Explain Labadee, Haiti please...

[cle-guy]

So I'm a bit confused as to what Labadee is.

 

I thought I understood it to be a private island owned by Royal Caribbean, with private beaches, bars and restaurants, and activities, etc. I realize it's cordoned off from the traditional Haiti so it loses the lustre of visiting a foreign land, but I am fine with a nice beach resort for a day.

 

Do I get the basic concept of the place?

 

Does our sea pass card work for getting drinks and food, or is that all for fee? Are things at the beach and zip lines etc. all included or for fee?

[Orator]

So I'm a bit confused as to what Labadee is.

 

I thought I understood it to be a private island owned by Royal Caribbean, with private beaches, bars and restaurants, and activities, etc. I realize it's cordoned off from the traditional Haiti so it loses the lustre of visiting a foreign land, but I am fine with a nice beach resort for a day.

 

Do I get the basic concept of the place?

 

Does our sea pass card work for getting drinks and food, or is that all for fee? Are things at the beach and zip lines etc. all included or for fee?

 

There was a thread on this topic yesterday. Your concept is correct. You charge using your Seapass card as you do on the ship. Any drink packages will be honored as well. Private vendors take cash.The water toys and zip line are additional charge. They serve a picnic type buffet on the "island" which is included. Basically a nice beach day.

[Illyria]

It's not an island, it's a peninsula, but otherwise yes, you're correct, it's a private area, it's completely cordoned off the rest of the island (we are talking armed guards like at a border crossing), so you're really not visiting *Haiti*, just a tropical beach resort.

[Big_G]

Everything you've read so far is true but there aren't any restaurants, just buffets. The nicer buffet is in the suite area called Barefoot Beach. The food is included in your cruise fare but drinks are charged to your sea pass if you don't have a drink package.

[mapleleafvoyage]

I don't recall any bars or restaurants when I was there in December.

Its a private area, absolutely beautiful!!!

The crew brings off food from the ship and does a big BBQ.. it was very good! and, as usual, all you can eat!!

You use your sea pass to order drinks... Labadoozie! (yummmy medication for your vacation!!)-- There are waiters from the ship, and also "hut set up bar area" there are steel drums playing..

 

There is a huge zipline, water play area, jet ski's, and other excursions.

There is a market of the locals selling their trinkets...

 

I loved this beach stop.

Can't wait to return this New Years!!!

[DonnaK]

Labadee is my favorite port! So beautiful, and the perfect beach day! We usually find a shady spot on Nellie's Beach to have loungers set up. I could spend hours in the water there. The buffet lunch is OK.

 

The Haitian Flea Market can be very high pressure, but there is a fixed-price Artesan's Market that sells much of the same stuff without the stressful bargaining (you need Cash for these places).

[alainamarie]

So basically you can only use your sea pass beverage package at the one bar the cruise sets up? Sorry, I'm confused too! It sounds like an amazing concept if the area is small.

 

Thinking about doing the private cabana, but not sure yet.

 

-Alaina from New Orleans

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[bighairtexan]

Do book the cabana!

 

I too really enjoyed Labadee the one time I was there. It was offered last minute as an alternative port when weather precluded our stopping at … heck I can't remember where we didn't stop, but I do remember thinking that I liked Labadee. I saw the cabanas, but as it was literally decided upon over night (I guess no RCI ships were stopping that day), they were never offered (or if they were I was zoned out). But I remember thinking that I wished I'd booked one.

[Orator]

Sue Richardson, a former HD for Celebrity now runs the Labadee operation.

[alainamarie]

Sue Richardson, a former HD for Celebrity now runs the Labadee operation.

 

Would you recommend the cabana? Aren't you on the constellation 12/13/14?

-Alaina

[Oville]

Would you recommend the cabana? Aren't you on the constellation 12/13/14?

-Alaina

 

I would. We have one booked for a cruise in late October. I also can't say enough about Malfini Beach, it's a perfect afternoon.

[Project_gal]

So I'm a bit confused as to what Labadee is.

 

I thought I understood it to be a private island owned by Royal Caribbean, with private beaches, bars and restaurants, and activities, etc. I realize it's cordoned off from the traditional Haiti so it loses the lustre of visiting a foreign land, but I am fine with a nice beach resort for a day.

 

Do I get the basic concept of the place?

 

Does our sea pass card work for getting drinks and food, or is that all for fee? Are things at the beach and zip lines etc. all included or for fee?

 

Curt

 

If you enjoy a nice beach day, you will love Labadee. We are not beach people and, having been there twice, it is our favourite port. If you have a suite, you can book a cabana on Barefoot beach but not until you are on board. However, I am sure that it is something the Michael's Club concierge could arrange in advance so that you get the one you want. A search will find you a map with their locations on the Internet.

 

Barefoot beach [which you can use as a suite guest even if you do not book a cabana] has its own "kitchen" and bar. If you book a cabana, you get an attendant for the day who will bring you drinks and, of course, your drinks packages is good there.

 

As others have said, the additional activities do come at an extra cost but the food is free.

[stickey_mouse]

What is the nicest beach regarding sand and water access? Excluding anything related to cabana rentals.

[alainamarie]

Thanks y'all for the cabana encouragement - this will be the first excursion I book! Hope it doesn't sell out :)

[Antonintassie]

You are joking ,going to a private plot owned and guarded by the cruiseline that got you there sounds like prison to me its hardly a destination experience.

[mturvey]

You are joking ,going to a private plot owned and guarded by the cruiseline that got you there sounds like prison to me its hardly a destination experience.

 

Yes, there is an element of that. It's a strange situation - a wonderful beach resort that's cut off from the rest of the country, with limited access for the locals. When we were there, we saw people handing food through the security fence to locals. I remember a passenger saying "They need it more than us."

