Tell me about Labadee...

[Canuker]

...never been before.
Is it essentially an extension of the ship or can (would?) you do your own thing outside the 'compound'?

If so, what do you suggest?

Edited March 25, 2019 by Canuker

[Biker19]

You can’t get out of the compound. 

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, Canuker said:

...never been before.
Is it essentially an extension of the ship or can (would?) you do your own thing outside the 'compound'?

If so, what do you suggest?

 

It's a beach day, you don't have to spend any extra money if you are fine in a lounge chair on the beach.  Lunch is also provided, no extra charge.

[marton2]

Ride the coaster and the zip line.

[Clarea]

Other useful threads:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2646526-labadee/?do=findComment&comment=57062683

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2626522-dragon’s-breath-or-dragons-fire-flight-line-in-labadee-timing-for-excursions/?do=findComment&comment=56613907

 

 

[RoyalCarFan]

Just be careful if you rent a Floating Mat - They are so relaxing that I fell asleep on mine and my backed was Sunburned to a crisp for the rest of the cruise!

[LeeW]

On 3/25/2019 at 5:08 PM, RoyalCarFan said:

Just be careful if you rent a Floating Mat - They are so relaxing that I fell asleep on mine and my backed was Sunburned to a crisp for the rest of the cruise!

 

Or bring an inflatable.  Paying $18 for a mat is WAY too much.

[LBumb]

It’s an amazing place

i love watching the zip liners 

[kag19]

It was our favorite stop on our last cruise!  Nice, relaxing day...

[bouhunter]

On ‎3‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 5:18 PM, marton2 said:

Ride the coaster and the zip line.

If you want to spend 100.00+ for a 45 second ride, yes ride the zip line.

 

For half the price the adrenaline boat ride is a very nice one hour trip,

 

Labadee is nice - beach day and lunch provided.  Be aware the local vendors in the market are aggressive to the point of making it simply unpleasant.

[SuiteLady]

Nice beach day and lunch.....I find the outside vendors, on the hill outside the Artisan building, are much more pushy than the ones in the building! 

[gatour]

19 hours ago, LeeW said:

 

Or bring an inflatable.  Paying $18 for a mat is WAY too much.

 

Actually on Coco Cay last year it has reached $20.

Normally what we do is she will rent one, then later day in the day, I would find an abandon one and use that one.  I would watch it to make sure it was truely abandon.  

 

Last year, on our two trips to Coco Cay, my wfie saw the prices and decided not to rent one.  I didn't see anyone else renting one either.  They may have priced them out of the demand range.

 

On 3/25/2019 at 7:08 PM, RoyalCarFan said:

Just be careful if you rent a Floating Mat - They are so relaxing that I fell asleep on mine and my backed was Sunburned to a crisp for the rest of the cruise!

 

AKA:  What I call rock lobster  (I am dating myself)   🙂

[E23NK1]

We love the Dragon Coaster...but get the all day pass instead of the single ride...its not very much more when on sale.

 

We did the zip lining once...it was amazing and breathtaking but alittle pricey..we did get it on sale though.

 

The vendors...well...definitely aggressive. Take this for what its worth and this is just our personal experience...But a word of caution, if you pick up something to look at and they ask your name, don't tell them...lol...They will instantly carve your name on it right in front of you and then hand it to you and will push you real hard to buy. Friends just gave them $20 to get out of there and the very hard sell and pressure...they did not feel comfortable.

[CaribbeanCrush]

If that is our first port we use it as a snorkeling tune-up. Not much to see, but the water is pretty calm so it's good practice time.

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, bouhunter said:

If you want to spend 100.00+ for a 45 second ride, yes ride the zip line.

 

For half the price the adrenaline boat ride is a very nice one hour trip,

 

Labadee is nice - beach day and lunch provided.  Be aware the local vendors in the market are aggressive to the point of making it simply unpleasant.

You are being overly kind in your description of the interaction with vendors behind the standing market as being unpleasant.  They are more bothersome than the street vendors in Tijuana.  I live in Southern Ca. near the boarder and cross it semi annually to satisfy my taco cravings. 

[traveler1980]

We never walked through or mingled at all with any vendors.  Got off the ship and took the tram to Columbus Cove.  When we returned on the tram back to the boat I commented to my husband that I wasn't sad at all to miss that part.  So you can completely avoid that and have a lovely beach day.  

[Kovster]

I enjoyed my day there quite a bit.  It was a hot and sunny day ( 100 F, early Dec).   Found plenty of places to lounge in and out of the sun. 

 

My friend and I,  we found our fave spot on the floating tiki-bar in the bay.  Spent about 2+ hours out there drinking and chatting.   

