Labadee - no more upgraded buffet?

[mlfallis]

I booked one in Jan 2013 for Feb 2014. Loved into RCCL tonight to my cruises and surprise surprise the cabaña is the one shore excursion I can't get into tonight. Think I am going to call C & A tomorrow. I have the downloaded the shore excursion booklet that is dated June 2013 so hopefully that will be enough proof for them.

[mlfallis]

L88 Beach Cabana - Over the Water at Nellie's Beach

 

Prices:

Adult 250.00 / Child 250.00 USD

Duration:

At Your Leisure

Restrictions:

Minimum Age: 4 years

Departure Times:

10:30 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.

 

 

exact wording from our shore excursion booklet with a date of June 2013

[missholly24]

Carnival Cabanas on HMC are 229.99 and here are the amenities per Carnival website. "Enjoy the ultimate in luxury during your stay on Half Moon Cay with the use of your own private cabana. Your cabana will be outfitted with a refrigerator, ceiling fan, air conditioner, table and chairs inside, as well as deck chairs and misting shower on the private terrace. You will be provided snacks and an assortment of soft drinks and bottled water to quench your thirst." Royal may be thinking a little too highly of themselves charging more and providing NOTHING extra. I agree with the other poster. Its not about the buffet. Its the idea that they can just change it without warning. Booooo. :(

[Snooksi]

I think the reason people are so upset is because of the lack of communication on RCCl's part. They made changes after people had already paid for a product/service and once again, no one was even notified. If RCCL is going to allow people to pay for purchases so far in advance, those people should be given a discount or at least be notified of the changes so they can cancel their reservations, if they so choose. Without the proper information, RCCL is not only taking away an amenity but also taking away their customer's right to CHOOSE. The only reason most of us even find out about RCCL's changes are because of others posting it here on the boards. That's no way to run a respectable business but RCCL seems to do it quite often, which I think is why people get so frustrated.

 

mlfallis-There is no mention in your advertisement of water being provided. Just a warning because I'm sure RCCL will point that out if/when you complain.

 

As long as people are willing to pay the prices RCCL charges for cabanas (and other things), they will keep taking away amenities and continue raising the prices. If people are so upset, they need to STOP booking them. It's all about supply and demand and if there is no demand, I guarantee the prices will go down (and amenities might get added)!!

 

If RCCL would inform their customers when they make changes, quit acting like everything is such a secret, and most of all..inform their Customer Service Reps of changes so their customers don't get conflicting information EVERY SINGLE TIME they speak to a different Rep, I think it would go a long way and people wouldn't be so angry and frustrated because then they could make an informed decision on whether to make changes to their reservations or not.

 

I also believe it has to do with the fact RCCL has made quite a few changes (smoking policy, so many canceled excursions, lunch for cabanas) so recently and haven't done a very good job of notifying their customers, which makes it appear they are being underhanded and sneaky.

 

Communication goes a very long way and RCCL might learn a valuable lesson if they at least TRIED to make improvements in this regard.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Snooksi

[jakenashleysmom]

You're right, I apologize for my comment, but this thread is starting to sound a lot like the smoking threads. In my mind it's RCCL's right to change anything they want about their company, remember you can cancel w/o penalty and or change lines because you don't agree with what they did.

 

I am still telling you that the 2 things that are being taken away are not worth even 5% of the price imho. I'm not being mean, i'm not siding with RCCL it's just not worth getting all worked up. If you are booking these cabanas due to the lunch at Barefoot then your booking them for the wrong reason.

 

I get people are upset because they are not getting what they paid for, if people feel RCCL did this as a deception, then by all means cancel, i'm sure it will be snatched up quick. I am keeping mine because it's a great place to hang, be with family and friends and hang for a great day. Again its certainly not for lunch, and if I have to buy a couple bottles of water so be it.

 

Again I apologize for my comment. We're paying thousands of dollars for our cruises, I'm just saying don't let $15 or $20 ruin it. Principle or not...

 

I would like to add that when I booked this cabana, not only was I getting an upgraded lunch but the price had already gone UP since my February cruise from $175 to $250! That is not $15 or $20, and since I had been recently I knew exactly what I should be getting for my money and found it to be worth it enough to pay $75 more than before. To now find out that I am paying MORE and getting LESS is disturbing.:mad:

[cruisenfever]

The diamond plus is next to Nellies Beach surrounded by a wall. Nice place- shaded , nicer quality lounges, private bar , private beach, access is restricted. They do check for your card that you are Diamond plus.. etc..

