Fufunia

Thank you so much for your detailed review.

 

Are pool towels provided?

Hi Goofygal!

Sorry for the late reply!

I did not see any towels in the cabana, but I can't be 100% positive they weren't in the rental shack. We took our blue towels off the ship.

Is there no beach there?

Hi AlmondGlaze!

There is no beach at the Amber Cove part. :( But, I think there are excursions you can book to get to a beach? The ocean cabanas give you ladder-ed access to a roped off area in the ocean, but no sand to be found.

I think that HMC and Grand Turk will always out rank Amber Cove for me just because they have beaches. But, its still a beautiful stop and we really enjoyed ourselves.

I booked a poolside cabana just last week for our October cruise. I was so excited I came across it as I did not know anything about the AC port yet.

 

I was wondering If I would be able to see our young teens in the pool when sitting in the loungers on the deck (or blocked by the deck rail) but I can see from the photos that I can watch the pool.

 

Very helpful photos and descriptions!!!!!

 

My only thought is that I can foresee other people hopping in the hammock all day long.

Hi RCMommy!

The hammock does have a reserved sign like jac-3 mentioned. I didn't notice anyone using ours, but I only went down there once to use it.

Thanks for doing the review, we're going there next year. Is Amber Cove like HMC in that you can use your Sign & Sail card for drinks or like Grand Turk and I need cash?? Thanks

Hi shaharis! You can use cash or credit at Amber Cove. They do not take the Sign & Sail card. We were able to open a "tab" for our cabana with a credit card.

So just to clarify, they don't assign you a cabana number until you arrive there at Amber Cove? I know on HMC when we first got on the ship, we went to the excursion desk to get our cabana number.

Right. Totally different than HMC. We did try to go to the excursions desk to see if we could get a number beforehand, and they told us no.

Thanks for so much information! Quick question.... are cruise passengers able to use the pool and loungers without charge? Or is here admission to get into the pool area? In other words, if we don't book a cabana, can we still access the pool and get a lounger?

Yes, the pool area is open for all cruise guests. The loungers are free of charge. However, I think you do have to pay to rent an umbrella.

You are so helpful! Thank you!!

 

So the two on the end, make a right at the end of the pier to the little shack. Got it. Do they have numbers?

Sorry for the late reply!

They DO have numbers. I think it was just 1-4 and the end ones (with views) are 3 and 4? But I am not sure on that. :(

Fufunia I just wanted to come back and thank you for this helpful post. I actually contacted the excursions department and asked them about which they thought would be better for my family based on the location between the hillside and the poolside cabana. They recommended the poolside ones and allowed me to switch to two of those without having to cancel the hillside ones and wait for a refund, etc. E&B I copied you, because I know you and I were going back and forth between the two. The excursions department confirmed that the Hillside ones are a good walk, lots of steps, but perfect for people who want to be away from the action. We don't want to be quite that isolated, so poolside it is for us. The ocean cabanas are a good ways away from the pool they said.

 

Anyway, thanks again OP. I absolutely cannot wait to get to Amber Cove!

You are very welcome! I hope you and your family enjoy the cabanas as much as we did. Just try to get there early to get the 2 on the end if the view is important to you.

When you leave the ship, you walk down the port, make a right towards the pool area, but you go straight to the little rental shack and get your cabana assignment and keys there. We made the mistake of going to the cabana first and then having to loop back to the rental shack.

Thank you for the review, I have been searching and searching and not finding much info. We will be in Amber Cove in April and I reserved a Hillside Cabana, now I am wondering if that was a good choice because of the "trek" to get to them. I'm wondering if I should change it to either Oceanside or Poolside. :confused:

Hi Cnorris!

I guess it would really depend on who you are traveling with and personal preferences. I think one good thing to note about the hillside cabanas is that the "jacuzzi" is pretty small (1 person, iirc) and does look to take up a significant amount of space on your deck. The hillside cabanas, in my opinion, look to be more geared towards families/couples/people that want a quieter, private space for the day.

I really enjoyed the poolside cabanas. The noise wasn't an issue, and if you wanted private time, the windows and doors all close (and lock). ;)

Great information and thank you so much! Can't believe I missed this. I really appreciate the feedback on the cabanas!