 

It was a sobering moment, I have to say. Of course, tourism creates employment and brings money into these areas. How much locals benefit is a whole other discussion!

[Lois R]

You are joking ,going to a private plot owned and guarded by the cruiseline that got you there sounds like prison to me its hardly a destination experience.

 

Nobody is joking. They are giving the original poster answers to his

questions. It is a beach...yes, a privately owned one. Actually

it is a spread out area....different beaches with some cabanas

offered, along with a zip line. Lounge chairs, clam shells, and drinks

and food.

 

Different strokes for different folks...Comparing it to a prison?:eek::rolleyes:

I would say you are totally off base.....you certainly may come

and go as you please.

 

If it is not something that appeals to you? Pick a different itinerary

or just stay on the ship.

[emcee207]

Nobody is joking. They are giving the original poster answers to his

questions. It is a beach...yes, a privately owned one. Actually

it is a spread out area....different beaches with some cabanas

offered, along with a zip line. Lounge chairs, clam shells, and drinks

and food.

 

Different strokes for different folks...Comparing it to a prison?:eek::rolleyes:

I would say you are totally off base.....you certainly may come

and go as you please.

 

If it is not something that appeals to you? Pick a different itinerary

or just stay on the ship.

 

Spot on Lois.

[hcat]

We rented a cabana (not suite related) on our Royal C cruise last fall...well worth it at least once. We had a great day thete!

 

, We were able to pre-book it...came w transp to the beach area and all over island, mats, cooler, water, top notch attentive concierge service...and the upgraded buffet at the suite buffet area..

 

The cabana had shaded inner area with a fan, plus a nice deck area with loungers and a direct into the water ladder. That was slippery so I think one on the adjacent beach might be easier. Next cruise we plan to just go to that beach and get water mats...and a clamshell if we can.The water where we were was calm, fairly clear and roped off from jet ski tours...there were spiny urchins at the bottom in places, esp by the in water ladder.

 

I think Celeb may do it differently....so far have not seen any opp to pre-book for our nect cruise nd not sure if it comes with the upgraded buffet.

 

We shared our cabana with dtr and her fiancee..we could have had 6 but 4 was perfect. They did the coaster...seemed to enjoy it..shopping was OK....side of island opp from where we were was also very beautiful.

 

The area has nice places to walk, pretty beaches and a few old pieces of ruins .It is much like other pvt island days...no feeling of being in a prison..some excursions give more of a view and some exposure to Haitian culture but it is not like touring Haiti which was cautiously possible in the past. Cruise ships no longer offer that ....

[phoenix_dream]

I was there once on Silhouette, and unfortunately our day was cut very short due to rough seas which caused the Captain to have us hurry out to the ship to leave the area before boarding became dangerous.

 

My albeit short impressions were that it was nice, but I was surprised how crowded it was with just our ship docked. It was wall to wall people on the beaches. We went to the one recommended as best by some (cannot recall which) and it was very, very crowded. Loungers were literally right next to each other such that you could barely walk between them. Are there other nicer beaches further out that provide the more peaceful, relaxing 'beach day' I hear about? We had a good time, but relaxing it was not. I remember the 'good ole days' of true private island stops and that was what I was expecting. Maybe I just didn't get time to explore it all.

[mapleleafvoyage]

Royal Caribbean has also built a school, since the devastation.

If you search you can find a link that discusses this.

There are also many who bring donations.

[Cruising89143]

Would you recommend the cabana? Aren't you on the constellation 12/13/14?

-Alaina

 

We have booked and used a cabana twice. We booked the same cabana each time which was W-1 an over the water cabana at Barefoot Beach. At that time the cost was $200.00 and I understand the price has now risen to $250.00. It was nice but I do think that they need to step it up a bit verses the cost and compared to what I have read about the cabanas on Half Moon Cay for HAL. The lunch buffet was supposed to be a step up over the lunch served in other areas of the island but I felt that it was just average at best. The price of the cabana is determined by the location. The over the water cabanas are the most expensive.

 

Service was good. You will have beach butler assigned to your cabana to get you drinks (cost involved). There is also a cooler with water in each cabana and pool towels. The beach butlers are locals from the area.

 

If you click on this link and scroll far down (photos take a moment to fully load) you will see photos of the cabana that we booked on our trips to get an idea of what they look like. :)

Edited July 2, 2014 by cruisingator2

[Orator]

Would you recommend the cabana? Aren't you on the constellation 12/13/14?

-Alaina

 

I m on that cruise. Many seem to really enjoy the cabanas. I just usually get off for lunch and walk around a bit.

[cle-guy]

You are joking ,going to a private plot owned and guarded by the cruiseline that got you there sounds like prison to me its hardly a destination experience.

 

It sounds like it's totally a typical caribbean beach resort, but without the hotel on the property. No different at all than that concept I'd say.

 

I get the ability to enjoy a "resort" beach while on a cruise while still using your cruise charge account and packages and entitlements. Genius.

[dkjretired]

Nobody is joking. They are giving the original poster answers to his

questions. It is a beach...yes, a privately owned one. Actually

it is a spread out area....different beaches with some cabanas

offered, along with a zip line. Lounge chairs, clam shells, and drinks

and food.

 

Different strokes for different folks...Comparing it to a prison?:eek::rolleyes:

I would say you are totally off base.....you certainly may come

and go as you please.

 

If it is not something that appeals to you? Pick a different itinerary

or just stay on the ship.

 

Lois is correct and we should not forget that when Haiti had the earthquake, the Royal and Celebrity ships were bringing supplies and needs for the people through Labadee, served the country very well. Also, add in the people who do get jobs while working in the area.

Edited July 2, 2014 by dkjretired