:eek::eek:

I've not heard of a D+ reserved area at Labadee. Only a gold card (full suite and Pinnacle C&A) area.

Have also never seen a special D+ area on Labadee. Barefoot Beach is for Full Suite Guests and PC Members or those with a Gold SeaPass Card.

[Ocean Boy]

Oh my gosh people it's not that big of a deal. We had a OTW cabana this past January and yes had the upgraded buffet and water. In my estimation its worth maybe $15, the steak and seafood skewers were ok but certainly not a deal breaker. Plus the line at the barefoort beach luch was crazy, we waited for probably 20 to 30 mins before we got our food. They only have 1 station with 1 line so it goes slow especially when they run out of food and people are waiting.... ughhh.

 

We have an 2 OTW cabana's booked for this next March and are certainly not going to cancel because of some just ok steak and seafood. The water was nice but we used the cooler more to order extra beer and drinks to keep them cool.

 

Believe me it's not a big deal, if you feel cheated then cancel, no penalty :rolleyes:. If you really want the steak then MAN up and pay about $500 more pp and get a GS or above. Then you can have your steak and eat it too...:D

 

I know, I know it the principle of the thing, they said we would get it and we want it now..... ya ya I get it. 5 year olds ughh....

 

Perfect way to get any point that you were trying to make fade into the distant background.

[mlfallis]

From my online conservation with C&A this morning. I have asked him to email me the info. Fingers crossed this is just an IT mess up.

 

CarmenRCCL: [07:12] Thank you for contacting the Crown & Anchor Society. My name is Carmen. How may I assist you?

[07:12] Good Morning Melissa

Melissa: [07:13] I was looking at my shore excursion information last night and the cabana in Labadee I have booked for Feb 2014 (reserved in Jan 2013) no longer has the upgraded buffet as part of the perks. Can you please explain if this is still part of my cabana?

CarmenRCCL: [07:14] Absolutely, Just a couple minutes please.

[07:17] I am going to copy out the information on what all guests in Cabanas will receive as part of the Upgraded Buffett :

 

Barefoot Beach Club Enhanced BBQ Menu for Suite Guests

 

 

 

SALAD BUFFET:

Assorted Greens - Romaine, Iceberg, Radicchio, Rollo Rosso with choice of Italian dressing, French dressing, Caesar Dressing

German Style Potato Salad garnished with scallions

Marinated Greek Salad with red and green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, oregano and red wine extra virgin olive dressing,

Three Beans & Corn Salad with dill

Pineapple coleslaw, German Potato salad, Greek Salad

 

 

FROM THE GRILL:

Char Grilled Beef or Turkey burger,

Char Grilled 10oz New York Strip Steak

Grilled Jerk Marinated Chicken Breast

Char Grilled Hot Dog

Garlic marinated Shrimps Skewer

Sides - Corn on the Cob - Rice & Beans - or Baked Idaho Potato Garlic

 

Herb Butter is served with all grilled Entrees

Condiments - Sliced Tomato, Onion Rings, Pickle Relish, Individual Mustard, Ketchup, Mayonnaise Sliced American cheese, Burger and Hot Dog Bun

 

 

DESSERT:

Banana Bread, Sugar free Cake, Chocolate Brownie, Pound Cake, Marble Pound Cake, Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sliced Watermelon, Honeydew & Cantaloupe Melon, Sliced Pineapples

Whole Fruit - Bananas, Oranges, Apples, Pears, Grapes

Melissa: [07:18] so it is still available to me for staying in a cabana?

CarmenRCCL: [07:19] Yes. This is straight from our information:

Included in the daily cabana rental are the following amenities and services:

 

Private space to relax in luxury for 4-5 guests, complete with resort furniture and fan

 

Dedicated Cabana Attendant

 

Complimentary bottled water

 

Complimentary floating mats and snorkeling equipment

 

Exclusive Barefoot Beach Club beverage menu (prices charged accordingly)

 

Upgraded lunch menu at private BBQ facility

Melissa: [07:23] Ok, do you know why the upgraded description has been removed from the website?

CarmenRCCL: [07:27] Unfortunately, I do not know who runs the website or the information that gets added or retracted from it. It is taken care of from a completely different area. I wish I could tell you why the websit no longer has that information, but I am afraid I would only be guessing as to the why,

[Toddcan]

From my online conservation with C&A this morning. I have asked him to email me the info. Fingers crossed this is just an IT mess up.

 

[07:27] Unfortunately, I do not know who runs the website or the information that gets added or retracted from it. It is taken care of from a completely different area. I wish I could tell you why the websit no longer has that information, but I am afraid I would only be guessing as to the why,

 

But, Others have reported that the perks are removed with their calls to C&A.