Glad that it's helping people make decisions!

Ok so when I rented my poolside cabana about a month ago, in the description it stated good for 4 guests and the 4th and 5th guest would be an additional $50 per person. Earlier this week all of the descriptions were revised on the Carnival website and that verbage is no longer there. I emailed the shore excursion department yesterday to seek clarification. Today I received a response from Carnival Tour Operations. This was the response:

 

Dear Annette,

 

Please see attached document provided by the operator with all the information regarding the amenities, inclusions as well as the maximum number of guests per cabana depending on the type of cabana itself, all cabanas have been maxed at 6 guests for now and there will be no additional charge for the 5th and 6th guests.

 

The operator is running this as a promotional offer (no surcharge for additional guests) to gain sales for the cabanas and the promotion will be applicable for your cruise.

 

Best regards,

 

Tour Operations

Carnival Cruise Line

 

So that's great news for me anyway!

Great info! Thanks, Imluvncruzn!

You sure helped me! Thanks again for all the first-hand information. I emailed the shore excursion department and asked if you still have to pay for the 5th and 6th person since they removed that wording from the cabana description. A few more questions I thought of....Was there a tv in the cabana and if so what did it play (English or Spanish channels)? Also, did you use the wifi and how was the speed and connectivity?

Glad to help.

There was a tv, but it was all Spanish channels that we saw so we didn't have it on.

The internet was my biggest complaint. We couldn't really connect unless we were at the edge of our deck. Once there, though, it was a good connection. I will mention that we did bring this up to the GM when he visited us. He seemed to want to fix it immediately. He left, came back and then asked us to try again. It still didn't work inside, but he said they were going to fix that immediately. They probably just needed a signal booster or something like that. He did then give us his business card and told us where his office was if we wanted to utilize his internet! :D I did try to utilize the wifi for a video skype call, but couldn't connect (even while on deck) so there might be some restrictions on the connection. BUT, we did have a villa (one of those big house type cabanas) on HMC and I don't recall getting internet there, so this was a nice plus anyway.

Did you pay additional for the fifth person? When I booked mine (a couple of months ago) it said cabanas hold six people but price was based on four and there was an extra charge for more than four. I noticed recently that the cabana description doesn't say that now.

No, we didn't pay for the 5th person. Which, I guess would have been my child.

I think they changed the info recently because the GM was acting on some feedback he was got from people. I actually spoke to the GM of Amber Cove and told him that he needed to put more info out there because people weren't booking bc no one knew exactly what they were buying!! He came up to our cabana himself to ask us about our opinions and seemed genuinely interested and ready to take action. Lo and behold, info is now much more detailed on the Carnival site! :cool:

Thank you so much for your review! I check daily between here and FB for reviews and this is the first one I've found with pictures! I have a few questions as well. You recommended the cabanas closest to bathrooms so if you're facing the pool those would be the ones starting to the left right? Another poster had said they felt those would be worse than the first two because the zipline is straight overhead and lots of screaming. Did you find that bothersome? Also, did anyone from Carnival or the waitstaff ever come up to check how many were in your cabana? We have 4A and 2C in our party but only paid the $249 for 4 because I imagine the kids will be on zipline and in the pool and will rarely be in the cabana. Just wondering how strict they will be about checking! Also, are any of the lounges in front of the cabana (poolside) reserved just for cabana renters or are they open for anyone to use? Thanks again!

Yes, I would recommend those cabanas because of the view. And, yes, facing the pool, they are the leftmost cabanas. If you see from my pics, even my view was a bit obstructed from the roof, but nothing like it would have been if we were in the first 2 cabanas (furthest from bathroom). They are beneath the zip line, but I found that between the music, kids, and everything else going on, I rarely heard anyone on the zip line itself. I heard more of just a whoosh sound when they went down (that wasn't loud or bothersome at all). Most people didn't scream, just laughing.

No one actually checked the people in the cabana, and no one mentioned that we had 5 (4 allowed without paying extra). You do get the wrist bands in the beginning, but I would assume that no one would bat an eye for the children especially. Mine didn't wear a wristband. We also forgot to give the 4th adult hers, and no one said anything about her either.

