Labadee Haiti

[nicaphile]

We stop here on our transatlantic in Dec. If you don't sign up for an "excursion", what is there to do. Is there a public beach? a village?

Thanks

[nicaphile]

I found stuff on the Ports of Call board "carribean other"

[sailing sal]

We stop here on our transatlantic in Dec. If you don't sign up for an "excursion", what is there to do. Is there a public beach? a village?

Thanks

 

We have been to Labadee twice. The first time we just enjoyed the beach and walked the island. It is beautiful on the far side of the island. There are lounges everywhere and shade to enjoy. However, there are many vendors and little areas to shop. The people are very aggressive to sell things.:( We were on RCCL and they had a buffet lunch for us there. The second visit we did go to Malfini Beach. We were taken there by boat and had a small beach area for about 30 people. It was lovely and peaceful. You don't really need to sign up for any excursision!

[Kathie44]

We were on Labadee on our first cruise and it was our favorite stop. We just vegged out on the beach from 9:15 to 4:15, ate a very nice buffet lunch (brought in from the ship), took the tram from one end of the beach to the other and enjoyed the calypso music all day. There were volleyball games, water balloon tosses, parasailing, personal watercraft and other amusements. I walked a bit around the beach area nearest the ship. The other side was closed due to sea urchins. The restrooms were clean and attended, waiters came around and took drink orders. There were guards, but they were not intrusive. The locals were there to sell their wares, but stayed in their designated areas. I went through the market and some vendors were a bit aggressive, but I got a good deal on a hand-carved wooden duck and a couple of small trinkets. It wasn't bad and you can easily avoid the vendors by staying away from them; they won't come to you.

We were disappointed the next year when it rained the whole day and we had to stay on the ship.

[Schplinky]

Labadee is one of my favorite stops, too, and I'm thrilled that Solstice will be going there. It is similar to HAL's Half Moon Cay but is, in my opinion, a far superior facility. Instead of one continuous beach, there are several areas for one to chose. Our waiter told us to just keep walking and we would be sharing the beach with fewer and fewer people. How correct he was! There is also a tram for those who want to leave the crowds behind and enjoy more solitude.

 

The beaches feature hammocks (with a without shade), clean washrooms, refreshments freely available and simply a nice and relaxing day. There is a facility in the central part of the island for children who are part of the children's program and there are a few non-ocean water areas for them to play in. You can go on jet skis, you can para sail or you can have a massage in a hill-top hut.

 

It's true that the vendors are aggressive (as they are in most Caribbean islands, in my experience) but the market is divided into two parts: one where the price is expected to paid as marked and another where the vendors are open to haggling. It is full of the normal tourist stuff. Which ever side one visits, one will be beckoned constantly by the vendors to stop and look and I admit I do find this overwhelming. One item I thought funny was the Hard Rock Labadee t-shirts they were selling. It had never occurred to me when I saw people wearing these tourist t-shirts from various foreign locales that there might not even be a Hard Rock there.

 

For the more adventurous, they have installed a zip line at Labadee that looks breath-taking!

[hajekfam]

If Celebrity works it like they did Catalina,DR on our last cruise, they will have a barbeque set up on shore (we ate in the dining room because it was the day Mohr im Hemd was served for dessert), water activities, beach chairs, etc.

[Lsimon]

It is a wonderful beach stop. It is like being on the boat, in that all food is included and drinks are charged to your shipboard account.

 

No need to take any excursion, although you can sign up for water activities either in advance or on the island, like renting a raft to gently float on the waves....ahhhhh.

 

Like on the ship - if you go to tender, or have lunch at the provided barbeque, as soon as it starts there will be lines. But if you wait 1/2 hour or so for the initial rush to die down there are little or no lines.

 

There are lots of places to sit, and several different beach areas. One side is open to the ocean and may be a bit wavy, the other is more in a protected bay and is smoother.

 

On thing you might want to do - is bring a little cash both. You'll want some small bills to tip a few dollars to the men who will set up a lounge for you. When you get there the lounge chairs are not set up. Although there are plenty they are stacked a little ways from the beach, and a few locals are there to help you set up the chairs. Luckily we had a couple singles in our beach bag but wished we had a few more, as we moved once and felt bad we didn't have a couple more dollars to tip the men. We didn't shop, but I think the shops there are all locals and I think they take cash - not ship card. There are also a few nice local musicians around you might care to tip.

 

We found a nice beach - I think it was the second from the end on the protected (left as you're walking out I think) side, and just sat, sunned, and swam. Took some snorkeling gear but never used it. We had a wonderful day. We stayed until people came around and told us we needed to head in to catch the last tender, which was a little earlier than the announced time. I have about four pictures - click here

[FinelyCruising]

Labadee is like an excursion unto itself. Poke arpund, have lunch, take a snorkel, a swim, or a pay for water toy. Best advise I can give is get there very early in the game to locate a lounger under a tree.