 

... Confused.... :confused:

[BND]

From my online conservation with C&A this morning. I have asked him to email me the info. Fingers crossed this is just an IT mess up.

 

CarmenRCCL: [07:12] Thank you for contacting the Crown & Anchor Society. My name is Carmen. How may I assist you?

[07:12] Good Morning Melissa

Melissa: [07:13] I was looking at my shore excursion information last night and the cabana in Labadee I have booked for Feb 2014 (reserved in Jan 2013) no longer has the upgraded buffet as part of the perks. Can you please explain if this is still part of my cabana?

CarmenRCCL: [07:14] Absolutely, Just a couple minutes please.

[07:17] I am going to copy out the information on what all guests in Cabanas will receive as part of the Upgraded Buffett :

 

Barefoot Beach Club Enhanced BBQ Menu for Suite Guests

 

 

 

SALAD BUFFET:

Assorted Greens - Romaine, Iceberg, Radicchio, Rollo Rosso with choice of Italian dressing, French dressing, Caesar Dressing

German Style Potato Salad garnished with scallions

Marinated Greek Salad with red and green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, oregano and red wine extra virgin olive dressing,

Three Beans & Corn Salad with dill

Pineapple coleslaw, German Potato salad, Greek Salad

 

 

FROM THE GRILL:

Char Grilled Beef or Turkey burger,

Char Grilled 10oz New York Strip Steak

Grilled Jerk Marinated Chicken Breast

Char Grilled Hot Dog

Garlic marinated Shrimps Skewer

Sides - Corn on the Cob - Rice & Beans - or Baked Idaho Potato Garlic

 

Herb Butter is served with all grilled Entrees

Condiments - Sliced Tomato, Onion Rings, Pickle Relish, Individual Mustard, Ketchup, Mayonnaise Sliced American cheese, Burger and Hot Dog Bun

 

 

DESSERT:

Banana Bread, Sugar free Cake, Chocolate Brownie, Pound Cake, Marble Pound Cake, Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sliced Watermelon, Honeydew & Cantaloupe Melon, Sliced Pineapples

Whole Fruit - Bananas, Oranges, Apples, Pears, Grapes

Melissa: [07:18] so it is still available to me for staying in a cabana?

CarmenRCCL: [07:19] Yes. This is straight from our information:

Included in the daily cabana rental are the following amenities and services:

 

Private space to relax in luxury for 4-5 guests, complete with resort furniture and fan

 

Dedicated Cabana Attendant

 

Complimentary bottled water

 

Complimentary floating mats and snorkeling equipment

 

Exclusive Barefoot Beach Club beverage menu (prices charged accordingly)

 

Upgraded lunch menu at private BBQ facility

Melissa: [07:23] Ok, do you know why the upgraded description has been removed from the website?

CarmenRCCL: [07:27] Unfortunately, I do not know who runs the website or the information that gets added or retracted from it. It is taken care of from a completely different area. I wish I could tell you why the websit no longer has that information, but I am afraid I would only be guessing as to the why,

 

All of the above is for Barefoot Beach suite guests as it states. This doesn't address the Nellie's beach cabana issue that I can see.

Edited October 7, 2013 by BND

[deedeetoo]

From my online conservation with C&A this morning. I have asked him to email me the info. Fingers crossed this is just an IT mess up.

 

CarmenRCCL: [07:12] Thank you for contacting the Crown & Anchor Society. My name is Carmen. How may I assist you?

[07:12] Good Morning Melissa

Melissa: [07:13] I was looking at my shore excursion information last night and the cabana in Labadee I have booked for Feb 2014 (reserved in Jan 2013) no longer has the upgraded buffet as part of the perks. Can you please explain if this is still part of my cabana?

CarmenRCCL: [07:14] Absolutely, Just a couple minutes please.

[07:17] I am going to copy out the information on what all guests in Cabanas will receive as part of the Upgraded Buffett :

 

Barefoot Beach Club Enhanced BBQ Menu for Suite Guests

 

 

 

SALAD BUFFET:

Assorted Greens - Romaine, Iceberg, Radicchio, Rollo Rosso with choice of Italian dressing, French dressing, Caesar Dressing

German Style Potato Salad garnished with scallions

Marinated Greek Salad with red and green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, oregano and red wine extra virgin olive dressing,

Three Beans & Corn Salad with dill

Pineapple coleslaw, German Potato salad, Greek Salad

 

 

FROM THE GRILL:

Char Grilled Beef or Turkey burger,

Char Grilled 10oz New York Strip Steak

Grilled Jerk Marinated Chicken Breast

Char Grilled Hot Dog

Garlic marinated Shrimps Skewer

Sides - Corn on the Cob - Rice & Beans - or Baked Idaho Potato Garlic

 

Herb Butter is served with all grilled Entrees

Condiments - Sliced Tomato, Onion Rings, Pickle Relish, Individual Mustard, Ketchup, Mayonnaise Sliced American cheese, Burger and Hot Dog Bun

 

 

DESSERT:

Banana Bread, Sugar free Cake, Chocolate Brownie, Pound Cake, Marble Pound Cake, Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sliced Watermelon, Honeydew & Cantaloupe Melon, Sliced Pineapples

Whole Fruit - Bananas, Oranges, Apples, Pears, Grapes

Melissa: [07:18] so it is still available to me for staying in a cabana?

CarmenRCCL: [07:19] Yes. This is straight from our information:

Included in the daily cabana rental are the following amenities and services:

 

Private space to relax in luxury for 4-5 guests, complete with resort furniture and fan

 

Dedicated Cabana Attendant

 

Complimentary bottled water

 

Complimentary floating mats and snorkeling equipment

 

Exclusive Barefoot Beach Club beverage menu (prices charged accordingly)

 

Upgraded lunch menu at private BBQ facility

Melissa: [07:23] Ok, do you know why the upgraded description has been removed from the website?

CarmenRCCL: [07:27] Unfortunately, I do not know who runs the website or the information that gets added or retracted from it. It is taken care of from a completely different area. I wish I could tell you why the websit no longer has that information, but I am afraid I would only be guessing as to the why,

 

I think the rep is talking about a Barefoot Beach cabana. Not a Nellies Beach cabana. See the reference to suite guests at the beginning of the conversation. No where in this conversation is there a mention of Nellies Beach.

[kamfo]

When I called this morning I was told the upgraded buffet was still listed but as we got further into the conversation it was rechecked and it is included in the suite cabanas ant nellies beach cabanas. Then I was given the whole check your reservations it says subject to Change on it. Was also given the excuse sometimes the vendors make changes. Tried to explain the vendor is them but nothing changed. The final answer I got is no longer included in nellies beach cabanas is the water or buffet from what they see this morning, nothing will be given to make up change. Hope someone gets a different answer then I got......

[MS52]

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.

[Bakincakes]

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.:)

[MS52]

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.....

[Toddcan]

I thought I read that if you are a true suite guest (GS and above), you can book a Barefoot Cabana, but it costs less than $250. Can anyone confirm or refute this?

[LucasLounger1]

OK, I'm confused -- I have a cabana booked at Nellie's over the water but am not in a suite. Don't really care about the lunch buffet for the food but would like to know if I get it -- only because one of my party has mobility issues. If we don't get the upgraded buffet how far will she have to walk to the regular buffet? Would it be nearer for her to return to the ship for lunch or go to the regular buffet?

[BND]

I thought I read that if you are a true suite guest (GS and above), you can book a Barefoot Cabana, but it costs less than $250. Can anyone confirm or refute this?

 

Nope, the cabanas on Barefoot cost the same as the ones on Nellie's. We've had cabanas on both. They used to start at like $175, but have gone up. I think I paid $225 for beach and over the water are $250.

[BND]

OK, I'm confused -- I have a cabana booked at Nellie's over the water but am not in a suite. Don't really care about the lunch buffet for the food but would like to know if I get it -- only because one of my party has mobility issues. If we don't get the upgraded buffet how far will she have to walk to the regular buffet? Would it be nearer for her to return to the ship for lunch or go to the regular buffet?

 

At this point, it appears you will not. But, either way, you have to walk to the buffet, even at Barefoot. Upgraded just means additional food items and the buffet is on Barefoot Beach, but at the back, away from the water and cabanas and a bit of a walk from Nellie's. It's not that much closer than the next closest regular buffet. And at least one and maybe two of the regular buffets are on your way to the ship from Nellie's, so definitely farther to go back to the ship.

Edited October 7, 2013 by BND

[nbsjcruiser]

Oh my gosh people it's not that big of a deal. We had a OTW cabana this past January and yes had the upgraded buffet and water. In my estimation its worth maybe $15, the steak and seafood skewers were ok but certainly not a deal breaker. Plus the line at the barefoort beach luch was crazy, we waited for probably 20 to 30 mins before we got our food. They only have 1 station with 1 line so it goes slow especially when they run out of food and people are waiting.... ughhh.

