Do they cut day in Half Moon Cay short?

[Avril]

I was just reading the thread about HAL Secrets and there is a post from back in 2004 that said they they had been for a while before that post was made, cutting the time spent in HMC in half or more but not telling the passengers until the day before. :( I was just wondering, is this still true 4 years later? I don't mind a shorter day as private islands aren't my favourite but I would at least want them to tell me before hand or just change their schedual to a half day instead of letting us believe we'll be there for a full day.

Here's the post I'm refering to dated November 18th, 2004:

Don't believe any HAL advertising about the length of your stay in HMC. For a long time they have been cutting the day to a half day or less but don't tell you until the day before.

[Cruzman]

Strange someone would say that. Each time I have been to HMC, it has been precisely as advertised with the exception of the one time it was too rough to tender and we therefore proceeded to the next port.

[O2B@C]

When we were there in November we stayed for pretty much exactly the amount of time that the cruise itinerary said we would be there. It was gorgeous, too!:)

[Sprocket]

Half Moon Cay is the reason I choose my itineraries in the Caribbean, it is absolutely gorgeous there. I have only been twice and both times we were there until the posted time.

 

Trust me if this was a frequent occurence you would be reading about it on these boards. I know it has been shortened or perhaps even canceled due to tendering problems related to weather. But maybe since they have a large tender there permanently it is not such a problem anymore.

 

Enjoy your day there......

[midgecruiser]

I have had the pleasure of making it to Half Moon Cay 3 out of 3 times and have to say that it is one of my favorite beaches. We have always stayed for the scheduled time. Unless the water is rough and weather doesn't permit I would think that they would want to put in a full day since they do "ship" in on-shore staff for set-up, clean-up, and shore excursions. Also, the bar crew and kitchen staff (and many behind the scene crew as well) tender over early and set-up for a wonder full day of Island food, drink and fun. I have never known HAL to cut the day short due to anything but weather or maybe a ship emergency. I would assume that a full days profit would be important so I can't imagine cutting the day unless necessary.

 

Wendy

[hammybee]

Here's the post I'm refering to dated November 18th, 2004:

 

Don't believe any HAL advertising about the length of your stay in HMC. For a long time they have been cutting the day to a half day or less but don't tell you until the day before.

 

If anyone believes the majority of what's written on a message board, they are apt to be surprised by reality.

 

This sounds to me like the day may have been cut short due to weather/sea condition, related issues. Many passengers, especially those new or newer to cruising are apt to read motives into events beyond a cruise line's control.

 

HMC is a hit or miss as it relates to Caribbean ports, albeit, the misses are far and few.

[doone]

The only time I am aware of any changes in times or missing this beautiful island all together is when there are weather related issues, other than that, I have never had any issues missing or cutting short my time here.

[jhannah]

No "short tiime" on HMC for us! It's truly a gorgeous place.

[mamaofami]

There would be no motive for HAL to cut the time short on HMC unless it was weather related. And that would include late departures from the point bfore due to rough weather or some other mechanical problem.

[peaches from georgia]

I don't remember all the details, but there was something a few years ago when there were several ships going to HMC on the same day that the hours of each ship would be somewhat staggered so that both ships were not getting the full day there. I can't remember all of it, but it was like one ship would be there 7-1 and the other ship maybe 11-3 or something like that (don't flame me on the times, this is just an example). I'm sure someone else will remember, but there were a lot of complaints at the time. I'm sure it was to give each ship some time there when it was not so crowded and also certainly it helped with the tendering.

[c-cruise]

I would take any amount of time on Half Moon Cay. We feel fortunate when we get to go there at all. Missed it again on our last cruise on the Westerdam. Have only been able to tender ashore 1 out of the 3 times we have been there. This isn't a problem just with HMC, we have only made private islands on 3 out of 6 attempts on all lines. I wonder what percentage of time they actually miss stopping at HMC. I am assuming we have just been unlucky and that the majority of the time they can operate the tenders and get passengers ashore.

 

c-cruise

[HeatherInFlorida]

While HMC is a beautiful beach if your ship is there alone, it's not what it's cracked up to be when mobbed with +3000 people. Of course you can meander way up the beach to get away from the crowds:) .

 

Our first visit to HMC on the Maasdam we were by ourselves and spent the entire day as advertised. I remember getting there very early.

 

But when we were there with the Rotterdam (we were on the Oosterdam) they definitely staggered the times. Rotterdam was there when we arrived about 11:00. We went ashore and it was very crowded until about 1:00/1:30 when the Rotterdam passengers had to leave. The rest of the day was less crowded and really nice. The Oosterdam cruise was in 2004 which would fall into the timeframe the OP suggests.

 

What I don't recall, quite honestly, is the hours that were advertised for the cruise. In other words, the schedule might have been as promised, but it was definitely a shorter day by about 2 hours.

[RedmondCruiser]

The only reason to cut short the HMC visit, on the return run, would be for weather but I'd bet that it would be due to engine problems where they cannot make sufficent speed to arrive at Ft Lauderdale by the next morning. These things do happens, though not that often.

