Bimini ShoreEx: Bimini Beach - Read before Booking

[BoundForSea]

“Bimini Beach” Shore Excursion (Not to be confused with “Beach 360”)

 

This past week we called Bimini in lieu of Key West on a TGiving 4ni on Millie. 1600 passengers on board with very diverse and broad age ranges. 

 

I’ll keep this as concise and opinion free as possible, just know I have ALOT of opinion associated with this, but as a Cruise Critic, here’s just the facts ma’am:

 

The “Bimini Beach” excursion is not a quiet peaceful tranquil serene beach resort. Bimini Beach is the Virgin Voyages “private” (not so much) DAY CLUB by Resorts World Bimini. This IS the Virgin Voyages Beach Club (they - Resorts World Bimini- remove the branding on days they’re not there). 
 

The pool is beautiful, the beach beautiful, the drinks and food good. The chairs are comfy and the facility is very nice. This is what these days is known as a “Day Club”. It is the day version of a night club. As with Virgin and their brand it is geared toward a younger party crowd. The music is dance, Hip Hop, R&B, Dubstep, and Reggaeton, as well as Top 40 Pop remixes. It is very loud. VERY. Nightclub and Concert level loud (live DJ). The bass level is very extreme around the pool (extreme near the speakers, measured nearly 105db on my Phone SPL meter) and still very loud on the beach. Some swimsuits worn by some guests (in my experience on the day we attended) may not be appropriate for some families with young children. YMMV -that consideration of course is subjective but worth noting. 

 

Just be aware that “Bimini Beach” is not a quiet serene and peaceful day at a quiet resort. Its mainstay is a Virgin Voyages product. 

 

Just for FYI, we enjoyed our day. I’m not complaining at all.

 

My intent is merely for awareness. Celebrity does not market this excursion appropriate to the experience and I am merely ensuring that if you book it, it is indeed what you are pursuing and buying.

 

This may be a temporary Port of Call as well, not sure what the future plans are for it. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by BoundForSea

[AbbyCruiser45]

That's so interesting because I just went to the Virgin Voyages website and they describe the beach club like this: "Relax and unwind at our private beach club experience." If I was sailing on that line, I would certainly be frustrated if it was not private and you had many other people joining from other cruise ships. I had seen pictures from a Celebrity facebook group and thought it looked like what Virgin advertises but it's good to hear that confirmed. 

[PTC DAWG]

Was Virgin in port that day?  They may handle things a bit differently when they are. Which is doubtful, IMHO.  

 

This sounds like an excursion I would try.  

 

That said, this thread would have been much better with pictures of the possibly offensive bathing attire.  🙂

Edited November 30, 2021 by PTC DAWG

[Arizona Wildcat]

Why would I need to see "possibly offensive bathing attire"?

I agree the Shore excursion is temporary as many of the normal venues are not available.  The music was reported by Virgin cruisers as "very loud".

[PTC DAWG]

6 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Why would I need to see "possibly offensive bathing attire"?

I agree the Shore excursion is temporary as many of the normal venues are not available.  The music was reported by Virgin cruisers as "very loud".

Sorry for bringing a bit of levity.  

[marieps]

Bummer.  Reflection stops there on the 10th but this excursion is not listed in the cruise planner.  360 is.  Ship shore ex seems very expensive for very short durations.

[sippican]

Are you saying that Virgin was in port and using the Club, and you took a ship's excursion from X there? That sounds very unlikely. We sailed Virgin, and they were the only guests allowed at the Club the day they called at Bimini. 

It was very relaxing the day we were there. We were in the VIP section - no loud music. 

Seems like you are assuming those sailing on Virgin tend to water beach wear that is offensive. Onboard we observed no such thing (but to be honest, I am not one to let what others wear offend me). 

 Lots of assumptions about Virgin made here, without actually sailing the product. 

[PSU]

We were there on Summit last week. We liked it, the pool was great. It was only $40 a person. There were four local young ladies there that wore very revealing swimsuits but that did not bother me.

I was told by the excursion desk that there would only be passengers from the Summit.

I think that you can only book it once onboard. When we were there, Summit officers and the CD were there checking out the facility.

 

 

[Algebralovr]

17 hours ago, BoundForSea said:

Some swimsuits worn by some guests (in my experience on the day we attended) may not be appropriate for some families with young children.

 

Do you realize that young children don't care?  They don't typically pay any attention to what adults area wearing.  Young children don't body shame, and don't modesty shame either. 

Bodies are exactly that.... bodies.  

[micruiser2002]

This sounds like it is the Beach 360 Club.  Did the pool bar have hanging chairs around it?  I think this is all 1 resort/club.  We were just there the week before Thanksgiving and thought it was very nice around the pool.  But I agree music was too loud and honestly service was not the greatest.  We ended up going to the bar to get drinks and it really wasn't that crowded.  The beach seemed very nice but the water was very rough so not many in that day.

 

[PSU]

No the Beach 360 club is different. I think our Summit sailing was the first to go to Bimini Beach. We passed 360 on the way to Bimini Beach. BB is much nicer.

[crusinthrough]

23 hours ago, BoundForSea said:

Some swimsuits worn by some guests (in my experience on the day we attended) may not be appropriate for some families with young children. 

Were there other guests and cruise lines there? or all Celebrity guests?  

[micruiser2002]

38 minutes ago, PSU said:

No the Beach 360 club is different. I think our Summit sailing was the first to go to Bimini Beach. We passed 360 on the way to Bimini Beach. BB is much nicer.

I just found a video and it is the same place.  I also found an article that said when it is sold by other cruise lines it is called Beach Club 360.

 

[micruiser2002]

Here is a picture of the entrance/bar. Was this the place?

[PSU]

All I can tell you that on our sailing there were two different excursions, Beach 360 and Bimini Beach. Bimini Beach was an upgrade. The sign for Beach 360 was in a different place.

I do not know if they changed signs  but I wish I had the excursion list to post.

It was only for passengers from Celebrity that day.

 

[micruiser2002]

38 minutes ago, PSU said:

All I can tell you that on our sailing there were two different excursions, Beach 360 and Bimini Beach. Bimini Beach was an upgrade. The sign for Beach 360 was in a different place.

I do not know if they changed signs  but I wish I had the excursion list to post.

It was only for passengers from Celebrity that day.

 

Did you have pool access?  I believe on our cruise there was 1 excursion with access to the pool and another that just went to the beach and I am not sure if it even had chairs/umbrella included.  Right next to 360 is their free beach that people also went to on their own.  The pictures and video show what is called Beach Club 360 or Virgin Voyages Beach Club depending on what ship is using it.

 

[PSU]

1 hour ago, micruiser2002 said:

Did you have pool access?  I believe on our cruise there was 1 excursion with access to the pool and another that just went to the beach and I am not sure if it even had chairs/umbrella included.  Right next to 360 is their free beach that people also went to on their own.  The pictures and video show what is called Beach Club 360 or Virgin Voyages Beach Club depending on what ship is using it.

 

Yes we had the pool, chairs, umbrellas and beach. Also bar service and access to the restaurant.

[micruiser2002]

1 hour ago, PSU said:

Yes we had the pool, chairs, umbrellas and beach. Also bar service and access to the restaurant.

Is the video the same place?  I thought you were responding to the original poster who mentioned it being Virgin voyages beach club, which is the same place as Beach Club 360.