George Town Port Question

[EvilMuffins]

We recently went on a Coral Princess Panama Canal cruise that sailed to George Town and we anchored right off the port (the west side of the island). However on pictures and stories from other people, the ships anchor on the south side of the island away from the port. I'm just wondering how do they determine where they anchor because we don't want to be stuck way on the south of the island if we go again.

[Capt_BJ]

The primary anchorage is where you were - west side just off Georgetown so the tenders drop the shoppers off at the foot of town.

 

As noted not unusual for wind and seas to make tendering there dangerous. Sometimes they can use the alternate landing site on the south side and bus people to town.

[drew sailbum]

The alternate landing site at Spotts is only used in one of two situations:

 

1) Sea surface conditions in George Town prevent tendering ashore at the primary facility.

 

2) The sheer number of vessels calling at the island that day cannot be accomodated in George Town. Up to 3 ships could be assigned to tender at Spotts in such a case. This option of using both sites on the same day is VERY RARELY exercised.

 

 

Q. So how do you know where your ship will tender?

A. You don't. The Port Authority of the Cayman Islands makes the decision on this matter.

[EvilMuffins]

Thanks :)

 

Is there a sepparate dock on the alternative locations of tenders? Or do they have to go around to George Town?

[drew sailbum]

Yes, there is a seperate dock in Spotts.

 

The issue with rough weather is really about whether it is safe to bring the tenders alongside the ships to transfer passengers and again bringing the tenders alongside a dock. If the sea state is too rough in George Town, then operations move to Spotts. However Spotts only has enough dock space to handle tenders for three cruise ships so overall capacity can be limited on those dates.