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Labadee port

JEN5508
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JEN5508

JEN5508

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Can we just get off the ship and walk around or do I have to book an excursion? Are the drinks/food free? Do you suggest wearing swimsuits and packing some towels in a beach bag??

 

Jennifer

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Clarea

Clarea

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Can we just get off the ship and walk around or do I have to book an excursion? Are the drinks/food free? Do you suggest wearing swimsuits and packing some towels in a beach bag??

 

Jennifer

You can use the beach and enjoy the BBQ lunch with no extra cost. Free drinks are just like on the ship.

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beachgoddess

beachgoddess

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Just get off & walk there. It's absolutely beautiful! Includes a free buffet lunch which is awesome, but you pay for your drinks. Beach area is one of the best!

Beware of the vendors in the upper selling area. They are VERY aggressive. The worst I've seen.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Can we just get off the ship and walk around or do I have to book an excursion? Are the drinks/food free? Do you suggest wearing swimsuits and packing some towels in a beach bag??

 

Jennifer

 

Jennifer, Labadee is a pure beach day. The main event is lolling around in your bathing suit! You can lie on a lounger, frolic in the water, float on a mat in the water (fee), walk around, shop in the "native market" (cash only in one; credit cards accepted in the other), eat the BBQ lunch, and generally RELAX.

 

While there are excursions, they are not necessary for having a wonderful day.

 

:)

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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I thought drinks were free? We are buying the drink package for the ship, does that work on the ports?

 

Jennifer

 

Jennifer, your drink package will work at Labadee because it is a private destination for RC. It will not work in other ports.

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CP3o

CP3o

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It's a good place to bring your insulated soda mug to hold more liquid and keep things colder. The alcohol drink selection won't be as diverse as the ship and there could be slow moving lines for drinks so having access to your own mug that you can fill w lemonade/water /tea can keep you hydrated while waiting on other drinks. Fill from clean cup provided but tiny so having mug can be nice. If the cups are still as tiny as I remember from coco cay, you may prefer to drink beer or buy one full priced labadoozie island drink in bigger container.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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Pratique

Pratique

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At first my wife was not excited to get off at Labadee, but she was glad we did. The beach is great, plenty of chairs and shade, and all of the food comes from the ship's galley. My wife braved the outdoor vendor booths for a few minutes, but their aggressiveness was too much even for her (she can deal with a hard sell) so she bailed out of there after buying a few trinkets from them. The inside market is OK though.

 

P.S. Bring towels from the ship, they don't usually have them on the beach.

Edited by Pratique
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Melozone

Melozone

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We love Labadee! It's one of our favorite beaches. Just a side note, take a couple bucks to tip the men who set up chairs for you. They are locals. Not required at all but nice if you can.

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jwakeli

jwakeli

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Any suggestions on what to do if you're not beach people and don't want to shop? I'm so disappointed that we're confined to the RC-owned area. Wouldn't have booked this itinerary if I had known we couldn't leave.

 

Last time my wife and I went we did the jet ski excursion, it was pretty fun.

 

Not sure you'd want to exit the controlled area (even if you could), it's a very dangerous country.

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Melozone

Melozone

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Any suggestions on what to do if you're not beach people and don't want to shop? I'm so disappointed that we're confined to the RC-owned area. Wouldn't have booked this itinerary if I had known we couldn't leave.

 

I would say, enjoy the empty ship. Have a spa day. It's my favorite beach.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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Any suggestions on what to do if you're not beach people and don't want to shop? I'm so disappointed that we're confined to the RC-owned area. Wouldn't have booked this itinerary if I had known we couldn't leave.

 

Really? :eek::confused:

 

It looks like your cruise is 11 miles months away. You can cancel.

Edited by Merion_Mom
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bouhunter

bouhunter

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Any suggestions on what to do if you're not beach people and don't want to shop? I'm so disappointed that we're confined to the RC-owned area. Wouldn't have booked this itinerary if I had known we couldn't leave.

 

If it's that big a deal re-book a different cruise.

 

Labadee is a beautiful area with lots to do just not a "town" to visit.

 

High speed boat rides

zip line

jet skis

etc etc

 

Or as someone else said stay on the ship.

