Castaway Cay....why not tender when not able to dock?

[stevenpensacola]

Not sure if this has ever been brought up before....and since it is not done, I'm guessing the logistics are such that it is not feasible...

but has DCL ever considered tendering guests to Castaway Cay when unable to dock due to winds/current?

Looking at the aerial photos of CC, it is evident the island sits on the edge of a "shelf" where the water appears to be much deeper just offshore of CC, so it may be that the currents are such that it is not feasible to anchor there.

Just wondering if anyone has any official insight on this?

http://maps.live.com/#JnE9eXAuZ29yZ...yNSU3ZTEyLjk4MzE0NzcxNjc5NjYlN2UtMTE1LjMxMjU=

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Not sure if this has ever been brought up before....and since it is not done, I'm guessing the logistics are such that it is not feasible...

but has DCL ever considered tendering guests to Castaway Cay when unable to dock due to winds/current?

Looking at the aerial photos of CC, it is evident the island sits on the edge of a "shelf" where the water appears to be much deeper just offshore of CC, so it may be that the currents are such that it is not feasible to anchor there.

Just wondering if anyone has any official insight on this?

http://maps.live.com/#JnE9eXAuZ29yZ...yNSU3ZTEyLjk4MzE0NzcxNjc5NjYlN2UtMTE1LjMxMjU=

Good question I would like know the answer myself

BTW loved that other post that you did a week or so ago sorry someone took offense to it.

Rob

 

[cats mom]

I'm not sure I'd want to hop in one of the lifeboats if weather was already an issue. Do they have anything else to use as tender boats? I know other ports that tender have several running at a time. Not sure what the cost would be to aquire, store, maintain and staff them. I'm guessing it would not be insignificant. Besides, given the reports of bad behavior when CC is missed... can you imagine the fights over being on tender #1?
kidding... kind of

 

[TiggerKing]

Actually, the issue would not be whether the ship could anchor or not. This is primarily a logistical and fiscal matter (in my opinion).

Since the Captain may or may not know whether he can park at CC until the day of the visit, it would require DCL to have a fleet of tender boats to handle 2000+ passengers readily available at the island. Since the actual amount of time that the cruise ships miss CC is not a very high percentage, this is a lot of equipment sitting idle for extended periods and requiring constant maintenance. This also then means an increase in staff on the island to provide maint., and Coast Guard approved Captains. I see the cost and logistics of this fact alone being the number one reason tendering is not an option.

As to using local boats, I can't imagine DCL would be able to call on the required number of local boat operators for tendering from contractors on such short notice. Again, they would have to offer some kind of retainer in order to get the level of quality and service they would prefer for their guests.

So, again in my opinion, it is just not a feasible business decision.

 

[msmayor]

Isn't it also true that some crew members come ashore to assist with food service and such?

And aren't supplies needed from the ship to prepare and serve?

Trying to tender all that ashore could take a very long time.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I wonder if any of the neighboring Bahamian islands have tender boats that Disney could "rent" occasionally.

I know I'm reaching but I can only imagine how disappointing it must be to miss CC.

 

[dizneyfan23]

As msmayor said, alot of the cast members from the ship also work on Castaway Cay. And most, if not all, the food for Cookies and the Castaway Air Bar comes from the ship. Not to mention the Oceaneer Lab/Club groups and any excursions that people might have. How long would it take for all that to be unloaded onto tenders. Then they'd have to try and get all the guests onto tenders, that has the makings of a riot in itself. Then, if they did manage to get everything and everyone onto Castaway Cay, who knows what time that would be. Then they'd have to turn around and do it all again just to get everyone and everything back onto the ship.

It seems to me that it'd be alot more trouble than it would be worth.

 

[CraftyMouse]

As msmayor said, alot of the cast members from the ship also work on Castaway Cay. And most, if not all, the food for Cookies and the Castaway Air Bar comes from the ship. Not to mention the Oceaneer Lab/Club groups and any excursions that people might have. How long would it take for all that to be unloaded onto tenders. Then they'd have to try and get all the guests onto tenders, that has the makings of a riot in itself. Then, if they did manage to get everything and everyone onto Castaway Cay, who knows what time that would be. Then they'd have to turn around and do it all again just to get everyone and everything back onto the ship.

It seems to me that it'd be alot more trouble than it would be worth.

Not only that, but a fiber optic cable is run from the ship to the island. It provides power for most of the services and computer access so charges can be put on your KTTW card. If they can't dock they can't run the cable so tendering really isn't an option.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Not only that, but a fiber optic cable is run from the ship to the island. It provides power for most of the services and computer access so charges can be put on your KTTW card. If they can't dock they can't run the cable so tendering really isn't an option.

Good point

Rob

 

[stevenpensacola]

It provides power for most of the services and computer access so charges can be put on your KTTW card.

that's got to be the reason...

 

[DrCavin]

They could use a wireless method to connect the computer systems, but it probably comes down to $$$ vs how many times they actually do not dock.

 

[disneyfan19712006]

If the waters are rough a tender can be a nightmare. I have tendered and when returning to the ship the water was so rough the boat was bouncing making the walkway very short. We had to run for it one at a time to keep from getting hit in the head with the ship.

