Best Casita Location?

[BlackForest]

We reserved a casita (during a port day) when they went on sale for 50% off ($75 total). We prefer to stay more in the shade then the sun which can impact which side of the ship the casita is located and would like to stay away from the casitas that face directly into other lounge chairs.

 

Anyone have a casita location (reference the casita number if you can please) that you enjoyed? And could you select your casita on embarkation day or did you have to wait until the day of your reservation to be assigned your casita?

 

Thanks in advance.

[clover18]

4 hours ago, BlackForest said:

We reserved a casita (during a port day) when they went on sale for 50% off ($75 total). We prefer to stay more in the shade then the sun which can impact which side of the ship the casita is located and would like to stay away from the casitas that face directly into other lounge chairs.

 

Anyone have a casita location (reference the casita number if you can please) that you enjoyed? And could you select your casita on embarkation day or did you have to wait until the day of your reservation to be assigned your casita?

 

Thanks in advance.

We booked Casitas a couple days on Harmony and Odyssey. On your first day, walk around up there on that upper deck where they are located, and on the pool deck where there are a few more, and figure out which one you like the best. Take note of its number. Then first thing in the morning of your reservation (around 7:30) you will go up to the bar on the deck above the pool deck, and wait for the guy to come out. The first person in line at the bar gets first choice of Casitas. Then they will put your name on it. Only people who have reserved in advance for casitas show up there, but it’s still a bit of a psych out. People were getting there earlier and earlier each day to be first because some people only wanted the one next to the pool and some people only wanted one on one side of the ship or the other. It got to be really stressful if you ask me. You also have to think about possibly ending up on the smoking side. There is definitely smoke wafting into the pool area on one side where they allow it. Maybe people who have genies don’t have to go through that process but everyone else does. Good luck!

[Billy Baltic]

1 minute ago, clover18 said:

We booked Casitas a couple days on Harmony and Odyssey. On your first day, walk around up there on that upper deck where they are located, and on the pool deck where there are a few more, and figure out which one you like the best. Take note of its number. Then first thing in the morning of your reservation (around 7:30) you will go up to the bar on the deck above the pool deck, and wait for the guy to come out. The first person in line at the bar gets first choice of Casitas. Then they will put your name on it. Only people who have reserved in advance for casitas show up there, but it’s still a bit of a psych out. People were getting there earlier and earlier each day to be first because some people only wanted the one next to the pool and some people only wanted one on one side of the ship or the other. It got to be really stressful if you ask me. You also have to think about possibly ending up on the smoking side. There is definitely smoke wafting into the pool area on one side where they allow it. Maybe people who have genies don’t have to go through that process but everyone else does. Good luck!

 
I think I recall someone saying that suite and key guests have first choice so you may not get first choice if you’re not in that category. I’m open to correction but I do remember someone being very disappointed with what they were left with. 

[BlackForest]

Thanks for this information. Really, 7:30 am to wait for signing up! Wow, do you know roughly when the guy from Coconut and Lime comes out to assign the casitas? Just wondering how long we have to wait with coffee in hand.

[BlackForest]

I did some research and there was someone on Reddit who mentioned genies booked up all of the good casitas...just as Billy Baltic stated. Glad Navigator doesn't have genie service so I have a better shot. Still hope I can book it on embarkation day rather than wait 1 1/2 hours the day of the reservation!😆

Edited December 5, 2023 by BlackForest

[clover18]

2 hours ago, BlackForest said:

Thanks for this information. Really, 7:30 am to wait for signing up! Wow, do you know roughly when the guy from Coconut and Lime comes out to assign the casitas? Just wondering how long we have to wait with coffee in hand.

I would get up there around 7:25 I believe and there were already two or three people waiting. YMMV. 

[BlackForest]

Wow, thanks for the heads up!

[Laurie JJ]

We used a casita on a port day on Navigator last spring and had no trouble getting our choice of casitas.  We looked around the day before and chose a couple of casitas we would prefer.  We did show up about half an hour before the appropriate bar staff were there but no one else was waiting. Maybe it was the slightly cooler weather or just the mix of people that sailing but not all of the casitas were booked and stayed empty.  We had chosen our casita location based on what would be a quieter location. The hardest part was trying to determine where the shade would be as we didn't know how the ship would be sitting in port in relation to the sun.  We really enjoyed our time in the casita but it did get hot when the sun came around to our chairs.  

[BlackForest]

Thanks a bunch Laurie JJ. I was hoping Navigator, being a bit smaller RC ship, would not have a long wait time to sign up for the specific casita we want. We reserved it for a port day on Navigator (specifically Christmas Day in port of Mazatlan) so we hope we don't have to get to Lime and Coconut at 7:30 am and wait until 9 am to select our casita. Like you did, we plan on scoping out a head of time which casitas we prefer. And like you we are trying to figure out which ones will be more in the shade.

 

Did you try to book your specific casita on embarkation day or did you wait until the day of the reservation to put in your request for the casita you wanted? Thanks again!

[Laurie JJ]

I don't really remember for sure but I think we booked it day of the reservation.  My husband thinks we booked it and then changed our minds but we can't really remember.  Whichever way we did it, it wasn't a big deal for our cruise.  We booked it for the day we were in Cabo.  You might have more people staying on board on Christmas day as I would imagine lots of places would be closed in port that day.  Hope you enjoy it!  

