Labadee Questions

[Brenda33]

Are there lockers for rent on Labadee? I was wondering how to keep things safe while on an excursion.

 

If the itinerary says that you will be in Labadee from 9 -5 what time do you actually get off the ship? I ask because the zip lining starts at 9:00, but if you aren't even off the ship yet, how can this be?

 

Thanks for all your help. Oh, I will be on the Explorer if that makes a difference.

[CLQ]

I'm sure others will be along soon with more specific info. But this is a tender stop currently. When the new pier eventually opens, getting onto land at Labadee will be easier.

 

All that said, the key for folks who want to be there as things like Zipline open will be to get downstairs to the gangway so you can be at the head of the line. Barring any trouble they may have with tender boats, you should be about on schedule getting off the ship. They'll confirm the times for you via announcements and the Compass. If you're willing to get up, you'll do great!

 

While we found easy access to lockers at CoCo Cay, we've never seen them at Labadee. But, it's been a couple of years.

 

Have a good time.

[Bonnie Voyager]

Are there lockers for rent on Labadee? I was wondering how to keep things safe while on an excursion.

 

If the itinerary says that you will be in Labadee from 9 -5 what time do you actually get off the ship? I ask because the zip lining starts at 9:00, but if you aren't even off the ship yet, how can this be?

 

Thanks for all your help. Oh, I will be on the Explorer if that makes a difference.

 

 

I've always found it pretty easy to get on the early tenders at Labadee. I think a lot of folks just sleep in and grab a tender mid-morning. If you have booked a 9:00a.m. excursion (the zipline) you will have first preference for the earliest tender. You will get instructions regarding when to arrive for the tender on your excursion tickets. I wouldn't worry too much about it. You will be fine and NO ONE will be riding the zipline until AFTER the first tender drops them off anyway, so that 9:00a.m. zipline "appointment" is arbitrary. I LOVE Labadee! It's my favorite beach day! I can't wait to return myself this April (and then again on OASIS in 2010!!!) :D

[petel]

Are there lockers for rent on Labadee? I was wondering how to keep things safe while on an excursion.

 

If the itinerary says that you will be in Labadee from 9 -5 what time do you actually get off the ship? I ask because the zip lining starts at 9:00, but if you aren't even off the ship yet, how can this be?

 

Thanks for all your help. Oh, I will be on the Explorer if that makes a difference.

 

At the place you get your instruction for the zip line they have a place for you to leave your stuff. The entire area is gated and the area where you leave your stuff has an attendant. You will not need to worry about a thing. Just go, follow instructions, and enjoy :) It's great!!!! :D

[Darkwolfe]

You shouldn't realy need to carry too much on Labadee in any case. You can tender back and forth to the ship all day if you want to.

 

DW and I carried a towel each and an underwater camera when we were there. We went dressed in our swim gear and just headed back to the ship when we were through nosing around.

 

Fair word of warning though (may have seen this already), dodge the Haitian Market unless you are a hardcore bargainer. Those people are extremely pushy. I hear that the Artisan Market is a little better, but we avoided both. Someone posted yesterday that wooden things from Haiti may not pass customs due to being loaded with roach eggs. I can't verify the last, just keep it mind if you go into that part of the area.

 

Other than the market area, Labadee is a very good beach day as some have said already. I'm looking forward to a chance to go back and check out the zipline. It wasn't there when I was.

[Bonnie Voyager]

Just wanted to point out that the merchants in the Artisan's Market don't bargain at all, there is a set price, thereby avoiding the "issue" that so many find intimidating from the other Haitian market at Labadee, so no need to avoid the Artisan's Martket.

 

With that said, let me add that my (at that time) 11-year-old son and I walked through the Haitian Market at HIS request, and my son bartered with the vendors. He enjoyed it but understood that these folks are just trying to make a living and the competition is fierce when each vendor is selling pretty much the same sort of items. It can be scary, but I think it is probably harmless and they sell some beautiful things.

[Brenda33]

Thanks for all your responses. One more question someone might know. If I decide to book the zipline for 10:00 a.m., should I be completely finished by 12 noon? I ask because Adventure Ocean closes from 12-1 and I will need to leave my little guy there while DH and I zipline.