[Halfmoonfan]

I would also keep in mind that most of the services start to wrap up around 1:30 or 2, even when the ship stays to 4. I found it hard to get a drink after 2 sometimes. The crew has to box everything up and send it back to the ship. I heard this happend to some folks who had booked the Grand Cabana, that included an open bar in the price

[peaches from georgia]

Now that I am thinking about it I seem to remember that the shorter hours were on the itinerary and were not a weather-related surprise to pax. I do know it started when the larger Vista ships went into service and the beach became very crowded when there were 2 ships at HMC if one of them was a Vista. HAL may have found there were more complaints about the shorter hours than there were about too many people and discontinued doing this.

[hammybee]

Now that I am thinking about it I seem to remember that the shorter hours were on the itinerary and were not a weather-related surprise to pax. I do know it started when the larger Vista ships went into service and the beach became very crowded when there were 2 ships at HMC if one of them was a Vista. HAL may have found there were more complaints about the shorter hours than there were about too many people and discontinued doing this.

 

Peaches, You are right. I had forgotten about the double-bubble.

It does occasionally still happen during the Winter.

 

Here is a link to what ships will be at HMC and when:

http://www.cruisecal.com/portal/HalfMoonCay,Bahamas/tabid/1311/Default.aspx

[Tigrito]

I was just reading the thread about HAL Secrets and there is a post from back in 2004 that said they they had been for a while before that post was made, cutting the time spent in HMC in half or more but not telling the passengers until the day before. :( I was just wondering, is this still true 4 years later? I don't mind a shorter day as private islands aren't my favourite but I would at least want them to tell me before hand or just change their schedual to a half day instead of letting us believe we'll be there for a full day.

Here's the post I'm refering to dated November 18th, 2004:

Don't believe any HAL advertising about the length of your stay in HMC. For a long time they have been cutting the day to a half day or less but don't tell you until the day before.

Hello Avril;

 

I had the pleasure of visiting HMC on a few occasions, never short on time... although I can remember once while on a double call with the Maasdam...they left at 2 pm because they were having engine problems and needed to make it on time to Ft. Lauderdale, however, as far as I can remember regardless of which ship I have cruised on, we arrived at 8 am and the last tender departed at 3:30 for an all aboard and sail away at 4 pm.

[hammybee]

During Oct-Dec, there are some double-bubble port days, at HMC.

 

According to the published schedules, the Maasdam pulls out at 3:00 P.M., while the other HAL ships are anchored till 4:00 P.M.

 

All schedules assume that weather is cooperative.

[Mistletoe76]

When we were there in November we stayed for pretty much exactly the amount of time that the cruise itinerary said we would be there. It was gorgeous, too!:)

 

Hello! I was wondering what the weather was like for your cruise in November? I will be going on the Eurodam from Nov. 1-8 (2008) with my parents and my sisters family (and hopefully my husband who is supposed to be going to Iraq around that time). Anywho, DH and I did a cruise in November 2005 and the weather wasn't so great and the boat never even stopped at the Private Island due to the weather.

 

So I was hoping to hear that it was warm and nice for your cruise this past November.

 

Thanks in advance!

[O2B@C]

Hello! I was wondering what the weather was like for your cruise in November? I will be going on the Eurodam from Nov. 1-8 (2008) with my parents and my sisters family (and hopefully my husband who is supposed to be going to Iraq around that time). Anywho, DH and I did a cruise in November 2005 and the weather wasn't so great and the boat never even stopped at the Private Island due to the weather.

 

So I was hoping to hear that it was warm and nice for your cruise this past November.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Hi there! We did indeed have good weather, for the most part, for our cruise, which was at the opposite end of November (11/25-12/2, actually). It was overcast and not that appealing when we called at Grand Cayman, but the day at HMC was absolutely gorgeous, as were the rest of the ports - and the sea days, for that matter. But as you know from experience, the weather in the Caribbean at the tail end of hurricane season can be chancy - not that you'll run into a hurricane that late in the fall, but there are still storm systems passing through from time to time. I'm sure the Eurodam will stop at HMC on your cruise if she possibly can - HAL knows how we passengers LOVE that island!:) - but there's no way to tell until a few days in advance, if then.

 

Best of luck with the weather on your cruise. More importantly, I very much hope your husband is able to join you, and most important of all, that if he does end up having to go away, that he returns to you safe and whole.

[Mistletoe76]

Hi there! We did indeed have good weather, for the most part, for our cruise, which was at the opposite end of November (11/25-12/2, actually). It was overcast and not that appealing when we called at Grand Cayman, but the day at HMC was absolutely gorgeous, as were the rest of the ports - and the sea days, for that matter. But as you know from experience, the weather in the Caribbean at the tail end of hurricane season can be chancy - not that you'll run into a hurricane that late in the fall, but there are still storm systems passing through from time to time. I'm sure the Eurodam will stop at HMC on your cruise if she possibly can - HAL knows how we passengers LOVE that island!:) - but there's no way to tell until a few days in advance, if then.

 

Best of luck with the weather on your cruise. More importantly, I very much hope your husband is able to join you, and most important of all, that if he does end up having to go away, that he returns to you safe and whole.

 

Thank you very much for your reply! I haven't been too excited about planning for the cruise knowing that he will be leaving for a year around the same time. It's like if I am counting down to the cruise I am also counting down towards Mark leaving :(. This will be his 5th deployment so I am certainly "used to it" but that doesn't make me like it after all these years.

 

Thanks again!

Melissa