[SConnolly]

Anywhere but on a ship, they are an eye sore and ruin the upper decks. Just another gimmick folks think they need.

 

These and the Bionic bar are my two pet peeves. 🤣😥

[Tree_skier]

On 12/5/2023 at 8:28 AM, BlackForest said:

Thanks for this information. Really, 7:30 am to wait for signing up! Wow, do you know roughly when the guy from Coconut and Lime comes out to assign the casitas? Just wondering how long we have to wait with coffee in hand.

They’ll put your name down for one earlier in the week if you check with them. At least they did for me on Navigator. I went to them on Day 1 and asked if I could pick one out for day 3. They accommodated me without question. 

[Vacation...Yes]

We were recently on Wonder & had the Key and that did not help with VIP reservations…FYI. We asked about reservations as soon as we boarded and we’re told to come back the next day at 0830. We got there 8:15 and all but 1 of the casitas on the non smoking side were open. It worked out well but wish we would have been told that upfront. The smoke smell is bad in the other side and as a sensitive asthmatic, I would not have been able to sit over there.

 

We had #4. It was on the end and away from the action, more quiet. It was very nice and we ended up booking it again later in the week. Our 1st choice initially was #1 or #2. They we’re close to the bar & hot tub. Being close to the bar really isn’t an issue. The bar staff were great and you have a call button if you would like drinks and they aren’t around. 

[BlackForest]

Thanks again everyone...I am going to try embarkation day to sign up and see where that gets me. Sounds like this might work based on @Tree_skier's experience. And thanks to @Vacation...Yes for the specific casita numbers. I am taking notes of what your picks were...but will also case it out in advance.

 

We are not pool people so this is out of the box for us to reserve these casitas. Should be an interesting experience no matter what! Thanks again, all! Cheers.

[MiniChunks]

On Oasis over spring break we got in touch with the Lime and Coconut right after embarkation and were able to reserve the casita we wanted for both days we had them booked. 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 12/4/2023 at 11:38 AM, BlackForest said:

We reserved a casita (during a port day) when they went on sale for 50% off ($75 total). We prefer to stay more in the shade then the sun which can impact which side of the ship the casita is located and would like to stay away from the casitas that face directly into other lounge chairs.

Location:  A deck above the pool deck, none of the casitas are in a desirable location.  Great place to walk.  Bad place to camp out for the day.  

Shade:  The casitas don't particularly give you shade ... at least not all day.  As the sun moves, you're going to be in fairly full sun.  If you want real shade, choose a spot on the pool deck level /over by the edge looking out over the ocean.  Also, if you want to avoid sunburn, choose a ship with a glass-enclosed Solarium.  

[Halfpound]

We are on the Wonder in April and have purchased the Casita for both our sea days. Any location suggestions would be appreciated. We enjoy the pool but don’t want to be near smokers. Do we go to Lime and Coconuts upon embarkation to reserve?

 

 

[Superbowlcruiser]

Going on Wonder in Feb. 2024. We have Casita rentals on Day 3 and Day 7. They are both sea days. Do we have to run to the Lime and Coconut when we board the ship on Day 1 or do we just show up on Day 3 at 730am? When do you get assigned to your Casita? Also, anyone want to give us a list of desirable Casita locations by name or number?

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, Superbowlcruiser said:

Also, anyone want to give us a list of desirable Casita locations by name or number?

Welcome to CC.

That might be as subjective as the food.

[Superbowlcruiser]

Going on Wonder in Feb. 2024. We have Casita rentals on Day 3 and Day 7. They are both sea days. Do we have to run to the Lime and Coconut when we board the ship on Day 1 or do we just show up on Day 3 at 730am? When do you get assigned to your Casita? 

[Tree_skier]

7 minutes ago, Superbowlcruiser said:

Going on Wonder in Feb. 2024. We have Casita rentals on Day 3 and Day 7. They are both sea days. Do we have to run to the Lime and Coconut when we board the ship on Day 1 or do we just show up on Day 3 at 730am? When do you get assigned to your Casita? 

I'd head up on Day 1, scout out the location you want and see if you can get your name put down on the one you like. It'll be up to the guy at the bar if he allows preservation.  I had success doing it on Navigator this year but YMMV

[ajtaylor29]

Last year on Odyssey, my hubby and i reserved one. This was our one and only (so far!) Star suite experience so it came at no charge! We selected one on the pool deck, the area was packed, and honestly i didn't love it at all?!? There were people constantly walking thru our little "private" area, pushing their chairs right up next to ours (to share our shade?) and in general it just felt like i was sitting in the busiest spot possible. Oh, and the bar was nearby so we had that traffic as well.

Maybe in our younger days when partying by the pool was our vibe, this would have been fun! But we're a 60-something couple now, and even tho i think we're fun-lovers, we're not so much into the loud, drunken pool scene as we were years ago!

The cabanas on the upper deck would have been much less crowded, however on this specific day it was pretty windy so they were blowing up there!

If i had paid for it i wouldn't have been very happy, as it was we stayed for a couple of hours then left. I probably won't book one again.