster to the fun to get priority tender so you can be one of the first off the ship if you wish to get your day started early.They are really big boats that hold a lot of people.

 

If its your first time I would do Stingray City through Moby Dicks.If you go to youtube and search stingray city you will find a ton of videos.Its really cool

 

Now if you just want a cheap beach day ,walk right outside the pier and grab a taxi to Calico Jacks beach bar(Moby Dicks gives you the option to be dropped off here after the tour). I think the last time it was $6PP taxi ride each way and always taxis waiting to take you back to the ship.Just beware the taxis are vans and they will not leave until they are full nd sometimes it takes a half hour.Food and drink is a little more expensive due to currency values. Have fun no matter what you decide :)

[shoppingfever]

What horror stories have you heard about tenders? Are you afraid of the tender ride, or getting in or out of the tenders, or are you concerned about the wait?

 

Roz

 

 

Since you brought this up, I would love to know about getting in and out of the tenders. I know some will say it is a silly question, don't worry and just enjoy the cruise, but I would really like to know what it is like getting in and out of the tenders. Thanks!

[Noel182002]

We did our own thing...but I don't remember a long wait for a tender...it was maybe 10 minutes...We were on the Valor....the wait coming back was like 20 minutes....overall no a huge deal to us....

[Doug910]

Since you brought this up, I would love to know about getting in and out of the tenders. I know some will say it is a silly question, don't worry and just enjoy the cruise, but I would really like to know what it is like getting in and out of the tenders. Thanks!

 

...Truth is that there are times where the loading and unloading of the tenders in GC, both at the ship and at the pier, is a little rocky. But, no worries. There are ALWAYS crewmembers there to help you on and off the tenders. My in-laws are in their mid 80's, both with knee problems, and they do just fine.

[shoppingfever]

...Truth is that there are times where the loading and unloading of the tenders in GC, both at the ship and at the pier, is a little rocky. But, no worries. There are ALWAYS crewmembers there to help you on and off the tenders. My in-laws are in their mid 80's, both with knee problems, and they do just fine.

 

 

Thank you!

[Whoop98]

I have tendered twice, once in Belize and once in Cayman. In Belize we did not have anything planned (days switched due to a hurricane) so we took our time getting off the ship.

 

Cayman was different, we had to get off early. I did not have a ticket or have any problem being in the "first group" getting off the ship. I went down to shore excursion desk and asked what i needed to do to get on shore by XX time. They said to meet in this lounge at XX time and we would be escorted off. We meet them and then were taken down. I don't remember passing anyone, no tickets just on the tender. We had to wait for the tender to fill up and then we were off. It was very easy. Now reading all this I am worried things have changed in the past year and it will be more difficult, we are doing the same tour in Cayman (not through Carnival).