Just back from Perfect Day At Coco Cay

[Sunkissed Mommy]

It definitely seems like they are using the May 26th Symphony visit to test how high they can go with pricing!

$549 for the Oasis Lagoon Cabanas? $699 for Thrill Cabanas. ouch.  The Oasis cabanas offer the exact same thing as the Bungalows in Labadee that are half that price.  What a shame.  I'm going to be checking daily to see if a "sale" comes along in the next few days, but I am doubtful anything will be reasonable.

[SAmome]

11 minutes ago, Sunkissed Mommy said:

It definitely seems like they are using the May 26th Symphony visit to test how high they can go with pricing!

$549 for the Oasis Lagoon Cabanas? $699 for Thrill Cabanas. ouch.  The Oasis cabanas offer the exact same thing as the Bungalows in Labadee that are half that price.  What a shame.  I'm going to be checking daily to see if a "sale" comes along in the next few days, but I am doubtful anything will be reasonable.

It seems they haven't even gotten around to loading all the full priced excursions so they may do that before bother to discount.  Perhaps the way they implement sales doesn't work, IT-wise, with a sailing not planning to visit the port until 9 days before ship sails.

 

Maybe whoever DOES book the waterpark for 79pp will get the place to themselves!  Maybe the jet ski guys will get the day off if it never shows up in the planner.

[j1d1]

1 hour ago, SAmome said:

it looked like South beach was closed on many maps

 

South Beach is not yet closed.  It will be closed at some point for the building of Coco Beach Club and the South Beach cabanas.  I don't know when it will close for construction to start, but it isn't closed yet.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

and this morning....  Do they really think people will pay $1,449???  

[Iamcruzin]

37 minutes ago, Sunkissed Mommy said:

and this morning....  Do they really think people will pay $1,449???  

Buy it now and cancel if the price goes down....... I just had to say that before someone else did.

[2ManyCruises]

30 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Buy it now and cancel if the price goes down....... I just had to say that before someone else did.

I hear you. But if everyone bought it now the price will never go down.  

[Iamcruzin]

11 minutes ago, 2ManyCruises said:

I hear you. But if everyone bought it now the price will never go down.  

Yes I know. I was just kidding. However if everyone purchased it at the high and canceled right before the cruise like they do with cruise bookings it would create a fire sale. Of course, if it got out of hand they would probably add a non refundable deposit. 

[J_Kepler]

Educate me:

 

Why would one want to rent a cabana at all ever?

Just curious.

[37645]

19 minutes ago, J_Kepler said:

Educate me:

 

Why would one want to rent a cabana at all ever?

Just curious.

 

For lots of reasons. To have someplace reserved to stay at while on the island and not worrying about someone taking it while you get up to get food and drinks, someplace with shade and out of the sun, to be oceanfront if you get ones like at Chill Island, having a cabana attendant, some place that is comfortable to sit or lay down on. And mort importantly, in my opinion for myself, to have some privacy and not be crowded around everyone else at the pool, beach etc that would be on lounges etc. But it does come at a price so for some people the benefits of having one don’t outweigh the cost of having one. 

 

Its all all down to personal preferences but I personally can see the attraction of having one. But to each their own. Happy Cruising. 

[Maraprince]

4 hours ago, Sunkissed Mommy said:

and this morning....  Do they really think people will pay $1,449???  

Same reason someone would book the highest price cabin on the ship ---privacy.

 

MARAPRINCE

[CRUISEFAN0001]

15 minutes ago, Maraprince said:

Same reason someone would book the highest price cabin on the ship ---privacy.

 

MARAPRINCE

More tempting at a better price....

 

[kimma11]

3 hours ago, J_Kepler said:

Educate me:

 

Why would one want to rent a cabana at all ever?

Just curious.

We rent one because we are very fair skinned from Northern NH and burn very easy. The shade is crucial to our enjoyment!!!!

[J_Kepler]

I am just curious.  The only time I have had the chance was Disney's island and Kalahari here stateside and didn't see much need in either situation (we were on the Magic which is fewer people though).

 

Always curious.  Some would not see why I spend what I do on food or cultural excursions, but I was always curious why the cabanas.  Makes sense for some.

[islandwannabee]

Just off the mariner for 2 cruises, went there on the 12th and on the 16th. Didn't find music too loud at the pool, water was nice. They have 250 workers who live on the island and 50 take boat every morning. I was told pool does not drain for cleanup of human stuff, but is closed for a few hours for super chlorination. food is everywhere, no worries. You can not get in to the water park to just watch, you must purchase pass. By the early afternoon just about every chair taken at the lagoon pool, so don't know what will happen when harmony goes there next week. Although there are plenty of available chairs at the beach areas.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

6 hours ago, J_Kepler said:

Educate me:

 

Why would one want to rent a cabana at all ever?

Just curious.

 

In our case we travel with young kids.  Its a great spot for them to rest and nap during the day.  Shade, so no one gets a sunburn, home base so the whole crew knows where to meet, comfortable seating,  etc.  I would happily pay a couple hundred, certainly not over $1k though.  Others may, and I guess thats their new target audience.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Sunkissed Mommy

[2ManyCruises]

7 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Yes I know. I was just kidding. However if everyone purchased it at the high and canceled right before the cruise like they do with cruise bookings it would create a fire sale. Of course, if it got out of hand they would probably add a non refundable deposit. 

😂😂😂

[dreadpirate3]

I wish they still had the Beach Lounger for Two for rent. I loved the clam shells. Just 8 days until Symphony calls on Coco Cay!

[parothead]

I booked Chill Island cabana in Dec when it was pictured and described as over water cabana. Now it isn't . very disappointed. they haven't listed prices for the over water cabanas that will be on South Beach but from what I am seeing they will be way too much for me. Does anyone know a website to check if there will be 2 ships there on Dec 3? If not I may just cancel. The last time we were on a private island there were no chairs to be had. I just want a nice relaxing day with a good meeting spot for our group of 7 and to not get fried in the sun. 

[wayne_trisha]

On 5/6/2019 at 2:40 PM, dodgestang said:

 

Star class Line advancement possible?

aDVANCE TO THE BACK OF THE LINE HOPEFULLY.

[dodgestang]

So mean 😉

[MightyMike]

13 hours ago, Sunkissed Mommy said:

and this morning....  Do they really think people will pay $1,449???  

 

Yes, they do. I think they very well could.

 

This feels a lot like the pricing models of airlines where there really isn't much correlation between the price of a ticket and the cost of flying the plane. If reservations come in faster than expected, they raise the price. If it looks like some seats might go empty, they discount. If they sell out too early, then they didn't charge enough for tickets. If they don't sell out, then they priced too high. Airlines have this down to a science.

 

Royal Caribbean seems to be using a similar model here, although they have two additional advantages: they have a captive audience and they have a monopoly on the island. 

 

What have they got to lose? It's an optional component of the cruise. People don't seem to get overly upset over such blatant greed--at least not enough to cancel their cruise. If it sells, they pocket quite a sum of cash. If not, they lower the price until someone bites.

 

While I'm not a fan of the practice, as long as there are people who regularly drop that kind of money without a second thought, I'm not sure there is anything we can do about it. 

[JoeFan]

7 hours ago, MightyMike said:

 

Yes, they do. I think they very well could.

 

This feels a lot like the pricing models of airlines where there really isn't much correlation between the price of a ticket and the cost of flying the plane. If reservations come in faster than expected, they raise the price. If it looks like some seats might go empty, they discount. If they sell out too early, then they didn't charge enough for tickets. If they don't sell out, then they priced too high. Airlines have this down to a science.

 

Royal Caribbean seems to be using a similar model here, although they have two additional advantages: they have a captive audience and they have a monopoly on the island. 

 

What have they got to lose? It's an optional component of the cruise. People don't seem to get overly upset over such blatant greed--at least not enough to cancel their cruise. If it sells, they pocket quite a sum of cash. If not, they lower the price until someone bites.

 

While I'm not a fan of the practice, as long as there are people who regularly drop that kind of money without a second thought, I'm not sure there is anything we can do about it. 

 

Although everyone seemed to comment on the price jump at the same time. So I am curious about real demand. RCI really thinks they have a super hot commodity on their hands and with on the fly changing itineraries and with the change of port for IOS. It seems great and the reviews seem to be good with the exception of 90 minute wait for A water slide, no thank you. Sales for the cabanas have had to nose dive. It's hot, but it ain't that hot. 

[CRUISEFAN0001]

46 minutes ago, JoeFan said:

y.

Although everyone seemed to comment on the price jump at the same time. So I am curious about real demand. RCI really thinks they have a super hot commodity on their hands and with on the fly changing itineraries and with the change of port for IOS. It seems great and the reviews seem to be good with the exception of 90 minute wait for A water slide, no thank you. Sales for the cabanas have had to nose dive. It's hot, but it ain't that hot. 

Oh contrare. Supply and demand are driving the bus...and in fact...sales for Coco Cay have been through the roof right before and since it opened. Cabana prices increase because there is a limited quantity, and as they get booked...only "x" number are left...so they bump the prices...think airplane seats. The larger the ship...the more passengers...the quicker they get "gobbled up", resulting in higher prices. Supply and demand is not unique. Agree the higher prices going over $1K are simply over-the-top crazy.

 

Seeing their next quarterly report since Coco Cay opened will validate these results.

[JoeFan]

14 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Oh contrare. Supply and demand are driving the bus...and in fact...sales for Coco Cay have been through the roof right before and since it opened. Cabana prices increase because there is a limited quantity, and as they get booked...only "x" number are left...so they bump the prices...think airplane seats. The larger the ship...the more passengers...the quicker they get "gobbled up", resulting in higher prices. Supply and demand is not unique. Agree the higher prices going over $1K are simply over-the-top crazy.

 

Seeing their next quarterly report since Coco Cay opened will validate these results.

 

But all ships the same day?

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Just now, JoeFan said:

 

But all ships the same day?

For sure.  It still comes down to how many cabanas are sold and how many are left...no matter how many ships. Supply & Demand 101.

 

The more people, the higher the demand.