Problems with Apex Tendering in Grand Cayman

[egurbi]

Currently on Apex and this morning’s tendering has been, to say the least, disappointing.  For non ship excursions 4 tenders have left in 2 hours.  To put this in perspective, tender ticket numbers have been given out to number 56 and we are up to ticket number 16 after 2 hours.  Is this always a problem in GC?  Word to the wise, plan a ship day for GC. 

[1025cruise]

Are they using the island tenders or the ship tenders? Apex is a large ship, so it can take awhile, and as you know, ship's tours get priority.

[cw2go]

3 minutes ago, egurbi said:

Currently on Apex and this morning’s tendering has been, to say the least, disappointing.  For non ship excursions 4 tenders have left in 2 hours.  To put this in perspective, tender ticket numbers have been given out to number 56 and we are up to ticket number 16 after 2 hours.  Is this always a problem in GC?  Word to the wise, plan a ship day for GC. 

 

This was the same on Beyond last week. Many people gave up and found a deck chair for the day. 

 

 

Patty 

[garyl62]

Any change to the number of bars open while tendered?  

[jwlane]

How's the weather?  From webcams they're not using MC, Apex is in an unfavorable location, and are using island tenders.

Edited February 23, 2023 by jwlane

[jelayne]

We have had GC on our itinerary 3 times and only once were we able to get there due to sea conditions making

tender operation unsafe.

[egurbi]

Slightly windy.  They are not using ship tenders.  Things are moving better now but still a disappointment. And very few bars open. 

[owensjro]

We are on the Summit in GC today. We are through tender ticket 30 now.

 

Wonder if the issue is having the Apex, Summit, and two Carnival ships all tendering at the same time.

 

Also happy to report all is normal for bars. The alcohol is flowing "freely" from at least 5 locations We have seen so far.

[davekathy]

Hopefully the CC will be allowing priority tendering when we are in GC on the Apex in March. 

[39august]

What "very few bars" are open , please? Only pool bar was open back in Feb. when we were in GC. 

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

1 hour ago, egurbi said:

Currently on Apex and this morning’s tendering has been, to say the least, disappointing.  For non ship excursions 4 tenders have left in 2 hours.  To put this in perspective, tender ticket numbers have been given out to number 56 and we are up to ticket number 16 after 2 hours.  Is this always a problem in GC?  Word to the wise, plan a ship day for GC. 

We also had delays in tenders on Apex in GC back in December.  Looks like 5 ships are in port today which was the same for us.  Lots of traffic and it doesn't help if you arrive later than the other ships.

[helen haywood]

Equinox in January at Grand Cayman had only the Pool Bar open.  Most annoying if Summit has all their bars open.  Shouldn’t that restriction be fleetwide?

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, cw2go said:

 

This was the same on Beyond last week. Many people gave up and found a deck chair for the day. 

 

 

Patty 

Which would stink if the only bar open on the ship was at the pool..

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

3 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

Shouldn’t that restriction be fleetwide?

It is certainly a mystery why this restriction would apply to some Celebrity ships but not others.

[davekathy]

We'll be in GC on 23 March on the Apex. Hopefully tendering and ship bar service isn't an issue. 

 

[cw2go]

14 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Which would stink if the only bar open on the ship was at the pool..

 

 

 

I did a post cruise report the other day of my Beyond sailing w/ a GC stop. 

We did only have the one pool bar open but there were many servers and wheelie carts working the pool deck. It all seemed to flow efficiently. 

 

We had great bar service the entire sailing, 

Patty 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2023 by cw2go

[soniam]

No getting off the boat and no bars, makes for unhappy guests. Hopefully, all of the problems are resolved.

[Nashna]

That's odd.  We were on the Edge in January, and no tender tickets were needed.  The Edge was using both sides of the ship for the local tenders.  Perhaps if it is windy, the tenders are limited.

[egurbi]

The pool bar was the only open bar on Apex this morning.  They did open up Eden bar around 2. 

 

Two other items of note about the tendering into GC from Apex today:

 

1. Only one side of the ship was used.  It seemed like they got it under control by 1:30.  By then, there were 3 hours left in the port stop (last tender at 430).

 

2. Despite advertising that tender tickets would not be handed out until 10 AM, there was a lengthy line when I arrived at 950 AM.  Ok, some people got an earlier start than I did? Unfortunately not.  They started the tender ticket handout at 915. No CC preferences. Just some people were "in the know," So much for truth in advertising.

 

It has been a lovely cruise, and I will publish a review after completion.   Besides this snafu [and yes, sorry to repeat everyone else, the absolutely ridiculously thin offerings for dinner buffet in OVC], things have been great. 

[StillLooking4Adventure]

I thought one of the benefits of the Edge class ships was the very large tenders with easy access from the magic carpet? I've been on the Apex but none of the ports required tenders.

[goofysmom99]

On Summit and Sunset, Pool, and Mast Bars have been open since early morning.  Martini and Rendezvous opened at 3:00.  We leave at 5:30.  No problem getting a drink in OVC either.

[phoenix_dream]

18 minutes ago, StillLooking4Adventure said:

I thought one of the benefits of the Edge class ships was the very large tenders with easy access from the magic carpet? I've been on the Apex but none of the ports required tenders.

The tenders are local, no larger than for any other ships.  This time they are tendering from the port side due to sea conditions.  I suspect that is part of why it is taking so long.

Edited February 23, 2023 by phoenix_dream

[StillLooking4Adventure]

8 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

The tenders are local, no larger than for any other ships.  This time they are tendering from the port side due to sea conditions.  I suspect that is part of why it is taking so long.

I guess for some reason they can't use their own tenders. Shame. 

[wrk2cruise]

I think in some ports using the local tenders are part of the deal with stopping there.   $$$

[DCPIV]

34 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

On Summit and Sunset, Pool, and Mast Bars have been open since early morning.  Martini and Rendezvous opened at 3:00.  We leave at 5:30.  No problem getting a drink in OVC either.

 

I want to get back to Summit even more than I thought I did!