Last day on the Independence - Good, Bad and Strange

[3KDZ]

WILN - Sorry we missed you at the 11-12 year old girls meet and greet. We did show up at the mini-golf, but were maybe 10-15 minutes late due to our twins both needing a diaper change. If you happened to be there and we crossed paths while missing each other, I was the 6'1" 250lb half Korean guy with a blonde wife, three kids and a GoPro on a selfie stick. We, like you, had a terrific week and really enjoyed the ship and the staff. However, I am extremely sorry to hear about what happened to you at Labadee. As you know, I have 2 daughters and a son and I can only imagine how you felt. It pisses me off to no end to hear this story. I wish I would've met you when we planned at the mini-golf because I might have recognized you and been able to assist or help you when all of this happened. We spent the day at Barefoot Beach so I was close by. Don't beat yourself up as you did the best you could in the situation. Everyone reacts differently and nobody knows how they would handle things until they are unexpectedly thrown into the situation. If I were you, I would call and/or write to anyone that I could to inform them of what happened. And, I wouldn't stop until I received an acceptable response. What happened was a very serious event that should never ever have taken place period. To say this needs addressed is an understatement. I don't care how poor someone is or what the economic situation of a country is, it doesn't give anyone the right to touch, grab, or pull a girl into a tent or a stall or whatever you want to call it. When you put your hands on someone else without their consent or permission it's called assault. If you think my statement is a stretch, give it a try. Go out to your local mall and grab a young girl and try to force her into the bathroom or into service corridor and see what happens. For those who have posted responses that minimize this situation or that believe the OP should not email the CEO or upper management, "You Are Dead Wrong". Why might you ask? Because really bad things never happen until they do. Our job as parents is to protect our kids. Period. There is nothing that I won't do as a father to protect my children's health, well being and safety. Grab, touch, tug or pull on my daughters or son and I will break your hands and then proceed to make you look very very different. Additionally, we all have a responsibility to look out for each another. Don't we owe each other in this respect. It has to made clear to RCI what happened. The boundaries that were pushed and crossed need to be known. If the aggressive scumbag actions of the offending vendors is not addressed now, when will it be? And, where will it end? Does something really really bad need to happen first? Who here is ok with grown men grabbing young girls? Who here is ok with grown men pulling and tugging young girls into tents or stalls? I mean seriously? I can tell you exactly why this is a current problem. Because it hasn't been addressed. So, WILN, please do what needs to be done for your own peace or mind, personal satisfaction, and for the benefit of every other cruiser (adult/child) who will spend time on Labadee this week and for every other week to come.

[budisal]

You have to be careful in Jamaica as well. If you go into a hut, quite often, the wife will engage you in conversation (trying to get you to buy stuff) while the husband stands in the doorway so it becomes very difficult for you to leave - you'd have to push past him to get out. He takes on a very belligerent attitude if you try to leave without buying something, crossing his arms like a bouncer at a nightclub.

[mdepsmom]

I was also on OP's sailing. I'm a single mom traveling w/ my 12-yo son, and I was shocked by the aggressiveness of the vendors in the artists' market. We had a similar experience where one of the vendors started to carve my son's name in a piece of bamboo. He got halfway through the first letter and I said "I'm not buying that," and he stopped. We were in Labadee last year and only visited the "flea market" (the one in the building) and there is zero harassment by the vendors there. This year we thought we'd check out the artists' market. Never again. We'll be in Labadee next year and will only go to the "flea market." Be careful around those vendors - I will stay far, far away.

 

We had a great cruise, food was very good except for a bad Johnny Rockets experience and yesterday's lousy MDR breakfast (yes, I know you can't count on a good breakfast on debarkation day, but WHY NOT???). Loved the ice show and the comedian at the Welcome Aboard show. Leigh (cruise director) and Frankie (activities mgr) were terrific and my son became a mini celebrity on board, "stalking" Leigh and Frankie and appearing on all of their morning shows. He loved it, and it made for such a fun cruise for us. We sailed with Leigh on Explorer last year and were thrilled to find he is cruise director on Indy now.

 

I have to disagree w/ OP on Center Stage (I think that's the name of the new production show, Fri. night?) - we found it boring, and I can't remember the last time I found any of their shows to be boring.

