Nassau vs. Great Stirrup Cay

[JDoyscher]

We are sailing on the Breakaway 9/22. We have Nassau as our listed port of call. I have seen posts about ships skipping Nassau and doing Great Stirrup Cay instead. Seems like there is little to no notice for the change. Anybody know how often this actually happens? I see that NCL is posting today on social media that GSC is open and ready. Adding this to the amount of traffic that has likely increased to Nassau (rescuers, incoming supplies, etc.) I wonder if we're more likely to go to GSC at the last minute. We have a dolphin encounter booked in Nassau and would hate to miss that! 

[tallnthensome]

Usually it's GSC getting skipped and going to Nassau due to tendering and bad/windy weather happens instead.. You have it backward. No need to skip Nassau with the port/piers. GSC skipping happens a fair amount. We made both two weeks ago. 

Edited September 12, 2019 by tallnthensome

[JDoyscher]

1 minute ago, tallnthensome said:

Usually it's GSC getting skipped and going to Nassau due to tendering and bad/windy weather happens instead.. You have it backward. No need to skip Nassau with the port/piers. GSC skipping happens a fair amount. 

Thank you! That seems like great news. 

[smplybcause]

It's hard to say how likely it is to be skipped because it all depends on the winds/waves on whether they will or not. And even then it's up to the individual captain as I've gone to GSC with the size of waves I've heard other people say is the reason they skipped it. (And maybe even size of the ship as one time the Getaway anchored so the waves hit broadside so the tenders on the other side were easier to load.) I've made it in Feb, March, and August, but I'm sure there's someone on here that missed it during those months. 

 

Nassau is much more of a given - though I have heard once or twice someone skipping it due to the "perfect storm" of the waves/wind in relation to the opening to get into port. Most of the incoming supplies coming via boat, at least from what I've seen, are on either already scheduled cruise ships or much smaller ships that wouldn't take up space on the cruise ship piers. 

Edited September 12, 2019 by smplybcause

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, JDoyscher said:

We are sailing on the Breakaway 9/22. We have Nassau as our listed port of call. I have seen posts about ships skipping Nassau and doing Great Stirrup Cay instead. Seems like there is little to no notice for the change. Anybody know how often this actually happens? I see that NCL is posting today on social media that GSC is open and ready. Adding this to the amount of traffic that has likely increased to Nassau (rescuers, incoming supplies, etc.) I wonder if we're more likely to go to GSC at the last minute. We have a dolphin encounter booked in Nassau and would hate to miss that! 

I have never heard of this happening. If the weather is too bad a Nassau for a port call, then it will be too bad to call at GSC.  It is always the opposite, there is too much wind or waves at GSC and ships go to Nassau [early] instead.

 

It is good that GSC is open again. The Breakaway called there right after the hurricane with out any passengers, so the crew could help with the clean-up. There were a lot of complaints by Royal Caribbean guests stopping at Coco Cay (right next to GSC) because there was a lot of smelly, rotting seaweed washed up on the beaches which Royal didn't bother cleaning before restarting port calls there.  

[aceparty]

I would rather go to GSC then to Nassau, But GSC gets skipped usually and you go to Nassau.