Strange Bar Closings on Equinox Today in Grand Cayman

[Dar & Bob]

3 minutes ago, Texed said:

That was not the only bar that was serving drinks.  😎

While we were in Grand Cayman the pool bar was the ONLY bar that was serving alcoholic drinks.  The OV had coffee, sodas and water but no beer, wine or other alcohol.  

[cw2go]

1 hour ago, Dar & Bob said:

So friends are in GC today on another cruiseline and multiple bars are open.  I have sent a second email to Celebrity requesting an explanation.  Waiting on a response 

 

I'll be surprised if you ever get an actual answer, I think we have surmised the real issue. 💰

 

Thanks for the update, 
Patty 

[TeeRick]

I am not trying to minimize this issue at all but will report my personal experience.  We are on a cruise now on Equinox.  It stopped at Grand Cayman this week.  We got the “reduced bar” notice in the daily.  I posted it here.  We went off ship most of the day as did a great majority of passengers on excursions and on their own.  Three ships in port.  A great number of those were walking and shopping and yes eating and drinking on shore.  Maybe the government got what they wanted and kept more people ashore buying food and drink. When we came back the pool bar was very active.  It usually is.  I did not notice long lines and wait times more than usual.  The Retreat Lounge was serving drinks and I could get beer from my stateroom too.  It was not a great hardship for me dealing with this situation in the short time when I came back from my excursion and when the ship left GC.   Again my experience. It did not ruin my cruise.  It was a total of a few hours one day on a 9 night cruise where I had to be a wee bit more creative.  I could still use my drink package.  I did not feel cheated.  Maybe a slight inconvenience for a short time.  

[Dar & Bob]

8 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I am not trying to minimize this issue at all but will report my personal experience.  We are on a cruise now on Equinox.  It stopped at Grand Cayman this week.  We got the “reduced bar” notice in the daily.  I posted it here.  We went off ship most of the day as did a great majority of passengers on excursions and on their own.  Three ships in port.  A great number of those were walking and shopping and yes eating and drinking on shore.  Maybe the government got what they wanted and kept more people ashore buying food and drink. When we came back the pool bar was very active.  It usually is.  I did not notice long lines and wait times more than usual.  The Retreat Lounge was serving drinks and I could get beer from my stateroom too.  It was not a great hardship for me dealing with this situation in the short time when I came back from my excursion and when the ship left GC.   Again my experience. It did not ruin my cruise.  It was a total of a few hours one day on a 9 night cruise where I had to be a wee bit more creative.  I could still use my drink package.  I did not feel cheated.  Maybe a slight inconvenience for a short time.  

I understand - you were able to get what you wanted 🙂  However, due to other circumstances - docking at Spotts bay not at George Town and the fact that all watersports (snorkeling, stingray city etc) were cancelled there were many more passengers still on board. Had we been at George Town we would have walked around the town but we weren't. We ended up spending more time on board. I will add the bar staff did a tremendous job but again they shouldn't have had to hustle like that.

 

The biggest dig however, is that this is not happening on other ships and I do believe as some others that Celebrity decided to just not pay a duty possibly to have what would be open in most other ports.  On FB forum yesterday supposedly cafe al bacio, the OV bar as well as the Pool bar were open.  Maybe Celebrity has gotten our message?  

Edited January 27, 2023 by Dar & Bob

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

I understand - you were able to get what you wanted 🙂  However, due to other circumstances - docking at Spotts bay not at George Town and the fact that all watersports (snorkeling, stingray city etc) were cancelled there were many more passengers still on board. Had we been at George Town we would have walked around the town but we weren't. We ended up spending more time on board. I will add the bar staff did a tremendous job but again they shouldn't have had to hustle like that.

 

The biggest dig however, is that this is not happening on other ships and I do believe as some others that Celebrity decided to just not pay a duty possibly to have what would be open in most other ports.  On FB forum yesterday supposedly cafe al bacio, the OV bar as well as the Pool bar were open.  Maybe Celebrity has gotten our message?  

I can only report my own experience.

[markeb]

8 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

Maybe Celebrity has gotten our message?  

