Great Stirrup Cay cabanas questions..

[big al]

Hey all you people  that have stayed in one of the cabanas on GSC, I have a few questions:

1) I see there are 3 cabanas on the website: Silver Cove, large, and small cabanas..I will be on the Joy next Nov 2020, and there will be 6 adults total. The space is more important than the A/C one ( Silver Cove)..in other words, I like sitting OUTDOORS over looking the beach..any opinions on which type of cabana? I'm leaning towards the large one. Also, any specific number cabana with great views of the beach?

2) Is it true the price of the cabana you see on line ( say $400..) is the TOTAL price, not PP?

3) Does this include alcohol ( yes we have the beverage package)

4) Do you tip the staff for the cabana, and if so, how much?

5) I like the private buffet for the cabana people, was it decent?

6) Any other tips would be greatly appreciated , this will be our first cabana..

 

Big Al

Edited November 2, 2019 by big al
spelling

[tallnthensome]

We had the small cabana in August for my family of four. Bottled water and bar service from a waiter was included for the drink package. We tipped in dollars cash with each order as they came by often. Price is for the cabana,   Not pp. We did not use the buffet,  but the trailer grill for burgers and such. You get priority tender tickets as well to get to GSC first . Golf cart type transportation will take you to your cabana. Shower rinse and floating mats for relaxing are included. 

[big al]

2 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

We had the small cabana in August for my family of four. Bottled water and bar service from a waiter was included for the drink package. We tipped in dollars cash with each order as they came by often. Price is for the cabana,   Not pp. We did not use the buffet,  but the trailer grill for burgers and such. You get priority tender tickets as well to get to GSC first . Golf cart type transportation will take you to your cabana. Shower rinse and floating mats for relaxing are included. 

 

Thanks!! Trailer Grill OK?

[tallnthensome]

Yea, if you didn’t feel like leaving your cabana and going over to the buffet the grill was right next to to the cabanas, jerk chicken sandwiches salads, etc. bbq food. 

[FreestyleNovice]

Small cabana beach:

 

Large cabana beach:

Edited November 2, 2019 by FreestyleNovice
layout, grmbl..

[FreestyleNovice]

The large cabanas are more on a hill, further away from the beach than the small ones. The food truck is in between the two beaches.

 

 

[FreestyleNovice]

We had a small cabana in 2014 and a Villa last month on GSC, we very much enjoyed the cabana and the area is much more lush and greener now but the Villa and the whole Silver Cove area are hard to beat. For our Sky sailing the pricing (excl. Latitudes discount) was something like 199/249 and 299 for the Villa, a no brainer.  

 

See my thread:

 

[big al]

15 hours ago, FreestyleNovice said:

We had a small cabana in 2014 and a Villa last month on GSC, we very much enjoyed the cabana and the area is much more lush and greener now but the Villa and the whole Silver Cove area are hard to beat. For our Sky sailing the pricing (excl. Latitudes discount) was something like 199/249 and 299 for the Villa, a no brainer.  

 

See my thread:

 

 

FreestyleNovice- Great thread! Thanks...question: do you think by Nov 2020 all the improvements will be finished? Also, I read somewhere about a pool, but is this true? I thought the pool at the new Coco Cay was awesome, though a bit busy, loud & over crowded..Which cabanas for 6 adults would you recommend? Like I said, a great view of the beach is prime, and lots of lounge chairs, too..A/C is nice, but I figure the Bahamas in Nov will not be too hot..also, I called NCL to ask about WHEN the cabanas/ villas go on sale ( like 60 days prior, 90 days?)..she said, "there is NO time frame..NCL can open bookings for my Nov 2020 cruise ANYTIME they want"..makes it hard to know..I asked if I'm suppose to just check every day and she said "yes"..how stupid..very undisciplined....any tips form an expert like you I would appreciate it..

 

Big Al 

[tallnthensome]

They were working on the lazy river on the island when I was there in August. Looked like it was going to be a good one too. It was just an excavation at the time. 

[big al]

1 minute ago, tallnthensome said:

They were working on the lazy river on the island when I was there in August. Looked like it was going to be a good one too. It was just an excavation at the time. 

