Chankanaab - Hammocks near a Cabana?

[HappyTexan44]

Group:  Two families with four parents and four teen girls (13 to 18).   

Me: Experienced scuba diver gleefully introducing DD to diving now that she is old enough to be certified.  I love any water activities and can't stand lounging on the beach.  

DD: She is enjoying Scuba so far, but I want to stick to easy stuff for now.   She can panic and that would be bad.  So I like the shore diving idea.  

Other Mom: Doesn't like being IN the water but loves looking AT the water and also loves Hammocks.  

Both Dads: Happily go along with whatever their families want to do.  

Other three girls.   Not interesting in diving, but average swimmers and some interest in Manatee diving and snorkeling.  

None of us are big drinkers.   DH might buy some beers.   

 

We were looking at getting one cabana.    The $100-ish price sounds really good.  On the other hand, the person most likely to stay put (Other Mom) will probably spend most of the time in a hammock.   Are there hammocks in or near some of the cabanas?    

Is there a place in the cabana to secure your stuff like cash and seapass card?   

Any other advice for a group like ours?   

Cruise is Feb 2024.   

 

 

[c-leg5]

2 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

Group:  Two families with four parents and four teen girls (13 to 18).   

Me: Experienced scuba diver gleefully introducing DD to diving now that she is old enough to be certified.  I love any water activities and can't stand lounging on the beach.  

DD: She is enjoying Scuba so far, but I want to stick to easy stuff for now.   She can panic and that would be bad.  So I like the shore diving idea.  

Other Mom: Doesn't like being IN the water but loves looking AT the water and also loves Hammocks.  

Both Dads: Happily go along with whatever their families want to do.  

Other three girls.   Not interesting in diving, but average swimmers and some interest in Manatee diving and snorkeling.  

None of us are big drinkers.   DH might buy some beers.   

 

We were looking at getting one cabana.    The $100-ish price sounds really good.  On the other hand, the person most likely to stay put (Other Mom) will probably spend most of the time in a hammock.   Are there hammocks in or near some of the cabanas?    

Is there a place in the cabana to secure your stuff like cash and seapass card?   

Any other advice for a group like ours?   

Cruise is Feb 2024.   

 

 

I am not sure what you are asking.

 

Are you talking about one cabana at Cabana Beach? This has a maximum of six people and you pay extra per person charge. I think only the VIP cabanas have hammocks and these are more than $100 for two people. 

Actually the diagram on the website is misleading as it does suggest there is a general hammock area.

 

It is a private area of Chankanaab.

 

Or are you talking about the palapas on the beach and hammocks which are first come first  and not reserved.

 

I don’t see any mention of lockers at the cabanas. There are definitely lockers for rent in the park.

 

Scuba is between cabanas and the main  entrance.

Edited May 6, 2023 by c-leg5

[HappyTexan44]

 

 

Well, I might not be entirely sure of what I'm talking about.   

This was the cabanas that attracted me.  It doesn't actually explain the difference between VIP and regular.  $140 for 8 people in that cabana would be reasonable.  Unless it doesn't mention a bunch of mandatory extras.  I assume that price is total and not per person.  

VIP Hammocks?   I haven't seen mention of that on the website.   What do those have?  

 

[c-leg5]

34 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

 

Well, I might not be entirely sure of what I'm talking about.   

This was the cabanas that attracted me.  It doesn't actually explain the difference between VIP and regular.  $140 for 8 people in that cabana would be reasonable.  Unless it doesn't mention a bunch of mandatory extras.  I assume that price is total and not per person.  

VIP Hammocks?   I haven't seen mention of that on the website.   What do those have?  

 

Not sure if that is an old link you have or if its just that prices are seasonal. Even your link says 6 people maximum.

 

I haven’t been but I have followed prices since they opened,  pre- covid. They were more expensive preCovid but are slowly getting back there. I am sorry I missed their promotional rate on our land vacation in 2021, when they were a real bargain!

 

They are not VIP hammocks they are VIP cabanas that come with extras (#1 and 10 on following map)

 

https://thecabanabeach.com/book-now/

 

Put in your date, click on available, highlighted, cabana # and you will get pricing and what is included. Click on black box and you will get photos and more details. You can see the hammock area. You would need to ask if those are for the general cabanas.

Edited May 6, 2023 by c-leg5

[HappyTexan44]

@c-leg5   That was so helpful!    I was on the Chankanaab website and it had merely had what I pasted earlier.   There, when I went to Book Now, it was only for the general admission and only included up to August 2023.   

 

For anyone else reading this, that cabana beach website has this for our dates.  

Regular Cabana for $146 for 8 people.   (after the added two people price)

o    Includes a fruit platter, guacamole, snorkel gear and towels.

 

VIP Cabana $266 for 8 people

o    Same as regular but this is added.  

o    The VIP Cabanas additionally include a private area, hammocks, a picnic table, extra chairs, a balinese bed and a shower.

Since it would be two families splitting the cost, regular would be $73/family and VIP $133/family.   
 

Edited May 6, 2023 by HappyTexan44

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, HappyTexan44 said:

@c-leg5   That was so helpful!    I was on the Chankanaab website and it had merely had what I pasted earlier.   There, when I went to Book Now, it was only for the general admission and only included up to August 2023.   

 

For anyone else reading this, that cabana beach website has this for our dates.  

Regular Cabana for $146 for 8 people.   (after the added two people price)

o    Includes a fruit platter, guacamole, snorkel gear and towels.

 

VIP Cabana $266 for 8 people

o    Same as regular but this is added.  

o    The VIP Cabanas additionally include a private area, hammocks, a picnic table, extra chairs, a balinese bed and a shower.

