Hair Braiding in Western Caribbean

[DougYWG]

We are leaving on Navigator on December 24. Our two girls have long hair and want to get their hair braided - it is on their dime (the cruise was our treat). They want to find the best price - Labadee or wait until Cozumel or Costa Maya?

 

I have searched the posts but can't seem to find this info. However Jamaica was not recommended.

 

Any help or comments would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Runaway26]

Just be careful where ever you get your daughters hair braided....take your own comb. Head lice are a very common outcome.

 

Diane

[sgttami]

All I can say is don't do it....had it done years ago and I was not a kid!!! Had long hair also and it took hours to get the braids out after I was home (had to use a straight pin) Hair was brittle after it and my friend who had it done on the same trip got head lice..she was in her 40's.

 

If the girls really want it...bring your own comb/brush and only get a few strands done....

[BluIDblonde]

YIKES Please think twice before you let them have this done to their hair. It can be a painful process and also like the above posters say - You may leave the islands with more than you bargained for.

[Maria65]

My girls really want this too. They saw so many girls their age with their hair braided last cruise. I've thought about having it done at home before we leave. My main concern is the effect on their hair. My oldest has really thick hair that tends to frizz to begin with and I'm worried this might damage her hair.

 

Has anyone had this done that was happy about it?

[MGoBlue2]

My daughters had it done in Jamaica and I agree with whoever said - don't do it there.

[Jobro2]

We're doing the Western also this summer, but have never cruised RCCL, but have done Disney twice. The first time, my daughter had her hair braided in St. Thomas, but from then on what we now do is make an appointment with my regular stylist a few days before we leave.They braid her hair there, they are the people we deal with all the time (everything is clean...no risking lice!), and my daughter now gets on the ship with her braids!! She's one of the only ones there in the beginning with them, and we don't have to take the time out of our trip to wait for the braids (which can take quite awhile)..I think your regular hair stylist would do a much careful job also, and not be in such a rush (as the native people are)..make sure they put some sort of goo in her hair before braiding..this keep it from breaking. Be aware though, when the braids come out (hers lasted 3 weeks), ,you will have alot of hair come out also. You naturally loose thousands of hair a day, but when braided, there is nowhere for them to go, so you see them all when the braids come out. Watch the sun also!! We used Q-Tips to apply suntan lotion between the braids which will burn very easily if you don't put something on the scalp.

[wrinklesandme]

Hi all,

 

My 8YO DD just recently had it done in Belize. It was $15.00 for half a head. We were warned before hand and brought our own comb.

 

Just to forewarn you and the girls, it's not the most "pleasant" experience. There were about 12 girls getting it done at the same time. I was standing by my DD, but people watching. My DH came over and goes "tell her to stop!" I looked at my DD and she had tears streaming down her face. I told the woman to slow it down and be gentle. Also asked my DD if she wanted to stop. She wanted to have it done. The woman was better for the rest. The kicker to all this was, I looked at all the girls and they ALL had tears coming down their faces! Ah, the pain of beauty!

 

When it was time for it to come out, we just loaded her head up with conditioner and washed it out. Just took it slow. No lasting effects that I can see. She is a medium blond with semi-fine hair.

 

Personally, I think the half-head looks great and am trying to find a place close to home to have it done for her b-day.

 

Good luck,

Leigh

[skiiergirl]

Definitely be there with her to negotiate the price and make sure the braider does what she agreed to do. A friend and I had it done a few years back. We agreed on 6 strands at $2 each for a total of $12. We were sitting next to each other and couldn't see what the braiders were doing to us. We knew it was taking a while and kept asking "aren't we done"? (Taking way too long for 6 braids.) They kept saying "almost done". Well...to make a long story short, when we were done they had done many more braids and tried charging us $76 instead of $12. I told her "no". She said she had spent her time and "beads". I told her that was not what we agreed on. Needless to say I broke down and paid her more than $12 but not $76. I don't remember exactly what I paid her but it was still too much for what I had agreed upon before. But I basically told her she could take the amount I offered (still too much) or she could take her time to take it back out and keep her beads since she had not honored our agreement. She took the money. I felt like she "won" since she still got way more $ than we had agreed on but at least I got to go on about my business and enjoy the rest of the day.

[cyndyt]

I had my daughter's hair half braided in Cozumel, at the mall downtown. Had absolutely no problems with it and wasn't as difficult to take out as hairwraps you get other places.