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MaShesLookinOutMyWindow

MaShesLookinOutMyWindow

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Not sure you'd want to exit the controlled area (even if you could), it's a very dangerous country.

 

I have a friend who runs a Salvation Army-type agency, and had invited us to volunteer there for the day. That was the main reason we booked - to be able to visit a friend I haven't seen in years, and to be able to help out. We're not beach people, we prefer to actually get out of the tourist areas and see the REAL people and culture of the places we visit. Staying at Labadee is kind of like going to Disney World and being told you can only visit the gift shop. Booking for spring break is already slim pickings, and we don't believe in pulling kids out of school for vacations. I guess it will have to be a wasted port. Just wanted to ask in case others knew of things to do that didn't involve the water.

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Clarea

Clarea

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Any suggestions on what to do if you're not beach people and don't want to shop? I'm so disappointed that we're confined to the RC-owned area. Wouldn't have booked this itinerary if I had known we couldn't leave.

Zipline, roller coaster, walking tour, kayaks, Haitian cultural tour, parasail, sport fishing.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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I have a friend who runs a Salvation Army-type agency, and had invited us to volunteer there for the day. That was the main reason we booked - to be able to visit a friend I haven't seen in years, and to be able to help out. We're not beach people, we prefer to actually get out of the tourist areas and see the REAL people and culture of the places we visit. Staying at Labadee is kind of like going to Disney World and being told you can only visit the gift shop. Booking for spring break is already slim pickings, and we don't believe in pulling kids out of school for vacations. I guess it will have to be a wasted port. Just wanted to ask in case others knew of things to do that didn't involve the water.

 

There are some specialized exceptions. Call Royal Caribbean and ask.

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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

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I have a friend who runs a Salvation Army-type agency, and had invited us to volunteer there for the day. That was the main reason we booked - to be able to visit a friend I haven't seen in years, and to be able to help out. We're not beach people, we prefer to actually get out of the tourist areas and see the REAL people and culture of the places we visit. Staying at Labadee is kind of like going to Disney World and being told you can only visit the gift shop. Booking for spring break is already slim pickings, and we don't believe in pulling kids out of school for vacations. I guess it will have to be a wasted port. Just wanted to ask in case others knew of things to do that didn't involve the water.

 

People have been able to obtain permission to exit the secure area and go do humanitarian work. However, they had to go through a lot to get the permission and were escorted as far as I remember. Hopefully, the man who did this in the past will see this thread and post his experience. The woman who visited a school, is no longer a member of this board.

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Pratique

Pratique

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I have a friend who runs a Salvation Army-type agency, and had invited us to volunteer there for the day. That was the main reason we booked - to be able to visit a friend I haven't seen in years, and to be able to help out. We're not beach people, we prefer to actually get out of the tourist areas and see the REAL people and culture of the places we visit. Staying at Labadee is kind of like going to Disney World and being told you can only visit the gift shop. Booking for spring break is already slim pickings, and we don't believe in pulling kids out of school for vacations. I guess it will have to be a wasted port. Just wanted to ask in case others knew of things to do that didn't involve the water.

 

Volunteer for the day in Haiti actually sounds interesting if you knew someone trustworthy to get you to and from the port, but otherwise Haiti does not seem safe for traveling without a guide. Cap-Haitien is the only nearby town and I think your friend would know that cruise passengers cannot leave Labadee? Is your friend near there, or somewhere else in Haiti? :confused:

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Panda3

Panda3

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.

 

 

 

Not sure you'd want to exit the controlled area (even if you could), it's a very dangerous country.

 

 

Ummmm....yeah...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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Singer4Him

Singer4Him

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Any suggestions on what to do if you're not beach people and don't want to shop? I'm so disappointed that we're confined to the RC-owned area. Wouldn't have booked this itinerary if I had known we couldn't leave.

 

Check out the RCCL excursions page: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/destinations/shoreExcursions/subGateWayByPort/search.do?LocationCode=LAB

 

They offer everything from a walking tour to zip lining, parasailing, sport fishing, coastal cruises and coastal tours.

 

Hopefully you can find something that you'll enjoy. If not, I agree with a previous poster: make it a ship/spa day. This is what we plan to do on our upcoming trip to Belize.

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