HMC Tender & Nassau Disembark Info

[Caribbean Buckeye]

When and where do you get the Tender tickets that determine when you get off at Half Moon Cay? Also, when and where can I reserve a Clam Shell? If you can do this while on the ship, I'd take care of it right away. I have heard that people who are tendered later miss out on reserving clam shells b/c they are all already taken.

 

Also, how do they determine who gets off first in Nassau. We have an excursion booked through a third party and don't want to miss it. We have a 2 hour cushion but I have no idea how long it takes to get thousands of people off a ship.

[donnavb5]

You get tendered last unless you book an excusion at HMC.

At Nassau you don't tender so you can get off when you want.

 

Better idea....don't get a clam shell, run for the grass hut bar it's much cooler and THE BAR IS RIGHT THERE>

[letsgocruz1]

They will make an announcement over the PA as to where to go to get your tendering tickets. In our case, (on the Fantasy) it was the Universal lounge. They had announced the night before that the tendering process would start around 10:30. They started just a bit early, if I recall correctly. Be ready to go, or go earlier and wait in the lounge. My sister and her hubby were one of the first there, and they told them to go on and make their way to the gangway. We didn't get to the lounge til around 11am, and had to wait about 45 minutes to tender.

 

You can rent your clamshell at the Purser's desk, or rent them at the yellow building on HMC. I think it had a sign out front saying water rentals or something like that. There was a bit of a mix-up, cause some people had rented from the ship, and others at HMC, and they were running short of clamshells. My sister went on and rented 2 on the island, saving one for us, and I was glad she did, as it was HOT and the shade was welcomed!! There are also trees you can lounge under for shade, but again, get there early cause it was crowded under those trees from what I could see.

 

My advice, just get there early and you'll be fine no matter where you rent the clamshell. By the way, they were $15. And, make sure you get in line early for lunch. We waited til 1:30, thinking the lines would die down at that point, but they were really backed up. We waited 45 minutes. Some people were getting really irate and I felt really bad for the Carnival workers. They were doing the best they could and didn't deserve to be screamed at. Hot weather seems to bring out the worst in some. I was just happy to be there and out of my 50-60 degree temps we had here at home!

[Caribbean Buckeye]

They will make an announcement over the PA as to where to go to get your tendering tickets. In our case, (on the Fantasy) it was the Universal lounge....

 

Thanks a lot for the info. BTW, I really enjoyed your review as well. You know how it is when you've got a cruise coming up. I check the board once a day looking for new Fantasy Reviews. We cruise the Fantasy on June 15th and I've learned a ton on this board. I've done a lot of my Pre-Cruise preparation from tips I've learned on this board. Most of it I would never have known about too.

 

I've completed my Fun Pass online, I've ordered Crown Royal and Champagne from Bon Voyage, I've booked a Town Car instead of the Carnival Shuttle, I've booked a third party excursion in Nassau, etc.... I even have a list of stuff to take that people have recommended.

 

Thanks again for the help.

[cvrap]

what's a third-party excursion? Thanks

[Caribbean Buckeye]

what's a third-party excursion? Thanks

 

A third party excursion is an excursion you book through someone other than Carnival. In my case, it's the Booze Cruise out of the Bahamas. It's a snorkel/cruise/beach trip which offers way more than Carnival's standard choices. Third party excursions are usually cheaper too.

 

There are some drawbacks though. When you book a Carnival excursion (like the ones on their website), there are guarantees involved. If for any reason, you can't go on the excursion, you don't have to pay for it. A good example would be some of the recent trips on the Fantasy to Half Moon Cay. Sometimes the weather is too rough to tender the passengers to shore, so excursions are cancelled. Carnival wouldn't make you pay since you couldn't go on it.

 

My excursion is in Nassau so tendering won't be an issue but if for any reason the ship didn't go to Nassau or there was some delay getting ashore. Booze Cruise may still charge me. You get the idea.

[Bunkie103]

When we got to HMC we literally walked into the Universal Lounge one door and right out another and got on the tender. Didn't have to wait at all. :D

When we got there it was very disorganized, but hopefully each week they will get a little better about getting their act together. We did finally get our clamshell which we had rented at the Pursers Desk. It was good to have some shade because we were toasted by the afternoon.:eek: