MS52

We go out of Baltimore the same week each January. Usually book at the last minute and get a great price because the kiddies are back in school right the holidays and traditionally, it's been a slow week for cruising.

 

Cruise is already sold out and has been for a while. If we had waited until the last minute this year, we would have been out of luck.

 

I don't know if the economy is picking up, cruising in general is picking up or if the non-smoking policy is driving sales but things are looking good for RCI.

 

From my perspective, I don't believe that the Smoking Band has hurt them at all :rolleyes:

Curious as to what your cabin # was. We're on the Grandeur in January.

Our reservation which has been paid in full for several months now shows a $7.00 balance. The balance still shows this morning. I called RCI and they show it as paid in full.

The difference is the prepaid gratuities. When I made the reservation (and paid for it) the gratuities are at the 'old' rate. They show up now at the 'new' rate which gives a balance due of $7. :o

anyone?? :o

Can anyone tell me about Red Stripe Beach? I tried to do a search but the word beach is in every one of the threads and the search just brought up every thread. :rolleyes:

 

We have Time N Place booked for January for our day at Falmouth but the reviews lately haven't been very good.

 

So I have lots of questions. We have never been to Falmouth before. Looks like Red Stripe Beach is the only beach day offered by the cruise ship.

 

Can you take a cab to Red Stripe Beach?

Cost?

Or should you just take the cruise ship excursion @ $24?

 

Is there any shade there at all?

Cost of chair rental?

Cost of beer?

 

I'd like a nice beach day while in Jamaica. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

THANKS!

Yes it is about the profit and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. That's why they're in business.

 

But it seems to me that $225-250 per day would give RCCL a fairly nice profit margin! The upgraded buffet is not that upgraded to eat into that margin significantly. Six bottles of water probably cost a dollar or two. I'm not sure what they pay the cabana attendent but I'd guess that most of their salary comes from tips. So once the cabanas are built, most of the rental is profit.

 

When we're at Labadee in January, there will be two ships in and we're the second one to arrive. So we also decided that we're going to keep our two cabanas for one last time.

 

I enjoyed the experience last year but I don't think we'll be doing it again since they're reducing the amentities and the cost of renting a cabana for the day was on the cusp of just being too expensive for what you get IMHO. :o

here are generally masses on board as well.

 

I wouldn't count on it. I always check and there has never been a Mass onboard when I've cruised.

I had a second response to my email - I expressed a concern of how they would know we paid before 10/4/13

 

Thank you for your response.

 

Please note we have identified all the guests who will be granted access to the upgraded barbeque buffet on Barefoot beach, will notify all the pertinent ships for each voyage and wristbands will be distributed to the guests onboard.

 

I hope I have fully answered your questions, however, should you have any additional concerns, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to assist.

This was something new. They will distribute the wristbands ONBOARD so the attendant will already know. I, for one, would really appreciate it if people would report their experiences back here. We don't go until January. If it looks like it will be a hassle, I'll cancel. I preplan as much as I can so when I vacation, I vacation.

 

 

That's my big question... are they lowering the price of the Nellie's Cabanas?

 

I don't think they will unless supply exceeds the demand. If the upgraded buffet was important and people stop booking them, they will have to lower the price.

Tell her on the way to the port. She will still be very surprised, enjoy all the perks of the suite (sweet) checkin and you can relax!

We (meaning all of us here) just found out about the change because of Cruise Critic.

 

What about all of the people who have booked cabanas who aren't members? ....they will find out about the change when they're on Labadee and pretty much have their day soured.

 

Is RCCL ever going to notify people that this will affect. Probably not.

No response to my shorex email but I received the above response from a representative of Mr Goldstein's office.

 

His email is agoldstein@rccl.com

I paid for my cabana July 25, 2013 for our Ladadee stop March 12, 2015.

 

I am sure by that time, the check in attendants would have changed many times and would not know about the Oct 4, 2013 date entitling me to the upgrade.

 

I will bring my Pre Cruise Planner Confirmation and the above email and wait to see what happens.

 

 

The pre cruise planner confirmation does not have a date on it - at least when I went through my reservation, I couldn't find any dates for when I made purchases.

When I look at the payments tab, I see where I paid $225 on 1/15/13 and I know that's for the cabana but it doesn't say that......

Does any one else have any ideas on where to get the proof???

I paid July 25, 2013 for an Over the Water cabana at Nellie's Beach (non suite) for March 12, 2015.

 

I am wondering, if I will now have to bring my Pre Cruise Planner Confirmation email with a copy of this post with me, when I get to Labadee to have the upgraded buffet? I am sure the check in attendant won't know what I am talking about.

 

That's exactly my concern. Do we really think that RCCL will tell the attendants at Labadee about this? Heck, they can't even train the people who work in their offices on current procedures. :confused:

 

We have two for January 2014. Undecided on what to do.....

I am sending this response as a follow-up to your recent correspondence to our executive offices and regret I was unable to reach you via telephone earlier as planned.

 

We appreciate your comments regarding the amenities associated with the cabana rentals in Labadee and regret the displeasure conveyed.

 

Please understand the upgraded barbeque buffet, offered on Barefoot Beach, one of Labadee’s beaches exclusively reserved to suite guests, was also made available to cabana guests from other Labadee beaches, and generated unexpected crowding as a result. In order to maintain a premium beach experience, Royal Caribbean will start enforcing the exclusive access of Barefoot Beach to top suite guests only.

 

Please note that guests who have purchased a private cabana on Nellie’s Beach will still have exclusive use of their cabana for the day. Other cabana amenities include a built-in ceiling fan, luxury resort-style lounge chairs, two floating mats, beach towels, a water cooler with six bottles of water and a personal cabana attendant. Guests in these cabanas are invited to join the beach barbeque buffet at Columbus Cove Café, Dragon’s Café and Café Labadee. Guests who have already purchased private cabanas at Nellie’s Beach prior to October 4, 2013 will still be able to access Barefoot Beach’s upgraded beach barbeque buffet.

 

We truly hope our guests will enjoy a memorable day during their call at Labadee, one of Royal Caribbean’s highest-rated Caribbean destinations and private beach paradise located on the northern coast of Haiti. The destination features five beaches, a Haitian artisan market, an extensive array of watersports options, as well as exciting attractions such as the 2,600-foot Dragon’s Breath Flight Line, the world’s longest zip line over water, the 300-foot Dragon’s Splash Waterslide, and the Dragon’s Tail Alpine Coaster.

 

I just received the exact same response. How will the attendants know when you paid for the cabana? And will they be told by RCCL that if you paid by 10/4/13, you are entitled to the lunch? Or will they run out of wristbands and not be able to deliver what is promised?

 

I don't have confidence that RCCL will provide this information to them and I don't want to have to argue my case when I'm on vacation. I preplan so everything goes as smoothly as it can.

 

So even though we received an official response, I'm still not sure what I'm doing. Cancel or not cancel??? :(

I was told that they are needed for the buffet. Here is a copy of what I purchased if anyone wanted to have it.

 

ZL88 Beach Cabana - Over the Water at Nellie's Beach

PRICES: Adult 250.00/Child 250.00 USD

DURATION: At Your Leisure

RESTRICTIONS: N/A

DEPARTURE TIMES: 10:00 am

Overview:

Enjoy the beach on Labadee in style in a beach cabana nestled on the hillside of Nellie’

s Beach with private water access.

Highlights:

- Cabana rental for the full day

- Furnished with luxury resort style lounge chairs and ceiling fan

- Rental includes 2 floating beach mats, lunch buffet, and the use of beach towels

- Personal cabana attendant service

Full Description:

The upscale sea view cabanas nestled on the hillside of Nellie’

s beach with water access are a great place to relax and enjoy the

seclusion, while remaining among the action of Nellie’

s Beach.

The cabanas are furnished with luxury resort style lounge chairs and a ceiling fan. Rental of a cabana will include 2 floating beach

mats, upgraded lunch buffet, towels, and the great service of a personal cabana attendant.

What to Bring:

- You should always take your SeaPass card (provided onboard the ship)

- Sun protection and sunglasses

- Camera

What to Wear:

- Wear your bathing suit

Important Notes:

- Pricing is per cabana, not per person. One person in the party should reserve the cabana.

- Individual cabanas will be assigned once on Labadee

- Each Cabana is equipped with two lounge chairs and will accommodate the maximum of 6 guests.

- To access the cabana, you will have to cross approximately 20 yards of sand and uneven pathway. Guests with limited mobility

will not be able to access the water from the cabana.

 

Thanks for the description of how it 'used to be.'

 

Last year (January 2013) they also included snorkeling equipment. It doesn't look like that is provided any longer either. Our attendent supplied four sets for our two cabanas. :(

 

Still waiting to hear the official word but it's looking more and more like I'll be cancelling two cabanas for next January.

Okay - it's been 3-4 days since some of us have emailed Mr Goldstein and shore excursions...... Has anyone gotten anything other than the automatic reply?

 

Not I

I just emailed the "shorex" email address, to express my displeasure with hearing this news.

We have a Nellie's cabana booked for next April, and I can tell you, the removal of the upgraded buffet IS a serious downgrade to us.

Why?

This was our experience:

We had a Nellie's Beach Cabana a year ago, on our Freedom of the Seas cruise.

We aren't early birds, so when our attendant told us lunch was ready at noon, we said, thanks, but we'll just wait a while.

Close to 1 PM we decided to head over for lunch.

There was ZERO lineup, and in fact, only one other table was occupied.

We grabbed our tray, and looked at the offering. DW looked at the steaks and asked the server what were the chances of finding one that was rare (how she likes beef). He said Zero, but wait just a minute and he'll cook up one just how she likes it.

He asked if I wanted a steak, and I said no, but I like shrimp skewers, so with that he puts on about 6 new shrimp skewers for me.

While they were cooking, I walked 10 feet to a small bar that was set up there, (again no lineup) and got a couple of ice cold beers. Grabbed our HOT food and got a quiet table in the shade.

Talk about NICE! :) No lineups - steak and shrimp cooked to order, no flies, or bees (like we experienced at the main food place in prior years).

 

Right then and there, DW & I decided - this is THE LIFE :) and we will do this on our next visit to Labadee.

Well, guess what? :( I'm choked.

 

Personally I couldn't care less about the water - we drink beer.

(I think we used two of the bottles to wash our feet and rinse out our suits, and took the 3rd one back up to the room. Not sure if we ever drank it)

 

 

This was also our experience and the upgraded lunch being taken away is probably reason for us to cancel our two cabanas in January. I'm waiting to hear a response to my emails. Hope it's just a rumor or IT problem

Agoldstein@rccl.com

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

........ Has anyone heard back for Rccl? I still have not heard a thing.

 

Just the standard form letter from both shorex@rccl.com and a form letter from Mr. Goldstein's office. I'll post when I receive a 'real' reply.

The water was nice but we used the cooler more to order extra beer and drinks to keep them cool.....

 

 

We did the same, it was nice to keep beer on ice. But if you no longer get the water, I doubt you'll have the cooler..... what would be the point?

EVeryone should have been advised of the change.

 

But the good part is now you all know and can cancel your cabanas without any penalty.:)

 

To the best of my knowledge, NO ONE was advised of the change.

 

Yes, it's tempting to cancel and get my $450 back for the two cabanas.....

Very disappointing. We have two reserved for January 2014. I just emailed shorex@rccl.com asking for clarification. I'll post a reply if I get one.

 

I'm undecided whether to cancel or not. I think it's just wrong of RCCL to change terms after payment was made.

Emailed shore excursions also. We have two rented for January 2014. I am undecided about cancelling but leaning in that direction if the perks have changed.

You mention Enchantment. That was the ship with the worst soot that we ever encountered. Big black puff balls and without realizing it, we tracked it onto the carpet, made a mess for the steward. Most ships we never have any. Radiance class is especially nice (probably because it's engines are different).

 

Weird. We were on Enchantment in January - corner aft, 7666. No problems with soot at all. We booked corner aft on the Grandeur for next January....hoping it's the same. :o