 

What's the deal w/ the cheap bingo cards, now requiring you to either bring your own pen or pay $2 for a dauber??? Jeez.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Any of you guys that were on the cruise know what happened with the guy they were looking for Saturday night? I was not happy with the all night announcements (even though not in the cabin still woke me up). Figured it was probably someone who fell asleep somewhere or decided to spend the night with a "new friend."

 

Made for a long night and hard travel day! Glad that it was not a true missing passenger though - I am sure that would have made the media.

[Ocean Boy]

 

I have to disagree w/ OP on Center Stage (I think that's the name of the new production show, Fri. night?) - we found it boring, and I can't remember the last time I found any of their shows to be boring.

 

What's the deal w/ the cheap bingo cards, now requiring you to either bring your own pen or pay $2 for a dauber??? Jeez.

 

Center Stage has been around forever. Why are people calling it new? And though I don't think it is RCI worst production show, as Invitation to Dance has had that honor for quite some time, I wouldn't give up a nice evening out on deck to see the show again.

[shellunderwater]

OP.... so sorry for your experience. Understand the desire to get out of there and get to where you feel is a safe place for your kids.

 

Well, DW and I have very different feelings about the vendors, in general. I hate them. I don't like saying NO GRACIAS a thousand times. Frankly, I'm on vacation. That is the one part of a cruise I really dislike. The constant sell, either on board or in port. Compare that to going to an AI in Jamaica where you NEVER got sold, never asked for a tip, never bothered.

 

DW however loves it. She loves to bargain and the interaction.

 

But, we had an interesting experience on Labadee. We bought some pictures/paintings on canvas. She negotiated quite well, actually walked away and the guy had to chase after her. After we bought, it was as if we were marked as having money and buying. That was the most aggressive we've personally experienced. We quickly high-tailed it out of there and away from the vendors.

 

The other thing about Labadee vendor areas is the upper section that is terraced. Once you get up on that walkway, there is no way to get away from them until you get to the end. We were so glad we weren't stuck walking through there.

 

Now, I will admit... yes Haiti is an impoverished area, everyone is poor and we are relatively wealthy. I get that and appreciate that. We try to use local tours in port, buy things from local shops, etc. But, I think there is a tipping point where they drive people like us away. When I go to port, I want to support local, not chains, not the big companies. But, I won't if it continues to be this bad.

[katepanda]

I also was on this cruise and found the vendors area to be quite aggressive. They separated my girlfriend and I from each other. I guess the vendor knew I wasn't interested whatsoever and kind of got annoyed and walked away. I went to find my girlfriend who was with a "nicer" guy that let her go easy when she said she wasn't interested.

 

I wanted to get to the other beach but didn't feel like it was worth it to be harassed the whole way. I'm sorry. I'm on vacation. It's a little bit ridiculous. Not everyone can afford to buy everything. Just because we are on a cruise doesn't mean we can afford everything. For RCCL's private island, it sure didn't feel safe to me whatsoever. I will most likely never go back to Labadee again if I can avoid it.

 

Email the CEO. He should know how much venue he's driving away by keeping an aggressive and harassing artisan's market on a port that can do so much better.

 

I had quite a few problems on this cruise and have received a canned response so far from everyone. So, good luck! I'm debating on canceling my next cruise because I think their customer service is crap honestly.

 

I also heard the announcements on Saturday night. I wondered what happened to that guy they kept calling for over an hour.

[louv2000]

Haven't been back to the vendors area since I was standing there looking at something and one of the vendors reached into my bag and grabbed my wallet out--imploring me to buy. I couldn't believe it.

[Cigar King]

email the CEO, really? You know there are proper channels to report these complaints. emailing the CEO about about every issue is going to accomplish one thing: a dead email address no one checks with an auto-responder.

 

I suspect that email to the CEO is really email to his assistant who then directs the email to the proper department. I would be really surprised if usage results in a dead email address.