[derf5585]

and my son bartered with the vendors. He enjoyed it but understood that these folks are just trying to make a living and the competition is fierce when each vendor is selling pretty much the same sort of items. It can be scary, but I think it is probably harmless and they sell some beautiful things.

 

What language do the vendors speak?

[LeGerri]

Bonnie, you mentioned you went to the beach. Can you tell me more about which one and how much, what did you do, all the 411.

thanks

[Bonnie Voyager]

What language do the vendors speak?

 

They all seemed to know english well enough to make the sale! :D

[Bonnie Voyager]

Bonnie, you mentioned you went to the beach. Can you tell me more about which one and how much, what did you do, all the 411.

thanks

 

Below is a pretty good map of Labadee. We always go to "Hideaway Beach". You will arrive to Labadee by Tender at the "Shuttle docks" (for now, until the pier is completed for Oasis). To get to "Hideaway Beach" you just keep walking on the path toward the left (or take the little tram) until you can't go any further, then you turn left and walk out to the beach. It is always quiet and nice at this beach with very calm water. It is close to Dragons Rock, which is a nice little scenic walk. Also there is a lunch pavillion and restrooms very close by. For a more active beach, you can stop sooner. The closer to the shuttle docks the more crowded the beaches. You can also go straight across the little peninsula and get to the "ocean-side" of Labadee (under the zipline). It is lovely over there too and it has a rougher surf if you like to ride the wavelets. You can also turn right at the shuttle docks and find beaches along that path. They are also more crowded and active if that is what you enjoy. One of those beaches is home to the "water park" that has blow-up things floating out in the water to climb on and play with. There is a small fee involved in this activity which can be purchased in advance. There are plenty of other activities you can prepurchase for Labadee or purchase once you are there, such as waverunners, parasailing, etc.. There is no fee to enjoy any of the beaches at Labadee though. There are attendants there who will want to set you up with lounge chairs. I usually give them a small tip for their service, but I don't think it is required. You can prearrange to rent swim mats for about $10 for the day or you can rent them once you get to the beach. They also rent snorkle stuff (but we always bring our own). Snorkling is not the greatest at Labadee, but I have managed to see sea urchins and sand dollars while snorkeling at Hideaway Beach. We never book excursions at Labadee. I just enjoy relaxing in the shade on the beach and swimming and enjoying the BBQ lunch they provide (for no extra charge). I have been known to purchase a "Labadoozie" or two just to facilitate the relaxation process! ;) As I said previously, Labadee is one of my favorite beach days! This thread is making me even more excited to return in April! :D

 

[derf5585]

 

 

What are the green areas

[Bonnie Voyager]

What are the green areas

 

 

The green areas on that map are areas that are thick with foliage and are the non-sandy areas where you will most-likey NOT be walking. Here are a few photos to illustrate just how lush Labadee really is...

 

 

This photo (below) shows my favorite beach (Hideaway)...

 

 

Below is another map that gives you a clearer idea...

(Note that this map was from prior to the zipline being installed. The zipline goes from the top right-hand side of this map down to the Dragons Rock area between numbers 1 and 2 on the map)

 

[Lionesss]

Just returned from the Mariner of the Seas Sunday.

We booked the first Zip Line, now remember the excursions stay on Ship time.

Our tickets that were left in our room told us to meet in one of the lounges at 8am.

We filled out our waivers and were the first group escorted off the ship to the tender.

We were taken to the area for a brief orientation to the zip line and did our practice run. There were cubby hole shelves for us to leave our beach stuff in, we kept our valuables on us in water proof wallets, that we kept with us at all times. We took disposable water cameras and left them in the cubby holes.

After we did the practice run on the beach, we loaded , oh how can I describe this, big open jeeps that seated 9 people to leave the beach area.

Now this gets interesting, when they opened the gate a GUARD, PACKING A BIG GUN, unlocked the gate and re-locked it behind us. We were driven up a hill about a half mile and unloaded.

At no time did I see any locals or felt threatened. (except for the man with the gun).

At the Zip line, they offerred fresh water, and quickly reviewed what you would do. There was about 30 in our group, and they tether you to a safety line until they let you zip. At no time did I feel scared (the big chicken that I am). I had the time of my life. I zipped, and at the bottom they took a picture (I was actually smiling, and bought it later on board), went to the starting point which was the end of the zip line and gathered my personal belongings.

