Half Moon Cay/Cabanas vs Hanging Out On Beach

[m8zenblue]

Fisrt, I would like to thank all you folks who have answered my stupid newbie questions, lol.

We will be sailing on HAL/Eurodam, 3 Dec., 2011.

The last stop will be Half Moon Cay.

I have been doing research on each stop and I have been weighing weather or not to reserve a cabana or just hang out on the beach, advantages/disadvantages, any info at all will be greatly appreciated.

[sail7seas]

It is not a stupid question. :)

We have been going to HMC since HAL first started stopping there and positively adore it. For us, it is a slice of paradise.

We have had cabanas and enjoyed to the max. Wonderful.
And we have grabbed lounge chairs and relaxed on the beach and enjoyed to the max.

Most usually these days, we are happy to grab lounges, pull them to a spot we like and stay on the sand.

Maybe try a cabana once for the fun seeing it's your first visit. :)

[AZNative2000]

Fisrt, I would like to thank all you folks who have answered my stupid newbie questions, lol.

We will be sailing on HAL/Eurodam, 3 Dec., 2011.

The last stop will be Half Moon Cay.

I have been doing research on each stop and I have been weighing weather or not to reserve a cabana or just hang out on the beach, advantages/disadvantages, any info at all will be greatly appreciated.Here is my two cents: We had this same decision on our first Caribbean cruise (last fall). After figuring out that (with tendering time etc.) we'd be on the beach for, perhaps, 5 or 6 hours tops we chose to rent a "clamshell". It cost about $20 IIRC. We got to the beach about 9am, got a nice location, enjoyed our time alternating swimming and reading, and were happy to return to the ship about 12:30 for lunch.

It was a nice day for the two of us in a beautiful place and didn't cost the extra $50 or $60 per hour that a cabana would have.

P.S. - Everyone on here was a newbie at some point.:)

Cheers!

[we're sailing away....]

We stay on the ship at private Islands

[Krazy Kruizers]

Years ago when HAL first started with the Cabanas we rented one a couple of times.

Now we just find a shady spot, get a drink and after about 3 hours -- head back to the ship.

We usually skip the BBQ (free)o on the island as we wnjoy going back to the ship and getting something to eat there without long lines. That is just us.

If you intend to spend the 5 -6 hours that the ship will be on the island -- then you might want to try a Cabana.

[catl331]

I would say that it depends on how long you plan to stay seated on the beach. We like to get off early and walk down to the furthest lounge chairs and sit there for awhile. We like to take a pic of the ship anchored out there. We usually plan to stay until lunch is served, eat the bbq lunch there and head back to the ship.

In Dec., when we cruise, the water starts to cool down and there are just a few diehards in the water. Also one time when we were there, it started to pour about 1 o'clock and everyone had to head back to the ship. So some people didn't get their full rental time at all. Decide which do you really need: cabanas, clamshells or lounge chairs. There are plenty of palm trees around for shade and you can move you chairs under them.

[CruiserBruce]

Not a silly question, but one that is thoroughly discussed, with many options, on the Private Island board, here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=406

[jtl513]

Too much money for what you get IMO.

[x lindsay x]

We usually go for it. Yes, it is quite a splurge but that way we will spend ALL day on the island so we really make use of it. We got one on a Carnival cruise the past May and were delighted by the 'discounted' rate they charge in comparison to HAL.

[surfergirle]

Yes, as someone stated above you definately do not get the full rental time. We have been kicked out at 2:00-2:30 and were not allowed to take the final tender. Also since we were far down the beach we had 2 cleaning ladies stand there and watch us, waiting for us to leave 2 feet from the cabana. BUT for the time that we did use it I feel like it was worth it.
We have booked the Gray cabana again for October, and I will talk to the PG manager who services these cabanas and see what can be done about taking the second to the last tender or the last tender as well as the cleaning crew harassing us. You never know, he may tell the cleaning ladies to leave us alone. LOL. For us having a private place is worth it, and worth talking to someone about that privacy being intruded on. To be frank I only believe this happened because we were in a cabana furthest down the beach. I think its second to last and they start in the back and work thier way up.

[kazu]

It depends upon what you want to do. If you are going to sit on the beach you might want to look at it. If you are going to walk the nature trails or do an excursion such as the horse back riding or para sailing, then you might want to re-look.

With the new bar, there is a place to escape the sun as well.

