Grand Cayman tendering and tour times

[Spotthecat]

Ok, I need a primer on tendering in Grand Cayman... On our March 3, 2018, Western Carribean cruise on the Fantasy, our All ashore time for our Grand Cayman day is 10:30. We are trying to go to Captain Marvin's for a stingray/snorkel tour. Their 11:15 tour is out because of the tender and having to meet there at 10:45, so they switched us to the 1:45 tour - tour is 2.5 hours long, so back at the dock at 4:15. All aboard on the Fantasy that day is 5:30. When is the last tender??? There are SIX cruise ships in dock that day in Grand Cayman. We are only doing Captain Marvin because they have fantastic reviews and my littlest will still be 4 (and all the Disney excursions start at 5 for snorkeling). Are we good with that timing or should we switch to another tour operator with different times? Have you done the stingray/snorkel tour with another operator that was good?

I have no clue how long tenders take to board/disembark, how many are going from ship to ship, is a tender dropping off passengers at multiple ships?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ok, I need a primer on tendering in Grand Cayman... On our March 3, 2018, Western Carribean cruise on the Fantasy, our All ashore time for our Grand Cayman day is 10:30. We are trying to go to Captain Marvin's for a stingray/snorkel tour. Their 11:15 tour is out because of the tender and having to meet there at 10:45, so they switched us to the 1:45 tour - tour is 2.5 hours long, so back at the dock at 4:15. All aboard on the Fantasy that day is 5:30. When is the last tender??? There are SIX cruise ships in dock that day in Grand Cayman. We are only doing Captain Marvin because they have fantastic reviews and my littlest will still be 4 (and all the Disney excursions start at 5 for snorkeling). Are we good with that timing or should we switch to another tour operator with different times? Have you done the stingray/snorkel tour with another operator that was good?

I have no clue how long tenders take to board/disembark, how many are going from ship to ship, is a tender dropping off passengers at multiple ships?

Tenders are ship-specific. Only goes from dock to your specific ship, it's not like a hop-on, hop-off bus trip.

Typically the last tender is the all aboard time. Instead of listing the all aboard time on the navigator it lists the "last tender" time.

A good independent tour operator will not let you book with them, if they feel the time is too close. It wouldn't be good for business to have customers that miss the ship.

 

[Spotthecat]

Ok thanks! That makes me feel much better

 

[AGP]

i'm wondering about this too- I am scheduled thru DCL a snorkel trip at 11:15am and the ashore time is 10:30- is that enough time to get the ashore? I was surprised to see that one of the excursions i looked at for DCL started at 10:15 that day (which I didn't book since it says we don't get ashore until 10:30) so it seems that DCL doesn't just show you excursions that will work with the timing.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

i'm wondering about this too- I am scheduled thru DCL a snorkel trip at 11:15am and the ashore time is 10:30- is that enough time to get the ashore? I was surprised to see that one of the excursions i looked at for DCL started at 10:15 that day (which I didn't book since it says we don't get ashore until 10:30) so it seems that DCL doesn't just show you excursions that will work with the timing.

If you're on a DCL excursion the 11:15 time is the meet-up time onboard the ship. Then the group is escorted down to the tender and to the transportation once onshore.

 

[Dug720]

i'm wondering about this too- I am scheduled thru DCL a snorkel trip at 11:15am and the ashore time is 10:30- is that enough time to get the ashore? I was surprised to see that one of the excursions i looked at for DCL started at 10:15 that day (which I didn't book since it says we don't get ashore until 10:30) so it seems that DCL doesn't just show you excursions that will work with the timing.

The time on a DCL excursion is your meeting time on the ship. The tour at 10:15 will meet so theoretically they will be the first off the ship. I say theoretically because inevitably there will be someone who wanders in late and/or has forgotten something they need.

Odds are if your tour time is 11:15 through DCL, you will meet on the ship and tender as a group.

 

[AGP]

The time on a DCL excursion is your meeting time on the ship. The tour at 10:15 will meet so theoretically they will be the first off the ship. I say theoretically because inevitably there will be someone who wanders in late and/or has forgotten something they need.

Odds are if your tour time is 11:15 through DCL, you will meet on the ship and tender as a group.

ahhhh... that makes much more sense! thank you for explaining- i thought it was strange that they would offer an excursion that we couldn't make it to!

 

[Michelle smith]

Ok, I need a primer on tendering in Grand Cayman... On our March 3, 2018, Western Carribean cruise on the Fantasy, our All ashore time for our Grand Cayman day is 10:30. We are trying to go to Captain Marvin's for a stingray/snorkel tour. Their 11:15 tour is out because of the tender and having to meet there at 10:45, so they switched us to the 1:45 tour - tour is 2.5 hours long, so back at the dock at 4:15. All aboard on the Fantasy that day is 5:30. When is the last tender??? There are SIX cruise ships in dock that day in Grand Cayman. We are only doing Captain Marvin because they have fantastic reviews and my littlest will still be 4 (and all the Disney excursions start at 5 for snorkeling). Are we good with that timing or should we switch to another tour operator with different times? Have you done the stingray/snorkel tour with another operator that was good?

I have no clue how long tenders take to board/disembark, how many are going from ship to ship, is a tender dropping off passengers at multiple ships?

how did you see how may ships will be in port that day?

 

[AGP]

If you're on a DCL excursion the 11:15 time is the meet-up time onboard the ship. Then the group is escorted down to the tender and to the transportation once onshore.

Thank you!!

 

[AGP]

If you're on a DCL excursion the 11:15 time is the meet-up time onboard the ship. Then the group is escorted down to the tender and to the transportation once onshore.

Thank you!!

 

[AngieGirl]

I believe she’s talking about booking Capt Marvin on her own. Therefore the 11:15 time is NOT onboard but in port. We are looking at same thing later this year and have same question. Does anyone know what time the first tender in AM is and can you expect to meet an 11:15 independently booked tour? I think we can also make check directly with Capt Marvin as they keep track of it.

 

[mktt]

Last week the cut off was 11:45am. If your DCL excursion had a meet up time before 11:45 you met on the ship and then tendered as a group. If it was after 11:45 you met on shore.

 

[beckyd08]

spotthecat, we are on the same sailing as you and just booked the 1:45 with Captain Marvin last night! We tried to book the early trip and they said because of the time our ship arrives, we would never make it. I came here looking for the same answer as you. We want to do some shopping and get beer to take back on board so we are worried about how long it is going to take to do that and get back on board the ship after we are done the excursion.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I can tell you for sure when we were in Grand Cayman with DCL the "all aboard" time was the time of the last tender. We didn't take that so I can't swear what they would do if there were so many people for that tender that you couldn't all get on, but me definite sense was, as long as you made it back to the tender dock by that time, you would be fine.