Went to the beach felt comfortable leaving my bag on a chair, swam, left my stuff to eat. Remember I kept my sea pass and little bit money in my water wallet.

Went to the Market, and YES, they are pushy, and they understood English, but they understood money more. I just kept saying my husband has the money, and they left me alone.'

A side note when we returned to Port Canavral, the custom agents were asking you if you bought any wood in Haiti, (Labadee), and they confiscated all wood products, you see they are infested with COCKROACH eggs, and told you, you really don't want to take this with you.

 

The whole zipping experience took about 90 min.

 

I hope this helps, any further questions feel free to e-mail me at lionesss91@.com

 

Safe travels

[Darkwolfe]

derf5585- Those would be trees. :D

 

I think Bonnie and crew are more patient than I am. I can't stand vendors that push there way into my face. I like to snoop through things and then haggle when I find something of interest.

 

Whichever way makes your day. :D

[Brenda33]

Lionesss,

 

Is that at aol.com? I tried emailing and not sure I sent it to right place.

[morgan1312]

YUCK!!! I can't imagine buying something and getting it home to find out it contains cockroach eggs.....I'm glad the vendors were too pushy for me to look at stuff I may have actually found something I liked if they had let me browse....

[Lionesss]

That had to be one of the longest post I ever typed and must have gotten tired at the end.

Yes

lionesss91@aol.com

later

[Bonnie Voyager]

I agree, that is pretty gross! You would think RCCL would monitor this situation in some manner! If they know you can't take those things home, they should inform the passengers not to purchase them or at least inform the vendors to cease selling the wooden items in question! I've never purchased anything from the "pushy" vendors but I've looked at their crafts many times and some of them were really quite lovely. I was always too lazy to deal with lugging anything like that home though...thank God! :eek: :D So, it sounds like it is just the hand-carved wooden items that are being confiscated? I think the only place I saw that stuff was in the Haitian Market. The wooden stuff I saw in the Artisans' Market was typical touristy stuff that I'm sure wasn't handmade there on the island. I don't think I'll buy any of it though, just to be safe! RCCL really needs to look into this matter! It's not a good situation for anyone involved!

[Lionesss]

I guess you could say, that Thursday for dinner I saw people dress up from men in tuxes, suits, casual dockers-to women in cocktail dress, sundresses, and dressy pants suits.'

My husband rented a tux, and wore it both nights and did not feel out of place, I wore a different cocktail dress that night.

Oh there was one man in a suit tie and jacket, over shorts, he looked stupid, but they let him in.

Later

[Brenda33]

I guess you could say, that Thursday for dinner I saw people dress up from men in tuxes, suits, casual dockers-to women in cocktail dress, sundresses, and dressy pants suits.'

My husband rented a tux, and wore it both nights and did not feel out of place, I wore a different cocktail dress that night.

 

Oh there was one man in a suit tie and jacket, over shorts, he looked stupid, but they let him in.

 

Later

HUH? Did I miss something? Did you mean to post this on a different thread? LOL

[tinkerme1]

Bonnie, yet again, thank you for your thorough description of Labadee! I haven't read too much here on CC about it, but your map was extremely helpful. We'll be on the Mariner in November and can't wait to visit Labadee and have some of those nice "Labadoozies"!

[Lionesss]

Yup, posted on the wrong thread.

 

You should see what the other thread got,

sorry, for the confusion.

Later

[CLQ]

I agree, that is pretty gross! You would think RCCL would monitor this situation in some manner! If they know you can't take those things home, they should inform the passengers not to purchase them or at least inform the vendors to cease selling the wooden items in question! I've never purchased anything from the "pushy" vendors but I've looked at their crafts many times and some of them were really quite lovely.

Hey, no problem. I've got an extra piece or two that are hand-carved wooden deals from Labadee. I always wondered what I would do with them. Since you missed out, I'll get them in the mail to you tomorrow!!;) :eek: :D

[Bonnie Voyager]

Hey, no problem. I've got an extra piece or two that are hand-carved wooden deals from Labadee. I always wondered what I would do with them. Since you missed out, I'll get them in the mail to you tomorrow!!;) :eek: :D

 

 

Oh boy! More customers for my "Roach Motel"!