Grand cayman

Dhill · #1 (**permalink**) July 21st, 2011, 06:55 AM

By the sounds of it Grand Cayman is a port that is missed alot because of weather issuses.So what happens if you miss the port call is it an extra sea day?And are winds commonly an issue in the western caribbean?

johnthed0g · #2 (**permalink**) July 21st, 2011, 07:12 AM

You are right it is an often missed port due ti the fact most ships have to tender passengers in. They are going to build a new dock I heard. You are correct about the sea day.

Manuel · #3 (**permalink**) July 21st, 2011, 07:14 AM

If you miss a port it's an extra sea day most of the time.
But in some ocasions annother they do manage to go to anoter port.

I also had a cruise where they changed the sequence of our ports. We went to the same ones but on a different day.

In my experience the winds are noy usually an issue in the Western Caribbean. I have encountered some high winds in the Eastern as well as the Western Caribbean in the month of January.

most of our cruises have been in april, and the weather has allways been excellent.

TM

Trip · #4 (**permalink**) July 21st, 2011, 09:41 AM

Our Epic cruise last Halloween, proved how bad the winds can get, in Cozumel at least. As we walked up the pier to the stores, the water was coming over the sides.

We could not leave as scheduled due to high winds and rough waters. We left the next morning,and booked it to Miami.

I have to say, even when you do port in GC...getting passengers onto the tender can be sketchy, especially with the elderly, or, as I witnesed with a baby carriage. You can see the stress on the faces of the crew sometimes.

Kuki · #5 (**permalink**) July 21st, 2011, 01:58 PM

I think the number of times ships have to miss Grand Cayman is over-stated. I think in probably 10 cruises where it was on our itinerary, we missed it once.

When it does happen you hear about it, because it affects all the ships visiting there that day. Yet, how often do we hear about it happening? Answer - infrequently. (They have announced they are dredging the port, to build a pier, to eliminate tendering)

I also don't think tendering there is as big an issue as Trip makes out. Sure, for people with mobility problems, tendering anywhere is going to be somewhat of an issue.

Depending on where it is on your itinerary will be the deciding factor for if you get a sea day, or a replacement port of call. If the ship is on it's return to leg to Florida, often the ship will head to Nassau. (I'd rather have the extra sea day).

Trip · #6 (**permalink**) July 21st, 2011, 02:10 PM

Well.... sitting there in seas calm enough for us to drop anchor, my experience of watching a carriage and a passenger with arm crutches, so mobility issues, yes...showed some concern with the crew..A collective gasp with the carriage ...Young and agile no problems...