Since it would be two families splitting the cost, regular would be $73/family and VIP $133/family.   
 

I am not sure how you are seeing a price for 8 in a regular cabana? The ones I can see have a maximum of 6.

 

The VIP Cabanas can take 8 if you go to the 8 person option but the price is more than you quoted  for the random date I put in.

 

Still reasonable I suppose if you are a large group sharing. It is expensive for 2 people for a cruise ship day.

[HappyTexan44]

It had quoted $112 and then I tacked on the $17 it said for extra people.   

But, if I had that wrong, it isn't a worry.   The other Mom and I decided on the VIP cabana.   Our date was $266 for 8 people (no math on my part).   Maybe because we are going in Feb?   We deliberately tried to pick less popular dates to travel.  So, maybe that is why the price is cheaper than you saw for dates that I assume are in the summer-ish time frame.  You were a huge help with that link.   I hadn't realized that you had to go to that website to book.  We would have been waiting until 3-4 months beforehand to book like the Chankanaab website had.  

Just today I looked at what other ships will be in our ports at the same time.  8 ships total for Cozumel.   Our ship is one of 3 arriving at 7am.   I haven't looked at the capacity of the other ships, but I scrolled through the dates and 8 seemed to be the max.  If I'd waiting until Oct - Nov to book, I bet those Cabanas would have been booked already.   
 

I saw this on a Tripadvisor page: "Each cabana can accommodate up to 6 (The price $ 500 includes 4 person, extra person fee is $ 65.00 USD), while you enjoy a personal concierge for food, beverages, recreational activities, reservations, and anything else you may need while you sit back and enjoy the stunning views of the Mexican Caribbean to the sound of the ocean." 

That price is into the *ouch* range.   

Yes, that would be a lot harder to handle the price for two people.   As it is, each family will pay $133 for VIP access.   

That private area and that balinese bed will be nice.  The other girls are siblings and can bicker.   
 

Edited May 7, 2023 by HappyTexan44

[c-leg5]

4 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

It had quoted $112 and then I tacked on the $17 it said for extra people.   

But, if I had that wrong, it isn't a worry.   The other Mom and I decided on the VIP cabana.   Our date was $266 for 8 people (no math on my part).   Maybe because we are going in Feb?   We deliberately tried to pick less popular dates to travel.  So, maybe that is why the price is cheaper than you saw for dates that I assume are in the summer-ish time frame.  You were a huge help with that link.   I hadn't realized that you had to go to that website to book.  We would have been waiting until 3-4 months beforehand to book like the Chankanaab website had.  

Just today I looked at what other ships will be in our ports at the same time.  8 ships total for Cozumel.   Our ship is one of 3 arriving at 7am.   I haven't looked at the capacity of the other ships, but I scrolled through the dates and 8 seemed to be the max.  If I'd waiting until Oct - Nov to book, I bet those Cabanas would have been booked already.   
 

I saw this on a Tripadvisor page: "Each cabana can accommodate up to 6 (The price $ 500 includes 4 person, extra person fee is $ 65.00 USD), while you enjoy a personal concierge for food, beverages, recreational activities, reservations, and anything else you may need while you sit back and enjoy the stunning views of the Mexican Caribbean to the sound of the ocean." 

That price is into the *ouch* range.   

 

+1

 

I think you have made a wise decision. The regular cabins look rather small for that many people.

 

I assume the TA review was old? I told you they were a LOT more expensive originally. I am not sure if there is a seasonal variation. I haven’t followed that carefully just from time to time when we may be on the island.

 

One more thing to check, nearer the time that I learnt from TA - there is a private back entrance to the Cabana Beach, used primarily for functions when the park is closed. Taxis used to be able to take you to that entrance but recently they insist you enter at the main entrance and walk from there. There is time for it to change again before February. 
 

Three ships is nothing in Cozumel although I agree the bigger ships are making a difference. Eight ships can dock and two or three more have been known to tender. Enjoy your day and let us know how it goes.

[HappyTexan44]

39 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

...

Three ships is nothing in Cozumel although I agree the bigger ships are making a difference. Eight ships can dock and two or three more have been known to tender. Enjoy your day and let us know how it goes.

 

It is 8 ships that will be there.   That answers my next question on what the odds were of us having to tender.   I had hoped that us being in the first three ships meant that we wouldn't have to.  If 8 ships can dock, that is awesome!   I'm not a phone of crowds, and that private area will be a nice retreat.   

 

[c-leg5]

32 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

It is 8 ships that will be there.   That answers my next question on what the odds were of us having to tender.   I had hoped that us being in the first three ships meant that we wouldn't have to.  If 8 ships can dock, that is awesome!   I'm not a phone of crowds, and that private area will be a nice retreat.   

 

Sorry i misread your post - 8 is a full house!

[HappyTexan44]

11 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

One more thing to check, nearer the time that I learnt from TA - there is a private back entrance to the Cabana Beach, used primarily for functions when the park is closed. Taxis used to be able to take you to that entrance but recently they insist you enter at the main entrance and walk from there. There is time for it to change again before February. 

For other people who might read this later.   
I'm reading more reviews of Cabana Beach.   Someone complained about the 1/2 mile walk from the Chank. entrance to the cabanas.  The business responded with this, "Hello, Thank you for visiting us. We apologize for the long walk, it is a new park regulation. We are glad you enjoyed all we offer at the Cabanas. Hope to host you again in the future. Best,"

Of course, regulations change but I guess I won't be holding my breath.