Grand Cayman Tender

[wiscCruisers]

We're sailing the Equinox in November. On Nov 11th, we'll be in Grand Cayman - scheduled arrival 8 AM. We were planning on taking a tour with Acquarius, but they said meeting time is 8:45 AM. We think this is aggressive, although we've only been to GC once before and took a later tour (so we didn't watch the time that carefully).

 

Has anyone else tendered from the Equinox or similar sized ship into Grand Cayman? We're only in a Concierge class cabin, so won't have priority tender tickets.

[jfer8580]

We're sailing the Equinox in November. On Nov 11th, we'll be in Grand Cayman - scheduled arrival 8 AM. We were planning on taking a tour with Acquarius, but they said meeting time is 8:45 AM. We think this is aggressive, although we've only been to GC once before and took a later tour (so we didn't watch the time that carefully).

 

 

 

Has anyone else tendered from the Equinox or similar sized ship into Grand Cayman? We're only in a Concierge class cabin, so won't have priority tender tickets.

 

 

Hi, how you doing. Just poking around and came across this. I don't have the answer but maybe you want to post this on the GC port board as well.

[gergles]

The tender trip takes about 15 minutes. When we anchored at Grand Cayman on the Silhouette, they were basically taking anybody who was ready to go on the first tender without even handing out tickets; they just told you to go to the tender deck, and I was able to get on the 2nd tender out.

 

The best advice I can give you is to be in the tender ticket distribution area early and to ask the cruise staff as soon as they start handing out tickets. On the Silhouette, it was very loosey-goosey for the first tenders, but when I came back after a short stay on Grand Cayman, they didn't start open tendering until almost 13:00.

[nijh]

Get to the queue very early. In March on Silhouette the queue ran from the Entertainment Court right back to the Martini Bar. I also overheard some people with tickets didn't get ashore until after 1pm - so open tenders must have been later than that.

[keesar]

We're sailing the Equinox in November. On Nov 11th, we'll be in Grand Cayman - scheduled arrival 8 AM. We were planning on taking a tour with Acquarius, but they said meeting time is 8:45 AM. We think this is aggressive, although we've only been to GC once before and took a later tour (so we didn't watch the time that carefully).

 

Has anyone else tendered from the Equinox or similar sized ship into Grand Cayman? We're only in a Concierge class cabin, so won't have priority tender tickets.

 

You are correct in that the time is aggressive. As the ship is scheduled to arrive at 8 am, there must allow time for clearance. Then the tenders have to arrive from shore and then load the passengers. Your best bet is to try to get on one of the first tenders so try to either get an early ticket or get down to the tender area early.

[hcat]

First "open tenders" on Reflection were well after noon...not sure if it always runs that late. Depends on sea condition.. we stayed on the ship and heard the announcement while eating lunch in Bistro...

 

Reflection carries more pax than Equinox, but to get off that early will require priority tender or luck.

Edited May 25, 2015 by hcat