 

Or the port agent screwed up and they didn't throw them under the bus.

 

Or it matters whether the ship is registered in the Bahamas or Malta.

 

Or...

 

There are no facts on this. If none of us trust Celebrity, why are we giving them our money? 

[Jeremiah1212]

Another perspective - often when there are new laws or regulations different entities adopt different interpretations of what it means until the details are ironed out. If Celebrity had some sinister motive it seems strange to randomly choose one tender port. 

[cw2go]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

I am not trying to minimize this issue at all but will report my personal experience.  We are on a cruise now on Equinox.  It stopped at Grand Cayman this week.  We got the “reduced bar” notice in the daily.  I posted it here.  We went off ship most of the day as did a great majority of passengers on excursions and on their own.  Three ships in port.  A great number of those were walking and shopping and yes eating and drinking on shore.  Maybe the government got what they wanted and kept more people ashore buying food and drink. When we came back the pool bar was very active.  It usually is.  I did not notice long lines and wait times more than usual.  The Retreat Lounge was serving drinks and I could get beer from my stateroom too.  It was not a great hardship for me dealing with this situation in the short time when I came back from my excursion and when the ship left GC.   Again my experience. It did not ruin my cruise.  It was a total of a few hours one day on a 9 night cruise where I had to be a wee bit more creative.  I could still use my drink package.  I did not feel cheated.  Maybe a slight inconvenience for a short time.  

 

May I ask, what were your port times? The schedule? We're scheduled  10am - 6pm

 

I agree this is not the end of the world and we will adapt just planning how to do so. 

 

Patty 

[cw2go]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

Another perspective - often when there are new laws or regulations different entities adopt different interpretations of what it means until the details are ironed out. If Celebrity had some sinister motive it seems strange to randomly choose one tender port. 

 

Agree! I don't believe anything is sinister but I do believe it's financially driven which is why Celebrity hasn't point blank explained the reason and why we can't find anything online. 

 

Like I said previously, I'll be sailing in two weeks, very much looking forward to my cruise but I am also grateful for this info so that I can pre pare for my sea day in GC. 

Patty 

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, cw2go said:

 

May I ask, what were your port times? The schedule? We're scheduled  10am - 6pm

 

I agree this is not the end of the world and we will adapt just planning how to do so. 

 

Patty 

Patty we were 10AM to 5PM.

[cw2go]

12 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Patty we were 10AM to 5PM.

 

Thank you! Hope you had a great cruise 🚢

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, cw2go said:

 

Thank you! Hope you had a great cruise 🚢

We come back on Monday Jan 30.

[cw2go]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

We come back on Monday Jan 30.

  

Okee Dokee then... hope your'e having a great cruise 😀

Patty 

[Dar & Bob]

14 hours ago, cw2go said:

 

May I ask, what were your port times? The schedule? We're scheduled  10am - 6pm

 

I agree this is not the end of the world and we will adapt just planning how to do so. 

 

Patty 

I really do think they are changing this since according to FB posts the Apex had several bars open while in GC waters.   I got a response from X that I will hear from them.

[cle-guy]

On 1/14/2023 at 5:36 PM, miched said:

If I am reading it correctly Celebrity should dock a little further out than 1/2 mile and not have that issue.  

 

Grand Cayman is quite limited in places a ship is allowed to anchor due to the local corals.  it's the reason there are no major cruise ship asking options and all tender.  

[Dar & Bob]

So I did get a response from X - that they will get back to me as they are still looking at why only one bar was open.  I did tell them about the other cruiseline and that supposedly the Apex had them all open.  Let's see if they can come up with an explanation

 

**** Just saw on a FB post that they have changed the port from GC to Puerto Plata for some upcoming ABC cruises on the Equinox, Feb 9th & March 9th and April 6th 

 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Dar & Bob

[cw2go]

11 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

So I did get a response from X - that they will get back to me as they are still looking at why only one bar was open.  I did tell them about the other cruiseline and that supposedly the Apex had them all open.  Let's see if they can come up with an explanation

 

**** Just saw on a FB post that they have changed the port from GC to Puerto Plata for some upcoming ABC cruises on the Equinox, Feb 9th & March 9th and April 6th 

 

 

The plot thickens 😜

 

I'd prefer a stop in Puerto Plata to GC but I am sure there are just as many people who wouldn't. 

