Is the Cabana on CC Actually Worth the Money?

[ChicosWife]

Not in our experience. There is a bike rental at SB, and we get bikes there at no charge every time. Also, we have used the snorkel at the FB for free by showing our Cabana wristbands.

What? Really???????? That makes the price of the cabana easier to swallow, if it's inclusive of some activities.

 

[MrsSyv]

I definitely found the cabana to be worth the money spent. Not so much for the cabana itself, but for the nearly empty beach.
We spent very little time in the cabana. Pretty much just sat there to have lunch and eat our ice cream cones. We didn't really even have things to store. We spent the entire day in the water and on the beach. We were the first ones on the cabana beach and the last to leave, and the entire time I couldn't stop taking pictures of the family beach and then the cabana beach. The contrast in populations was striking. At most, there were two dozen people in the water at the cabana beach. It was like our own private paradise. Also nice, was Tim the concierge bartender coming around to deliver drinks.
The cabana beach and Castaway Cay would probably be the leading reason for us to take another Disney cruise.

 

[wilkeliza]

What? Really???????? That makes the price of the cabana easier to swallow, if it's inclusive of some activities.

It does include "activities". I never would have rented a bike on a CC day by myself but since it was included in the cabana my friend and I took a bike ride from our Family Beach cabana over to Serenity Bay since I hadn't been over there. They told us it was an hour free in the brochure but on the island the people running it said with the cabana people they don't keep track so use it as much as we wanted.

I didn't need the snorkel because we have our own but you get all of it by wearing the wrist band they give you the night before.

 

[hardis5]

Good to know. I am only a silver level, so it sounds like my chances are slim to even getting one, but it's worth a try and something to look forward to, if I happen to snag one.

We have snagged one twice just checking in the weeks prior to sailing randomly. One cruise I was a fiend checking multiple times every day for weeks and being frustrated when not being able to get one. Last November I took the opposite attitude I check randomly once in a while and if we got, great. We got one (and almost was in shock and did not believe it was there..grabbed and checked out quickly). Two weeks ago (after booking a GT rate 2 weeks prior to sailing) 1 week prior to sailing randomly checking, the same pixie dust fell again.

 

[Steve Dexter]

On our last cruise in January, we got on a waiting list after we boarded the ship and were lucky enough to get one. After getting a cabana a few times, it's so hard to go back to not having one.

 

[Trera]

We have snagged one twice just checking in the weeks prior to sailing randomly. One cruise I was a fiend checking multiple times every day for weeks and being frustrated when not being able to get one. Last November I took the opposite attitude I check randomly once in a while and if we got, great. We got one (and almost was in shock and did not believe it was there..grabbed and checked out quickly). Two weeks ago (after booking a GT rate 2 weeks prior to sailing) 1 week prior to sailing randomly checking, the same pixie dust fell again.

I have had similar luck randomly checking.

I actually got one last week by putting myself on the list once on board.

 

[fromthePDX]

For those who were lucky enough to get one multiple times via waitlist or obsessively/randomly checking, does it make a difference whether you were aboard a classic ship vs a dream class ship (i.e. number of people on the cruise)?

 

[Dug720]

For those who were lucky enough to get one multiple times via waitlist or obsessively/randomly checking, does it make a difference whether you were aboard a classic ship vs a dream class ship (i.e. number of people on the cruise)?

I have only gotten one - but it was as a Silver the day my booking window opened right at midnight. I was on the Magic over Presidents' Week (so a lot of families) and I was going for Serenity Bay. Which is what I got.

I think it was a combination of Classic plus wanting SB on a family-heavy week.

 

[hanscarlet]

I have been silver and lucky enough to get it twice but I was crazy and stalked it daily.... the reason we are going concierge this time is because of the cabana... I don't even know if concierge is worth the cost on a 7 night if there's only one stop at CC (easy for me to say since i've never been concierge but just seems like the cabana is the reason to justify the concierge cost for us, we're doing B2b)

 

[disneydreamer781]

I have been silver and lucky enough to get it twice but I was crazy and stalked it daily.... the reason we are going concierge this time is because of the cabana... I don't even know if concierge is worth the cost on a 7 night if there's only one stop at CC (easy for me to say since i've never been concierge but just seems like the cabana is the reason to justify the concierge cost for us, we're doing B2b)

I'm Silver too so this gives me hope. I guess I'll have to learn to stalk.

 

[disneydreamer781]

Duplicate

 

[phinz]

It's worth it to us. My wife spontaneously combusts in the sun and I'm not really a beach person.

That said, we probably won't ever get one again because we've discovered how wonderful the boat is when everybody else goes ashore. We don't even bother stepping foot of of the boat on Castaway Cay day anymore because we honestly couldn't care less about it. I spent last cruise walking around taking pictures of a boat with less than 300 people on it.

 

[OrcaPotter]

My parents are not big on sitting in the sand on the beach, as much as they like the beach. Plus my father has mobility issues now and now uses a scooter for long distances. He can't be in direct sun unprotected, either. I figured it was worth it to try a cabana for our Fantasy cruise last June. Because of Dad's scooter, we were able to secure the HA cabana #1. The cabana itself was worth it for my parents' needs--close to facilities, direct access to the beach, shade, and comfort while still enjoying the beach. It was an absolute shame that the weather turned terrible and poured rain the entire day. The only time we saw a cabana host was when they came to tell us they were taking 50% off the price due to the weather making it near impossible to enjoy it. I was also surprised that when we initially got there, when the weather was fine, that none of the hosts were willing to escort us to our cabana. Normally they take you in a golf cart, but that wasn't possible because of the scooter. We were then literally waved off with "it's a short walk and first on the left" to settle in ourselves.

Due to the price, I wouldn't book it again unless I have my parents with me. We don't do excursions anymore (almost none are scooter accessible) so this was the price of an excursion. If you're fine with standard beach loungers and an umbrella, you might find the money better spent on an excursion.

 

[hardis5]

For those who were lucky enough to get one multiple times via waitlist or obsessively/randomly checking, does it make a difference whether you were aboard a classic ship vs a dream class ship (i.e. number of people on the cruise)?

Last November was on a Dream class getting and two weeks ago we we were on a classic. Obviously less competition on the classics improves the odds but a lot of it is just chance in timing and pixie dust unless snagging once booking opens up.

 

[EGHopeful]

I have been silver and lucky enough to get it twice but I was crazy and stalked it daily.... the reason we are going concierge this time is because of the cabana... I don't even know if concierge is worth the cost on a 7 night if there's only one stop at CC (easy for me to say since i've never been concierge but just seems like the cabana is the reason to justify the concierge cost for us, we're doing B2b)

I'm going Concierge this Dec on the Dream in hopes of getting a Cabana. How difficult is it? They don't have enough for every Concierge room correct and then you have to factor in the Platnium guest? Even if you combine the family & adult ones. I'm REALLY hoping to get one.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm going Concierge this Dec on the Dream in hopes of getting a Cabana. How difficult is it? They don't have enough for every Concierge room correct and then you have to factor in the Platnium guest? Even if you combine the family & adult ones. I'm REALLY hoping to get one.

Concierge has a bit of a hand up in this. By placing your request with the Shoreside Concierge at 125 days out, they squeak into the system in the nano-second before the Platinum guests can. Although, yes, it's possible that it could "sell out" before all Concierge requests are satisfied. I believe, in that case, the date/time you place your request with the Concierge people sets the priority of who get first satisfaction.

 

[Trera]

With the added cat V rooms in the classic ships, the cabanas will be tougher to get in the Magic and Wonder also.

 

[KdKyA]

We have cruised 3 times to CC. Twice we had a cabana and this last time we didn't.
That being said, to us, is the cabana worth it, yes and no.
The downside is the feeling of not wanting to leave it since you spent so much money on it. We didn't explore the island at all the first two cruises because we were tied to the cabana. The only time we left was to get food and bring it back to eat in the cabana. It was definitely nice and we don't regret doing it at all. I don't recommend it for first time cruisers on the island. The first time should be spent exploring the island, snorkeling, booking an excursion or just playing at Pelican Plunge and interacting with the characters and entertainment.
This last time we didn't have a cabana and we were able to do the Sting-rays, enjoy the small shops, played in the water, and checked out serenity bay while the kids played in the kids club on the island. We didn't get to enjoy any of that before.
If you have explored the island before, done some of the excursions, then yes, the cabana would then be worth it. You won't get the feeling of missing out or being tied down because you'll have experienced what the island has to offer.
If you are a first timer, then no, it would not be worth it.

 

[KdKyA]

All these amenities sound awesome! Plus, I think it is a great place for the parents to sit and relax, while watching the kids go play in the beach and not be surrounded by 100 other kids nearby!



Is the waitlist only for concierge level or can anyone get on it?

Except in most cases, you can't actually see the kids in the water if you are in the cabana. The water is too far away, or there is a ledge where the sand drops down a couple of feet. The only way we could see the kids both times we had a cabana was by actually being with them by the water. That defeats the purpose of the shaded cabana.

 

[lucas]

No. In my opinion it is not worth that kind of money.