We nearly did it on our second last cruise and then decided no. didn't matter we couldn't tender anyways;)

Last time, we enjoyed walking around and headed back to the ship

[1cruiselvr]

Yes, as someone stated above you definately do not get the full rental time. We have been kicked out at 2:00-2:30 and were not allowed to take the final tender. Also since we were far down the beach we had 2 cleaning ladies stand there and watch us, waiting for us to leave 2 feet from the cabana. BUT for the time that we did use it I feel like it was worth it.
We have booked the Gray cabana again for October, and I will talk to the PG manager who services these cabanas and see what can be done about taking the second to the last tender or the last tender as well as the cleaning crew harassing us. You never know, he may tell the cleaning ladies to leave us alone. LOL. For us having a private place is worth it, and worth talking to someone about that privacy being intruded on. To be frank I only believe this happened because we were in a cabana furthest down the beach. I think its second to last and they start in the back and work thier way up.
From my personal experience, I don't think where the cabana is located has anything to do with it. Ours was #3 or 4 down the beach, can't remember exactly, but we weren't far and they didn't ask, just came to the cabana and started removing things around 2pm, like we weren't suppose to be there anymore. It seems that others are experiencing the hurry up and go attitude as well. I did it once but not again. IMHO not worth $299 unless you can share the expense with another couple.

[kyriecat]

I did the cabana package and butler service in April. Hubby and I had a stressful couple of months prior to the cruise due to work and parental health problems, plus it was hubby's 40th birthday. HMC was the first stop on our cruise so we decided to make it a relaxation day. Laying on the lounge chairs, listening to the ocean, and reading a book was a fabulous way to start the cruise. Our butler brought us lunch and drinks as needed.

If we were planning to spend the day exploring HMC, I don't think I would have booked the cabana. It is expensive for the limited amount of time that you get. I think we got our money's worth since we spent the whole day there.

[sparky-elpaso]

We just found a hammock on the beach under a palm tree and kicked back.


http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/mm362/sparky-elpaso/DSCF0229-1.jpg

[1cruiselvr]

To be clear for those that aren't aware, the butler service is an additional cost. Not part of the $299. If $$ ran freely for me, I'd grab a cabana AND butler service to be pampered on the island. But alas, that's not the case so a $15 clamshell is going to be my next experience on HMC in Oct. Happy Sailing!

[iriemon]

As others have mentioned, we grab a lounger and relax. Vacation is all about relaxing so we don't rush off the ship to be the first on the island, we eat a hardy enough breakfast so we don't eat on the island come back when we want and grab a hamburger or something on the ship and relax. I would have guilt feelings if I spent that money on a cabana and didn't use it to it's full extent. If there is more than one ship at the island we may not go at all as crowds are not part of relaxation in our book. We did do the horse back riding for a change when we were there last Feb.that was fun.

[parrotfeathers]

I never felt the need of a cabana while I was at Half Moon Cay. I was too busy taking in all the sights and walking and horseback riding. Had I rented one I would have felt obligated to sit there.

[gregdude]

Clamshell is a very good option if you want sun/wind protection. Cabana is just another way for HAL to gorge you of your money, it is not necessary to have one to enjoy HMC.

[jbhcw]

HMC is one of our favorite stops! The first 2-3 times we just did the clamshell, but then tried a cabana or two...then the last two times have stepped it up to the grand cabana:D

Whatever you decide it will be an awesome day, perhaps starting with a clamshell would be the way to go, then next Time you can decide if you would like the cabana experience:)

Whatever you decide enjoy your day in paradise:):)::)

[zookiebird]

We'll be going to HMC for the 1st time in March. Decided on a clamshell as all we really want is some extra sun protection.

[callmedeb]

My sister and I did the Red Cabana (2nd from the end) in 2009. LOVED the experience and would do it again in a heartbeat!

Red Cabana gets shade so it worked out perfectly for pasty white me =)

Deb

[surfergirle]

With the "Kicking out" issues of the standard cabana, we had hoped to share the Grand Cabana or Oasis this time, on our Oct 29 Eurodam sailing, and cancel our Gray Cabana but no one on the roll call seems even interested. $200 is a better deal than $299, with drinks and food included..
Wonder why no one wants do do it, with almost every cabana booked.

[Typhoon1]

You won't regret a cabana if your budget permits. The best decision made on any cruise is a day at HMC in a cabana.

[jbhcw]

With the "Kicking out" issues of the standard cabana, we had hoped to share the Grand Cabana or Oasis this time, on our Oct 29 Eurodam sailing, and cancel our Gray Cabana but no one on the roll call seems even interested. $200 is a better deal than $299, with drinks and food included..
Wonder why no one wants do do it, with almost every cabana booked.


surfergirl...they probably think it's too expensive and having never experienced it just don't know how wonderful it actually is!! With our first experience I didn't tell dh what the cost was...even though it's cheaper than a regular cabana...but after the first time I told him what we paid..and he said..that is the best bang for your buck...we've paid much more for other shore excursions...I could spend a week there:):):)

[DFD1]

sparky....nice picture. Thanks

[surfergirle]

surfergirl...they probably think it's too expensive and having never experienced it just don't know how wonderful it actually is!! With our first experience I didn't tell dh what the cost was...even though it's cheaper than a regular cabana...but after the first time I told him what we paid..and he said..that is the best bang for your buck...we've paid much more for other shore excursions...I could spend a week there:):):)


I agree completely-
for 12 to split, $200 for a couple with food, open bar, and hot tub or $299 for a couple with no food, or drink or hot tub-
Its a no brainer

But no one on the roll call is interested :(

[Randyk47]

I agree completely-
for 12 to split, $200 for a couple with food, open bar, and hot tub or $299 for a couple with no food, or drink or hot tub-
Its a no brainer

But no one on the roll call is interested :(

Actually I'm not surprised. Unless you're traveling with a large group of people it's hard to find six couples who don't know each other to pony up a couple hundred dollars to spend a day with a bunch of strangers. I guess it might be possible to put together a group once you all met on the ship and got along but timing is everything. By that I mean our first stop, actually the morning of the first full day on the ship, last March was HMC. No time to meet anybody in that short of time. Didn't help that our roll call participation was extremely sparse and a number of the ones who did "sign up" were on the ship for a series of adjoining cruises that added up to something like 35 days which included three visits to HMC. Also interesting on that cruise was the very low occupancy rate for the cabanas as a whole. I think I heard only four or five were used and it was a full ship. I know we had the purple one and none of the cabanas around us were occupied.

[Denverbri69]

Reallocate your thinking. The price of a HMC cabana is almost 50% more than a Retreat Cabana for the whole cruise. No one ever regrets the retreat cabana. When you get HMC walk down the beach away from the tender docking area. the further you walk the quieter and less crowded it is. Enjoy the beach and the wonderful Carribean water and then get yourself back to your retreat cabana for a butler served lunch, champagne & chocolate dipped strawberries. You can have the best of both experiences for less money, better service and longer duration.

[1cruiselvr]

not all ships have the retreat or lido cabanas. So pax on those ships don't have the option you suggest. Happy Sailing!

[Denverbri69]

not all ships have the retreat or lido cabanas. So pax on those ships don't have the option you suggest. Happy Sailing!

I was answering a question posted by someone who is traveling on the Eurodam, which does have Retreat Cabanas. But thanks for your 2 cents and off topic response.

[1cruiselvr]

I was answering a question posted by someone who is traveling on the Eurodam, which does have Retreat Cabanas. But thanks for your 2 cents and off topic response.

Ouch....I was just letting folks know that not every ship that goes to HMC has retreat or lido cabanas and therefore your suggestion is not an option for them.

[jbhcw]

Ouch....I was just letting folks know that not every ship that goes to HMC has retreat or lido cabanas and therefore your suggestion is not an option for them.

IMHO the cabanas on the ship and the grand cabana on HMC are totally two different animals:). Our upcoming cruise on the NA will be our first experience with cabanas on board ship...they look closed in to me but that is just my opinion.

A cabana on HMC is wonderful but the grand cabana is beyond wonderful, just a slice of heaven for a few hours!! Especially when experienced with family and friends.

[SmokinActuary]

The point about sharing with strangers is a valid one. Not everyone is willing to take the risk of people not getting along.

[lishka]

I was lucky enough to share the grand cabana with total strangers and it was the BEST!
We decided during our roll call and never met until the first night on board - at our meet and greet.
HMC was the first stop on the very next day. .
It was awesome! We even did the upgrade and had massages, etc.
It turned out to be one of my all time favorite memories. :)

[Beebob1]

We do the cabanas on HMC each time. In fact before I book a cruise I've checked with HAL to see if cabanas are open. So to us it is a must. Snacks, drinks and fruit are waiting we snack on that and sometimes pass on the lunch. It is awesome to have a spot just for us and we enjoy it more and more.

[baggal]

I'm a sand-between-my-toes kind of girl. We walk down the beach away from the crowds and find some lounge chairs under the trees (hopefully they didn't get blown away in the last hurricane) and relax for the afternoon. There are waiters available if you want something from the bar. Its a perfect day.

[eh2zed]

The cabana would be nice but we just do the clamshell. I like to explore the island and DW likes to spend time in the water so in the end we would only really use it maybe 25% of the time ashore. HMC is what heaven may be like.

[HokiePoq]

We booked one of the last cabanas in the line. It was very nice but not at all worth the $$$$, even when split with another couple. There were lounge chairs right in front of us we could have had for free. I loved HMC and the stingray excursion was great...and very reasonably priced when we were there a couple of years ago.

[78232]

The lounge chairs in the cabanas are padded and are so comfortable! That combined with the snacks and drinks sealed the deal for us.
Marcia

[1cruiselvr]

If the cost is not too much and you plan on using the cabana for the full amount of time on HMC, then it's a nice perk for the day. However, if you only plan on visiting the island for a few hrs, then I'd suggest a clamshell instead. The snacks are ok, but not necessary. With food plentiful on board prior to tendering and then the BBQ on the island, it's not hard to find food. :D Happy Sailing!

[1cruiselvr]

I meant to say:
if the cost isn't too much for your cruise budget....:p

[ctcruisedream]

The "I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever" bar above the beach was a nice spot to take a break if you don't want to rent anything.

[piscesgal223]

My dad and I sat up there after we swam-I have a picture of the beach taken from there-it's my current desktop picture on my laptop!

[Bookfinder]

Yes, as someone stated above you definately do not get the full rental time. We have been kicked out at 2:00-2:30 and were not allowed to take the final tender. Also since we were far down the beach we had 2 cleaning ladies stand there and watch us, waiting for us to leave 2 feet from the cabana. BUT for the time that we did use it I feel like it was worth it.
We have booked the Gray cabana again for October, and I will talk to the PG manager who services these cabanas and see what can be done about taking the second to the last tender or the last tender as well as the cleaning crew harassing us. You never know, he may tell the cleaning ladies to leave us alone. LOL. For us having a private place is worth it, and worth talking to someone about that privacy being intruded on. To be frank I only believe this happened because we were in a cabana furthest down the beach. I think its second to last and they start in the back and work thier way up.

Surfergirle,
We have booked the Red cabana for Dec. It is a lot of money but we decided to give it a try for our first time to HMC. I would love to hear about your experience in October. Please let us know how it goes and if you had any problems.

Also, who kicked you out at 2 PM? Was it the cleaning ladies? Did they just come by and tell you to leave or was it their lurking that caused you to go?

[1cruiselvr]

From my personal experience in 11/09, I can tell you how we got 'kicked' out. We went to the restroom around 2pm and came back to find they had cleared everything out. It wasn't due to a mistaken impression that we were done with the cabana. All our stuff was still there. At that point, there was no reason to stay other than to enjoy the beach for a bit longer. Happy Sailing!

[piscesgal223]

They have to "kick people out" to get everything cleaned up and back to the ship. If I were "kicked out", I would probably just have one more quick swim and go back to the ship.

No hard feelings from me.I know they have to get things cleaned up.

[bepsf]

Every time we've been to HMC, I've been fortunate enough to have one of the outer cabanas with Butler Service - It's a treat to be able to have food & drinks delivered throughout the day as well as a place to sit and relax in the shade or sun as you like, away from the crowds.

As far as getting kicked out - We've always been among those on the last passenger tender @ 3pm. Sure staff folks are hanging around - but I don't pay them any mind as I take my time to finish up what I'm doing, gathering up my things, etc.

[piscesgal223]

They're not doing it to be rude-it's their job. They can't leave Half Moon Cay without cleaning up.But it takes time.

[Murray's Pop]

As far as getting kicked out - We've always been among those on the last passenger tender @ 3pm. Sure staff folks are hanging around - but I don't pay them any mind as I take my time to finish up what I'm doing, gathering up my things, etc.


We are the same way. We always get a cabana (Turquoise) along with the Butler Service. It is heaven, and we usually are on one of the very last tenders back.

When we were there last year we had a great time as several of the PG staff were kind of "hanging out" around our cabana. It was wonderful with all of them there and we really wound up having about 5 "butlers" taking care of us, getting more food, and going for drinks!

We will be there again in a few weeks and am looking forward to it again.

[surfergirle]

Surfergirle,
We have booked the Red cabana for Dec. It is a lot of money but we decided to give it a try for our first time to HMC. I would love to hear about your experience in October. Please let us know how it goes and if you had any problems.

Also, who kicked you out at 2 PM? Was it the cleaning ladies? Did they just come by and tell you to leave or was it their lurking that caused you to go?

Hi there!
It was random staff, walking up while we were napping, no greeting or explanation, etc just grabbing stuff, and then the cleaning ladies hanging out and sitting on the steps of the cabana then telling us they need to clean up- We should have been able to take the last tender, alot of people do it. Its alot to spend to have two cleaning ladies staring at you while you nap, at 230 PM. LOL. I will say something to the PG mgr this year, about us staying till the last tender, I am ok with them taking the items, snorkel gear, mats etc, i know they have to pack but the cleaning ladies from Enuthera (is that how you spell it) are a little much just sitting & standing right there. So random.

[scopewest]

The next time we go to HMC I'll rent a cabana. We did the clamshells, and if I hadn't read on the CC boards about propping up the back flap with a rock it would have been too hot and stuffy for me to sit there for very long.

[piscesgal223]

I wish we'd rented a clamshell..maybe next time. At least you wouldn't get "kicked out" because the staff need to clean up.

[gelo7]

Hanging out..

[piscesgal223]

Hanging out and swimming(and eating the barbecue lunch!)