 

Again... Thanks for the heads up! 

Patty 

[Quik2flip]

19 hours ago, Dar & Bob said:

So I did get a response from X - that they will get back to me as they are still looking at why only one bar was open.  I did tell them about the other cruiseline and that supposedly the Apex had them all open.  Let's see if they can come up with an explanation

 

**** Just saw on a FB post that they have changed the port from GC to Puerto Plata for some upcoming ABC cruises on the Equinox, Feb 9th & March 9th and April 6th 

 

@Dar & Bob I just saw this post and my mouth dropped!  I immediately went to Celebrity website and didn't see the change.  Still showing Bonaire.  I will be on the April 6th sailing and would love to stop at Puerto Plata!  I hate tendering, didn't like the idea of the one bar, and have been to GC so many times... I will keep checking and keep my fingers crossed.  Thanks for the heads up!

[prmssk]

19 hours ago, Dar & Bob said:

 

**** Just saw on a FB post that they have changed the port from GC to Puerto Plata for some upcoming ABC cruises on the Equinox, Feb 9th & March 9th and April 6th 

 

Celebrity's website still shows Grand Cayman at least for the March 9 and April 6 sailings.  The FB post I saw was from someone panicking because of something they saw on a third party website (a website that has not been 100% accurate in my experience) and had not received any actual notice from Celebrity.  Have you seen something different?

[terrydtx]

19 minutes ago, Quik2flip said:

@Dar & Bob I just saw this post and my mouth dropped!  I immediately went to Celebrity website and didn't see the change.  Still showing Bonaire.  I will be on the April 6th sailing and would love to stop at Puerto Plata!  I hate tendering, didn't like the idea of the one bar, and have been to GC so many times... I will keep checking and keep my fingers crossed.  Thanks for the heads up!

I am the same, our June 4th Equinox cruise has a GC stop and we have been there many times and never to Puerto Plata.  Last year our Reflection cruise had several port changes in Croatia/Greece and the changes didn't show up on the X website for weeks after it was announced. It took months to get the shore excursions for the changes to show in the app and the website.

[Dar & Bob]

.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Dar & Bob

[Dar & Bob]

1 hour ago, Quik2flip said:

@Dar & Bob I just saw this post and my mouth dropped!  I immediately went to Celebrity website and didn't see the change.  Still showing Bonaire.  I will be on the April 6th sailing and would love to stop at Puerto Plata!  I hate tendering, didn't like the idea of the one bar, and have been to GC so many times... I will keep checking and keep my fingers crossed.  Thanks for the heads up!

Well this post has nothing to do with Bonaire.  I did comment on a post about Puerto Plata being shown on Feb 9, Mar 9 and April 6th sailings instead of Grand Cayman.  Here is what showed yesterday  Today it is back to GC.  So who knows! Update it appears only the Feb 9th itinerary was changed even though they are all listed together. 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Dar & Bob
correction

[dlh015]

4 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

All I can say is Celebrity's site is flaky !!

A truer statement has never been made!! 🤣

[Quik2flip]

34 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

Well this post has nothing to do with Bonaire.  I did comment on a post about Puerto Plata being shown on Feb 9, Mar 9 and April 6th sailings instead of Grand Cayman.  Here is what showed yesterday  Today it is back to GC.  So who knows! Update it appears only the Feb 9th itinerary was changed even though they are all listed together. 

🤭🤭 You are absolutely right about Bonaire. I meant GC. This is why one should never post and try to work at the same time😂. Still hoping for Puerto Plata!

[Dar & Bob]

Update - so I did get a response from an Executive Representative.  They said it was a government regulation and can not speak to what is happening on other ships.  The rep agreed that it was strange that one and only one bar would be allowed to open.  She also stated that these regulations come from the island sometimes last minute etc.  

Basically I know no more than what we have speculated.  I have to quit wasting my time trying to be informed if I want to avoid GC or Celebrity.