 

We have an 2 OTW cabana's booked for this next March and are certainly not going to cancel because of some just ok steak and seafood. The water was nice but we used the cooler more to order extra beer and drinks to keep them cool.

 

Believe me it's not a big deal, if you feel cheated then cancel, no penalty :rolleyes:. If you really want the steak then MAN up and pay about $500 more pp and get a GS or above. Then you can have your steak and eat it too...:D

 

I know, I know it the principle of the thing, they said we would get it and we want it now..... ya ya I get it. 5 year olds ughh....

 

If you go to the store and buy lets say, 1 pound of a particular product, get it home and find out its underweight by 20%, would you complain or just walk away? If you purchased a car and agreed on certain amenities and when you picked it up and found you didn't get what you agreed on would you just say "No big deal"? I doubt it. What's childish is complaining about someone who feels standing on principle is worth something. You might be one of those people who let companies or governments walk all over them, but many are not.

 

If you promise me something and I agree on the price then you better damn well follow through with your promise otherwise what's next? Maybe you booked and paid for Chops and get on the ship and find out you get only a selection of lower steaks. The higher ones are for suite guests. "We changed our policy after you paid for it, sorry". Maybe you find you can't access the Promenade on certain nights "We changed our policy after you paid for it, sorry". My point is, at some point even you would stand on principle on something so who are you to tell me what's worth my time when I disagree with something a company does after I pay for a product? To you its not worth it, to many it is.

 

This is exactly how Carnival started their penny pinching ways. Remove deck bands, nobody complained? Remove real acts from the theatre. Still no complaints? Lets remove real steaks from the menu in the MDR? Everyone still on board? Hell, lets start with Mac and Cheese and Meatloaf in the MDR. Still no issues? Lets cut the wait staff and let people wait for their cold food to arrive? Everyone still happy? Lets cut back on maintenance. And on and on it goes.

 

You give companies an inch and they'll take a mile every time. So you can stand aside and do nothing, that's your choice. I prefer to stand up when someone doesn't follow through on an agreed deal. I don't know about the US but in Canada there are strict laws against things like this. Its call "bait and switch" and many large companies have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for doing just this. Promising one thing, taking your money and then giving you something else.

 

You prefer to be a door mat because its the easy way out. Don't assume everyone else shares your attitude.

Edited October 7, 2013 by nbsjcruiser

[bermudashorts]

I emailed them last night. I have beach nellie cabana.

We sail Sunday and hopefully they give someone a straight answer on this as we aren't interested in the cabana without the perks we were told we would receive.

Let you know if we hear anything before we sail and if possible I will post from the cruise as to what happened.

[BND]

I emailed them last night. I have beach nellie cabana.

We sail Sunday and hopefully they give someone a straight answer on this as we aren't interested in the cabana without the perks we were told we would receive.

Let you know if we hear anything before we sail and if possible I will post from the cruise as to what happened.

 

Several of us emailed in the last couple of days. I emailed them earlier yesterday and got an automated "we'll get back to you within 3 business days" email. So, I'll probably hear before you do if they respond in the order received There are at least 4-5 posters who have emailed this past weekend.

 

Please let us know what you find out when you're at Labadee as we all know we could get different answers from RCI.

Edited October 7, 2013 by BND

[phabric]

More people have to email them to show them that when they take things away, people notice and are not happy. People have to express their opinions to RC about the changes.

 

Cruise Critic has a big following and the changes get out by word of mouth fast.

[linwey]

In case some of you are not following the other thread about the amenities for Nellie's Beach Cabanas (I wish these could be merged):

Someone posted that the description had changed to include a cooler with 6 bottles of water. So, I checked my order history, and it also changed today to include cooler/water, but it stills lists the other 3 cafes as the choices for lunch.

 

It is not the menu, but the inconvenience that concerns me because the other 3 cafes are not nearby. Nellie's Tavern is close, but that is not one of the 3 listed as serving lunch. Having 2 young children in our group is why we wanted to have the lunch to be nearby.

 

I am wondering whether the attendants would use a cart to escort us to the far side of Columbus Cove, Adrenaline Beach, or Dragon's Plaza since they did this when it was at Barefoot Beach. Or, if the escort to the Barefoot Beach Lunch was just to insure only eligible people had lunch there.

 

Lin

[smeck]

On Saturday I sent a email to Adam Goldsteins office. One of his assistants wrote me today and is investigating and will get back to me. I will forward his response when I receive it.