 

[Anal Annie]

I would have to agree that if the weather is so bad the SHIPS can't dock I wouldn't want to be on a small boat like a tender. They're like little ferry boats. I don't think so. I think tenders are used primarily in ports that don't have docks / deep enough water to handle the large ships. But they don't tender in if the current is bad or the water is too rough.

 

[WDWLVR]

You might also want to ask a number of Royal Caribbean customers who got stranded on their private island a year or two back. They had tenered ashore and then the weather turned and the Captain didn't want to risk sending any more tender boats back and forth. I remember reading what a nightmare it was for the crew and customers left on the island and in some cases families were split between the two places. If DCL can't dock at CC it is for a good reason and I'd rather enjoy a day on the wonderful ship then trying to tender in bad weather.

 

[allears]

Really, as a couple of posters already said, all of the supplies and most of the workers come of the ship. It would be logistically impossible to send those kind of resources over to the island via life boats.

And if the wind or current conditions are preventing the ship from navigating the channel, can you imagine what it they might do to smaller boats?

It is a total bummer when they can't dock, no question. But it truly doesn't happen that often, and if there were a viable plan B, Disney would have come up with it. They for sure take and economic hit when they miss the island. I imagine that they still have to make some sort of payment to the sub-contractors who run most of the excursions, they loose revenue from many rentals, shop and bar purchases. Plus it makes a lot of people ugly.

It is always fun to ask these questions and get into a bit of a dicsussion about the what ifs, but I ulitmately remember that I don't run a cruise line or captain the ship, so I figure they know best how to make these decisions.

 

[Legionair]

I am not positive, but I am pretty sure that the authorities do not want cruise ships to use their life boats for routine situations.

Also, keep in mind that taking a life boat right down to the water is not a pleasent experience and can be dangerous. It's not something you want to do lightly.

Jason

 

[Wendor]

I am not positive, but I am pretty sure that the authorities do not want cruise ships to use their life boats for routine situations.

Also, keep in mind that taking a life boat right down to the water is not a pleasent experience and can be dangerous. It's not something you want to do lightly.

Jason

Actually this isn't an issue. If you look at the rows of lifeboats on the ships (this includes both DCL and other lines) you will normally see that a few of them (often seems to be 4, 2 on each side) are different from the rest of the lifeboats (higher ceiling, more windows, etc.) These boats are often used for transportation of crew and as additional tenders. You don't board them before they are lowered as you would in a normal lifeboat situation, they lower the boats and they pull along side to load just as the tenders do.

On the Maasdam (Holland America) they used these ships's boats for all of the tendering at Grand Cayman last time I was onboard. I haven't seen Disney use theirs for tendering, but they did lower and use on at Castaway Cay for various purposes when we were there last month and then raised it back onto the Magic before we departed.

 

[TheTexasKid]

I would just add that your cruise ship is much larger than a tender; therefore, if the ship cannot dock for reasons of weather, I don't think you want to be in something as small as a tender.

I will say that at one time, passengers were tendered at Castaway Cay. And that was when a hurricane destroyed the pier, where the cruise ship docked.
And to get people to the island, the cruise ship dropped anchor off the island, and they tendered tne people to the island. But, once the pier was rebuilt, so the ship could dock there, they went back to docking at the island.

As it is alot more convenient to get on/off a cruise ship, when it is docked at a pier, then it is to get on/off a ship, when you have to wait for a tender to get you to an island and back to the ship.

 

[StitchBride]

Our first cruise for DH's birthday five years ago, we missed CC because of an overly high tide, they couldn't dock. So while it was looooovvvvely out (and I mean that, gorgeous day), they couldn't dock the boat. We actually anchored (? or just hung out) off shore all day in full view of the island. I imagine if they had the ability to tender, we could have. I would looove to see them be able to do a tender, we've done them on other cruises and even though the water was choppy, it was better than missing the island. I understand it must be financially difficult to get all the crew off as well as the island prepped but I'm sure it could be done (if it was financially beneficial, of course)

And while it doesn't happen often, if it happens to you, it totally sucks (my personal favorite was the lack of additional programming, they had no back up plan at the time, they were completely unprepared plus they ran that tv touting how wonderful CC alllll day) But really I'm not bitter

We're on the May 18th double dip....I figure we have to make it there ONCE of the two trips

 

[allears]

I would just add that your cruise ship is much larger than a tender; therefore, if the ship cannot dock for reasons of weather, I don't think you want to be in something as small as a tender.

I will say that at one time, passengers were tendered at Castaway Cay. And that was when a hurricane destroyed the pier, where the cruise ship docked.
And to get people to the island, the cruise ship dropped anchor off the island, and they tendered tne people to the island. But, once the pier was rebuilt, so the ship could dock there, they went back to docking at the island.

As it is alot more convenient to get on/off a cruise ship, when it is docked at a pier, then it is to get on/off a ship, when you have to wait for a tender to get you to an island and back to the ship.

Does anyone else remember this, I don't recall reading about tendering ever at Castaway Cay.

StitchBride, just our own observations, but the one year we missed CC, do to a stiff current, we were rather impressed with the numbe of activities that were very quickly added to the Navigator. My DW and I really only chose to take in an afternoon performance of one of the shows, but enjoy a lot of quality time together on deck. This was a trip without the kids.