RCCL - Docking time & Captain Marvins

[ck1234]

Hi all,

 

We are supposed to be docked at 7:00am on the Rhapsody. I booked a Snorkel & Stingray tour & then a Turtle Farm/Hell tour which leaves immediately from there with Captain Marvins. Captain Marvins said I need to be checked in at 8:00am for our tour and if our ship is on time & I miss the check in I will be charged full price.

 

That makes me a little a nervous as isn't 1 hr. cutting it too close - considering I can't be guaranteed to be off first since I'm not on a RCCL excursion? I also asked if they are on the same time as ship time, and they said they are. We are going in August.

 

What does everyone think? Am I cutting it too close?

 

Thanks for any advice!!!

[cruiserfriends]

I wouldn't do it. I am all for booking shore excursions on your own but our time on the Cayman when sailing with the Grandeur was short (supposed to be there from 10:00 - 5:30). We did not get off the ship until 12:30 because of the tendering process. Now you will get tons of responses that say they haven't had any problems with tendering. But let me tell you, it exists.

 

I believe that you will not make it to shore in an hour. BTW we also booked with Capt Marvins (1:45 excursion). We were hauling butt to make it through the excursion and back to shore on time. I was stressed!

 

Is it possible to do the 11:15 (I think that is the time) tour with Capt Marvins?

 

Good luck and have a great trip.

[oooohDonna]

With Nativeway under exact circumstances from Conquest.

Get there at 7, told to be at pier at 8:15. I have questioned and questioned this and everyone pretty much says it won't be a problem. Even NAtiveway has told me others have not had a problem making it.

But like Cruiser said, anything can happen and make you late. But I booked it anyway and was told they would put us on another similar excursion if we missed the 8:15 one.

Hope we make it though :D

[kpauley]

I too would be a bit nervous about the timing. We just got off the Grandeur last week and the shore excursions booked through RCL were the first off. Our arrival at GC was 10:00 and we had tender tickets "1" and didn't board the tender until after 11:30. I saw several passengers trying (actually begging & pleading) to get on the early tender who'd booked excursions on their own and they were not being allowed down to the gangway to board. Two large tenders from GC and two of RCL's were being used to tender. Good luck.

[cruiserfriends]

kpauley...

 

I wrote my review on the Grandeur and was very happy with the cruise. What did you think of the ship? Tendering? Would love to compare notes.

[kpauley]

kpauley...

 

I wrote my review on the Grandeur and was very happy with the cruise. What did you think of the ship? Tendering? Would love to compare notes.

We had a very enjoyable cruise. :) This was our third sailing on the Grandeur, but the last time was 6 years ago when she was less than 3 years old. It’s definitely time for the Grandeur to get a “facelift”. Since we had a shore excursion booked through RCL on the mainland, we were on the first tender that morning in Cozumel. We boarded the tender shortly after the 7:00 meeting time and were on our way around 7:30. Now the tender ride to the mainland is a story itself with everyone getting sick. :eek: I think this was our 4th trip to Grand Cayman and it was definitely the longest wait we’d ever encountered getting ashore even with tender ticket “1”. I don’t know that there was a “problem” -- just slow. Coming back from both Cozumel and Grand Cayman, only one security machine was being used to check everybody back onboard. This made for slow unloading and had tenders waiting. I heard some complain they sat on the last tender coming back from Cozumel for two hours. Overall, the food and entertainment were good. The Headwaiter really made an attempt (in a good way) to get my finicky 12 year old to eat from the adult menu. He told her he didn’t care if she sent the food back 10 times, he didn’t want to see french fries on her plate again. He explained to her a cruise ship is where you learn to eat and he did a wonderful job of recommending foods for her to try. Sometimes it takes someone other than parents to get the message across. I’m glad to say I think she graduated from french fries by the end of the trip. Embarking and disembarking were a breeze. I’m sure everybody was off the ship by 8:30ish. We had to wait for our rental car shuttle and we were among the few still near the ship at 8:30. Overall, great trip.

[ck1234]

Thanks for the advice....I'm too nervous. I'm going to cancel. :o

[kpauley]

Can you make it another time? I see he has a 11:15 excursion. Will that time fit your schedule?

[ck1234]

Can you make it another time? I see he has a 11:15 excursion. Will that time fit your schedule?

 

Yes, it probably would, but then I wouldn't be able to make the Hell/Turtle farm tour. (I want to send postcards from Hell :) ). Is Hell far from the pier?

[kpauley]

You probably have time do the Hell/Turtle farm after the Snorkel & Stingray tour depending when your ship leaves. I'm not a stingray fan, but I think you'd enjoy it much more than the Turtle farm & Hell. You can easily see the turtles in 20-30 min. and Hell is about a 15min. stop. Possibly, you could even do this before the 11:15 tour as I'm guessing you'd be able to make it ashore by 9:30ish and they'd have you back in time for the second part of the trip. Check with them and good luck with whatever you decide.

[MOYSHA]

Seems like everyone is forgetting one thing. It is now springtome and in the US we have Daylight Savings Time. If you are sailing on a ship that leaves from paradise (Florida), your ship time will be Eastern Daylight Savings Time. In Georgetoen, Cayman Islands, they are on Central Time. They are ONE HOUR BEHIND SHIP TIME. When you arrive at 6AM it is their 5AM, so you have an extra hour.:) Just watch yourself timewise returning to the ship:rolleyes:

[ck1234]

Seems like everyone is forgetting one thing. It is now springtome and in the US we have Daylight Savings Time. If you are sailing on a ship that leaves from paradise (Florida), your ship time will be Eastern Daylight Savings Time. In Georgetoen, Cayman Islands, they are on Central Time. They are ONE HOUR BEHIND SHIP TIME. When you arrive at 6AM it is their 5AM, so you have an extra hour.:) Just watch yourself timewise returning to the ship:rolleyes:

 

I asked them that when I booked, but she said they are on the same time as ship time in August.

[MOYSHA]

YES, that's correct. The Rhapsody sails from Galveston which is Central Time:(

[ck1234]

OK, so if I switch to the 11:15 am Stingray/snorkel tour which winds up probably about 1:15 - 1:30, then I'll have to cancel the Hell/Turtle Farm tour as that's an additional two hours... Our ship leaves at 4:00pm, can I get to Hell to send postcards in time? And, how would I go about getting there? Thanks once again for any advice! I have it my silly head that I want to send everyone postcards from Hell! :cool: