Price of Labadee cabanas

[cruzkitty]

Just off the Oasis 09-19-we had an Over-the-Water Bungalow, # 6 on BB in Labadee, and paid $250. It comes stocked with plenty of water. We loved it, and I would definitely get one again, but not for $450!

[jes Scott]

We booked an OTW on the 20th for next March on NOS...$320, I just went and looked again and they have now increased that pricing for $495. Crazy! I am so glad we got it for $320, because that will be the last one ever at prices like $495!!

[mark22mac]

Delete

Edited September 25, 2015 by mark22mac

[spazzyjanet]

I booked an over-the-water at Nellie's last weekend for $350. This is for the New Year's holiday sailing on Allure. I wonder if the price increase to $495 starts with the 2016 sailings? I hope it doesn't mean that each cabana has a different price and the $350 one is the least desirable... weird.

 

Honestly, I'm just glad that I no longer have to stress about being one of the first people on board and to the excursion desk on embarkation day.

[ReneeFLL]

Wow, that is a crazy price increase. I would never pay that much. For $495.00 just to get a cabana for the day is just nuts. You could book a hotel on the beach for after when you get back.

[Mass2Cruise]

The pricing on these has gotten out of line. If they put more perks, like a better buffet for Nellie's cabanas, and maybe a couple free labadoozies, then sure. But not as is.

[nbsjcruiser]

We are from Canada and we booked one last week for this Nov. We paid $350 which we questioned but with 4 of use we went for it. If we were to book it for $495 US it would cost us $668.25. Not a chance we would pay that. I guess this will be our last one that we will book. I now will be looking for cruises that avoid Labadee because everything you do or purchase there goes straight to Royal and they still are not happy they seem to always want more. I understand supply and demand but when is it enough. With me they have found the line and blew right past it.

[John&LaLa]

Wow, that is a crazy price increase. I would never pay that much. For $495.00 just to get a cabana for the day is just nuts. You could book a hotel on the beach for after when you get back.

 

Hardly the same, plus that hotel you book will charge for a cabana as well. I agree the price is out of my budget, but if you really want one you have that option to pre purchase and not stress about it

[marci22]

Can't say that I'm surprised. There were lots of people posting here when they were shut out of a cabana, lots of people getting mad at concierges for not getting them a cabana. This should decrease the competition a little, but I am sure that they will still sell out.

[jakenashleysmom]

Also paid $320 this earlier this week, which was already an increase from last year. And guess what, with this increase in price and decrease in amenities I am gonna stuff as many people in there as I can!😉

 

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[rclibertygirl5]

We were just on the Freedom at the end of August in a suite and had an over the water cabana on BB for $250. Looking at our Allure cruise at the end of August 2016, the cruise planner shows the over the water cabanas at BB for $495. You cannot book them online.

 

Why would we pay twice as much for exactly the same thing 1 year later?? I guess that was our last cabana on Labadee....:(:(

 

I am sure there are others who will pay it though.....:eek:

[John&LaLa]

Also paid $320 this earlier this week, which was already an increase from last year. And guess what, with this increase in price and decrease in amenities I am gonna stuff as many people in there as I can!😉

 

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Just make sure no one under 4 ;)

[SnappyNappi]

Last time we were in Labadee (2013), while sitting in a very comfortable lounge chair, sipping a drink that the waiter just brought to us - even in the 'cheap seats', we thought that next time we visit we would like to rent a Cabana. With the upgraded buffet and the wait service, water and location, we were thinking that even for the 2 of us (when we are not traveling with our kids) it would be a nice thing to take advantage of on our vacation, when we want a little pampering.

 

Then we started to hear from reviews here on CC that when they rolled out the drink packages that the private island wait staff (as well as the wait staff on the ship) wasn't making as many trips to the cabanas and that in some cases guests, even in cabanas, had to go track down wait staff and/or go to the bar and get drinks themselves... definitely NOT a big issue, but pricing for the cabanas didn't change then and it really isn't so bad to have to go get your own drinks.

 

Then they removed the benefit of having an upgraded buffet, another benefit of renting a cabana that was 'taken off the list' - but we still thought that it was something that we will probably do next time. It was still a 'nice to have' for when we cruised - something we wouldn't normally splurge for if we weren't on a cruise vacation...

 

However, with no added incentive or benefit to raise the price - nearly double to $495, even when we are traveling with family or friends to split the cost - NO WAY! That is ridiculous! I guess since there are not many of the cabanas and they are in high demand, and almost ALWAYS sold out before every sailing, they can get more for them... supply and demand. I would never pay that, even when we are splurging on a vacation, but there are many that will.

[davidwar]

We were able to get one of the hilltop cabanas on Barefoot Beach when on Liberty last month. It was our favorite day on the cruise and well worth the $225, but I wouldn't pay $495. Here was our view.

[nbsjcruiser]

Can't say that I'm surprised. There were lots of people posting here when they were shut out of a cabana, lots of people getting mad at concierges for not getting them a cabana. This should decrease the competition a little, but I am sure that they will still sell out.

 

We've been to Labadee 4 times and there is always empty Cabanas. RCI is obviously trying to find the economical sweet spot or they're attempting to free up more cabanas for their suite guests. Maybe their next ships should simply be all suite rooms that way they can cater to the ones they really covet. The rest of us will go slumming on another line, which is something we've chosen to do. For instance, Princess recently had a sale on - 7 days Eastern on their new Regal Princess - $1100USD, tips, taxes included. Or I suppose I could book a cabana for 6 hours for $495USD. Sounds pretty obvious to me what the proper choice is.

[John&LaLa]

We were able to get one of the hilltop cabanas on Barefoot Beach when on Liberty last month. It was our favorite day on the cruise and well worth the $225, but I wouldn't pay $495. Here was our view.

 

Have we verified that the BB cabanas have gone up as well?

[negc]

We were just on the Freedom at the end of August in a suite and had an over the water cabana on BB for $250. Looking at our Allure cruise at the end of August 2016, the cruise planner shows the over the water cabanas at BB for $495. You cannot book them online.

 

Why would we pay twice as much for exactly the same thing 1 year later?? I guess that was our last cabana on Labadee....:(:(

 

I am sure there are others who will pay it though.....:eek:

 

I would hope you are wrong about that. Unless they meet sufficient sales resistance and cabanas go empty, they will believe that this move was a wise one. Only if all of us who have been fans of the Labadee cabanas refuse to pay outrageous price increases do we stand a chance of seeing them decide against implementing this change.

[jenfromjersey]

I guess this is one of the few areas that I have to give credit to NCL for doing something better than Royal. We had one of their large cabanas over New Years on their Grand Stirrup Cay, and I want to say it was $299 for all 7 of us. Plus we had water, floating mats, fruit tray, chips and salsa and a $50 credit to put towards waiter service food or alcohol.

[akcruz]

I guess this is one of the few areas that I have to give credit to NCL for doing something better than Royal. We had one of their large cabanas over New Years on their Grand Stirrup Cay, and I want to say it was $299 for all 7 of us. Plus we had water, floating mats, fruit tray, chips and salsa and a $50 credit to put towards waiter service food or alcohol.

 

The thing is until just recently these were going for $250 and could be used for up to 6 people. Royal has found that people want these and it looks like they feel they can charge a LOT more for them. If NCL sees this wait and you will see their prices increase as well.

 

I think the prices are crazy and would not pay the $495 (struggled paying the 250), but I know there are probably many out there that will pay it. If we make it back to Labadee we will get some chairs and find some shade without having to pay for it.

[cruisegirl1]

Seems high to me, but as others have said, many have complained about not being able to get a cabana. The cruise line is taking a risk at that price point that may prove to be beneficial. More money for the cabanas and no complains that they are all sold out. Perhaps a win/win for RCCL.

 

RCCL doses not seem to have trouble selling the high priced suites ( Strange to me for a mass market cruise line) and I imagine that they will have no trouble filling the cabanas. (For clarification, rather than pay the price for the most expensive upper end suite on a mass market cruise line, why not just book a more upscale line in the first place?)

 

M

Edited September 25, 2015 by cruisegirl1

[jakenashleysmom]

Just make sure no one under 4 ;)

We don't, but seriously? And to others wondering about drink service, I agree it was definitely lacking. It was hard for me to justify tipping our attendant, I literally saw him stand in one all spot all day and could not get his attention without walking down to practically tap him on the shoulder. A tip for those liking mimosas...we all had the drink package but brought our 2 bottles of wine per cabin anyways. We each brought a bottle of champagne to the cabana, and got oj from breakfast and put it in a travel mug. We also brought plastic champagne glasses!

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

We don't, but seriously? And to others wondering about drink service, I agree it was definitely lacking. It was hard for me to justify tipping our attendant, I literally saw him stand in one all spot all day and could not get his attention without walking down to practically tap him on the shoulder. A tip for those liking mimosas...we all had the drink package but brought our 2 bottles of wine per cabin anyways. We each brought a bottle of champagne to the cabana, and got oj from breakfast and put it in a travel mug. We also brought plastic champagne glasses!

 

 

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I was just quoting from the terms and conditions. I found it odd, but as they say, "Not my circus, not my monkees"

[marci22]

At $495, with no upgraded buffet, no waters, and having to get my own drinks...I just don't think it's ValueTown.

[ReneeFLL]

Hardly the same, plus that hotel you book will charge for a cabana as well. I agree the price is out of my budget, but if you really want one you have that option to pre purchase and not stress about it

 

Of course it's not the same. The only way to get the same thing is to book a crazy priced cabana on one of their private islands.

 

Just think, you could even go to the Florida Keys if cruising out of South Florida. A nice hotel on the beach and even has a pool. There are plenty of them where you could easily stay 2 - 3 days for the price of the cabana. Sure you would have to go buy your own food, drinks (hit the liquor store and have them on the beach) and probably even have to rent a car, but you would get so much more out of it. The drive down is beautiful and you could do some sightseeing. If you stayed 1 day and with the other expenses it would be about the same for the RCCL cabanas. Add several more days and make it a mini vacation.

[LMaxwell]

$495, lol.