Tendering in Grand Cayman

[Cruiser-66]

Is it safe to book a tour an hour after a ship is due to arrive in Grand Cayman? This is a tour we would like to book on our own. The tour leaves at 9:00 and the ship is due in at 8:00. How long does it take to get people with ship tours off, as I know they are first priority?

[ruezim2]

Is it safe to book a tour an hour after a ship is due to arrive in Grand Cayman? This is a tour we would like to book on our own. The tour leaves at 9:00 and the ship is due in at 8:00. How long does it take to get people with ship tours off, as I know they are first priority?

 

They are priority if they book through carnival, otherwise go down early and get a tender ticket. We had a 0900 excursion at GC and made it just fine. We were on the conquest. With that said when they called our number we went, and they didn't look at our ticket number.

[Elaine5715]

Won't they wait for you? The ship has to be cleared to off load. Seems to me it took more than two hours to get ship tours out.

[ddbaab53]

The tour operators in the ports are familure with the ship schedules and will tell you if they think a time is a problem. Have fun:)

[riedela]

Been there many times and there are too many variables to count on a 9:00 tour. I would book something later, not worth the stress on Vacation.

 

Have fun!

[Ehpride]

You may want to compare local time to ship time. Depending on the embarkation port, time of year, etc; you could have a little more leeway.

[poison7fl]

The tour operators in the ports are familure with the ship schedules and will tell you if they think a time is a problem. Have fun:)

 

Correct, and besides its likely the rest of the people on your tour are on your ship, so they will wait. While they get paid... tips are a huge part of there income...They won't leave anyone behind

[wrigley80]

Yes you should be fine with a 9:00 am tour....go down early that morning to get a tender ticket. And be prepared to get off the ship as soon as you are able to

[2 cruzen]

Does your ship offer FTTF? Allows for priority tendering, which would help.

 

Do check local time like another poster suggested. I almost ran over people to get off the tender boat, only to realize that I had another hour to wait, and then the tour left late anyway. :eek:

[Ehpride]

Go to www dot timeanddate dot com. Hit the time zone tab and go to convert time zones. You can see how ship time compares to local time in Grand Cayman and how much time you will actually have.

[awhcruiser]

You should be fine.

The tour operators in the ports are familiar with the ship schedules and will tell you if they think a time is a problem. Have fun:)

[Cruiser-66]

I'm still confused as everyone thinks differently. We will be on the Sunshine, and it's the first time for it in Grand Cayman. It is an hour latter there than ship time, which means we only have one hour from the time it's suppose to be there. I think they would wait a few minutes, but if were an hour late we'd be out of luck!

[ruezim2]

I'm still confused as everyone thinks differently. We will be on the Sunshine, and it's the first time for it in Grand Cayman. It is an hour latter there than ship time, which means we only have one hour from the time it's suppose to be there. I think they would wait a few minutes, but if were an hour late we'd be out of luck!

 

Nobody can tell you 100% for sure, but if you get an early tender ticket you should be fine. It's a short tender and they have at least 4 tender boats. We were on shore within 25 min.

[Halya50]

Is it safe to book a tour an hour after a ship is due to arrive in Grand Cayman? This is a tour we would like to book on our own. The tour leaves at 9:00 and the ship is due in at 8:00. How long does it take to get people with ship tours off, as I know they are first priority?

 

We missed our independent boat ride in Cayman Island. Our tour operator waited for us at the scheduled bar, it took so long to get off our cruise ship, that the tour operator left thinking we bailed on him.

 

So the 7 of us just toured around the Island, we were able to get our deposit back as the bartender called from our meeting place the local number we were given for the guide, and explained that we just got in.

 

The tour guide said it was too late.........

 

Next cruise we are taking this into account with booking a Stingray tour.