sweating out the last tender with nativeway

[cruzobsessed]

someone else posted this on the cayman ports of call baord and the responses were very mixed.

 

i've booked the RAY REEF AND RUM POINT tour for my december cruise because by all accounts it looks awesome.

 

then someone posted a question about getting back in time for the last tender and it was a very mixed response. here's the thing....we all know that sweating to get back to the ship could kill any great excursion. so......i know many of you have taken this tour......how many of you had to run back to the ship?:o

[TamaLee]

We didn't run but we were one of the last tenders to get back to the ship. What you need to understand is this is their business and if they didn't get everyone back on time they wouldn't be in business anymore.

 

It's a great tour. I would go and not even worry about it. But that's just me.

[kendallison]

We made it back with plenty of time! They know what they are doing. If you need a little more reassuring, send them an email and tell them your ship's schedule and your concerns. Sharon will put your mind at ease! Enjoy!

[teajak]

We had to run to catch the last tender. Our ship did not change time so it was an hour ahead. We kept telling them that but they wouldn't listen.Six people from our ship were on this tour and we were plenty scared. The guide kept asking me,why are you so nervous.We didn't get back to shore until 3:00, had all that traffic to fight getting back and the last tender left at 3:30.We made it by the skin of our teeth.

[marci22]

I took this excursion November 2005 and I really loved it. However, I will say that we did not have tons of time left getting back. I'd say maybe 15-20 minute to spare (too close for me). We had arrived for our meeting with Nativeway on time, but for some reason our group waited a bit before being picked up by the NW driver.

 

Our last stop was a lunch break (after sting rays and snorkeling stop) at a beach and I did get nervous that the time was getting late and started rounding up passengers myself. We then had to take the boat back to the dock, and then a van ride to the pier. The problem was that the traffic on that one main road going past the hotels towards the pier was VERY congested. There are no alternate routes.

 

So we did get back in time but I was very nervous that last half hour.

 

I may have looked like this :eek:

[cb at sea]

That one road.....it's like Northern Va.!!! Every time we've been to GC, that road has been a mess going in the direction of the tender dock! It's nuts! Everyone--keep an eye on the traffic!!!!!!

[Bebet]

We did it earlier this month and got back by 1:30. Didn't stay long on rum point because it was raining. Maybe this is why they get back so late?

[TEXASMUNK]

Go to cruisecal.com See how many ships are in port with you that day.

 

The more ships the tighter the traffic flow. It is a two way street to get back to the dock and if you have one of those 6-8 ship days, you had better plan on nasty traffic.

[ken_nyc]

I am booked for this in August and NOW I am concerned also even though people have raved about their excursion.

[emd1]

cruzobsessed, have you decided what you are going to do? I am close to cancelling our RRR tour and thought I'd check to see if you've posted. There are 4 ships in port our day (one of them is Freedom, our ship, w/>5K) and I just don't want to stress of the last tender deal.

[mom2girls]

If you're very concerned e-mail Nativeway. This is what I did and Sharon moved our excursion time up an hour. We ended up not doing the Rum Pointe part because the other people that had booked with her had cancelled and she didn't want to take just 2 people. But, they will adjust the time so that you don't miss the last tender. They are very easy to work with.

[emd1]

I did email Sharon. She said that if we were concerned about timing, we could take the shorter rays and reef tour (which leaves out Rum Pointe) instead. There was no mention of moving up the depart time.

[mom2girls]

Wow, I'm surprised! Maybe she changed the time for me because I hadn't actually booked yet. I would have gone with Soto's if I had known it was going to be just the stingrays and snorkle as I have used them before, and they were great!

[emd1]

I've cancelled my Rays, Reef, and Rum Pointe tour, just don't want the stress of the timing. But thanks, I will look into Soto for just rays and snorkel tour.

[FOXTROT]

In the past year we have done this tour twice. Both times people have been flipping out over return time. Both times we got back with plenty of time to spare. Don't worry it's a great excursion. Have never heard about any one missing the ship.

