Are cabanas worth it?

[work4cruising]

Seems to be 350 pp is that worth it??

[drewdawg199]

It’s per cabana, and it’s still not worth it.  Comes with a few canned drinks and they will bring you food to the cabana (same food everyone else gets, which is great).  

[denisey]

We booked one on our recent cruise, and it was nice.  Our reasoning was that one of the friends going is not a sun person, and we were concerned about having enough shade.  There wound up being a lot of shade through out the beach club.  We did have a dedicated waiter to bring us drinks and food, if we wanted it.  She also helped us drag more chairs to the cabana.  The cabana's are very close together, so you get to be best friends with your neighbors.

 

Overall, I don't think that is was worth the price we paid.

[_tacocat_]

If you get off the boat early, you should be able to find ample areas with shade.  We had a cabana and cancelled after the first couple reviews came out, and I'm glad we saved the $350. 

 

We're also big shade people and didn't want to be stuck in the sun or without chairs together, so we went to breakfast around 7:30 and I think were off the boat by 8.  Not sure if we were supposed to be allowed in that early because they were still setting everything up, but the staff put us on the shuttle no problem.

[gingersvp]

I think it's a really personal choice. We had a cabana yesterday which we shared with another couple that we were traveling with for the cruise. Two of us are red-headed and we wanted to ensure we had shade. We then invited a couple of friends we made on the ship to join us and the party was at cabana 35. 

 

Included is a bucket of drinks, choose between beer, wine or canned cocktails - but you have to stay within your category. We chose the cocktails and went for margaritas (which were extremely strong). 

 

I will say that there is plenty of shade. It was nice to have an assured space but not necessary. I think if my husband and I had been traveling solo it wouldn't have been worth it, but we wound up with 6 of us having a grand time.

 

And it's $350 total, not per person.

[work4cruising]

Thanks for all.the feedback

[Rhody135]

Value for the cost of the cabanas is probably in the eye of the beholder.

 

My thoughts, just back from January cruise.

 

Booked a RockStar cabana weeks before embarkation.  Like (some) other cruise lines, unable to use shipboard credit to book shore excursions, so paid by credit card.  Was worried about cabanas being sold out by embarkation.

 

Two days before the Bimini port call, a letter in the cabin requested that we visit the Chart Room on deck 7 at a specified time, to get our cabana assignment and make a drink package selection.  The choices were wine (in cans), cocktails (in cans), or beer (in cans).  Over the months leading up to the cruise, there have been a variety of representations about the cabana drink package....$100 credit, "first round on us," $50 credit, etc.

 

The RockStar cabanas are all in the sand in front of the covered veranda area.  They are behind some rows of loungers on the beach.  The cabanas located in other areas were identical.  The sides/roof are made of loose thatch, for lack of better description, so they provide some shade.  "Inside" the cabana is a double-sized daybed (with ability to position each half separately), 2 beanbag chairs, and an electrical outlet that could be used for charging, etc.  Outside, just in front of the cabana are 2 loungers.  There is a small cooler in the sand which was not used (and didn't have ice) and a small wooden flat table at the foot of the daybed.

 

Anything and everything at the Beach Club is just a very short walk.  The real estate parcel is pretty small.  This is not like a "private island" experience with the other cruise lines.  Nor is it meant to be, I suppose.

 

An employee from Shore Things visited to greet guests and get them settled in the cabana.  There was a cabana attendant all day, with a shift change at 2:00 pm.  The attendant took care of drink package, other drinks, water, etc. and offered to bring lunch to the cabana if we would like.  We ate lunch, though, at a table on the covered veranda, where there was waiter service (as opposed to counter service at the two main food outlets).

 

The wine drink package was underwhelming.  It included 4 cans of Pinot Project pino grigio (retail price, $4.99 each).  Outside the drink package, a pina colada cost $25.63.   Basic beverages were complimentary at the Beach Club, just like on the ship.

 

We were there on a day with a very small crowd.  There was ample seating of every sort, in the sun or in the shade, near the beach, near the pool, more secluded, etc.  The cabana would be most valuable on a crowded day.

 

On balance, we enjoyed the cabana....but if I were to return, I probably wouldn't spend the money again.

[drewdawg199]

1 hour ago, Rhody135 said:

Outside the drink package, a pina colada cost $25.63.  

Huh? that sounds really off.  Did you order a double or give like a $7 tip?

[xerenthar]

20 hours ago, drewdawg199 said:

Huh? that sounds really off.  Did you order a double or give like a $7 tip?

 

i ordered many pina coladas with extra rum floaters and they were $15