[WhenIsLobsterNight]

WILN - Sorry we missed you at the 11-12 year old girls meet and greet. We did show up at the mini-golf, but were maybe 10-15 minutes late due to our twins both needing a diaper change. If you happened to be there and we crossed paths while missing each other, I was the 6'1" 250lb half Korean guy with a blonde wife, three kids and a GoPro on a selfie stick. We, like you, had a terrific week and really enjoyed the ship and the staff. However, I am extremely sorry to hear about what happened to you at Labadee. As you know, I have 2 daughters and a son and I can only imagine how you felt. It pisses me off to no end to hear this story. I wish I would've met you when we planned at the mini-golf because I might have recognized you and been able to assist or help you when all of this happened. We spent the day at Barefoot Beach so I was close by. Don't beat yourself up as you did the best you could in the situation. Everyone reacts differently and nobody knows how they would handle things until they are unexpectedly thrown into the situation. If I were you, I would call and/or write to anyone that I could to inform them of what happened. And, I wouldn't stop until I received an acceptable response. What happened was a very serious event that should never ever have taken place period. To say this needs addressed is an understatement. I don't care how poor someone is or what the economic situation of a country is, it doesn't give anyone the right to touch, grab, or pull a girl into a tent or a stall or whatever you want to call it. When you put your hands on someone else without their consent or permission it's called assault. If you think my statement is a stretch, give it a try. Go out to your local mall and grab a young girl and try to force her into the bathroom or into service corridor and see what happens. For those who have posted responses that minimize this situation or that believe the OP should not email the CEO or upper management, "You Are Dead Wrong". Why might you ask? Because really bad things never happen until they do. Our job as parents is to protect our kids. Period. There is nothing that I won't do as a father to protect my children's health, well being and safety. Grab, touch, tug or pull on my daughters or son and I will break your hands and then proceed to make you look very very different. Additionally, we all have a responsibility to look out for each another. Don't we owe each other in this respect. It has to made clear to RCI what happened. The boundaries that were pushed and crossed need to be known. If the aggressive scumbag actions of the offending vendors is not addressed now, when will it be? And, where will it end? Does something really really bad need to happen first? Who here is ok with grown men grabbing young girls? Who here is ok with grown men pulling and tugging young girls into tents or stalls? I mean seriously? I can tell you exactly why this is a current problem. Because it hasn't been addressed. So, WILN, please do what needs to be done for your own peace or mind, personal satisfaction, and for the benefit of every other cruiser (adult/child) who will spend time on Labadee this week and for every other week to come.

 

I am sorry we missed you as well. We waited for awhile at the golf area and eventually moved around the corner to watch the flowrider. It sounds like there were a number of people that had different levels of trouble with the vendors in Labadee. At the very least, RCCL needs to warn people heading to their port about the vendors. I have not been to Labadee in 17 years and had no idea they were this aggressive now. We had a nice cruise overall though.

[Charger2008]

You are correct its a long ways away. However, if you get all the way through the straw market there is a beach called Barefoot Beach with no rocks and fine sand. It is less crowded than other beaches and is the one that people suggested to me to visit when on the Labadee forums. To get to this beach though, you either have to go down the main road through the entire straw market or take the path leading up and down a fairly steep hill that clips part of the straw market. Getting to barefoot beach without going through at least some part of the market is unavoidable unless you swim to get there or there is some other route I am unaware of.

 

NO WONDER I was never able to find that beach :) We never went all of the way through the market :D By the time we got halfway through the market I was so hot and tired and tired of saying "no thanks, no really, I don't need anything . . . " I was usually ready to go.

 

Thanks for the info :)

[BamaGuy44]

I totally agree with this...I would have been so angry if anyone touched my children! Yes, this needs to be reported by EVERYONE this has happened to.

 

Agreed. I don't care how poor you are or how badly you need me to buy something. If you put your hands on my child, you and I are going to have a serious problem. Wouldn't matter if it's a store in Haiti or Beverly Hills.

 

I guarantee you RC don't want these vendors physically pulling kids into their tents, that won't be good for business.

[BonTexasNY]

Wouldn't the vendors get the point quicker if you just walk quickly and not respond to them in any way? Once you say "no thank you" and eye contact has been made, you're opening communication with them and they stick to you like glue.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Just an FYI for anyone wanting to avoid the vendors in the flea market to get to the beach on the other side of the hill of vendor stalls - take the tram/shuttle. The big one doesn't go up the hill, but the smaller one does. You don't need to go near the vendors - just ride and get dropped off at the beach.

[3KDZ]

So, I have previously posted my feelings on this thread concerning the OP's situation regarding Labadee. I did want to add a few new unrelated comments about the cruise.

 

First, I do have all 7 Cruise Compasses for those interested. I will try and post them in the next several days or you can message me and I will email copies directly to you.

