I have been to Grand Cayman many times in my capacity as a security officer with a leading cruise line, therefore I am able to confidently give a balanced opinion of the chaos that is seen when seven to nine ships turn up and 17,000 passengers all want to go ashore.
Grand Cayman in my opinion is a victim of its own success; it has sought to attract cruise passengers but has failed to establish a good infrastructure to cope.
This leads to long lines to get a tender, arguments on the pier, shore side tender drivers are aggressive, no room to walk on the sidewalk, long waits for eating/drinking establishments. Cruise passengers see this overcrowding and decide that Grand Cayman is not a destination they would come back to, which is unfortunate as Grand Cayman has a lot more than what you see in George Town.
Grand Cayman should take a look at some of the Mexican ports and the investment that has been seen recently; nice piers, good infrastructure, good access to facilities.
It’s time Grand Cayman either built a pier, or improved the tender facilities and restricted cruise ships to three per day.
Andrew Shand
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