 

Only down side was when the buffet was open HUGE lines, and the facilities were not the cleanest.

[JimmyL]

On 3/25/2019 at 7:08 PM, RoyalCarFan said:

Just be careful if you rent a Floating Mat - They are so relaxing that I fell asleep on mine and my backed was Sunburned to a crisp for the rest of the cruise!

I did the exact same thing ! Paid the price for that ! 

[BTHodgeman]

Pros:

• All-day coaster pass was reasonable (around $30) and a great value if you ride more than a couple times. Later in the day, there were no lines, and we could essentially "stop" at the top of the track and get a great view of the ship, beaches, etc. and leisurely make our way down the track.
• Drink package works on land. This was nice. Some of our companions without the drink package noticed what they called "island pricing" on drinks (i.e. the drinks were consistently $2-3 more on land than they were for the same drinks on the ship).
• The day can cost you nothing. You walk to a beach, grab a chair, and relax. You can also come and go from the ship as much as you want.

 

Cons:

• The beaches we experienced were just "meh" (quite rocky and weedy). We rented a clamshell chair cover, and the beach that they are located at is roped off where the water is about waist/chest deep and maybe 20 yards off shore. There is not much room there to do anything. We did walk/swim over to Adrenaline Beach where the swim-up bar is, and that beach was a little nicer, but still rocky and weedy.
  • One thing to add (not a con!): While we rented the clam shell, other than using it as a home base to keep towels, etc., we didn't actually end up using it at all. Going forward, we would not rent one.
• Lunch was not good at all. The food was room temperature at best, and what they called "grilled chicken" was unidentifiable. I grabbed a piece and could not identify what part of the chicken it came from. Every bite was full of bones.
• Zip line cost is very high for a single ride. Maybe I am used to the eco-parks or the zip line courses where you ride 5-6 zip lines for around $100-120, but over $100 for a single 30 second ride (I don't count the practice line...) is too much.

Overall, we hung out on the beach, in the water, and did the coaster about 10-12 times. We had a great relaxing day with friends and enjoyed the area. It is not the top of our list as a must-do port in the future, but we would definitely get out and enjoy the beach.

 

Also - the vendors IN the building are not aggressive at all! Many of them are selling local wares at quite reasonable prices. The vendors outside of the market (behind the building and beyond "the arch" -- all wearing the same colored shirts) are aggressive and rude. Not sure what they are selling, as outside of a handful of them who had small huts right by the market building, none of them seemed to have any merchandise...

 

Brent

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by BTHodgeman

[brillohead]

10 hours ago, BTHodgeman said:

Cons:

• The beaches we experienced were just "meh" (quite rocky and weedy). We rented a clamshell chair cover, and the beach that they are located at is roped off where the water is about waist/chest deep and maybe 20 yards off shore. There is not much room there to do anything. We did walk/swim over to Adrenaline Beach where the swim-up bar is, and that beach was a little nicer, but still rocky and weedy.

Next time, go to the beaches on the right instead of the left.  

Nellie's and Columbus are both sandy with calm waters.  Nellie's is closer and smaller, and more crowded as a result. Columbus is a little farther away, but much larger and more room between people.

 

[cruiser123!]

On 3/27/2019 at 7:27 PM, taglovestocruise said:

You are being overly kind in your description of the interaction with vendors behind the standing market as being unpleasant.  They are more bothersome than the street vendors in Tijuana.  I live in Southern Ca. near the boarder and cross it semi annually to satisfy my taco cravings. 

can you give more info on the street vendors?  I was naively thinking they wouldn't be allowed inside "the compound".  Do they come up to at the beach, or is it typically just at the dock.  Trying to prepare my group.  thanks!

[JimmyL]

7 minutes ago, cruiser123! said:

can you give more info on the street vendors?  I was naively thinking they wouldn't be allowed inside "the compound".  Do they come up to at the beach, or is it typically just at the dock.  Trying to prepare my group.  thanks!

They are just outside the tram stop at Columbus Cove. They do not approach you in the beach area. Not at the dock area either 

[PelicanBill]

Floating Tiki Bar?  That sounds cool.  Where would I find that?

[cruiser123!]

12 minutes ago, JimmyL said:

They are just outside the tram stop at Columbus Cove. They do not approach you in the beach area. Not at the dock area either 

thanks!!

[micmacmissy]

The best beach is in the Columbus Cove area - Adrenaline Beach is very rocky.

 

Bring a dollar store inflatable mat and leave it behind at the end of the day.

 

Be sure to LOCK YOUR VALUBLES with a portable safe when you go into the water, or wear them in a waterproof bag around your neck..  Better yet, just take a room card, and leave your cell phone and cameras on the ship.