Heads Up on GC

[Travelwiser13]

Just thought I'd post this. Coming from one of the staff members onboard of Carnival's Inspiration who has been with the ship for several years now. She works in the Galleria Shop. Her days off are only when the ship docs in ports or in home port so I take her word on it.

 

Something that is not stated anywhere about Grand Cayman is that not only is it Boxing Day on Christmas Day (holiday for them and us) but NO stores/shops are really open. She said she doesn't understand why so many people book the cruise for that date only to find out they can not shop for the most part. Some of the excursions do run (I found out first hand this past year how difficult it was to actually find any).

 

Also, approximately 50% of the time (actual quote from her) or better they are NOT able to tender into GC. :mad: I really wish I had known this information somewhere before I had booked the cruise. It might have swayed my choice for sure!

 

BTW, she only does this cruise tour (Cozumel/GrandCayman run) so she is constantly going back and forth from Tampa to there for years now. The only thing that changes in the cruise length.

[MEANT2CRUISE07]

How was everthing else? I am going on the same cruise in 2 days.

[drew sailbum]

Something that is not stated anywhere about Grand Cayman is that not only is it Boxing Day on Christmas Day (holiday for them and us) but NO stores/shops are really open.

 

Huh? Boxing Day is NOT on Christmas Day.

 

To make it clear, Christmas is a public holiday in the Cayman Islands and celebrated on December 25. Just like in the States, most businesses are closed, though many restaurants and gas stations are open.

 

Boxing Day is also a public holiday in the Cayman Islands and is celebrated on December 26. A few more businesses are open, but it is certainly not a normal business day.

[caribsun]

I have sailed to GC three times and never had a problem with the tenders. And I am not a shopper, except for food and drink. I really go for the boat ride.:D

[Travelwiser13]

Meant the day after Christmas is their holiday, Boxing day. I stand corrected. I knew what I meant to say but somehow in typing it out it jumbled all up. lol Forgive me. In either case, she told me that shops for shopping are closed and so those that like to do that aren't able to as well as a lot of the tours. We found that there was very limited tours available for that day as well.