Great Stirrup Cay

[HMANSION LOVER]

Booked a cruise on the Breakaway (NCL). it will stop at GSC. My question is how is the loading of the tenders to take to the beach done. Is it first in line goes first and so on, or are you assigned a place on one of the transports. We are a family of four (everyone says we are crazy for bringing kids with us on our 25th celebration) and when on vacation we are a get and go kind of group. We would hate to be standing around for hours waiting to hit the beaches. If I have to wait around I am going to party and will be too drunk to go to the beach LOL. Any help will be greatly appreciated.:D

[Essiesmom]

I can't answer for NCL, as I have only visited private islands on Carnival, HAL and Princess. But if you ask on the board here for NCL, under Cruise Lines A-O, you will get lots of answers.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. EM

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic

 

Each cruise line has their method for tendering. Some give priority to passengers in certain groups (like suite passengers or those at high level of their loyalty program) beyond that numbers are usually distributed on a first come basis. Most lines give priority to passengers on ship's excursions.

 

You will be able to get more info in the NCL section of Cruise Critic.

[cb at sea]

You will not wait for hours! Not everyone is in a hurry to get off...indeed not everyone even goes ashore!

 

Get in line...if you don't make the 1st tender, you'll be on the next. It's not the ordeal you imagine it to be!

[Badger-Badger]

On the Sky it was first come first serve for the early birds and then starting at 10 they issued tender tickets in the main theatre. We just walked on a tender at 9:15ish and went straight to the island .... tender wasn't even full.

 

It may be different on one of the big ships, of courae. Have fun :) GSC was a pleasant surprise for us.

[Turtles06]

Booked a cruise on the Breakaway (NCL). it will stop at GSC. My question is how is the loading of the tenders to take to the beach done. Is it first in line goes first and so on, or are you assigned a place on one of the transports. We are a family of four (everyone says we are crazy for bringing kids with us on our 25th celebration) and when on vacation we are a get and go kind of group. We would hate to be standing around for hours waiting to hit the beaches. If I have to wait around I am going to party and will be too drunk to go to the beach LOL. Any help will be greatly appreciated.:D

 

Welcome! You should ask this on the NCL board, but I'll answer here since I was on the Gem last month. As others have noted, some groups get priority tendering, then the rest is by ticket number (line up to get a ticket).

 

Have you thought about renting clamshells or a cabana, to have relief from the sun? Either will get you a priority tender ticket as well. You book the cabanas on board the ship, do it as soon as you embark. You can book cabanas on line, in advance. There are only a limited number, so if this interests you, do it asap.

 

Happy anniversary, and enjoy your cruise!