 

Thanks!!! Did you see a pool being constructed?

[tallnthensome]

2 minutes ago, big al said:

 

Thanks!!! Did you see a pool being constructed?

We did not but we didn’t explore the entire island to see if they were.

[FreestyleNovice]

2 hours ago, big al said:

 

FreestyleNovice- Great thread! Thanks...question: do you think by Nov 2020 all the improvements will be finished? Also, I read somewhere about a pool, but is this true? I thought the pool at the new Coco Cay was awesome, though a bit busy, loud & over crowded..Which cabanas for 6 adults would you recommend? Like I said, a great view of the beach is prime, and lots of lounge chairs, too..A/C is nice, but I figure the Bahamas in Nov will not be too hot..also, I called NCL to ask about WHEN the cabanas/ villas go on sale ( like 60 days prior, 90 days?)..she said, "there is NO time frame..NCL can open bookings for my Nov 2020 cruise ANYTIME they want"..makes it hard to know..I asked if I'm suppose to just check every day and she said "yes"..how stupid..very undisciplined....any tips form an expert like you I would appreciate it..

 

Big Al 

 

I've never read about a pool, perhaps confused with the other private island Harvest Caye (Belize)? I did not see any major construction going in the public areas on other than the zip line and finishing works on the last row of Villas at the lagoon. (edit: see post below, as there might be......)

 

With 6 persons I would let the budget/NCL pricing depend, with the lower prices a Villa is a great deal. But I have seen pricing into the 600s on the larger ships calling there which is a lot more! 

 

We booked our cruise very last minute and booked a Villa directly after via MyNCL, the availability that late did surprise me.

Edited November 3, 2019 by FreestyleNovice

[FreestyleNovice]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

They were working on the lazy river on the island when I was there in August. Looked like it was going to be a good one too. It was just an excavation at the time. 

 

The lazy river seems to be a stopped project, it barely looked different from our 2014 visit. The added wooden fencing and some flower beds or something. It's still a rather short river, it may even be a tidal purpose only for the tender bay in some way?

 

Here's a around 2018/2019 Maps view, there might be a pool area being constructed behind the walled off part at the orange arrow? That part went unnoticed to me! 

 

 

 

[ndame4nd]

we got upgraded to the silver cove lagoon villa for our recent cruise. We DO NOT suggest it. No bar at all anywhere over there, and we had to swim across the lagoon to get to the private buffet, unless of course you wanted to walk 2 miles around the other cabanas to get there. There were waitors walking around to offer drinks, but not till the afternoon. 

[big al]

2 hours ago, ndame4nd said:

we got upgraded to the silver cove lagoon villa for our recent cruise. We DO NOT suggest it. No bar at all anywhere over there, and we had to swim across the lagoon to get to the private buffet, unless of course you wanted to walk 2 miles around the other cabanas to get there. There were waitors walking around to offer drinks, but not till the afternoon. 

 

Thanks..good to know- 3 of us have arthritis...

[Harratine]

Sorry you had a bad experience in Silver Cove.  Drinks were easy to get when we were there past summer.  The bar staff was sending beers over six at a time, making shots and handing them and cocktails a plenty to the villas.  We had one near the end, the bar staff also brought drinks out to the water and beach.   If you have the opportunity, give it a whirl.  
 

The pool conversation came up when the engineers at NCL weren’t able to get the cove working with tides. It will go over in silver cove.

 

villas and cabanas go on sale in the excursion section of NCL.com, the price is for 6 people, only need to buy for one.  Keep an eye on the price as it can drop (fake book the excursion as passenger 2).  

[jdvmd]

Good information!

[FreestyleNovice]

3 hours ago, ndame4nd said:

we got upgraded to the silver cove lagoon villa for our recent cruise. We DO NOT suggest it. No bar at all anywhere over there, and we had to swim across the lagoon to get to the private buffet, unless of course you wanted to walk 2 miles around the other cabanas to get there. There were waitors walking around to offer drinks, but not till the afternoon. 