[cruzobsessed]

emd1......if i hadn't just read these posts....i might've considered canceling as well. but since i can email sharon and just explain my concern and we are already 8 people on this reservation.....i don't think she'll cancel the rum point portion maybe she will move up the time.

i haven't checked the cruise calendar yet i will do that now.

[cruzobsessed]

well i just checked and this is how it looks.

2 mid sized carnival ships (2000 passengers each)

brilliance (my ship)

ocean village (anyone know how big this ship is?)

so all you cayman experts is this gonna make a busy trip back to the ship?

[teajak]

In the past year we have done this tour twice. Both times people have been flipping out over return time. Both times we got back with plenty of time to spare. Don't worry it's a great excursion. Have never heard about any one missing the ship.

Last tender 3:30, arrived at parking lot next to docks 3:30,ran like crazy and I don't usually do run, too close for my comfort.I have to admit that martini when I got on the ship sure tasted good.

[cruzobsessed]

o.k. here's another question. if the last tender is 3:30....is it really the last tender and is it really 3:30?

what i mean is....aren't the lines really long at this time? can you tell i really want to do this tour but am really nervous.:o

[tbag124]

i would do this tour again! We got back w/ maybe a 1/2 hour to spare for the last tender but the lines were SO long, we even had time to pop into a store for a few minutes...tell them how concerned you are, they will work w/ you....i can't wait til we can back to GC b/c i will definitely do this again! It's a great value besides being a lot of fun!! It was my favorite day that cruise!! :)

[emd1]

I really do wish Sharon had offered to work w/me on this concern. But she told us if we were concerned we could take the shorter rays and snorkel crusie and get back earlier. And ultimately that is what we are going to do. I am thinking we will book the Ebanks tour w/rays and stops at Coral Gardens and Barrier Reef. And I think Ebanks is either owned by Sharon or a family member, as I saw a post on the Cayman board saying Sharon's last name is Ebanks.

 

I figure missing Rum Pointe is not that huge a deal for us (now that I am over it and made the decision). I wanted to go there for the pretty beach and shade (husband is sun sensitive and at that point in the day will need shade). But we will have pretty beach and shade on Labadee, and we can also get it in Cozumel (at least palapa shade on the beach) and we have more flexibility and less timing stress w/those.

 

So that is just us. It's a trade-off. No Rum Pointe, less stress. Shaded nice beach elsewhere for us. Everyone has their own priorities and people respond differently to the time stress. For some it won't bother them. I don't like time stress.

[LizC]

Hi Eileen,

 

We are taking the "StingRay Barrier Reef and 7 mile Beach" why don't you join us. It sounds wonderful!!!:D

[VaCruzers]

We've done the Rays Reef Rum Point tour with Nativeway 3 times & our first trip with Nativeway was to Stingray City. We've always made it to the ship on time, although it has been within a half hour of the last tender time. However, the tender lines have been so long that we were in line past the posted time for the last tender. They don't stop tendering until the line is cleared. I can understand your concerns about missing the ship, but if it were me, I WOULD go for it again.

[takeavacation]

We used Nativeway last year for an island tour and stingray city --and we were running to get back on time....but, our driver didn't just sit in the crazy long line of traffic --- he drove thru all the back roads (even showed us his mom's house!) and got us there in plenty of time. The line was so long for the tender that I even had a chance to run into Hard Rock for t-shirts for my family --- and still made the very last tender (but, I wasn't the last person to board!!):)

[cruzobsessed]

i took it a step further.....i emailed sharon and sent her the links to this thread and the one on the caymans port of call board.

maybe she already reads cruise critic and is aware of this or not........anyway......if she would change the time for us as well.....that would be great.

i was making the plans for all 8 of us and didn't want a fiasco on my hands:eek: and by fiasco all i mean is that after having an amazing time on this excursion.... having it ruined because of the ride back to the ship:)