 

The best panorama of any place I have seen in the Carribean is the sail away from that anchor. It is a lush and incredibly beautiful sight.

[IngramTXcruisers]

:confused: I'm on Mille 2 Dec cruise and I've heard that the Haiti stop has been canceled. True??

[IngramTXcruisers]

I'm on Milli 2 Dec cruise -- I've heard the Labadee stop has been canceled. True??

[Jim_Iain]

Widow - where did you hear that. I just checked Celebrity site and it is still showing a stop in Labadee?

 

Jim

[Brahmama]

If Celebrity works it like they did Catalina,DR on our last cruise, they will have a barbeque set up on shore (we ate in the dining room because it was the day Mohr im Hemd was served for dessert), water activities, beach chairs, etc.

 

Karen,

(showing my ignorance) what is Mohm im Hemd???

 

Everytime I see your post I feel as if we sailed together before. Did you live in Texas before moving to the north? I've probably got you missed up with another lady!

 

Carol

[Daffydd]

If Celebrity works it like they did Catalina,DR on our last cruise, they will have a barbeque set up on shore (we ate in the dining room because it was the day Mohr im Hemd was served for dessert), water activities, beach chairs, etc.

 

Karen

you could join Pam & Todd Eluned & I snokelling

David & Eluned

[hajekfam]

Karen,

(showing my ignorance) what is Mohm im Hemd???

 

Everytime I see your post I feel as if we sailed together before. Did you live in Texas before moving to the north? I've probably got you missed up with another lady!

 

Carol

Mohr im Hemd is an Austrian baked chocolate pudding - very rich and almost like a souffle that hasn't fallen. It is served with a vanilla sauce and melts in your mouth. We always talk to the maitre'd at that lunch and have an extra sent to the room after midnight for a snack before bed.

Sorry - I am a born and bred Chicago burb girl. I have always lived in the Chicago area except for a brief six months in Colorado Springs when my husband was stationed at Fort Carson at the end of his two years.

All my cruises are listed in my signature. You sound familar also.

Speaking of Texas, we will be in Pearland next weekend visiting grandkids for a week.

 

Karen

[Daffydd]

Mohr im Hemd is an Austrian baked chocolate pudding - very rich and almost like a souffle that hasn't fallen. It is served with a vanilla sauce and melts in your mouth. We always talk to the maitre'd at that lunch and have an extra sent to the room after midnight for a snack before bed.

Sorry - I am a born and bred Chicago burb girl. I have always lived in the Chicago area except for a brief six months in Colorado Springs when my husband was stationed at Fort Carson at the end of his two years.

All my cruises are listed in my signature. You sound familar also.

Speaking of Texas, we will be in Pearland next weekend visiting grandkids for a week.

 

Karen

Karron Carol

Cisco to Bolinbrook are you two lovely Ladies who will be joing us

look at our list for Millie Dec 2 hope to see you there

Eluned & David

[Brahmama]

Dear Eluned and David,

 

Karen and I are already signed up on the marvelous 2/2/07 thread. Karen has been on for some time and I am a more recent joiner.

 

I'm enjoying the banter back and forth and learning a lot along the way.

It does sound like an interesting and enjoyable cruise with all of you!

 

Carol

 

(Brahmama on the board)

[Brahmama]

Mohr im Hemd is an Austrian baked chocolate pudding - very rich and almost like a souffle that hasn't fallen. It is served with a vanilla sauce and melts in your mouth. We always talk to the maitre'd at that lunch and have an extra sent to the room after midnight for a snack before bed.

Sorry - I am a born and bred Chicago burb girl. I have always lived in the Chicago area except for a brief six months in Colorado Springs when my husband was stationed at Fort Carson at the end of his two years.

All my cruises are listed in my signature. You sound familar also.

Speaking of Texas, we will be in Pearland next weekend visiting grandkids for a week.

 

Karen

 

Well it sounds absolutely delicious and you have given me a new idea! I didn't know we could request a special treat. I learn something every cruise. And that treat sounds wonderful.

 

I know where Pearland is - close to Houston - and need to tell you that it is expected to be hot next week in Texas. But you probably already know that!

 

We probably sound familiar to one another because we may have been on the same board for a while. I think that we cancelled a cruise that you were on. (I think on the Millennium Trans 03 or 04 - wasn't it coming through Ireland) (They do tend to morph together, don't they.)

 

I don't put the cruises down each time but here are the ones that we were on - and we have just missed one another.

 

Carol