You have 2 loungers on your deck and a reserved LARGE hammock below the deck that are yours. Unfortunately, none of the loungers right on the pool are reserved. I will mention here that the cabanas are VERY close to the pool (not like at Grand Turk where they seemed a bit further removed).

We really loved these cabanas, but I remember being VERY nervous renting bc there was so little info! So, I hope that I helped others!

Thanks! I know at HMC people have said they were able to bring a 5th person without paying extra. Would this have been possible at Amber Cove? How did you find the waiter service?

The waitstaff waited in between the cabanas until they were needed usually. They had a decent drink menu and food menu. The prices were reasonable. I think the buckets of beer were $20? (5 beers in a bucket) We ordered some food off the menu and were happy with taste and portion size. The bucket beers were a local brand and very good as well. Our waitress was prompt and so very nice!

When you check in for the cabana, they give you wristbands. One person in our group was still on the ship, so we had her wristband in a purse. When she finally made it to the cabana, we never gave her the wristband because we simply forgot. No one questioned it. :) We also had 4 adults and 1 child.

Hope that helped!

Dang it, I only linked to one picture, and I can't go back to edit the link!! This is the link with more pictures.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7CHoq6CYCgZVlFfTU9NVWVFdFk&usp=sharing

Thanks so very much for your time for this review!

Many of us have been anxiously waiting to hear a report from someone who has actually had a port stop there! :)

 

LuLu

You are very welcome! I know that I was scouring the forums for any info on the port and especially the cabanas. Glad to help others!

Hi all! I recently got back from a cruise on the Carnival Breeze with a stop at Amber Cove, Dominican Republic. This is a new port, so not much info was available while I was planning so I decided that I would post when I returned to help fill in some blanks for people.

Amber Cove was beautiful. It was similar to Grand Turk, or Half Moon in that there is a shopping area close to port that is brand new. We didn't do much shopping though, so I can't comment too much about that.

Going into the main part of Amber Cove, you pass by the Oceanside Cabanas. These four cabanas face the ocean, with beautiful long range mountain views, and have a private swimming area (ocean). The cabanas each have their own pier and ladder to go down into the water, no shoreline that I saw. The swimming area is roped off.

I noticed the Hillside Cabanas while walking towards my poolside cabana. They were higher up than the poolside ones, and looked empty. It also looked like it would be a trek to get up to those.

Now, for the Poolside Cabanas at Amber Cove. We were so happy we booked one. It was a bit pricey at $249, but we felt it was worth it. For the price, you got unlimited zip-lining for those in the cabana (I think the limit is 6), a/c, tv, a few sodas and waters in the fridge, a bag of chips and Tostitos Salsa con Queso, a basket of fruit, internet access codes, and pool noodles and floats (those mat things).

The cabanas are located somewhat above the pool area, as you have to climb about 20 or so stairs to get to the cabana. There are only 4 of these cabanas. 2 cabanas share a set of stairs. There is a shower located at the top of the stairs that you would share with the occupants of the other cabana. I loved that the cabana had stairs. We didn't have to worry about other cruisers getting too close to the cabanas for shade or because the area was crowded. Even though we were right where all the action was happening, we still felt like we had a very private space. I would recommend booking the 2 closest to the bathroom. They aren't that close, so don't worry about the foot traffic!! BUT, they offer a spectacular view of the mountains and the sea beyond Amber Cove. The 2 furthest from the bathrooms had the view somewhat obscured by the roof of the pool bar.

The cabana was well appointed with the seating available. There were also 2 loungers on the deck of the cabana, and a hammock under the deck that is reserved for you as well. There are misters on the deck that provide some lovely cooling in that Dominican sun. They are also relatively close to the bathrooms which was a plus!

Overall, Amber Cove offered a large pool area, some in water loungers, swim up bar (great entertainment from the staff), a kids area with slides and such, and tons of loungers available around the pool. The pool is chlorinated.

We had a great time. The only hiccup was the internet was spotty and we could only get a good signal on the edge of the deck. But, the General Manager came around to talk to us about our cabana, and we did let him know about the internet issue. He seemed like he was trying to fix it right then and there! So hopefully it will be resolved for future cruisers!

The link is to my Google drive with photos of the cabana. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7CHoq6CYCgZVzI5ZVEtX0JXZVU/view?usp=sharing

Hope this helps!!