 

I too, like many others thought the ship was very clean and in great condition. I don't recall seeing any public areas that weren't looking fantastic. Everything look shiny, polished, and in great shape.

 

Stateroom...The level of service that my family received was one of the best of any cruise that we have ever taken. Our cabin steward, Pedro, was extremely attentive and seemed to always be just outside in the hall. This man did everything in his power to guarantee a perfect stateroom for us. Our cabin was in wonderful condition. Everything was in working order and looked almost brand new. We were in 1564, the stateroom directly under the port side cantilevered whirlpool. This cabin has a balcony that gets enough sun, but really offers a more shaded cooler deck that we loved. I knew when I booked the cruise that some previous reviews of this room viewed the shade as a negative, but we viewed it as a big plus having 2 year old twins. Additionally, it is the largest balcony offered for a GS on the Indy. I hope my perspective of this room helps someone in the future make a better informed decision.

 

MDR/Dining Options...Our head waiter Ivan and his assistant Aurthur were spot on with their service. They both made every meal extremely enjoyable and were fast and attentive with drinks etc. They also got to know us instantly and made all of our interactions relaxed with a personal touch. My opinion of the food in the MDR is a little bit different. I found the food to be just OK at best. Not in any way bad, but in no way impressive. Most of my meals seemed to be on the bland side with nothing really offering the WOW factor. Examples, my lobster tasted really salty and was rubbery while the steaks I had were always under temperature or over temperature. A lot of the dishes had a frozen food or processed food taste. The quality really seems to have gone down over the last handful of years with portions being somewhat smaller and with flavor being somewhat MIA. I personally believe that this is not only the result RCI trying to increase profits by lowering food costs, but also an attempt to drive more passengers to the specialty restaurants or to get them to order fee based items of off the MDR menu. Of course, this is just my opinion based on my past cruising history and based on my personal dining expectations. My wife, who is a vegetarian and really hard to please anyway, was unimpressed with most of the food. We did hit Johnny Rockets, Cafe Promenade, Sorrentos, Windjammer, and ordered room service. All were OK with the exception of the pizza which was just horrible. I think I have had better pizza from a gas station. Strangely enough, I somehow managed to gain 3 pounds over the week.

 

Concierge Lounge...Top notch. Service from Mel and the bar staff was exceptional. Very friendly with personal touches. Food was good and the drinks were strong. Even accommodated my Vodka preference. Nice experience.

 

Shows...I thought the Center Stage production was pretty good. I didn't really care for the Ice Show. I know most of the reviews that I read prior to the cruise were positive, but I found the show reminded me of the Nutcracker on Ice or something. No doubt that all of the performer are extremely talented and deserve credit for their hard work. These were the only two shows that were attended. Again, we have two year old twins.

 

Pools/H2O Zone...Loved the pools and the H2O Zone as did my wife and 3 kids. Good times. Bar and refreshment service was immediate whenever we wanted it and prompt. Family, Sun, Fun, and Drinks...WINNER!!!

 

Fitness Center...Went twice and was impressed with the size of the gym and all of the available equipment. Definitely the best I have seen on any cruise.

 

Royal Promenade...We really like this area. It's fun watching my wife and daughter shop while I stuff my face with cupcakes and Ben and Jerry's. We also enjoyed the 70's Party and people watching in general.

 

Cruise Director...Leigh and his sidekick Frank were really funny. A little edgy at times, but funny and great energy. I especially got a kick out of the belly flop contest and heir TV shows were always very entertaining to watch in the cabin. To a previous poster...your son did a great job too!

 

Labadee...Our time here was great. My wife and daughter rode the zip line while I hung out on Barefoot Beach with the twins. This beach was up on the left hand side just past the small shacks where you meet for the zip line. Small trams will take you wherever you want to go and we did take advantage of them. Service at the beach was on par and we had a very hassle free shopping experience, although we went to the small market in the concrete block building where we made a couple of purchases. Oddly enough, no one really seemed to care if we bought or not. First time that's ever happened.

 

Jamaica...Due to some sun burn, we originally were not going to get off of the ship. We ended up changing our minds and spent a few hours at Margaritaville. Nice pool and really good food. Had way to much to drink.

 

Cayman...Went to the Turtle Farm. We have been to Cayman several times in the past with my wife and oldest daughter always wanting to go to see the turtles. I have always convinced the to do the Sting Ray City tour or the beach. This time they won and I must say this was a much nicer experience than I thought it would be. Here you can touch, hold, wade, and swim with the turtles. They have a salt water lagoon that you can snorkel in with the turtles and all the gear is provided. There is also a very nice swimming pool to enjoy. A really nice place and a really nice time.

 

Cozumel...Did the three reef snorkeling tour. Just amazing.

 

Embark/Debark...Getting on was super fast and easy. Getting off and through the baggage fiasco by customs was trying to say the least. We did participate in the luggage valet program and I would highly recommend it to anyone. This, however, doesn't keep you from having to navigate through and around the luggage gauntlet.

 

Overall, we had a fantastic time. One week in the Caribbean with my beautiful wife and three beautiful children on one amazing ship. The week flew by so fast it's hard to believe it's really over. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have. I will do my best to help in any way that I can.

Edited June 9, 2015 by 3KDZ

[kruzerci]

3KDZ. That basically sums up our experience the week before. Less the dining room, overall we were impressed with the Independence.

[mickev99]

So, I have previously posted my feelings on this thread concerning the OP's situation regarding Labadee. I did want to add a few new unrelated comments about the cruise.

 

First, I do have all 7 Cruise Compasses for those interested. I will try and post them in the next several days or you can message me and I will email copies directly to you.

 

I too, like many others thought the ship was very clean and in great condition. I don't recall seeing any public areas that weren't looking fantastic. Everything look shiny, polished, and in great shape.

 

Stateroom...The level of service that my family received was one of the best of any cruise that we have ever taken. Our cabin steward, Pedro, was extremely attentive and seemed to always be just outside in the hall. This man did everything in his power to guarantee a perfect stateroom for us. Our cabin was in wonderful condition. Everything was in working order and looked almost brand new. We were in 1564, the stateroom directly under the port side cantilevered whirlpool. This cabin has a balcony that gets enough sun, but really offers a more shaded cooler deck that we loved. I knew when I booked the cruise that some previous reviews of this room viewed the shade as a negative, but we viewed it as a big plus having 2 year old twins. Additionally, it is the largest balcony offered for a GS on the Indy. I hope my perspective of this room helps someone in the future make a better informed decision.

 

MDR/Dining Options...Our head waiter Ivan and his assistant Aurthur were spot on with their service. They both made every meal extremely enjoyable and were fast and attentive with drinks etc. They also got to know us instantly and made all of our interactions relaxed with a personal touch. My opinion of the food in the MDR is a little bit different. I found the food to be just OK at best. Not in any way bad, but in no way impressive. Most of my meals seemed to be on the bland side with nothing really offering the WOW factor. Examples, my lobster tasted really salty and was rubbery while the steaks I had were always under temperature or over temperature. A lot of the dishes had a frozen food or processed food taste. The quality really seems to have gone down over the last handful of years with portions being somewhat smaller and with flavor being somewhat MIA. I personally believe that this is not only the result RCI trying to increase profits by lowering food costs, but also an attempt to drive more passengers to the specialty restaurants or to get them to order fee based items of off the MDR menu. Of course, this is just my opinion based on my past cruising history and based on my personal dining expectations. My wife, who is a vegetarian and really hard to please anyway, was unimpressed with most of the food. We did hit Johnny Rockets, Cafe Promenade, Sorrentos, Windjammer, and ordered room service. All were OK with the exception of the pizza which was just horrible. I think I have had better pizza from a gas station. Strangely enough, I somehow managed to gain 3 pounds over the week.

 

Concierge Lounge...Top notch. Service from Mel and the bar staff was exceptional. Very friendly with personal touches. Food was good and the drinks were strong. Even accommodated my Vodka preference. Nice experience.

 

Shows...I thought the Center Stage production was pretty good. I didn't really care for the Ice Show. I know most of the reviews that I read prior to the cruise were positive, but I found the show reminded me of the Nutcracker on Ice or something. No doubt that all of the performer are extremely talented and deserve credit for their hard work. These were the only two shows that were attended. Again, we have two year old twins.

 

Pools/H2O Zone...Loved the pools and the H2O Zone as did my wife and 3 kids. Good times. Bar and refreshment service was immediate whenever we wanted it and prompt. Family, Sun, Fun, and Drinks...WINNER!!!