[MERED1TH]

My DD who is a 10yo has had this done let me count.....7 times. Yes it can be a little painful as they pull the hair close to the scalp (corn rolls are the most painful) (squared off braids are less painful). We always bring our own comb. We usually wait till the last possible day so it will last longer at home.

 

Go with clean hair. Get the price before you sit, never pay by the braid. Thinner braids are better and last longer. It can take up to an hour if you do a full head. If you do it at the beach in Cozumel (like at Paradise Beach) do not swim first.

 

 

Taking out the braids is the biggest pain IMHO. I use a plastic pickup stick. After I spray each braid with detangler I pull throught the braid with the stick, sometimes you have to cut the tiny knot at the end.

 

Hair grows back !

 

Enjoy

[jillybean2]

My daughter had it done on Disney's island and we didn't have any problems. They didn't use combs there but bobby pins to part and separate the hair and they just threw them away when they were done (or at least that's what we saw them do). It was painful though, and I don't think she's going to do it this time. She was 11 at the time.

[OHTOBECRUISIN]

HI!

We were on the 10/2 Navigator cruise. My daughter (10) had half of her head done right at the dock in Cozumel before we boarded the ship. It was $25 (13 braids, no beads). It took about 30 minutes and looked great!

She always has her hair braided towards the end of any warm-weather vacation to avoid a burnt scalp as much as possible (bring a hat along).

 

Enjoy!

[CruisingCatherine]

Since I am a Cosmetologist I have to add my two cents to this thread.;)

 

As others have said beware of lice. There are also more problems with sanitation issues than just lice as well. Critters that you have not even heard of.

 

Having hair braided that tightly (especially caucasian sp? hair) is not good for it. Our hair is not meant to have a high amount of tension on it for long periods of time. The result can be ALOT of breakage. Some even at scalp level. If your daughter's hair is fine or thin it could be a nightmare.:eek:

 

I saw a lot of women braiding on the islands. Two things to remember. They are not trying to build a local clientel and they are all about speed. This said, quailty and comfort will be sacrificed for more money.

 

My professional opinion would be to not get your daughter's hair braided at all unless she has thick, course, strong hair. If she does take her to your local salon. I would even recomend taking her to a local African American Beauty Shop. The braids will turn out well and your daughter's healthy hair will not be chanced.

[Bond-JaneBond]

My daughter and I have had our braided a couple times. I had the best results from beach braiders in French St. Maartin. The braids lasted for about 6 weeks and yes, they're a pain to take out. My recommendations: First have clean hair and plan on at least 1-1/2 hours. Take an anti-inflammatory medicine (Motrin, Ibuprofen, Advil, etc.) to reduce pain in your scalp, or at a minimum Tylenol, at least 30 minutes before the braiding. If possible, look at their books of photos of previous customers and point out exactly what you want and agree on the total price. Write it down in front of the braider and agree whether it includes the beads (it usually does). Bring with you a spray-on hair conditioner that includes sunscreen (we found a spray-on sunscreen especially for hair at a major discount store at home) and use it liberally several times a day and after swimming. I never had problems with lice or unsanitary conditions and all my braiders were nice.

[flowergirl15409]

o.k. - haven't heard this added to the mix yet so here goes!! When a caucasian girl has her hair braided, and even black people, they use beeswax on each group of hair to be braided. My daughter is an amateur braider and uses beeswax on hair when she does them. The wax cuts down on your hair fuzzing up and it makes the braids a lot easier to get out. All three of my daughters had their hair done in Jamaica and yes, my one daughter was crying but only because she had a bad sunburn and the foil the used to close the ends was scraping on her back. I (stupid me) never thought to bring my own comb, but I will for our upcoming Thanksgiving Mariner cruise and yes, my daughters, all 3 of them will get their hair braided again!!! Probably going to be in downtown Cozumel this time tho. One thing I will repeat tho, don't forget to buy a small container of beeswax, you can get it in the grocery store in the hair care aisle!!

[China Doll]

Okay

The whole braiding thing is about to come to a end. The reason they braid so heavy is that is their culture. Beeswax is a good product to buy along with your own comb as well. Answer this How many people actually Let someone use another person's comb. I get my hair braided usually before I leave home, and yeah these people give you good deals, but is it worth it? I pay up to $80 to get mine braided at home, and it usually last for about 1 month

 

China Doll

[flowergirl15409]

it's a vacation thing china doll - not everyone likes to be so prepared - getting your hair braided while ON vacation is part of the vacation.