 

What was your Villa number? As the entire island measures 2 miles in length, the furthest Villa is some 1100 feet from the Silver Cove buffet (Google Maps). Your Villa should have had a telephone with a direct line to the staff services.

 

But.. Two weeks ago that row of Villas wasn't even opened yet. And IF you were in the furthest Villa, which I highly doubt, you were walked to your Villa and all you had to do was walk the same way back as the private buffet and bar are at a stone's throw from the Reception building were you checked in with Villa staff. Don 't exaggerate, people here try to get an honest advice on things..

 

I must admit, if the furthest Studio Villa opens up it's a bit of a walk, longer than currently for anyone on GSC, since NCL opened the Lagoon to the sea on the north side. But I expect NCL will install a bridge/walkway as the old path isn't removed entirely (next to the Spa) and there's some kind of pavilion building next to that last Villa (or it is a covered tram stop, which would also resolve any possible difficulties) so a connection in between would make sense.

 

 

 

[ndame4nd]

before you get saucy, keep your doubts in  check because yes we were in the Farthest villas number 119.  They must have just opened up the lagoon for us?😏I dont know what kind of stone you are throwing, but where the reception desk is and where our villa was, were on opposite ends of the lagoon. Even the staff complained it was too far of a walk for them to go back and forth. And thats my honest, non exaggerated advice😎

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by ndame4nd

[FreestyleNovice]

3 minutes ago, ndame4nd said:

before you get saucy, keep your doubts in  check because yes we were in the Farthest villas number 119.  They must have just opened up the lagoon for us?😏I dont know what kind of stone you are throwing, but where the reception desk is and where our villa was, were on opposite ends of the lagoon. Even the staff complained it was too far of a walk for them to go back and forth. And thats my honest, non exaggerated advice😎

 

 

If the champagne bar (the round white one, before your row of Villas) is in operation it should be less walking. You are discouraging others  by your unlucky location, I think that discounts the whole Silver Cove complex. I said the bar is close by the Reception building. 

I wonder if the whole experience was not enjoyable (food, service, area, etc), I can't imagine all was bad?

[big al]

Hy guys- I spoke to an NCL agent yesterday and she said USUALLY  cabanas go on sale 3-6 mos before your sail date..at least that's a start for looking..I told her NCL should send out an e-mail telling us that "GSC cabanas/ villas are now available for booking for your xx cruise" , instead of all the stupid ones they send that have no or little important info..I still am torn between the Silver Cove A/C units and others.. being CLOSE to the beach with a great view is important..second is close to the eating areas..question: can you move any loungers or chairs outside or ask an attendant to bring you 1-2 more loungers to sit outside ( I would pay $$ of course..) ? I have also decided to make this a surprise to all of them by using some VISA points to pay for this...keep in mind we won't be there for almost EXACTLY a year from now, so I'm assuming all the work will be done by then..please continue to give me your inputs on choices .....thanks!!

 

Big Al

[FreestyleNovice]

You can't beat the distance from the Villas to the Lagoon, the lower numbered Studio Villas have a similar beach like the small cabanas. At the end of the list are the large cabanas which are on a hill, furthest from the sea of all. If it's a surprise the Villa is the way to go, if affordable in price.

The weather on GSC can be hot, even when partly cloudy in fall. The big benefit of a Villa is an own restroom and shower, besides the airconditioning. It's up to you when the prices are known.. Which ship will you be on? 

[big al]

7 minutes ago, FreestyleNovice said:

You can't beat the distance from the Villas to the Lagoon, the lower numbered Studio Villas have a similar beach like the small cabanas. At the end of the list are the large cabanas which are on a hill, furthest from the sea of all. If it's a surprise the Villa is the way to go, if affordable in price.

The weather on GSC can be hot, even when partly cloudy in fall. The big benefit of a Villa is an own restroom and shower, besides the airconditioning. It's up to you when the prices are known.. Which ship will you be on? 

 

NCL Joy...

[FreestyleNovice]

1 hour ago, big al said:

 

NCL Joy...

 

In that case the Villas will probably go at premium prices. 

[big al]

1 hour ago, FreestyleNovice said:

 

In that case the Villas will probably go at premium prices.