 

Fitness Center...Went twice and was impressed with the size of the gym and all of the available equipment. Definitely the best I have seen on any cruise.

 

Royal Promenade...We really like this area. It's fun watching my wife and daughter shop while I stuff my face with cupcakes and Ben and Jerry's. We also enjoyed the 70's Party and people watching in general.

 

Cruise Director...Leigh and his sidekick Frank were really funny. A little edgy at times, but funny and great energy. I especially got a kick out of the belly flop contest and heir TV shows were always very entertaining to watch in the cabin. To a previous poster...your son did a great job too!

 

Labadee...Our time here was great. My wife and daughter rode the zip line while I hung out on Barefoot Beach with the twins. This beach was up on the left hand side just past the small shacks where you meet for the zip line. Small trams will take you wherever you want to go and we did take advantage of them. Service at the beach was on par and we had a very hassle free shopping experience, although we went to the small market in the concrete block building where we made a couple of purchases. Oddly enough, no one really seemed to care if we bought or not. First time that's ever happened.

 

Jamaica...Due to some sun burn, we originally were not going to get off of the ship. We ended up changing our minds and spent a few hours at Margaritaville. Nice pool and really good food. Had way to much to drink.

 

Cayman...Went to the Turtle Farm. We have been to Cayman several times in the past with my wife and oldest daughter always wanting to go to see the turtles. I have always convinced the to do the Sting Ray City tour or the beach. This time they won and I must say this was a much nicer experience than I thought it would be. Here you can touch, hold, wade, and swim with the turtles. They have a salt water lagoon that you can snorkel in with the turtles and all the gear is provided. There is also a very nice swimming pool to enjoy. A really nice place and a really nice time.

 

Cozumel...Did the three reef snorkeling tour. Just amazing.

 

Embark/Debark...Getting on was super fast and easy. Getting off and through the baggage fiasco by customs was trying to say the least. We did participate in the luggage valet program and I would highly recommend it to anyone. This, however, doesn't keep you from having to navigate through and around the luggage gauntlet.

 

Overall, we had a fantastic time. One week in the Caribbean with my beautiful wife and three beautiful children on one amazing ship. The week flew by so fast it's hard to believe it's really over. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have. I will do my best to help in any way that I can.

 

 

I would absolutely love the compasses! My email is isaaxmisc@bellsouth.net. We cruise end of July. We also have twins, they are 10 1/2 now, plus a 12 year old. All girls. We have a rough few years ahead of us, I know!!

[3KDZ]

I will get those to you asap.

[Amercury]

I will get those to you asap.

 

3KDZ could you email them to me as well please. leemercurioatgmailcom

Also, we'll be on the Indy in July and are traveling with our 3 yr old grandson and his parents. Ive never cruised with a little one before, so I'll look into the Turtle Farm excursion, any other suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

[3KDZ]

I will get those to you as well. You will love the Turtle Farm. We did not book the excursion through Royal, but booked with a company in a yellow and blue small wooden shelter the size of a large phone booth. It was $120 for the 5 of us which included round trip transportation and complete and full access to the entire farm.

[allentownahoy]

Center Stage has been around forever. Why are people calling it new? And though I don't think it is RCI worst production show, as Invitation to Dance has had that honor for quite some time, I wouldn't give up a nice evening out on deck to see the show again.

 

It was a new cast but an old show.

[JeffHatfield]

Just an FYI for anyone wanting to avoid the vendors in the flea market to get to the beach on the other side of the hill of vendor stalls - take the tram/shuttle. The big one doesn't go up the hill, but the smaller one does. You don't need to go near the vendors - just ride and get dropped off at the beach.

 

Or take the ferry

[PTAngel]

What ferry? We were there March 2014 & didn't see a ferry.

[Clarea]

What ferry? We were there March 2014 & didn't see a ferry.

There has been a one-way ferry from the pier, near where we get off the ship, to Columbus Cove.

[idamae3218]

What ferry? We were there March 2014 & didn't see a ferry.

 

I was there in 2012 & there was a ferry then as well, it goes to Columbus Cove. But since the OP said barefoot beach, it wasn't sure that would have helped. Can you get to barefoot from Columbus without going through the vendors?